Running Application Does Not Show Up In Dock

Question

I notice that my running applications on Mac OS X (10.5) do not show up in Dock? Even when I have icon for the application in the Dock, it does not show the 'blue highlight' when I click the application to launch the application.

Can someone please how can I fix this problem?

Thank you.

Solution 1

Google brought me here, and while ViggoV's solution didn't work for me, it made me think about something else that did. There is a terminal command that reboots the Dock:

$ killall -9 Dock

Well, technically, if I understand correctly, it shuts down the Dock, but another process notices it's not running and restarts it. The -9 signal is a “sure kill.”

It probably helps to shut down the application that's not appearing in the Dock first. I was able to select it through Exposé for that.

See the killall(1) Mac OS X Manual Page

Solution 2

Try creating a new user and testing there. If the new user works, then trash your Dock’s preferences for the non-working user. (~/Library/Preferences)

com.apple.dock.plist com.apple.dock.db

Bear in mind that if you don’t backup these, all the icons you had on the dock and any customization will be lost. After you’ve done that, logoff and logon again to reload the dock (you could execute a "Killall Dock” from Terminal if you wanted).

Comments

[ridogi]

Have you (or anyone else who uses your computer) installed any third party software to change the dock's appearance? Does it happen in other users or after a reboot?

[Sasha Chedygov]

@Chris: It sounds like all applications.

[Tim Büthe]

Even Finder? Maybe dockless installed? (homepage.mac.com/fahrenba/programs/dockless/dockless.html)

[HikeMike]

There's no reason to link to an external site (that could go offline, or otherwise make your answer useless) for a one line command.