PDF Icon on Dock

Question

Level 1

8 points

PDF Icon on Dock

I have read and tried and reread posts on this topic and am still unable to find an answer that works. Here's the issue: I am a teacher and I have a textbook on PDF that has the correct icon on the desktop and in the finder, but when I move it to the dock the icon changes to a black PDF page. How can I retain the icon that identifies it in the finder and on the desktop? Any help is appreciated.

imac, Mac OS X (10.4.10)

Posted on Feb 10, 2008 9:31 PM

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Answer 1

smithrj

Level 4

1,541 points

Feb 10, 2008 10:02 PM in response to mgwaltney

Hello, did you try the right side of the dock, west of the divider?

Ray

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Answer 2

mgwaltney Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 10, 2008 10:38 PM in response to smithrj

Sorry I should have been more clear. It is already in the right side as it is not an application. ANy other suggestions. It is so odd that the icon is correct on the desktop adn in the finder but not on the right side of the dock? Hmmmm...

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Answer 3

smithrj

Level 4

1,541 points

Feb 10, 2008 10:46 PM in response to mgwaltney

It must be the function of the right side of the dock, as in the folder change when items are added. If you could copy the icon in Finder, the correct image may remain. The image you see as your icon has changed to something within the icon. OK, make a copy and drag it to the dock and we'll see if it displays as the icon you want.

Ray

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Answer 4

Feb 10, 2008 11:08 PM in response to mgwaltney

I'm going to assume you mean a generic PDF icon rather than an "black PDF page"--you probably have your desktop and Finder windows set to show icon previews, and the Finder is therefore drawing an icon preview for you. The Dock doesn't do this. If the item you drag into the Dock has a custom icon (as do many graphics files) that's what is displayed. If the item does not have custom icon, then a generic icon for that file type is displayed. One thing you can do is open the PDF in Preview, go a distinctive looking page, select Copy from the Edit menu. Then go back to the PDF file in the Finder, select GetInfo from the Finder's File menu, click the wee little icon in the upper corner, so that you can see a faint blue border around it, and select paste. The distinctive page will now be the icon for the PDF, and the Dock will display it.
Francine

Francine
Schwieder

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Answer 5

mgwaltney Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 11, 2008 9:14 AM in response to Francine Schwieder

Thank you to everyone.

Francine - YOU ARE THE BOMB!!! It worked perfectly.

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