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Amnesty Singles - Convert Dashboard widgets into apps Pick of the Week
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[Score: 9 out of 10]
Amnesty Singles takes Dashboard's devmode hack, whereby you can permanently move Dashboard widgets to the desktop, one step further: it lets you convert any widget into a true standalone application.

Usage couldn't be much simpler than it is. Just drag and drop a widget from either your user's or the top-level Library/Widgets folder onto the Amnesty Singles large drop zone. You can then create an app that's dependent on having the original widget around, or (if you've registered) a standalone app that includes a copy of the widget. Click Build, specify a save location, and you're done.

Launch the newly-created program, and you'll find a Widget menu in each app you create. Using this menu, you can set the program's level--floating above all other windows, standard window behavior where it will interleave with others, or a neat desktop option that "embeds" the app on your desktop. There's also a menu to set the refresh interval, along with a Get Info option for the widget (which may or may not provide useful info, depending on what data the original widget author included in their project files).

This is somewhat naggy shareware--you'll get a pop-up window over your converted apps until you register--but it's not overly expensive, and it provides a really useful service. Apparently the converted widgets will also run on 10.3.9, but I don't have a machine around on which I can easily test that.
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Amnesty Singles - Convert Dashboard widgets into apps | 7 comments | Create New Account
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Amnesty Singles - Convert Dashboard widgets into apps
Authored by: wgscott on Nov 08, '06 08:11:50AM

I absolutely detest widgets and the whole Dashboard thing that takes over the user environment, but this would make them useful (insofar as the original javascript is useful). Thanks for highlighting this.



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Amnesty Singles - Convert Dashboard widgets into apps
Authored by: rmessnerjr on Nov 08, '06 08:50:51AM

While I don't have near the dislike for them as you, I don't use them because of the action needed to get to them. Now that they can appear on the desktop some of them will get used. I'll have to monitor memory usage though.

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RalphM



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Amnesty Singles - Convert Dashboard widgets into apps
Authored by: bradleyd1971 on Nov 08, '06 09:35:49AM

Okay, I don't understand the 2 posts above (the one I am replying to, and it's parent).

Widgets take over the UI? How? If you want to use widgets, activate Dashboard, if not you never know they are there. How is that taking over the UI?

The actions needed to activate widgets... if you are using the default Apple single button mouse this might be a valid complaint - if you have a physical disability that prevents you from pressing function keys. If you are using any multi-button mouse (more than 2 buttons), you can easily set one of the extra buttons to open Dashboard.

On my mouse, I have the 3rd and 4th button set to activate Dashboard, and to show all of the open app windows. This is as difficult as moving my thumb about an 1/8th of an inch.

Maybe I am misunderstanding what the above posters have said, but the way I read it the complaints about widgets/Dashboard just are not valid.



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Amnesty Singles - Convert Dashboard widgets into apps
Authored by: wgscott on Nov 08, '06 03:31:46PM

Sure they are valid. You may disagree that it is an annoyance to have the interface go into a separate realm in which only widgets can be accessed, but the fact that the OS is set up like this isn't an invalid point. I like my F12 key to eject disks and my mouse buttons to do the canonical unix things. The nice thing about OS X is you can set things up however you like to. The widget/dashboard interface annoyed me in the same way that rooted X11 annoys me, or rebooting to access another operating system annoys me -- it seems needlessly complicated and precludes interaction with the rest of OS X. Widgets that run in the standard OS X mode are fine with me. Rootless X11 is fine with me. Running other OS in Parallels is fine with me.



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Amnesty Singles - Convert Dashboard widgets into apps
Authored by: MtnBiker on Nov 25, '06 07:35:13PM

I agree with the poster below. And I would add with a real application, you can use just that application without waiting for all the others to load as you would in Dashboard.

One can use launchers such as Butler with applications.

One can leave a application running and toggle right back to it from another application.

How do I drag say a tracking number in the Package Tracker?

I'm happy enough with how the Finder works, let me use it rather that forcing me into another realm where things work differently.

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Hermosa Beach, CA USA



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Amnesty Singles - Convert Dashboard widgets into apps
Authored by: Auricchio on Nov 08, '06 08:30:41AM

The usefulness, of course, is because it may be easier to write a widget and then "app-ify" it, so we may see more low-cost quickie apps appear.

But the process does have its amusing side for me. We've had apps forever. Then we got widgets, because they were lighter and easier than apps. Now we can convert widgets back into apps.

This is somewhat like Mel Brooks' The Producers. First it was a conventional comedy film. Then they converted it to a Broadway musical. Then they filmed the musical. In ten years, perhaps someone will convert the musical film to a conventional Broadway comedy play...

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EMOJO: mojo no longer workin'

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Amnesty Singles - Convert Dashboard widgets into apps
Authored by: beepotato on Nov 08, '06 09:12:09AM

Actually, first (under System 6 and before) we had desk accessories. Then (after System 7 appeared), desk accessories started being converted into little apps. Then with Tiger, we got widgets, going back to the spirit of desk accessories. And now we can convert widgets into little apps again.



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