TUAW Tip: Stop Backup.app from bouncing

"Backup Timer" does not refer to 'how long the icon bounces in the dock'.

It refers to how long the dialog that offers the chance to skip the backup waits before automatically proceeding with the backup.

The application has presented a dialog that needs your attention -- that's why the icon is bouncing, just like every other OS X app that bounces in the dock when it has a dialog that needs user attention. In the case of Backup.app, it times out, normally, after 120 seconds.

You could also remove the app completely from the dock (and still run it) by adding the following to the Info.plist file from inside your application package:

[KEY]NSUIElement[/KEY]
[STRING]1[/STRING]

Or just get this....

"Dock Dodger"

http://foggynoggin.com/dockdodger

"or vice versa"? It keeps my Dock from showing up in running apps?

I haven't used it since 10.4, but back then, i could have used a tip for how to make backup.app stop sucking.

It was always waiting, waiting, waiting. I had an external drive to back up to, and it was always waiting for that drive to become ready, even if it was ready. Only on rare occasions did Backup decide that my external drive was ready enough to actually do a backup.

I can't believe anyone still uses Backup.app instead of Time Machine...

Great tip. I have a somewhat related problem and wondered if someone has an idea. Almost every time I start my Mac, Mail.app opens automatically and tries to grab new mail. I usually don't use it (I'm all for Gmail), but couldn't find any way to stop this from happening. And, no, it's not in the list of startup items.
Thanks.