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| Font Geek Gets a Tiger Widget | | Date Created: 24 Jul, 2005, 02:13 PM |
 Font Geek Gets a Dashboard Widget...
Last October we posted the Konfabulator widget that takes advantage of Font Geek's RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed entries via the XML (Extensible Markup Language) file that the site generates automatically. At that time the Tiger's Dashboard widget capabilities were only in beta and so all we could offer then was our Konfabulator widget (which is still available for Konfabulator users). Now -- as promised at the end of that article, we are finally able to present our own Tiger compatible Dashbord widget. |
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| To review -- Dashboard widgets in Tiger are mini-applications written in HTML and JavaScript that are designed for fun as well as function. Widgets appear on your screen at the touch of a single key (usually F12): they're always there when you want them, but they stay out of the way when you don't. Widgets can be tools such as alarm clocks, calculators, Address Book lookup helpers, iTunes playback controllers, and AirPort signal strength indicators. Because they're built using standard Internet technology, widgets can also monitor Web cams, present live news feeds, act as personalized stock tickers - they can even tell you about new articles on your favorite font related website. |
| 2. Unzip and then move the FontGeek.wdgt file to your Widgets folder in your main Library folder. |
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 Note: You may have to authenticate when placing this widget in your Library folder. You can also place the FontGeek widget in your home Library folder (Macintosh HD / Users / [your home folder] / Library / Widgets).
3. Press on your F12 key or click on the Dashboard application icon in your Dock. If you don't see the dashboard icon, you can find the application itself in your Applications folder. |
4. You will see a small round "+" symbol in the lower left corner of your screen. Click on it. |
| 5. You will see a Dashboard widgets in a tray along the bottom. Find the FontGeek widget and click on it. |
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Note: You may have to scroll to the next page of widgets (using the arrow button) if you have a lot of widgets in your tray.
6. You will see the FontGeek widget appear in the rippled affect on your screen. |
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When the ripples stop, the Font Geek widget should now be up on your screen.
7. To get a list of the the Recent Posts on FontGeek.net, click the Refresh button. |
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This will give you the RSS feed of the headlines for the recent stories on the site.
8. If you see a story that looks interesting, click on it and it will launch your browser and take you right to that story on FontGeek.net |
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| 9. Since FontGeek.net also includes an indexed Google search, we've integrated that into the widget as well. You can type in or pull up recent searches in the Search field on the FontGeek widget. This will also launch a browser and give the relevant Google search results. |
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 10. If you want to know just a bit more about the FontGeek widget, you can click on the small "i" in the lower right hand corner of the FontGeek widget. |
| 11. Here you will see a picture of Erik Tollefsrud who adapted this widget for FontGeek.net as well as info about the original developer. |
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| When you're done looking at Erik, you just have to click on the Done button to turn the FontGeek widget back around. |
 12. That's it. Please check back to Font Geek every so often to see if we've updated the Font Geek widget.
Special thanks to Erik Tollefsrud (left) who adapted the CNN widget for the site. I've said it before... he never ceases to amaze me with how much he can learn. |
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