Suggestions for Dock additions/changes

[ChillieMacX]

Here are some Dock ideas:

1) SORTING CONTROL: By alphabetical, by user defineable grouping (browsing, e-mail, office, games, design etc.), by chronolgically used, by open/not open or open with most documents to least documents, by how much RAM it takes

This could sort by what order it appears in or by whether they appear at all (design apps only or internet only etc.)

2) STRETCH IT FROM EDGE TO EDGE: This would allow the items to be stationary, allows building of "muscel-memory"(sp), Trash Can could be allways bottom right and Finder bottom left.

3) ITEM REMOVAL OPTIONS: Allow Dock aliases AND minimized windows to be removed by dragging onto desktop, drag to stationary trash can,contextual menu and key command

4) APPLICATION WINDOW OPTIONS: Options to allow where minimized windows are placed, seperate area to the right of the applications (done currently), as seperate windows are handled with the Mail application by displaying the number of windows/documents are open in that application and by contextual menu display an icon and the window/document name (maybe file type, size and last saved info).

5) MORE INTERACTIVITY: maybe more of an application thing BUT, iTunes controls that minimize to the Dock (Fwd, Bck, Pause/Play, Song Title(alternating w/artist), Quicktime controls for the same thing, Fetch showing a progress bar on the icon as it uploads or downloads.

6) ACTIVE vs. INACTIVE INDICATION: Apps that are no longer linked to the Dock icon show a broken chain sub-icon or a shrugged-shoulders icon or a Finder icon with it's "face" tilted looking confused...

7) CUSTOMIZEABLE TOOLTIP IDENTIFIER: when the cursor hovers over an icon it displays in text what it is...make the text size and font adjustable.

8) DOCK BACKGROUND CONTROL: allow the background to be Black, White or Grey or completely transparent with a transparency slider.

9) MORE EFFECTS: More transition effects between minimize/maximize, opening an app, placing and removing apps to the Dock.

10) PREVENT WINDOWS OR APPS FROM OVERLAPPING IT.

11) VARIABLE HIDING CONTROLS: change the number of seconds it takes to make the Dock appear or select which apps make it hide etc. or make it appear if its already hidden.

Feedback is both welcome and desired.



paul_schreiber@mac.com

 

[rainman::|:|]

Re: Suggestions for Dock additions/changes

Originally posted by ChillieMacX
Here are some Dock ideas:

1) SORTING CONTROL: By alphabetical, by user defineable grouping (browsing, e-mail, office, games, design etc.), by chronolgically used, by open/not open or open with most documents to least documents, by how much RAM it takes

This could sort by what order it appears in or by whether they appear at all (design apps only or internet only etc.)

Not a bad idea...

2) STRETCH IT FROM EDGE TO EDGE: This would allow the items to be stationary, allows building of "muscel-memory"(sp), Trash Can could be allways bottom right and Finder bottom left.

what is "muscel-memory"?? The dock can be stretched, just resize it to the largest size-- If you don't want it magnifying, you can turn that off in the Dock preference pane.

3) ITEM REMOVAL OPTIONS: Allow Dock aliases AND minimized windows to be removed by dragging onto desktop, drag to stationary trash can,contextual menu and key command

Well, obviously dock aliases can be removed by dragging. Not sure what the last half of this means, but a "remove from dock" contextual menu would take longer to use than simply dragging it. I would like to see window-dragging as well, you drag it where you want the window to expand to...

4) APPLICATION WINDOW OPTIONS: Options to allow where minimized windows are placed, seperate area to the right of the applications (done currently), as seperate windows are handled with the Mail application by displaying the number of windows/documents are open in that application and by contextual menu display an icon and the window/document name (maybe file type, size and last saved info).

I would like to see document names appear as well...

5) MORE INTERACTIVITY: maybe more of an application thing BUT, iTunes controls that minimize to the Dock (Fwd, Bck, Pause/Play, Song Title(alternating w/artist), Quicktime controls for the same thing, Fetch showing a progress bar on the icon as it uploads or downloads.

You can already control iTunes by contextual menu... But as far as changing, controllable icons... I think that's too busy for Apple, it would appear cluttered (and button implementation would probably be quite difficult)...

6) ACTIVE vs. INACTIVE INDICATION: Apps that are no longer linked to the Dock icon show a broken chain sub-icon or a shrugged-shoulders icon or a Finder icon with it's "face" tilted looking confused...

They already do, if you try clicking on a Dock icon, and it can't be found, it turns into a big gray question mark. May also do this on startup, I don't remember...

7) CUSTOMIZEABLE TOOLTIP IDENTIFIER: when the cursor hovers over an icon it displays in text what it is...make the text size and font adjustable.

What? Like, renaming it? You can't change size or font of filenames...

8) DOCK BACKGROUND CONTROL: allow the background to be Black, White or Grey or completely transparent with a transparency slider.

Apple likes to keep strict control of their aesthetics. Don't hold your breath. The most we're likely to get is a transparency slider, but no color selection...

9) MORE EFFECTS: More transition effects between minimize/maximize, opening an app, placing and removing apps to the Dock.

I agree, tho there aren't many more that would look good... If you use Tinkertool or a similar haxie, you can get a third "suck" option for the dock...

10) PREVENT WINDOWS OR APPS FROM OVERLAPPING IT.

Apps are supposed to notice when they are behind it, and adjust their window sizes accordingly. There are still a lot of problems with that, and it may have to be implemented in each program...

11) VARIABLE HIDING CONTROLS: change the number of seconds it takes to make the Dock appear or select which apps make it hide etc. or make it appear if its already hidden.

You can make a keyboard command to show/hide the dock, I use it frequently...

pnw

 

[vollspacken]

I want, I DEMAND!!! spring loaded folders in the dock..!

I want this sooooo bad...

vSpacken

 

[groovebuster]

Re: Re: Suggestions for Dock additions/changes

Originally posted by paulwhannel
They already do, if you try clicking on a Dock icon, and it can't be found, it turns into a big gray question mark. May also do this on startup, I don't remember...

The problem is just that it only works with apps that are placed directly in the dock. I work with dozens of apps, but I only want the most important ones to reside in the dock directly all the time, since there is limited space available. So how accessing the others fast and convenient? I made special folders just for navigation that contain the aliasses to all the needed apps and placed them in the dock. When I need Transmit for example, I just click on my folder "Internet" in the dock (and keep the mouse button pressed) and that Menu opens with all the aliases in that folder...

BUT!!!!! If an alias is broken and you call it through that menu thingy in the dock it doesn't even tell you... It just happens... NOTHING! That's really weird and annoying...

groovebuster