Universal Dock/Finder/Sidebar for all users on OSX
Want everyone's dock to look the same when they first log in? If you work with a lab full of Macs as I have, or just have several people logging into the same Mac and want to save yourself configuring the dock, Finder, and Sidebar multiple times, here is a way to do it. Keep in mind that this process will apply to any NEW user accounts, admin or not, and will not apply on accounts that have already been logged into. Also, once the user logs in, they CAN make modifications that will be saved, unless you use the parental controls to remove that ability.
1.) Log on as a user and setup the Dock/Finder/Sidebar how you would like it to appear
2.)***This step only applies to OS X versions prior to Lion (10.6 and earlier) Remove the shortcuts for Documents and Downloads at the end of the Dock as they get created by default and, if left, you will end up with two copies of each when new users log on
3.) Open Finder and navigate to:
Macintosh HD (your hard drive) --> Users --> the user you are logged in as --> Library --> Preferences
***Note: On Mountain Lion the user's Library folder is hidden. With Finder open and focused hit the key combination Command, Shift, G and the "Go to the folder:" dialog will come up. Simply type ~/Library and it will take you to the logged on user's Library folder where you can then navigate to --> Preferences
4.) Find the file named com.apple.dock.plist
5.) Righ click (control click on 1 button mouse) and choose duplicate
6.) Copy the duplicate to the desktop and rename it so that it no longer says copy
7.) Open Finder and navigate to:
Macintosh HD (your hard drive) --> System --> Library --> User Template
8.) You will now have to give yourself access to this folder
9.) Right click on "User Template" and choose "Get Info"
10.) Expand the "Sharing and Permissions" section if it is not already
11.) Click the lock in the bottom right corner and authenticate as an admin
12.) Click the + sign to add the current user with appropriate permissions
13.) Close the window and open the folder now that you have permission
14.) Open the English.lproj
15.) Follow steps 9 through 13 to give yourself permission to the Library folder
16.) Open the Library folder
17.) Follow steps 9 through 13 to giver yourself permission to the Preferences folder
18.) Open the Preferences folder and copy the com.apple.dock.plist file into this directory
You, of course, could accomplish the file copy from above via a sudo'd terminal prompt as such:
1.) Open Terminal.app
2.) sudo -s ***This allows you to execute commands as the root user; be careful not to muck something up
3.) cp /Users/CurrentUser/Library/Preferences/com.apple.dock.plist /System/Library/User\ Template/English.lproj/Library/Preferences/
***Use the same command replacing the com.apple.dock.plist with the plist file you wish to be applied to all new users
***A couple of notes. Any users accounts that have been created previous to this process will need their /Users/username directory wiped out before the new dock settings will work
***This process should work for any other plist settings such as com.apple.finder.plist to make the setting for Connected servers being shown on the desktop universal or com.apple.sidebarlists.plist for what items will show in Finder's sidebar.
***You might think to try giving the logged on user universal access (or everyone for that matter) to the /System/Library/User Template/ directory to save a step or two. I tried this and it seems to mess things up and the settings don't apply correctly.
1.) Log on as a user and setup the Dock/Finder/Sidebar how you would like it to appear
2.)***This step only applies to OS X versions prior to Lion (10.6 and earlier) Remove the shortcuts for Documents and Downloads at the end of the Dock as they get created by default and, if left, you will end up with two copies of each when new users log on
3.) Open Finder and navigate to:
Macintosh HD (your hard drive) --> Users --> the user you are logged in as --> Library --> Preferences
***Note: On Mountain Lion the user's Library folder is hidden. With Finder open and focused hit the key combination Command, Shift, G and the "Go to the folder:" dialog will come up. Simply type ~/Library and it will take you to the logged on user's Library folder where you can then navigate to --> Preferences
4.) Find the file named com.apple.dock.plist
5.) Righ click (control click on 1 button mouse) and choose duplicate
6.) Copy the duplicate to the desktop and rename it so that it no longer says copy
7.) Open Finder and navigate to:
Macintosh HD (your hard drive) --> System --> Library --> User Template
8.) You will now have to give yourself access to this folder
9.) Right click on "User Template" and choose "Get Info"
10.) Expand the "Sharing and Permissions" section if it is not already
11.) Click the lock in the bottom right corner and authenticate as an admin
12.) Click the + sign to add the current user with appropriate permissions
13.) Close the window and open the folder now that you have permission
14.) Open the English.lproj
15.) Follow steps 9 through 13 to give yourself permission to the Library folder
16.) Open the Library folder
17.) Follow steps 9 through 13 to giver yourself permission to the Preferences folder
18.) Open the Preferences folder and copy the com.apple.dock.plist file into this directory
You, of course, could accomplish the file copy from above via a sudo'd terminal prompt as such:
1.) Open Terminal.app
2.) sudo -s ***This allows you to execute commands as the root user; be careful not to muck something up
3.) cp /Users/CurrentUser/Library/Preferences/com.apple.dock.plist /System/Library/User\ Template/English.lproj/Library/Preferences/
***Use the same command replacing the com.apple.dock.plist with the plist file you wish to be applied to all new users
***A couple of notes. Any users accounts that have been created previous to this process will need their /Users/username directory wiped out before the new dock settings will work
***This process should work for any other plist settings such as com.apple.finder.plist to make the setting for Connected servers being shown on the desktop universal or com.apple.sidebarlists.plist for what items will show in Finder's sidebar.
***You might think to try giving the logged on user universal access (or everyone for that matter) to the /System/Library/User Template/ directory to save a step or two. I tried this and it seems to mess things up and the settings don't apply correctly.
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