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WizOSX · Feb 20, 2005, 09:56 PM

In the last hour or so my dock refuses to appear on the left side (where I always keep it). I can choose bottom or right side and it's fine but if I choose left it just disappears. I repaired permissions, which didn't help. I also did a search and didn't find anyone else having this problem.

fisherKing · Feb 20, 2005, 10:04 PM

one idea:
go to your user library, delete from preferences:

com.apple.dock.plist

log out, back in, try again...

ManOfSteal · Feb 20, 2005, 10:14 PM

I think your left brain is being selfish it sounds like.

WizOSX · Feb 20, 2005, 10:24 PM

Originally posted by fisherking

one idea:
go to your user library, delete from preferences:

com.apple.dock.plist

log out, back in, try again...

I just tried that, didn't work. The doc defaulted to the orginal position and size with only Apple's software in the dock--but only right and bottom work.

jay3ld · Feb 20, 2005, 10:50 PM

go into the dock plist file that was mention above and edit its position.
log out and in.

also tell us if you applied any hacks to your dock

Krusty · Feb 20, 2005, 10:50 PM

Do you have the dev tools installed ?

If so, open the com.apple.dock.plist file and manually edit the 'Orientation' node to 'left' from 'bottom'. Save the file. You must kill the dock process (in terminal or Activity Monitor) before the new setting will take effect.

WizOSX · Feb 21, 2005, 12:01 AM

No, I don't have dev tools installed. Also, I've never used the terminal. I know I should, eventually, but really don't want to--after 20 years of "messing around" with computers (from machine language, to compilers, to Basic, Fortran etc.), I like the fact that I don't know anything about how OSX works. I'd really rather keep it that way, if possible. Anyway, I was in Safari when the dock disappeared--Safari crashed and that was when it was gone.

WizOSX · Feb 21, 2005, 12:16 AM

Originally posted by jay3ld

also tell us if you applied any hacks to your dock.

No, none whatsoever. Everything on my Powerbook is pretty much "stock." I have 10.3.7. But what happened to me was pretty much the kind of thing that would happen to any "everyday" user. If I were a new "switcher" I'd be pretty distressed at this.

Cadaver · Feb 21, 2005, 12:26 AM

Maybe your computer has taken a sudden liking to Bill O'Reilly... wont go left.

Personally, mine doesn't go right.

Chuckit · Feb 21, 2005, 01:04 AM

Originally posted by WizOSX:
But what happened to me was pretty much the kind of thing that would happen to any "everyday" user.

Considering I tech support dozens of the critters (everyday users, that is) and have never heard such a thing, I think it's more like something that would happen just to you. Do agree that it's a rather distressing occurrence, though. It might be overkill, but reinstalling the Dock with Pacifist would probably cure what ails you.

TETENAL · Feb 21, 2005, 01:31 AM

You don't need the Terminal to edit the Dock preference file. A simple text editor like TextEdit will suffice. Search for "orientation" and change bottom to left (you will figure out). Save and quit the Dock with Activity Monitor.

If you make a mistake simply trash the Dock preferences and a fresh one will be created. You can't break anything by trying that out.

WizOSX · Feb 21, 2005, 08:00 AM

Originally posted by Krusty

You must kill the dock process (in terminal ...

Sorry for my rant against the terminal. Thanks for your help Krusty and all. It is always amazing on this forum how quickly people come to your aid in time of trouble.

WizOSX · Feb 21, 2005, 12:33 PM

Originally posted by Cadaver

Maybe your computer has taken a sudden liking to Bill O'Reilly... wont go left.
Personally, mine doesn't go right..

Originally posted by ManOfSteel

I think your left brain is being selfish it sounds like.

So, to solve my problem with the dock I have to learn to use the terminal AND go for political orientation counselling and sensitivity therapy. Sheesh.

WizOSX · Feb 21, 2005, 09:13 PM

Originally posted by TETENAL
Search for "orientation" and change bottom to left (you will figure out). Save and quit the Dock with Activity Monitor.

I just did that, no luck. Looks my left side is gone forever (or at least until Tiger).

Maelman · Feb 21, 2005, 09:26 PM

Try making a new account and see if you can do it while logged into that user. If not, then it might be a problem with the Dock.app or something.

WizOSX · Mar 3, 2005, 10:22 PM

Problem solved, sort of. I just used the System Preferences Panel to set the dock on the left and it worked! Very strange. So setting it under the Apple menu would not allow me to put it on the left side of the screen for the last 11 days. But just using the System Prefs instead of the Apple menu somehow "reset" something. Very strange.

As often seems to be the case, OS X has trouble sometimes with "losing" settings. This was a huge problem back in 10.1 but Apple seems to have improved this side of OS X a lot, but there still are these occasional funny things that relate to "storing" settings. Is this more a Unix thing or specific to OS X?

WizOSX · Mar 13, 2005, 09:37 PM

The reason for the disappearing dock is interesting. If you have two monitors and, in >diplays>arrangement in the system preferences, you "place" the monitor without your menu bar on the left, your dock "disappears" to the other monitor (if you have your dock on the left). Similarly, if you have your other monitor on the bottom and your dock on the bottom, it will go to the other monitor. Maybe this is "old" knowledge, but was a surprise to me. I don't know whether versions previous to Panther acted this way? It may make sense to Apple but seems strange to me--to have your dock that far away from every thing else on your "main" desktop.

The reason why my dock "disappeared" for me is that I use my Powerbook with the screen off and connected to an external monitor where I have my dock. Of course, the "solution" is to put the PB's monitor in one of the "corners."

Chuckit · Mar 13, 2005, 10:12 PM

I didn't know that, but it kind of makes sense. If you can go past the dock, that kind of defeats the point of it, doesn't it? And it would also make hiding look really strange.

WizOSX · Mar 13, 2005, 10:31 PM

Originally posted by Chuckit
I didn't know that, but it kind of makes sense. If you can go past the dock, that kind of defeats the point of it, doesn't it? And it would also make hiding look really strange.

Exactly. At first I thought, "this is strange--I don't want the dock so far away." But as you said, I don't know how else I would do it.