Custom Default Docks in Lab Settings

ctarbox
Contributor II

Hello,

I am trying to build a Custom Default Dock within El Capitan that would be presented to all networked Active Directory users when logging into a lab environment. I have read many posts on this and other forums regarding this and have gathered quite a bit a great, useful information.

We do not work with local accounts, nor networked home directories. A user’s home directory is built on the fly when logging in with Active Directory. The home directory is then erased when the user logs out. Previously I would build a Custom Dock within a Default User Profile and copy the Dock.plist to the User Templates folder.

Here’s what I’ve tried so far. Each one comes close to what I want to accomplish, but doesn’t get me in the end-zone.

1. DockUtil: This works but there is, at minimum, a 7-10 second delay after login before the Dock is refreshed. This is not acceptable in our lab situation. I even attempted to put a Policy Message out asking for the user to wait for the refresh, but the message appears about 1 second before the refresh. I do like being able to create a separate dock for the admin account. I configured this in conjunction with 'Outset' (https://github.com/chilcote/outset)

2. JAMF’s Dock Configuration Profiles: These seem to be inconsistent, and once again needs to refresh after a user logs in before the default dock is presented to them.

3. DockMaster: I like DockMaster because it displays a custom default dock at login, but:

• DockMaster with Active Directory accounts does not seem to work. I’ve read that an AD attribute needs to be changed, but do not know what the attribute is, or if my AD Sys Admins will even allow for this change if requested. • DockMaster with a JSS Configuration Profile will build the static-doc apps at login but ignores everything in the ‘Others’ portion of the Dock.

4. I have even tried using the DockMaster packages within ‘Outset’ with no luck as of yet. I’m not sure if it just won’t work, or if I don’t have all of my packages loading in the correct order in my test configuration.

Something that I thought would be a fairly simply process has turned out to be much more. At this point I will use the DockMaster with JSS Configuration Profile because it gets me 90% of what I need. I’m not happy with that, but have dedicated days to this now and need to move on to getting my Configurations built and start deploying.

What other options do I have?

8 REPLIES 8

jared_f
Valued Contributor

Hi,

I saw your comments on Dock Master's website and you were having issues re-sizing your dock. This is because the more restrictive profile always overrides the less restrictive profile. The dock configuration profile you made (in the JSS) has no option for re-sizing like Dock Master does. I would simply delete this profile you created in the JSS and just upload the one from Dock Master.

We have our computers binded to OD and it the computer seems to receive the .config just fine and apply it. . . with no need to a refresh. If the .config is scripted correctly, it shouldn't matter (even if the user is local or OD/AD)

Jared

bentoms
Release Candidate Programs Tester

We don't find issues with the JSS profiles, but we deploy computer level & not user.. so wondering if that's a difference.

ctarbox
Contributor II

@jared_f. Regarding the Dock Size, I only have one Configuration Profile set for the Dock. This was the profile configured using Dock Master and uploaded to JSS. I am able to change the Dock size within the JSS profile, and that is all well and good. The only issue I'm now having is that anything I configure in the 'Others' section of the Dock (Applications Folder, Downloads Folder, etc.) via Dock Master does not display. If I could get that working I'd be good to go.

ctarbox
Contributor II

@bentoms: I am also deploying at the computer level.

ctarbox
Contributor II

@bentoms. I am deploying all of the JSS Configuration Profiles at the computer level...

bentoms
Release Candidate Programs Tester

@ctarbox what "inconsistencies" are you seeing? What "refreshing" is needed?

ctarbox
Contributor II

@bentoms. With DockUtil, the refreshing I am referring to, is, after a user logs in, they are presented with Apple's default dock. It takes a number of seconds (5-8) for the DockUtil script to implement and reach the dock killall command at the end which refreshes the dock to the layout I want to present to our lab users. From what I understand, this is normal behavior, but in a lab setting our users will not even know to wait for the rebuild before they start launching apps.

With Dock Master, when I create a profile.mobileconfig and implement it using JSS 's Configuration Profile, all of the Dock Apps build at login, as I would like, but none of the 'Others', eg. Applications Folder, Downloads folder or any other file or URL I layout in the .plist appears.

With Dock Master packages, there is something in our delivery of the Active Directory accounts that is preventing anything in the Dock from displaying except for the Finder and Trash.

If I try using JSS Dock Items in a Configuration profile, I am not able (could be I just don't know how, yet) to figure out how to get the Applications and Downloads folders in the 'Others' section.

At this point I am using he DockUtil script as it gives me what I want to present to the users, albeit the delay.

cliftoja
New Contributor III

I understand exactly what you're talking about. I am having the exact same issue. But it seems no one has a solution as yet.