Object Dock 2.0 -- Requests

Ok, so I have no idea if the staff cares about these at all... Or if OD2.0 is already so far along that they cannot be implemented (which would actually be a good thing) or w/e, but i'm gonna post this here anyway. So staff and users of OD should feel free to comment on any of my feature requests for OD2.0.

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Having the icons / links in the dock conform to one of five catagories would be excellent, as it would allow for users to get those which they need most, arrange those on their dock as they see fit, etc. I prepose the following catagories:

Link - Simply drag a .exe (or any kind of file with a default app to launch it -- .hmt(l) would use FFOX, or .jpg would use PS) onto the dock to create a link to that specific file. If you drag a folder down onto the dock, it should prompt the user with a choice to make it a link, or a stack, so that if you choose link, it will launch that folder in explorer, etc. If you drag files into that folder, they should be added to it. This would act as most current dock link's do on OD 1.9. You should also be able to right click on the dock and browse for and then create the link, as well as customise things like the default program to run a non .exe with, and the icon displayed.

Stack / Catagory - Simply drag a folder onto the dock to create an OSX-esque stack (which displays as a flyout with <=5, a stack with 6-12 or a grid with 12<, or as specified) which shows the contents of that folder in a neat manner. Again, if you drag files into that folde,r they should be added to the actual folder, not just the dock. You should also be able right click the dock and select non-folder stacks, which should create a stack for links that you then drag into it, without actually creating a visible folder in which they are placed, which could also be used for .doc, etc files you are using in a project, or recent programs, etc.

Docklet - Simply right click on the dock and choose from a number of docklets that you have downloaded to you OD docklets folder, including some preinstalled ones if possible, which will then display on your dock. I would like to see some "stack" conformist docklets. For example, "world clock" should be a clock (the choice of digi or ana or combo would be nice) that when you hover over shows the date, and when you click expands to show other time-zones clocks of your choice in a stack, with a calander at the top of the stack. You could also do the same with the weather, being similar to how it is now, as well as a CPU stats one with CPU usage expanding to RAM and HDD usage and network settings, etc; and you could have an RSS reader... the choices here are almost unlimited, and some good docklets would make OD 2.0 great.

"Mini Docklet" - I'm not really sure if things like the recycling bin link were simply links or whether they were mini-docklets or whatever, but either way, they should remain as they are, as they work well, being thing like the bin, "show desktop" or "show dock" links, etc.

Spacer - Simply right click on the dock and choose add spacer, to create a skin specific | of sorts, or simply an empty space (as I prefer).

I really do feel that, at the very least, the addition of a stacks option would be a vast improvement to OD 2.0.

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Having an "edit" mode become avaliable when the dock is visible and the shift or ctrl keys are held down would be nice. By this I mean having it so that dock icons cannot be moved or accedentally deleted, etc, as happens to me from time to time with OD 1.9. If you could press LMB to access the icons main funtion, and press RMB to access alternate function (open with..., etc), and then perform "edit" functions only when shift (for example) was held down in tandem with LMB to move, or RMB to moddify the link, that would be pretty awesome.

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Having structural options for the docks would also be pretty nice. So you could switch a dock between normal / aligned / tabbed with a simple Shift + RMB to access that dock's options. By "aligned" i mean OSX style where the dock would auto arrange Links | Stacks | Docklets, etc. I feel this would add to simplicity and visual appeal.

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As i'm sure you will add them anyway, i'm not going to go into any detail regarding the need for more general customisation options, such as animations for the icons, and all that...

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Improved compatability with Vista's taskbar would be nice... although not to much of an issue. Having BOTH running apps AND system tray apps displayed in the same dock at the same time is essential i think, as having two docks in 1.9 is a bit annoying, and i gave it up in favour of just having the one to replace QuickLaunch and keeping my taskbar, which is a bit dissapointing compared to OSX.

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Having a user definable priority preference option would be awesome, although i'm not sure if the program gets to decide this or if it must be changed through the OS task manager itself, but either way, having OD2.0 running from a higher priority would ensure that it kept running smoothly regardless of what else was happening on the computer at the time.

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This is all I can think of for the time being... I may edit in some more later...

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Obviously no obligations here SD, I will buy 2.0 no matter what, coz I love OD, but these things would make the product near-perfect and far supperior to MacDock in my eyes. Any suggestions here are free to be used by SD / the commumity here at WC, and feel free to comment on them.

-- Aeon