zip extension, and easily explore its contents. If you want, you can grab a gadget online, rename it with a. All of the content is stored in a ZIP file that is renamed with a. Of course, most gadgets include other files, such as image files (PNG and JPG), style sheets (CSS), and scripting (JavaScript and VBScript source files). In its simplest form, a gadget is made up of nothing more than an HTML file and an XML definition file. In fact, if you know HTML, CSS, and JavaScript (and I suspect many of you already do), you’re well on your way. So you might be surprised by how easy they are to create. (If you’re interested in developing SideShow gadgets, see Jeffrey Richter’s article in the January 2007 issue of MSDN Magazine.)Ī Sidebar gadget can be a powerful and handy little tool. Thus, when I use the term "gadget," I am referring specifically to a Sidebar gadget. Note that I focus strictly on developing Windows Vista Sidebar gadgets. In this article, I explore the major parts of a Sidebar gadget and then demonstrate how these elements come together to create a sample gadget: an MSDN® Magazine Ticker for the Windows Vista Sidebar. SideShow gadgets run on devices such as secondary displays on laptops, remote controls, and computer keyboards. Web gadgets are similar, but run on and Windows Live Spaces pages. Sidebar gadgets are the ones that run on the Windows Vista desktop. There are actually three different types of gadgets supported by Microsoft. You’ve probably heard a lot of buzz lately about gadgets-these are the lightweight applications that you’ve seen, for example, sitting on a Windows Vista™ desktop. This article uses the following technologies:Ĭode download available at: SidebarGadget2007_08.exe(181 KB) It can be easily configured and installed by all types of users, regardless of their experience level.Build Your Own Windows Vista Sidebar Gadget On the downside, WeatherMAN doesn’t offer support for multiple locations.Īs it would be expected from such as small utility, it manages to remain light on the system resources, so it doesn’t burden the overall performance of the computer, nor interfere with other programs’ functionality.Īll things considered, WeatherMAN is a desktop enhancement utility that ahelpss you to stay up-to-date with the weather conditions for the specified location. Other options allow users to make the gadget remain on top of other utilities, move it to any area of the screen, as well as pick the opacity level. WeatherMAN ensures that the generated weather information is accurate, as it grabs it from Weather Channel. Plus, you can choose between different themes and configure proxy settings. What’s more, the application enables users to pick the hour format (12, 24 or 36 hours), select the unit of measurement (Celsius or millibars), pick the weather alert notification mode (normal, loud, quiet, silent), as well as check for updates automatically. WeatherMAN gives users the possibility to search for the location that they want to be monitored by simply entering the name of the city or ZIP code in the dedicated dialog. The program sports a clean and intuitive GUI that offers quick access to only a few configuration settings to tinker with. WeatherMAN is a lightweight Vista gadget that displays the current weather conditions for the selected region.
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