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Adding Items to the Dock

If you install software on your client computers by dragging and dropping, the file, folder, or application isn't immediately added to the user's Dock. The instructions provided here are a workaround for clients that are not part of a managed client environment.

Note: Dock management is best done in a Mac OS X Server Workgroup Management environment. If you use Mac OS X Server to manage client settings and preferences, the correct place to change the Dock is within the management settings of Workgroup Manager.

  1. Select a computer list in the Remote Desktop window.
  2. Select one or more computers in the selected computer list.
  3. Choose Manage > Send UNIX Command.
  4. Type or paste the following UNIX command (replace /Path_To_Application with your own path to the desired application, and be sure to include the application file extension, .app):
    defaults write com.apple.dock persistent-apps -array-add '<dict><key>tile-data</key><dict><key>file-data</key>
    <dict><key>_CFURLString</key><string>/Path_To_Application
    </string><key>_CFURLStringType</key><integer>0</integer></dict>
    </dict></dict>';killall -HUP Dock

    Use "persistent-others" instead of "persistent-apps" if the item is anything other than an application.

  5. Set the permissions for those of currently logged-in user.
  6. Click Send.

For other maintenance tasks, see: