Mac OS X Dashboard

Introducing Dashboard

About this Course

Dashboard Widgets as Mini-Apps

Dashboard Widgets as Data Interfaces

Widget Interface Design Guidelines

Widget Overview

Accessory Widgets

Application Widgets

Information/Internet Widgets Pt.1

Information/Internet Widgets Pt.2

Finding Third-Party Widgets

Downloading a Widget

Managing Widgets

Getting to Dashboard

Using the Widget Bar

Multiple Copies of Widgets

Using the Clipboard with Widgets

Widget Architecture: The Basics

Bundles

Basic Bundle Files

HTML interface

Default & Icon PNG Files

Property List

Industry-Standard Widget Technologies

HTML

CSS

JavaScript

Building a Widget (Basic Version)

Start from the Blank Widget

Rename Files & Build the Property List

Basic Safari Debugging

Add Images & Styles

Dashboard Development Mode Pt.1

Dashboard Development Mode Pt.2

Building the Back of a Widget

Flipping the Widget Pt.1

Flipping the Widget Pt.2

Adding a Link to the Widget

About Preferences

Setting & Storing a Preference Pt.1

Debugging Case Study

Setting & Storing a Preference Pt.2

Retrieving a Preference

Building a Widget (Advanced)

Implementing a Two-State Button Pt.1

Implementing a Two-State Button Pt.2

Creating a Text Display Field

Creating a Text Area

Finishing Up: The Reset Button

Widget Architecture

Dashboard Architecture

Widget Properties

Widget Events

Writing the Widget Javascript Code

Building the Javascript Timer

Building the Timer Click Structure

Starting the Timer

Pausing the Timer

Continuing the Timer

Resetting the Timer

Handling Show & Hide Events Pt.1

Handling Show & Hide Events Pt.2

Interacting with Other Applications

Using the Clipboard & Drag & Drop

Preparing the Test Widget Pt.1

Preparing the Test Widget Pt.2

Using the Command Line

Making the Command Line Interactive

Status Results & Synchronous Processing

Asynchronous Processing

Using AppleScript from Widgets

AppleScript/Widget Overview

Using AppleScript from the Command Line

Generating AppleScript from a Widget Pt.1

Generating AppleScript from a Widget Pt.2

Generating AppleScript from a Widget Pt.3

Creating AppleScript Scripts

Looking at an AppleScript Dictionary Pt.1

Looking at an AppleScript Dictionary Pt.2

Writing the Basic Script for the Widget

Implementing the Script in the Widget Pt.1

Implementing the Script in the Widget Pt.2

Cleaning Up the Widget Script

Labelling & Formatting the Export

Saving the Exported Document

Completing the Widget

Using XML Data on the Web from Widgets

Getting the XML Data for a Widget

Sample RSS Widget Architecture

Looking at the XML Document

Creating the XMLHttpRequest

Parsing the XML Data

Displaying the XML Data

Using Cocoa Plug-ins

Widget Plug-in Overview

Building the Fortune Example

Setting the Widget to Use a Plug-in

Setting the Xcode Project Name

Exposing the Plug-in to JavaScript

Debugging the Plug-in

Widget Appearance & Behavior

Using Control Regions

Using the Canvas

Resizing a Widget (Live Version)

Using Animation Pt.1

Using Animation Pt.2

Using Animation Pt.3

Managing Widget Focus

Using the Apple Classes

How to Include the Apple Classes

Apple Info Buttons

Apple Buttons (Including Glass Buttons)

Scrollling in Your Widget

Using Sliders

Distributing Your Widget

Preparing the Files

Downloading the Widget

Implementing Localization

Wrap Up

Course Summary

Credits

About the Author