Can widgets stay on the desktop?

DrQuincy · Nov 23, 2006

Can you embed dashboard widgets onto the desktop (in a similar way to Yahoo Widgets on Windows?) I appreciate the design behind the way the dashboard works on OSX but there a couple that would be useful is they were embedded into the desktop.

Thanks.

NanoBite · Nov 23, 2006

Code:

DrQuincy said:
Can you embed dashboard widgets onto the desktop (in a similar way to Yahoo Widgets on Windows?) I appreciate the design behind the way the dashboard works on OSX but there a couple that would be useful is they were embedded into the desktop.

Thanks.

Open up a terminal session via Applications > Utilities > Terminal and enter in the following line:

Code:

[I]defaults write com.apple.dashboard devmode YES[/I]

Restart Dashboard. The easiest way is to log out then back in. Press F12 to activate and load the dashboard.

Once the dashboard has loaded, click and hold on the widget you wish to move to the desktop. While holding the mouse button down, move the widget around and then press F12 again.

You should still be holding the mouse button down and now you can move the widget where you like on the desktop. The widget will always remain on top of other applications.

To get that widget back on the dashboard, you can do this backwards. Click and hold the widget while dragging it around and then press F12.

MartinS · Nov 23, 2006

But remember, kids, widget eat RAM, so don't take them from strangers.

DrQuincy · Nov 23, 2006

Cool, thanks very much Marty and thanks for the warning Martin.

PowerBookG4 · Nov 23, 2006

I would love to pin them to the desktop so that they are on the bottom of all applications, but I don' think thats possible.

digital john · Nov 23, 2006

Just hold f12 while clicking and holding a widget. While holding both let got of f12 and hold the widget. Once the dashboard is gone let go of the widget and voila. Do the same thing to put it back in the dashboard.

xtophercaa · Nov 25, 2006

This is a great trick--and very handy, I imagine, if you have a large display, and want to put some widgets in the margins. Cool!

baggss · Nov 25, 2006

DrQuincy said:
Can you embed dashboard widgets onto the desktop (in a similar way to Yahoo Widgets on Windows?) I appreciate the design behind the way the dashboard works on OSX but there a couple that would be useful is they were embedded into the desktop.

Thanks.

Yahoo Widget Engine (formerly Konfabulator) is available for the Mac as well.

Audio.Trench · Nov 25, 2006

baggss said:
Yahoo Widget Engine (formerly Konfabulator) is available for the Mac as well.

Dang, ya beat me to it! Konfabulator is great... Before I got my Mac, I used it on my wintel machine because the idea of widgets was awesome, and I found some ones that I really liked.

It works well on the Mac also, I used it on my Powerbook because I didn't really care for the actual Dashboard.

KoDorSean · Nov 26, 2006

I guess I am just a fool.. I spent $10 on Amnesty Singles. Great program that allows you to take your widgets to the desktop..

scooter · Nov 27, 2006

i too use the yahoo widgets on my mac and work PC and my laptop. they too can get memory hungry so i'd advise not setting up too many at one time. i run three now, a fourth when i am watching someting on ebay.

surfwax95 · Nov 27, 2006

As digital john noted, you don't have to enable DEV mode anymore to get widgets off of the Dashboard.

Just follow his instructions.

NJRonbo · Jan 24, 2007

I tried this -- and perhaps I did something wrong -- but I was
only able to import ONE widget permanently to the desktop.

Is there any way to import several to keep open all at once
the way you can with Yahoo Widgets?

NJRonbo · Jan 26, 2007

I'll again ask this question...

Any way to drag more than one Widget to the desktop permanently?

Also, when the computer reboots that Widget is gone.

KoDorSean · Jan 26, 2007

NJRonbo said:
I'll again ask this question...

Any way to drag more than one Widget to the desktop permanently?

Also, when the computer reboots that Widget is gone.

go to www.versiontracker.com or www.macupdate.com and search amnesty singles.. its $10 and it will allow you to make widgets into small programs.. so you just drag the widget file into the amnesty window and it creates a stand alone widget which will allow you to keep it open on your desktop.. It works great and its what I use..

NJRonbo · Jan 26, 2007

...and the price is great, too!

Can you keep more than one Widget open at a time and
does it remember to place it back on the desktop when
you reboot?

These are the limitations of the F12 method.

Thanks for the help!

KoDorSean · Jan 26, 2007

NJRonbo said:
...and the price is great, too!

Can you keep more than one Widget open at a time and
does it remember to place it back on the desktop when
you reboot?

These are the limitations of the F12 method.

Thanks for the help!

yes you can keep more than one widget open at a time and you can set up your computer to boot the widget when you reboot. in your system preferences under system/accounts then click on logon items.

NJRonbo · Jan 27, 2007

Another question, as I am very new to OS X...

I found the area where I select startup programs. I even
figured out how to add programs to startup.

The question is....

What in PARTICULAR am I looking to add to the startup?

If I add AMNESTY SINGLES I figure only the program drop-in
Window will open.

I have 4 Widgets I want to automatically start up. They are
stored in the DOCUMENTS folder. Should I select each one
of those and add them individually to startup?

KoDorSean · Jan 27, 2007

amnesty singles turns the "widget" into a "application" you would just location the new widget application and add it to the login programs.