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| Date post: | 27-Jun-2015 |
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Technology |
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CONTENT
Overview on Sidebars Gadgets
Developing a Gadget for Windows Sidebar- Introduction-The Files-Steps
Scripts and its function
Proposed Gadgets
Bibliography
Windows Gadgets Package
Windows Sidebar and gadgets (overview)Windows Sidebar is a long, vertical bar that is displayed on the side of your desktop. It contains mini-programs called Gadgets, which offer information at a glance and provide easy access to frequently used tools.
Why use Sidebar?Sidebar can keep information and tools readily available for you to use. For example, you can display news headlines right next to your open programs. This way, if you want to keep track of what's happening in the news while you work, you don't have to stop what you're doing to switch to a news website, apart from that you can do much more…
Developing a Gadget for Windows Sidebar
IntroductionGadgets are lightweight HTML and script-based applications that provide the ability to derive and present information or functionality from a variety of sources, such as local applications and controls, or websites and services.
Developers with experience authoring WebPages will find the process of creating a gadget very familiar.
Windows Gadgets Package
Windows Gadgets Package
Developing a Gadget for Windows Sidebar
The Files
A basic gadget consists of two files:1. Gadget.xml - The manifest, an XML file
that contains general configuration and presentation information for the gadget.
2. name.html - An HTML file, where name is specified in the <name> tag of the associated gadget manifest, that provides the shell for the gadget UI and contains the core functionality for the gadget.
Windows Gadgets Package
Developing a Gadget for Windows Sidebar
The Files
A basic gadget consists of two files:1. Gadget.xml - The manifest, an XML file
that contains general configuration and presentation information for the gadget.
2. name.html - An HTML file, where name is specified in the <name> tag of the associated gadget manifest, that provides the shell for the gadget UI and contains the core functionality for the gadget. Know more
Why XML?The gadget "manifest" is an XML file that contains general configuration and presentation information for a gadget. This information is presented to the user through the Gadget Picker as gadget and developer details, along with various functional or informational icons. Each gadget package must include a manifest.
•Sample Code•Outlook
Source: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ff486356(v=vs.85).aspx
Windows Gadgets Package
Developing a Gadget for Windows SidebarThe StepsIn general, the steps for creating a gadget are:1. Create a development folder to contain the gadget files.It is generally good practice to
give the development folder the same name as the gadget it hosts, with the added extension of .gadget. For example, if your gadget's name is "Test" then the development folder should be named "Test.gadget". This reduces naming confusion later when it comes time to install the gadget. However, the development folder can have any name you wish.
Similarly, the development folder can be located anywhere. However, during development and testing it is typically more efficient to place the folder in one of the system folders associated with the Sidebar:%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Sidebar\Gadgets (for user gadgets)%SYSTEM_ROOT%\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\Gadgets (for global gadgets)The following image shows a gadget development folder in the %USER_DATA%\Local\Microsoft\Windows Sidebar\Gadgets folder.
Windows Gadgets Package
Developing a Gadget for Windows SidebarThe Steps (cont…)
2. Create the manifest file and save it to the development folder. For more information on the gadget manifest.
3. Create the core .html file and save it to the development folder.Sample Code
4. Install the gadget, if necessary. Depending on where you created your development folder, you may need to copy the folder or its content to one of the two previously identified Sidebar system folders. Alternatively, you may want to package the gadget for general distribution and test the gadget installation process.
5. Test the gadget and make revisions as necessary.
Windows Gadgets Package
Scripts and its functionsA gadget is distributed as a .gadget file—a renamed .zip archive—consisting of a collection of XML, HTML, Microsoft JScript, and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) files. Installation consists of downloading the .gadget file and allowing the download process to install the gadget or saving the .gadget file to the local system and double-clicking to start the installation process.
Example :- System Shutdown Gadget
Windows Gadgets Package
Proposed Gadget Package (Comprises of 5 Gadgets):-
1. Windows Shortcuts Gadget.2. Windows Shutdown, Restart, Standby, and Hibernate Gadget.3. Windows Computer Status.4. Internet Search engines.5. Windows Task Manager Gadget.
Sourcehttp://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ff486356(v=vs.85).aspx
Bibliography
