How to Make a Desktop Gadget
Microsoft introduced its own version of a widget, a tiny program running on the desktop, in the Vista operating system as part of the "Sidebar" feature. The current Windows operating system, Windows 7, does not include a Sidebar. Microsoft now refers to these little programs as "Desktop Gadgets." The user can drag gadgets anywhere on the desktop. Developing your own gadgets involves creating at a minimum two short files, an XML file and an HTML file. Adding some JavaScript, either as part of the HTML code or in a separate file, allows more customization.
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Instructions
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Create your first gadget using as an example a countdown to your retirement. Click "Start," type "Notepad" and press "Enter" to open the Notepad program included in Windows. Enter the following lines:
<html>
<head>
<title>My Retirement</title>
<style>
body{width:120;height:120;font:8 pt Arial;color:white; filter:progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.Gradient(GradientType=1, StartColorStr="#00FF00",
EndColorStr="#0000FF")}
</style>
<link href="style.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" />
<script language="javascript">
RightNow = new Date()
mil = new Date("Jan. 31, 2030")
mil.setYear = RightNow.getFullYear;
day = (1000*60*60*24)
computeDay = (mil.getTime() - RightNow.getTime()) / day;
computeDAY = computeDay-1
DayResult = Math.round(computeDay);
document.write("<center> "+DayResult+" days until you retire (Jan. 31, 2030)</center>");
</script>
</head>
<body>
</body>
</html>
Substitute the date of your retirement for the one in the example.
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2
Click on "File" and then "Save as." Use Windows Explorer to navigate to the Gadgets folder located at "Users/[your profile name]/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows Sidebar/Gadgets." Save the file in this folder as "MyRetirement.html." In the "Save as type" box, use the drop-down arrow to change from the default "Text Documents (*.txt)" to "All Files (*.*)."
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3
Develop the XML file by opening a new file in Notepad. Enter the following lines:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<gadget>
<name>MyRetirement</name>
<version>1.0.0.0</version>
<author name= [enter your name in quotes] </author>
<description>"MyRetirement" MyRetirement</description>
<hosts>
<host name="sidebar">
<base type="HTML" apiVersion="1.0.0" src="MyRetirement.html" />
<permissions>Full</permissions>
<platform minPlatformVersion="1.0" />
</host>
</hosts>
</gadget>
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4
Save this file in the same gadgets folder as the HTML file. Change the file name to "MyRetirement.xml" and the type to "All Files (*.*)."
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5
Prepare the gadget for installation on other computers. Select both files in the Gadgets folder by holding down the "Ctrl" key and clicking on them. Right-click and select "Send to compressed (zip) folder." Use the same name, "MyRetirement," and the same folder as in Steps 3 and 5. Right-click on the new zipped file and select "Rename." Change the extension from "zip" to "gadget." This allows Windows to recognize the compressed files as a gadget and install them. A user now can double-click on the new gadget file to install it.
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Open the "Gadgets" item found in a drop-down list when you right-click anywhere on the desktop. This displays all installed gadgets. Click and drag your new gadget anywhere you like on the screen.
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Tips & Warnings
Add an icon to the gadget by inserting a line reading "<img src="GoneFishing.png" height="36" width="36" </>" between the "<body>" and "</body>" in the HTML file. Replace the "GoneFishing.png" icon file with one of your own devising.
Organize your gadgets by creating a sub-folder with the name of the gadget under the "Windows Sidebar/Gadgets" folder described in Step 3.
A second way to distribute your gadgets is as a CAB file by downloading the Microsoft free compression utility "Cabarc.exe," described on the Microsoft Cabinet Software Development Kit page (see Resources).
When installing a gadget, Windows may warn you about the possibility of a harmful file. If you trust the source, you can ignore this. Many gadgets do not bother getting Microsoft security certification.
