Bookwatchdog

What Is Bookwatchdog?

Bookwatchdog is a background application which can launch whenever you log in.  It watches your bookmarks, and can sort them when when needed.

It barked, but my bookmarks in Safari did not get sorted. Why not?

Probably Safari did not update yet."  To cause Safari to update its Bookmarks menu and Show All Bookmarks view, activate (click on) a different window. 

Where Is Bookwatchdog?

Bookwatchdog is included inside the Bookdog application package.

Multiple Macs, MobileMe and iPhone

If you are synchronizing your Safari bookmarks on two or more Macs using Apple's MobileMe service, you should only activate Bookwatchdog sorting Safari bookmarks "3 minutes after a change is made..." on the Mac that you use most often.  Otherwise, the two Bookwatchdogs will infinitely see that the other one has done something and sort every 18 minutes, (15 minute delay for next MobileMe push + 3 minute delay in Bookwatchdog).  As a matter of fact, if you are using MobileMe, there is no need to even install Bookdog on any other than your "main" Mac.

If you've only got one Mac and an iPhone, there is no problem since Bookdog/Bookwatchdog does not run on the iPhone.  Whenever a change is made on your Mac, or changes are pushed from the iPhone, Bookwatchdog will sort and push the sorted bookmarks (back) to your iPhone.

When is it Running?

If you have checked any of the three "watchdog" checkboxes in the Bookwatchdog preference sheet, Bookwatchdog will be installed as a Login Item in your System Preferences and will therefore begin running whenever you log in.  If none of these boxes are checked, Bookwatchdog will be removed from Login Items if it was there previously.

In Bookdog's Main Menu > Bookdog there is Quit Bookwatchdog item.  This item is provided for utility and troubleshooting purposes.

If you have only checked for Bookwatchdog to run at Login but neither of the other two, then the Bookwatchdog background process will sort as necessary upon Login, and then immediately quit itself.

How Much of My CPU Does Bookwatchdog Use?

Your Activity Monitor will show that Bookwatchdog is using 0.0% of your CPU, except when it is doing its sorting or analyzing.  Bookwatchdog registers with the operating system to receive notifications, and then lies dormant until it is awakened by a such a notification.