Mac OS X Dashboard
by Jesse Feiler
Start the free chapterDashboard provides instant access to widgets (mini-applications) that \"float\" over the desktop. These widgets provide simple functionality such as a calculator or clock; interaction with data from iTunes, the Address Book or other local apps; and interaction across the Web to get weather reports, stock quotes, etc. This course provides an introduction to Dashboard and you will learn how to create your own widgets. VTC author Jesse Feiler guides you through the steps to build a time clock widget to track your time and export it to a TextEdit document. To begin learning simply click the links.
Course content
Introducing Dashboard4 lessons
Widget Overview6 lessons
Managing Widgets4 lessons
Widget Architecture: The Basics5 lessons
Industry-Standard Widget Technologies3 lessons
Building a Widget (Basic Version)6 lessons
Building the Back of a Widget8 lessons
- Flipping the Widget Pt.17:521 credit or ad
- Flipping the Widget Pt.22:211 credit or ad
- Adding a Link to the Widget4:301 credit or ad
- About Preferences5:331 credit or ad
- Setting & Storing a Preference Pt.14:501 credit or ad
- Debugging Case Study3:491 credit or ad
- Setting & Storing a Preference Pt.22:541 credit or ad
- Retrieving a Preference4:091 credit or ad
Building a Widget (Advanced)5 lessons
Widget Architecture3 lessons
Writing the Widget Javascript Code8 lessons
- Building the Javascript Timer6:271 credit or ad
- Building the Timer Click Structure6:101 credit or ad
- Starting the Timer3:311 credit or ad
- Pausing the Timer3:291 credit or ad
- Continuing the Timer2:101 credit or ad
- Resetting the Timer4:291 credit or ad
- Handling Show & Hide Events Pt.18:201 credit or ad
- Handling Show & Hide Events Pt.23:381 credit or ad
Interacting with Other Applications7 lessons
- Using the Clipboard & Drag & Drop2:451 credit or ad
- Preparing the Test Widget Pt.14:331 credit or ad
- Preparing the Test Widget Pt.23:041 credit or ad
- Using the Command Line4:161 credit or ad
- Making the Command Line Interactive3:531 credit or ad
- Status Results & Synchronous Processing5:541 credit or ad
- Asynchronous Processing5:381 credit or ad
Using AppleScript from Widgets15 lessons
- AppleScript/Widget Overview4:461 credit or ad
- Using AppleScript from the Command Line4:121 credit or ad
- Generating AppleScript from a Widget Pt.13:141 credit or ad
- Generating AppleScript from a Widget Pt.23:121 credit or ad
- Generating AppleScript from a Widget Pt.32:141 credit or ad
- Creating AppleScript Scripts3:531 credit or ad
- Looking at an AppleScript Dictionary Pt.14:441 credit or ad
- Looking at an AppleScript Dictionary Pt.23:511 credit or ad
- Writing the Basic Script for the Widget4:001 credit or ad
- Implementing the Script in the Widget Pt.12:441 credit or ad
- Implementing the Script in the Widget Pt.25:411 credit or ad
- Cleaning Up the Widget Script3:351 credit or ad
- Labelling & Formatting the Export3:031 credit or ad
- Saving the Exported Document5:211 credit or ad
- Completing the Widget3:141 credit or ad