Suggestions for ObjectDock Plus

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Application Menus

I recently installed ObjectDock Plus becuase I like its OS X Dock on Windows capability. One thing I came across while rediscovering its feature set is that in the Dock Entry Properties there is an option to "Show folder in a menu" if a folder is added to the dock. Much like OS X's Dock, it would be nice if this feature were expanded to include applications showing a menu of open documents in that application. Personally, I prefer the Dock's clutter-free behavior in this area as opposed to the Taskbar's show everthing that is active approach, but ObjectDock only partially supports the Dock's paradigm.

Designated Regions

Again, based on the Dock's behavior, I have minimized windows shown in my Object Dock. Unfortunately, the way this feature works in ObjectDock a new section is created to the right of my recycle bin. I prefer my recycle bin to be the rightmost icon on the ObjectDock as it always is on my Mac's Dock. It would be nice if the user could designate and applicaion partition on their ObjectDock as well as fix the location of certain icons (e.g., the Start Menu and Recycle Bin).

If a user partitions their Dock, they should have the option to designate one partion as an application region. If they enable this feature any icon associated with an application is defaulted to that region of the Object Dock. Those application icons that the user places on the ObjectDock always remain in that area of the ObjectDock. When other applications are launched, they should also appear in the same region if the user has enabled "When shortcut is run, if program is already running bring it to the foreground only" in the General Miscellaneous Options; the icons for applications not placed on the ObjectDock by the user would disappear when the application is closed.

The user should also have the ability to pin the Start Menu and Recycle Bin to either end of the Object Dock. My preference would be the Start Menu pinned to the left end and the Recycle Bin pinned to the right. That way my minimized windows can appear to thr right side of my ObjectDock, but the Recycle Bin is always the rightmost icon.

Just my 2¢. |-)

objectdock
3,885 views 5 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top

These are some good thoughts! :thumbsup:

Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top

mdawson69:

 

If I'm not mistaken, you can do what you're describing: In OD+, you can insert partitions or placeholders in a dock or use tabbed docks to accomplish the same thing (i.e., each tab is for a particular kind of program). I'm also pretty sure, although I haven't tinkered with it in a while (still working out the 64-bit issues, I believe) that you can reorder items in a dock as much as you'd like. Maybe one of our OD gurus can weigh in on this. . . .

 

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Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top

warreni wrote:

If I'm not mistaken, you can do what you're describing: In OD+, you can insert partitions or placeholders in a dock or use tabbed docks to accomplish the same thing (i.e., each tab is for a particular kind of program). I'm also pretty sure, although I haven't tinkered with it in a while (still working out the 64-bit issues, I believe) that you can reorder items in a dock as much as you'd like.

While all that you have written is correct, I am specifically describing mimicking some of the OS X Dock's capabilities. Yes, ObjectDOck permits adding seperators to create partitions and tabbed docks permits specific types of docks to be created, but that is not what I was discussing. My main ObjectDock currently consists of five partitions. The first is a system/info area containing the Start Menu icon (non-functional in 64-bit Windows), a quick link to the Control Panels, Show Desktop, a clock and weather. The second partition are my primary applications. The third partition are access points to My Computer and my documents partition on my primary hard drive. The final two partitions are the Recycle Bin and the minimized windows. I have a second hidden ObjectDock along the left side of my primary display for quick access to my hard drives.

Now while I do have a partition for applications on my ObjectDock, if I open an application that is not in my ObjectDock its icon does not appear on the ObjectDock. In OS X, that is exactly what happens. For instance, I do not need to use Disk Utility too often on my Mac at home so it is not on my Dock. When I do need to run Disk Utility it appears on my Dock at the end of the applications already visible on the Dock; when I close Disk Utility the icon is removed from the Dock because it was not placed there by the user: me. ObjectDock does not have that capability as yet, so if the Taskbar is completely supressed, I do not have direct access to running applications that are not part of my quick launch set on the ObjectDock.

While tabbed docks may work well for some people, for me it is an extension of the more-clicks-than-necessary paradigm that plagues Windows. I want my main ObjectDock to have all of my freauently used items available at a glance and available (typically and when feasible) with one click. Having to constantly switch tabs is an extra step and defeats the purpose of this type of quick access point. There are ways to make it work—Dashboard in OS X, which can be invoked and exited with a keystroke as well as by clicking its icon on the Dock—is a good example of how separation can work, but it is not ideal for everything.

Lastly, while it is true that I can reposition the icons on my ObjectDock, I cannot place the Recycle Bin at the right end of the ObjectDock with show minimized windows on dock enabled. The minimized windows are in their own partition on the right end of the ObjectDock and that partition is reserved. Like OS X's Dock, ObjectDock already sacrifices spacial design—that is, targets such as the start menu and recycle bin should be in fixed locations so that muscle memory takes over when accessing them—so the objects on these docks change position as items are added and removed. At the very least in OS X's Dock the Finder icon is always to the extreme left and the trashcan is always to the extreme right. When I enable open/minimized windows in ObjectDock, my recycle bin is no longer at the ObjectDock's extremity, hence the desire to have an option to pin it to the end of the ObjectDock.

ObjectDock does a great job of compensating for the philosophical choices in the Windows GUI that make certain tasks require more effort, or clicks, than is necessary. As a Mac user I am intimately familair with the OS X Dock that ObjectDock (mostly) emulates and I am simply suggesting some of the better facets of the Dock's operabilty that ObjectDock does not fully implement. I fully desire to not need to have to show or invoke the Windows Taskbar, but I need certain functionality in ObjectDock in order to get there. Others may feel the same way or at least be willing to explore the kinds of options I suggested.

Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top

mdawson69:

 

I didn't mean to suggest that your opinions were not worthwhile, and I can now understand what you mean. I couldn't possibly have read everything in your second post into what was given in your first post because I haven't used Macs in over 10 years. However, your second post does an excellent job of spelling out precisely what functionality you feel is missing or would serve to enhance OD+.

While I see your point about tabbed docks, to me having all of those items on a single dock would take up far more screen real estate than I would wish to do, but that's just a personal preference.

It doesn't seem to me like any of the things you are suggesting would be difficult to implement as they appear to be variations on existing functionality. Maybe these could be incorporated as options in OD 2.0.