The other day we talked about some interesting aspects that could be modified from the dock that collected the most important applications of our Mac on our desk. We saw that we could change the position, the size, the magnification every time we hovered over the dock. These aspects made this bar visually improve that contains shortcuts to applications that we want from our operating system. As I already told you, we are going to deal with issues related to the tools we use to customize our dock and how to carry out these step-by-step customizations so that those who know less about this new operating system (OS X Mavericks) find out and can execute the corresponding actions. Today we will learn something else related to the customization tools of our dock:
Accessing system and dock preferences
The first thing we need to configure our dock is to access the system preferences, for this:
- Find the application «System preferences»And you will enter the window shown in the image above
- Once inside the system preferences we will have to select the option: «Dock»And we will access the configuration of the dock of our Mac
Changing dock animations in OS X Mavericks
Once inside the system preferences of our dock, we will see an option that says: Minimize windows using. This tool offers us 2 different animations with which to beautify our windows when they are opened or closed. Okay, when we minimize a window, it goes to a part of the dock while to reopen it, it is necessary to click on it again.
Every time we click on the minimize button, an animation is made that we can modify. As I have already told you, we have two in OS X Mavericks:
- Aladdin effect: From the given thickness of the window, OS X shrinks it down to the size you need to dock it. It is a more fluid animation and much more fun.
- Scale effect: Simply, the window will minimize in a jiffy, reduce its size and do nothing to beautify it.
My preferred effect is the Aladdin Effect, but as I said, you can change it from the preferences of your dock.
Other interesting features of our dock
To finish with the characteristics of our dock within the System Preferences, we will talk about some characteristics apart from what we have seen so far, but no less important. Just below the option: "Minimize windows using ..." there are 5 boxes that can be activated or deactivated at our whim ... But to activate or deactivate them we will have to know what they do, right? These are the 5 individual features of our OS X Mavericks dock:
- Minimize the window by double clicking on the title of the screen: Clearer, water. If we want to minimize the application windows in our bottom bar by double clicking on the upper part of the window where you put the application name, we will simply activate this function related to our window management.
- Minimize windows in the application icon: If this box is activated, when we minimize the window, it will go to the application icon in the dock so we will not see it physically. If we want to open it again, we will simply have to click on the application logo.
- Input animations by applications: Applications will be maximized and started making use of the effect selected at the top
- Hide the dock and show it automatically: If we want our bar with the applications to be always active and visible this option will have to be unchecked, but if we want it to be hidden to have more space, we will have to activate it.
- Show indicator lights in open applications: More of the same, open applications will be represented by a light at the bottom of the dock icon.
To activate or deactivate them, simply click on the box to activate or deactivate (depending on whether it is active or not).
More information - How to modify some cool aspects of the OS X dock? (I)