how to make a Widget?

i was wondering a long time ago on trying to make log-on's. i did but they weren't good. so i kind of quit. but now i want to see if i can make a widget. Can somebody tell me how please?
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Reply #1 Top
Not sure there's any one way to start... What do you want to make? You need an idea first and foremost. Then you'll need to create your graphics or see if you can get someone to help with that. Then you can put all the pieces together and add whatever scripting you need. I know this is generic but it's about as good as I can offer with the question you've posed.
Reply #2 Top
https://www.stardock.com/products/desktopx/documentation/index.html

Go though the tutorials in the 'Developer's Guide'. The Creating an MP3 player (Video tutorial) is a good guide and would be an ideal choice for someones first widget. You may find scanning through the other parts of the documents esp the creating objects.

The more advanced widgets you'll see make use of either Visual Basic or Java script.
Reply #3 Top
start with an object. then build on it.
Reply #4 Top
[Bichur]
start with an object. then build on it.


Thats the easiest way to begin..even i can make a simple widget this way.
Open desktopX..switch to desktopX builder..right click on icon in sys tray .."new desktop" Save " no " reset desktop settings " yes "
Then right click icon again..select " New Object "
This is how you can take a png or bpm maybe even jpeg..it will tell you the supported formats..and you make a simple icon first that you can add " states " to ..thats trickier so just try making something simple first. The best part is after making an object..just Right click on it..select all and related and export to widgets. It will now be a widget...then just right click on object and delete all and related and close desktopX. You dont need desktopX just to run a widget.
Reply #5 Top
i still don't get how to do this.

and Woodbridge, that link really helped me out on what to expect but i still feel like as if i missed something or i can't do right.
Reply #6 Top
Bash,
can you make a simple object using a png or text? (Non animated)
it can do nothing or just be a short cut.
Reply #8 Top
Yeah, it is.
Take it one step at a time.

I don't get a lot of free time, so I have only progressed from a simple layer (where the mouse away is a cool png) that does nothing to a simple animated shortcut to my desktop, other folder or prgram.
Reply #9 Top
ok, since I'm not sure where you're having problems I'll give you creating a new DX object step 1...

1) Run DxBuilder
2) right-click on the system tray icon
3) select New object from the list
4) explore the options available and see what changing them does to the object.

That is the quick way to create an *extremely* basic object that really won't do anything. If you create it as a shortcut you can make it open a folder or program, if you add scripts you can make it do all kinds of cool stuff. The way I went from knowing nothing to the limited experience I have is to take existing objects and examine them to see how they are constructed .

Good Luck!
Reply #10 Top
The way I went from knowing nothing to the limited experience I have is to take existing objects and examine them to see how they are constructed .


good advice ('tis what i do) - just don't start with one of the complex ones