Widget Use

dazuck · 05-03-2005, 10:53 PM

I haven't used them yet, but couldn't the new widgets be embedded in a front end? The yahoo local traffic widget could be very helpful, especially if you have a permanent cell connection, and also the JiWire WiFi hotspot locator widget.

anthropod · 05-04-2005, 05:57 AM

http://developer.apple.com/macosx/dashboard.html

It looks like there is a lot you can do with them. I wonder if you wrote a front end that could use the widgets as plugins. hmmmmm

angusn · 05-04-2005, 09:50 AM

Why not create a widget that IS your front end? Press the dashboard icon in the dock (set fixed, big enough to use as touch screen buttons), and your radio/mp3 controls overlay whatever. My "whatever" would probably be some sort of navigation and/or DVD playback.

DerekICT · 05-04-2005, 01:59 PM

I agree. I have a doppler radar widget that is 1/4 of the screen, so they can really be any size.

If you control-click a widget file, and then choose open package, you can see that kind of files are in the widget.

Applescripts and Java Scripts are what I am seeing....

Alas, I do not know how to write either!

Scouse Monkey · 05-04-2005, 02:07 PM

WTF is a widget? I thought you got them in beer cans to make the head frothy like a real pint!

noodles · 05-05-2005, 12:43 AM

Widgets are little miniature java/html apps that pop-up onscreen to serve a single purpose.

Seems ridiculous to me to have a million different widgets, when you can just have one front end.

Delivery_Guy · 05-05-2005, 02:01 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by noodles

Widgets are little miniature java/html apps that pop-up onscreen to serve a single purpose.

Seems ridiculous to me to have a million different widgets, when you can just have one front end.

I think the winning idea here is to use the widget as your front end. Like by making one monster widget. If nothing else, you could probably write a large iTunes widget based on the existing one and use it as a full screen iTunes remote.

Or, have the widgets spread around the screen in a way that you could have control of everything at once. But that probably wouldn't work in the land of 7" screens.

Scouse Monkey · 05-05-2005, 03:45 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by noodles

Widgets are little miniature java/html apps that pop-up onscreen to serve a single purpose.

Seems ridiculous to me to have a million different widgets, when you can just have one front end.

they seem cool. Do they run nice and smooth?

agree about the frontend though.

kandyman676 · 05-05-2005, 10:57 AM

According to the developer stuff, the widgets are actively running in the background and use no CPU cycle. The one's that are net based take a second or two to update, but once updated, they are done and updated depending on the widget settings.

Widgets can be made in HTML/CSS/Javascript, but you can also package Cocco in the widget and reference it with Javascript.

For a frontend, I would imagine all widgets to be removed, and make the dashboard feature be your frontend. Then each widget would be a frontend thing (one for iTunes, another for DVD playing, etc.) That would help keep it modular and running right at startup.

Yes, some people like it being in all one app, but depends on what school of programming you like:-)