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A-Dock

Rating:	Your rating: None Average: 4.6 (16 votes)
Category:	Control Panels & Extensions Utilities
Year released:	2005
Author:	Jérome Foucher
Publisher:	Jérome Foucher

[www]_.se [ftp]_.se [mirror]_.us [mirror]_.de
ADock-301.sit (330.37 KB)
MD5: 9e93b71fe6c06fc9e0e3e8ca1135cd0a
For Mac OS 8.5 - 8.6 - Mac OS 9

[www]_.se [ftp]_.se [mirror]_.us [mirror]_.de
adock-skin-archive.sit (889.06 KB)
MD5: c1183269ed938dd4c67fe57a2b5f9a1f
For Mac OS 8.5 - 8.6 - Mac OS 9

[www]_.se [ftp]_.se [mirror]_.us [mirror]_.de
ADock-285.sit (333.25 KB)
MD5: 51657393a9038943495b04ae64a142d6
For Mac OS 8.5 - 8.6 - Mac OS 9

Emulation
This app works with: SheepShaver,

A-Dock is a utility that gives you a Dock, much like in Mac OS X, but more customizable. You can change the look of it with downloadable skins, use google to find them.

A-Dock can also be used as an application switcher, even able to hijack the Cmd-Tab keystroke if desired.

This app is FREEWARE, as of version 3.0.

Compatibility
Architecture: PPC

Mac OS 8.5 or higher required, thereby also requiring a PPC.

Comments

by Jatoba - 2021, January 13 - 11:20pm

Apple was in negotiation to make Finderpop part of Mac OS, but somehow they screwed it up!

by OpenSourceMac - 2021, January 13 - 9:33pm

Apple was in negotiation to make Finderpop part of Mac OS, but somehow they screwed it up!

by Jatoba - 2021, January 13 - 7:52pm

Do people hate the dock? I like the dock, actually. I think it's great, in fact. It is excellent. Not sure if I'd say it's as good as the taskbar from Vista & earlier (which I like better than the one from Windows 7 and later), though.

But, I stand by my words below, because FinderPop mathematically minimizes the amount of mouse movement, time and effort to do anything, from anywhere, anytime. It's absolutely optimal, and miraculously manages to be both sleek and clean (simultaneously!). Sounds like an ad, but it's because the product is just that amazing and empowering.

So yeah, the OS X dock is great, and A-Dock by extension. Its only fault is that it's not FinderPop.

(In case it's not clear, I kinda really like FinderPop... Just a "little". )

by kewlpinguino - 2021, January 13 - 5:55pm

I find the OS X dock hate kind of strange to be honest. I just keep it hidden and it works nicely for app switching, having pinned folders, etc. It's certainly far better than the Windows taskbar. That said, when I use Classic OS I find I don't really want a dock—the app switcher menu feels more suited to the interface than an OS X-style dock. It's still cool to know it's available though

by Jatoba - 2019, April 25 - 2:26pm

I'd have been completely won over by this app, only if I did not discover FinderPop. After FinderPop, I discovered I never had any need for a dock ever, even in OS X, and that docks, for me, are just bloat, both visually & otherwise.

But hey, still pretty cool in its own right. I'm grabbing this.

by WhosIt.There - 2018, August 4 - 11:40pm

Many apps are unofficially skinable (or at least semi-skinable) if you use ResEdit to tweak them.

by cbone - 2018, August 4 - 7:03pm

I'd love to have ***any part of*** this program running on 68k macs, I don't care if it's stripped to its bare essentials, i.e., no shrinking, no magnification, no tooltips, no navigation between apps..nothing fancy, just a nice skinnable dock, you know?

No other 68k dock I know are skinnable oh well, I can only dream of it

by ScottBeebiWan - 2016, September 18 - 1:19am

This app is newer than the dock.
It put the dock into OS 9, it didn't invent it.

by WhosIt.There - 2018, August 4 - 11:42pm

The Dock functionality preceeds Mac OS X and A-Dock by a long way. It was in the NeXT OS (where Mac OS came from) as well as sort-of Windoze's Task Bar. The idea probably came from Xerox Parc originally.

by Johnnya101 - 2016, July 14 - 3:44pm

Supernova, Just saying, the date released says 2005, while OS X was released before that

by Protocol 7 - 2014, June 5 - 12:07am

I was reminded about this one earlier. I used it a bit back in my Basilisk II days.

I grabbed 43 of the 53 skins from the archive.org copy of the web site and uploaded them here. The archive also has a text file listing the 10 missing skins.

by Gary - 2014, February 23 - 11:51am

Personally I find the Dock in X (pronounced "EX") to be annoying. I have it hidden most of the 10 hours a year that I use X.

Gary

by supernova777 - 2014, February 23 - 6:45am

just need to say that this app is legendary.. and this guy must have totally got ripped off by apple and should sue apple for millions because everyone who has a dock in osx now owes this guy 2cents or more;P essential app

by xy - 2010, November 18 - 12:54pm

macmeister, that's weird, I use HoverBar all the time with Mac OS 9.2.2 native on Powerbook G3 333 Mhz (rev 2.2) Lombard (which is one of the early Lombards always endangered of cache damages). RAMs are PC 100 only (384 MB). HD is original 4.5 MB. HoverBar works flawlessly here, except that - very rarely - with some apps it does not show the icon but only a blank button but I believe that is due to the fault of some apps whose icons are no good but not of HoverBar. I even put HoverBar in my Start-up Items folder. It's also in my Apple Menu folder where I sometimes need it.

Maybe HoverBar does not work on later G3s.

Also, I don't have games installed only apps including DTP software. Maybe HoverBar doesn't like games.

Maybe its also your Mac OS 9.2.2 ROM; I have a very early Mac OS 9 ROM installed (I think v8.x or the like from an 9.1 retail CD updated with Apple updates from the web).

by themacmeister - 2010, November 18 - 11:37am

xy, I can't get hoverbar working properly under G3/OS9.2.2. It used to be my favourite too!

Switched to DragThing2.4

by MikeTomTom - 2010, November 17 - 4:04am

I was browsing my "Apple System Profiler" today, spotted these comments about A-Dock

A-Dock Control Panel:

Open in emergency case, only when baby A-Dock needs her pills. Never give her the pink pills after midnight !! You have been warned !!!

A-Dock Extension:

Be very very carful. You can get addicted to that product. I deny any responsibility if after using this software you'll have to see a shrink for the rest of your life....

by j_damage•69 - 2010, April 10 - 10:24am

Sorted, thanks!

by MikeTomTom - 2010, April 9 - 1:04pm

If you installed A-Dock correctly you would be able to right-click onto the dock and choose "Help"... but failing that, its hold the "Shift" key down, drag icon to dock.

Other useful tips are "Click" the bar closest to the edge of the screen to hide the dock, and "Option-Click" the bar near the edge of the screen to make the dock visible again.

HTH

by Bolkonskij - 2010, April 9 - 9:42am

I think it works like the OS X dock. You start a program and it will be shown on the right side of your dock. Then just use drag & drop and put it on the left side. It will now stay in the dock. I'm not on my OS 9 computer right now, but there are other possibilities as well. Will check tonight

by j_damage•69 - 2010, April 9 - 9:37am

Maybe a stupid question, how do you actually drag apps to the dock? Ive tried, and whenever I drag something it doesn't make a space for me.

The way im doing it now is launching the app then dragging it to the dock from there. Its a pain for some, cos A-Dock wont show when launching games ect...

Cheers.

by xy - 2010, April 8 - 8:14am

Also very nice, or even nicer, is good old HoverBar. Download here:
http://www.tucows.com/preview/207271

by MikeTomTom - 2010, April 8 - 5:54am

This utility is really excellent. I hadn't heard of it until reading this page. So thanks very much for posting it here.

by j_damage•69 - 2010, March 13 - 12:28am

very interesting! look forward to giving it a try

by turtlecroc - 2010, March 12 - 10:13pm

OMG, i want to *get rid of* the dock in OSX, not add one in OS9.

by Bolkonskij - 2010, January 25 - 12:27am

That's really a cool application for every OS 8 & 9 user. Especially if you are used to some of the comfort of Mac OS X and it's dock. The only thing I couldn't figure out yet is how to change the position of the A-Dock on my monitor.. is it possile to put it to the sides as well?