Moving where applications open in dock

Is there a way to move where the applications open on the dock? Right now they open to the left of the documents, but what if when I opened an application I wanted it to open to the right of the documents?

Simple answer: no.

Like chas stated, you can't have programs opening in the Dock to the RIGHT of the Dock separator. That area is reserved for folders - Documents, Applications, Games, and so forth.

toMACsh said:

Just curious; why?

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I am of the thought "why not?"

thanks

jeeep said:

I am of the thought "why not?"

thanks

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Well, "If it ain't broke, don't "fix" it."

So then, why?

At least I have pretty good answer. What's yours?

are we about to throwdown?

na j/k

just like customizing things to fit my personal preference. I understand this is a big topic and apple does know how to design quite well whether it be the iPhone or the macbook pro but at the end of the day it's my computer and I feel if I want something on the left then I at least should have the option.

A lot of naysayers in here! You gents need to get more familiar with the command line.

So, after some fooling around, I found a command that will accomplish what you want...sort of. It will add the application to the right but when you click it, you won't get the blue dot underneath it nor will you be able to move it. The reason for this is simple (this is a theory based on the structure of the plist file that holds the values for the Dock) - the launchers on the right are part of a set that aren't interpreted as launchers in the same sense as the left side ones are. If we look at the icons on the right, this begins to make sense - stacks and the Trash behave very differently than the application launchers on the left.

Anyway, enough of the theory/explanation. To do this, you'll need to open up Terminal (/Applications/Utilities). Once open, execute the following to copy your current plist to the Desktop: This will keep a copy of the working plist file on your Desktop just in case something goes wrong.

Next, copy the following but do not hit enter (yet): The part that is in red needs to be changed. You need to replace that with the full path to the application that you want on the right side. Once you've made that change, hit enter and enjoy.

If something goes wrong, execute the following to copy back your original Dock plist and relauch the Dock:
To be fair, this is an adaptation of this tip and it's not one of my own devising. I tried to do it on my own by analyzing the Dock plist but it didn't go so well.

EDIT: It might be possible to move them around if you have a plist editor installed (if you installed Xcode, you've got one).

Van, Steve Jobs just called me from his Grave and is VERY unhappy as you posting that info! He will pay you a visit tonight at 12 Midnight! Grin

Not good to mess with Steve's ideas, even though he is not with us anymore!

Things are meant to be tinkered with.

vansmith said:

Things are meant to be tinkered with.

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That sounds suspiciously close in spirit to the motto of the Red Green Show.

We now come to the part of the show called "If it ain't broke, you're not trying!"

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Classic vansmith. Takes an almost pointless idea and runs with it

robduckyworth said:

Classic vansmith. Takes an almost pointless idea and runs with it

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That is our Van! Grin

I am impressed though he actually found a way around it! That is impressive.

robduckyworth said:

Classic vansmith. Takes an almost pointless idea and runs with it

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'Tis what I do best my good man. Why should problems be left unsolved?

vansmith said:

'Tis what I do best my good man. Why should problems be left unsolved?

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Rather, why should problems be invented?

To the OP: Good luck. Many a customization gone awry proves not to have been worth the effort. Naysayer? Naw, just cautious.

toMACsh said:

Rather, why should problems be invented?

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Science and knowledge itself wouldn't be what it was if people didn't "invent" problems.

vansmith said:

Science and knowledge itself wouldn't be what it was if people didn't "invent" problems.

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different context

How is "knowledge" a different context? Learning isn't exclusive to any particular domain.

Thanks vansmith, that script works but the app is present all the time. I was hoping to only have them open over to the right then disappear when I closed the app. I've since settled for what I've got. Thanks man!!!! you rock.

vansmith said:

How is "knowledge" a different context?

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Much broader than the topic at hand.