Cool Mac OS X Leopard Tricks!

Ever wonder how to do certain things on a Mac that you can do on a PC, but since you switched over, couldn't do? Or have you ever wondered how to stop certain annoying things on your mac?

In this instructable, I'm going to explain how to do some cool tricks.

This is my first instructable, so please, if you notice anything that can be improved, please tell me.

Step 1: How to Add the File Path to the Top of the Finder Window.

Copy this into Terminal:

defaults write com.apple.finder _FXShowPosixPathInTitle -bool YES
killall Finder

Hit return.

Step 2: How to Stop the Dock Icon From Bouncing.

If you want to stop the dock icon from bouncing when an application is starting up, go into the dock system preferences and unselect the box that says "Animate opening applications."

You know how when an application wants to get your attention, it bounces up and down really high? It's annoying, isn't it! To disable this, type this into Terminal:

defaults write com.apple.dock no-bouncing -bool TRUE
Hit return.

Then type
killall Dock
and hit return.

Step 3: Move Icons on the Taskbar.

This is a really simple step.

To move the icons on the taskbar, simply hold the Command key while dragging the icons. This only works on system icons, not ones for third party apps.

I would have included a picture, but it's kind of hard, as Grab doesn't capture the mouse pointer.

Step 4: Use GeekTool to Display Stats.

First, download GeekTool from http://projects.tynsoe.org/en/geektool/download.php. Then install it. Then you can use various unix commands to display pretty much whatever you want on your desktop.
Here are some examples: Time: date "+%l:%M %p"
Date: date +%d
Day: date +%A
Month: date +%B
Memory: top -l 1 | awk '/PhysMem/ {print "Used: " $8 " Free: " $10}'
Uptime: uptime

Comments

[swu3]

If you need to know the path, which seems to be location, just hold down the Command key as you click on the title of the page. That's been true for Mac for at least the last 20 years.
Turning off a bounce is not a 'cool trick.' It's toggling an option.
When I'm working on a project and one application hangs or needs a prompt, I'm happy to have a 'heads up' so that my work progresses. YMMV.
Time/Date can be in the toolbar, toggling another option, found in the System Preferences. It's the fourth option under the apple in the toolbar, way over on the left, so it's the first thing you see. Many more options are available to toggle. Easier than learning code, I'd think.

[epicnoobpwn]

Meh

[fabriciorauen]

thanks dud, very usefoul tricks 

[lemonie]

Yes, stopping the dock bouncing was one of the first things I did with OS-X, like getting rid of that paperclip in MS Office... L

[HotPinkBulb]

I find it useful for occasional programs to notify me. Most my programs only bounce a couple of times before the program loads.

I recommend both candy bar (great for making a custom dock) but more so tinkertool, which offers alot of tricks like these under a nice GUI.

[lemonie]

It's a while since I used a Mac, but I remember thinking "this is so much better than OS-9 (with the screen-burn)" but also "it's a bit Fisher-Price".

L

[HotPinkBulb]

Well truth is, is does look a bit fancy, but then all the main OS's do today, it was way out there at the time, but it has evolved into a very sophisticated design, thats based around how things work just as much as fancy looks.