10.6: Remove alias icon docked folders used in List view mode

Feb 26, '10 07:30:00AM

Contributed by: nperry

Snow Leopard only hintI use docked folders together with the List view option to create pop-up folders with navigable menus. I then create a folder of aliases (e.g. of applications), dock it, and set the List option. This works well apart from the ugly (at least on a 16x16 icon) alias badge.

The alias badge is defined in /System » Library » CoreServices » CoreTypes.bundle » Contents » Resources » AliasBadgeIcon.icns and contains 16x16, 32x32, 128x128, 256x256 & 512x512 versions of the alias badge. If you replace the 16x16 version with nothing, then alias badges will only be shown on icons from 17 to 512 pixels. Result: nice dock menus.

Here's one way to do this:

  1. Make a copy of the original file as a backup.
  2. Create a 16x16 transparent PNG file -- I used Photoshop (Photoshop won't let you Copy nothing, but it can Save nothing.)
  3. Open the 16x16 PNG in Preview, Select All, Copy.
  4. Open a second copy of the AliasBadgeIcon.icns with Icon Composer (installed as part of the Xcode Dev Tools in 10.6).
  5. Paste the clipboard onto the size 16 icon.
  6. Test icon in Preview mode of Icon Composer.
  7. Save file.
  8. In Finder, move your edited copy into /System » Library » CoreServices » CoreTypes.bundle » Contents » Resources -- you will need to supply an admin password.
  9. Reboot (restarting Dock may work).
It's a bit long winded; maybe someone will post a shorter method.

[robg adds: I haven't tested this one.]

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