How to remove the Dock in Mac OS X Leopard

Question

I don't want the dock that is at the bottom of the screen. I don't want to hide it but completely remove it. How can this be done? If not possible, why not?

Solution 1

Your best bet is to leave it there so you won't mess with other services but shrink it to super small size using the following terminal command:

defaults write com.apple.dock tilesize -int 1

see below for example .. that's wicked small.

then pin it to one side with the following terminal command:

defaults write com.apple.dock pinning -string start

then hide it. It should be totally out of the way at that point unless you mouse all the way over in the extreme bottom left hand corner.

Solution 2

You can remove Dock.app, change its permissions, or disable the launchd plist that opens it:

sudo launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.Dock.plist

To revert the changes, replace unload with load or remove the entry in /var/db/launchd.db/com.apple.launchd/overrides.plist manually.

It also disables Mission Control, full screen windows, the Notification Center sidebar, the application switcher, Launchpad, Dashboard, and it makes desktop backgrounds gray.

This would increase the delay before the Dock is shown to 2 seconds:

defaults write com.apple.Dock autohide-delay -float 2; killall Dock

Solution 3

What do you mean by "my application"? If it's a third-party application with a full screen mode, file a bug report with the developer. If you're developing your own application, use CGDisplayCapture. If you're trying to maximise everything, try using your Mac like Apple wants you to. It sounds obnoxious, but it'll be easier for you in the long run.

If, however, you really do want to bend the OS X UI to breaking point (not that far, admittedly), follow Bryan's advice. Better still, stick it in an AppleScript, along with code to reverse it, and stick it in the Script menu. Then just select that item to switch between normal and hidden-away-really-small-in-the-bottom-left mode. And don't forget to ask the developer for a full-screen mode!

Solution 4

There is a program called: Dock Disabler (Source)

The Dock isn't perfect but disabling the Dock entirely will break certain features (eg. Expose in Tiger and Panther)

Solution 5

As you mentioned in a comment, you just want a full screen app. In that case, see this answer to do that.

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Comments

[Admin]

What? Remove the dock?!?! Why would you want to do something like that? That's like disabling the taskbar on Windows!

[Admin]

@musicfreak - It's not perfect and scales horribly. asktog.com/columns/044top10docksucks.html this question sorely needs some cleaning up.

[Admin]

@musicfreak, hence why I use Emerge Desktop on windows; the taskbar is totally useless to me.

[Admin]

My comment was actually made tongue-in-cheek. ;)

[pisfire]

i want my application in full screen. there should a button at the bottom to on/off dock.

[Bryan Schuetz]

Because your mousing up to the edge of the screen and it's sliding back on the screen? You could change the position and pin it to the top of the screen so its REALLY hidden

[pisfire]

is it safe? if i install your source to mac, it wont make affect ot os. Because it's nt my mac. i am on job.

[Bryan Schuetz]

Actually in 10.5 you can't pin it to the top of the screen anymore

[pisfire]

and i am using mac 10.5.7

[Andrew Scagnelli]

If its not your system, you shouldn't be making changes to core services or installing software that modifies the OS. The vast majority of companies really don't like that.

[Arjan]

To assign a shortcut to the above, see In Mac OS X 10.6, is there a way to disable the trigger that shows the dock when the mouse is at the edge of screen

[SJWimmer87]

Disabling the Dock also disables cycling through apps via command-tab. It did for me anyway.

[cwd]

Options for pinning it include start, middle, and end. Also you will need to restart the dock by using killall Dock (make sure Dock is capitalized). Tested and this answer works fine on Lion too. +1