How can I change what shows in the Application Fan?

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Level 1

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How can I change what shows in the Application Fan?

Hiyas,

I've been trying to find an answer to this problem and gotten nowhere fast:

On the dock, there is my applications folder and you click it and you have some options of how it displays but basically it shows you what's in your applications folder.

The problem is that it shows me Automator and Chess and Amazon MP3 Downloader, and Dashboard and then a note that there are 48 more in finder. Clearly it's listing alphabetically, and I know how I could right click and adjust it by a variety of dates, but mostly I just want to see some icons of stuff that I actually use. I don't need Automator, I don't play Chess on my Mac and the Amazon MP3 Downloader is an abomination of DRM management that I only tolerate because it's necessary (very rarely).

Is there someway I can get the Applications fan on my dock to actually show icons for programs that I use? Like I said, I don't use "Automator" very often, I'd rather it put Spotify in it's place but I've just got no idea how because A is a long way before S and the dates that both items were created/modified etc. is irrelevant. Thoughts?

iMac, Mac OS X (10.4.7)

Posted on Jul 20, 2013 6:28 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Paul_31

Level 6

14,160 points

Jul 20, 2013 6:39 AM in response to gaijinpiet

I don't know of a way to get the Applications folder to present the apps the way you would like (although it sounds like a good idea). Maybe you already do, but could you not just put the apps you use regularly in the Dock and pretty much ignore the Applications folder?

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Answer 2

macjack

Level 10

111,168 points

Jul 20, 2013 6:59 AM in response to gaijinpiet

Don't try to re-arrange the actual Macintosh HD/Applications folder by creating new folders or taking apps out of their original folders. This will cause problems and apps won't know where to look for updaes.

As Paul says, create a new Stack in the Dock and only drag those apps you want into it. You can delete the Applications Stack you now have in your Dock, if you won't be using it. All Dock items are only aliases.

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Answer 3

jtregaro

Level 1

0 points

Nov 13, 2013 6:18 PM in response to gaijinpiet

I found myself a sort of workaround for not being able to change the actual applications folder.

Create a new folder with the aliases of the applications that you do use, and placing the folder on the Dock for access. I keep that folder in the Applications Folder, which makes it easier to drag and drop aliases into it

You get to have a more personalized grouping of the applications you use the most, and avoid cluttering up your dock, while still getting the fan/ grid view out of it. which im guessing was the OP's target goal

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