No dock/transparent dock after fast user switching

I had the same problem after updating from 10.7.4 to 10.8.2 and found a possible solution. There seem to be some incompatible settings in old configuration files for the dock.

I could solve this by deleting the configuration file for the dock. To do this open Terminal and type

rm ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.dock.plist

Don't forget to make a backup copy of this file before! Or just rename it instead of delete it with a command like

mv ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.dock.plist ~/Library/Preferences/backup.com.apple.dock.plist

After that you get a dock with only the Apple standard apps in it and a new com.apple.dock.plist is created. It is a good idea to make a screenshot of your existing dock before to remember which apps you have in there.

Perhaps you have to repeat this for all of your user accounts.

After that fast user switching works for me without transparent dock and any other problems.

I hope this will help you. Good luck.

this is solved deffinitivly

This is solved definitivly for me.

thx

kholford

I have the same problem. Quickest fix is to execute the Terminal command "killall Dock".

This has apprently solved for me too. Thanks a lot!

I tried what you suggested, but unfortunately the problem is only solved temporarely. The problem comes back again.

Has anybody found a permanent fix?

So it's not a permanent fix but try this.

open AplleScript :

copy and paste :

do shell script "killall Dock"

and register as a application, without options.

And paste this new application in the "open" option in the users "system pref", with the "hide" option check.

Voilà, it's not a permanent fix. but an automatique fix... it's quite the same

;-)

@ peggert :

Destructive solution but it's the solution.

Thanks !

I found out that my suggestion only solved the problem temporary for me, too. But after the supplementary update from Apple for 10.8.2 this weekend, it looks like it is solved for me durable.

What is your experience?

This solved it for me :

move dock to the left (or right) then back at bottom, transparency is gone.

I have loggged off and back in, it seems to stick!

I have been trying to get Dock Transparent since Lion, I think it's much more apealing.!!

Hi,

same problem - mountain lion 10.8.2

sometimes i switched between my 2 user accounts, the dock is transparent.

switch back to the user bevor and another switch back and all is good.

i mean the user profile isn't correctly load.

wen the dock is transparent, e.g. it is not possible to change the desktop background.

so i think it's not a problem with the dock himself, ist a problem with the user account data.

Hi,

This guide might help a little:
http://www.macg.co/news/voir/258549/si-votre-dock-plante-regulierement-sous-moun tain-lion

Yeah, it's in French.

To sum up, this issue happens when the icons of the Dock are rendered. Preferences or caches cause this problem.

So you can use Onyx (be careful), Clean tab › User, and check cleaning Dock icons.

If it's still not working, maybe this issue is due to font and not only icons.

Open Font Book app (in Applications folder). Look for Lucida Grande and remove all duplicates (File › Delete). You can even validate the remaining font (File › Validate font).

Well that's what MacG.co explains. Hope this will work!

Hi peggert,

this solved it for me.

I think it's just the only way to remove the old com.apple.dock.plist file and let lion create a new one.

Thanks.

@TOMN94

Sorry, onyx doesn't work, so i tried the tip of peggert and it worked.

The Problem is still coming back.

I Think to remove the com.apple.dock.plist file work, but it doesn't.

@kholford is right – "killall Dock" does fix the problem.

I made a LaunchAgent that runs that command every time you log in. Doing it this way, using launchctl, is faster than the AppleScript/System Preferences trick. The desktop only flashes for perhaps half a second before the dock and Mission Control open back up (properly).

Make a new text document and paste this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">

<plist version="1.0">

<dict>

<key>Label</key>

<string>com.sndesrever.restartdock</string>

<key>ProgramArguments</key>

<array>

<string>/bin/bash</string>

<string>-c</string>

<string>killall Dock</string>

</array>

<key>RunAtLoad</key>

<true/>

</dict>

</plist>

Go to save the file. When a window pops up asking where to save it, press Command+Shift+G and enter ~/Library/LaunchAgents.

Name the file something like com.sndesrever.restartdock.plist and save it in this folder.

Now every time you log in things will look nice, as Macs are supposed to.

Hope this helps!