how do I actually get a widget into dashboard?

New User Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 15

OK, I'm probably missing something very basic, but when I download a widget, and I get the pop-up box that asks where do I want to save the file, the default location is "applications." But I don't know how to open that, and select "Dashboard" as the application I want to save the widget in. If I click on the up or down arrow, it just shows other locations, like Desktop or Computer.

So now I have three widgets in my Applications folder. I can't find any Dashboard folder or window or commands that will let me move them in (i.e., "manage widgets" only lets me uncheck the ones pre-installed).

I tried dragging one to the dashboard, but as it pops up and pops closed, that didn't work ...

I'm sure there's a simple solution to this but I can't find it.

Thanks in advance ....

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 9:02 pm

Double click the widget after downloading...

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 10:15 pm

I didn't know that, I've been dragging them to the widgets folder. I think I know the best way to get rid of a widget, or any other app. AppCleaner

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 11:21 pm

I haven't used AppCleaner, so I can only assume it's a good product..

however getting rid of widgets is easy enough to do within dashboard.

you just click on the crosshairs (+ sign in a circle) on the bottom left of the screen, click on "widgets" , and then click on the red minus (-) sign beside a widget. it moves the widget to the trash.

i'd say that's pretty easy. and I don't have to install any other application.

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 11:47 pm

I had forgotten that, and that is easy, however what AppCleaner do is when you trash an app it deletes all the associated files too, plists support docs and so on.

New User Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 15

Thanks for the installation tip, Rich!

But when I click on the plus sign, then Manage Widgets, there is no red circle with a minus sign next to any of them ... so I unchecked the boxes, but that doesn't move them to the trash.

Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 3:21 am

It's not a red circle it's a red minus sign to the right.

EDIT; sorry it is more like a red dot with a white minus sign.

New User Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 15

Thanks, I know what it looks like, as I've seen examples on the web but it just doesn't show up on my dashboard anywhere, not in the widgets manager, etc....

Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 1:53 pm

Cross hairs > manage widgets...

New User Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 15

Yes, that's what I'm saying! I get that little window with NO red circles with minus signs in them!

New User Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 15

I figured it out! (I think) You only get the red circle with the minus sign on widgets that YOU install ... the pre-installed widgets can't be moved to the trash.

Too bad, as I have all these unchecked widgets I'll never use, like the stock report, flight tracker, ski report, etc., and I have to scroll down through the whole list of 'em before I see the ones I've installed.

Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 4:15 pm

Open your hard drive > Library > Widgets and you will find all the Widgets that come installed with Dashboard. Just drag the ones you don't want to the trash and empty it. They will sometimes get reinstalled with updates though.

The ones you install go in the library under your user name.

New User Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 15

Yay! All Dashboard problems solved. Thank you!

Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 2:04 am

Yeah, you're right, you can only uninstall widgets that you install (to my experience, at least)

Quote:

and I have to scroll down through the whole list of 'em before I see the ones I've installed.

..but it's strange that your installed widgets should be at the bottom.

for me, widgets i've installed fall into the list of widgets in A-B-C fashion.. I mean, the list is already alphabetized anyway. so I just scroll to where its name would be anyway.

edit: I read carefully the post about uninstalling ones by going to the widgets folder ^_^

Level 3 Joined: 02 Jan 2004 Posts: 4303 Location: Home

Sort depends on how you have configured it.

New User Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 15

The ones I'd installed were toward the bottom just because they were toward the end of the alphabet ... but I've now moved the pre-installed ones to the trash, so it's all set up. Smile

Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2007 9:26 pm

gertuine wrote:

you just click on the crosshairs (+ sign in a circle) on the bottom left of the screen

As an aside, you can save one step by using a shortcut to show the Dashboard menu.

If, after hitting Dashboard, you use the keyboard shortcut of Command/+ it will bring up the Dashboard menu.

Not a big deal unless you prefer keyboard commands to finding the "+" sign with the mouse.

Notalottaposts! Joined: 30 Dec 2008 Posts: 8

Thanks everyone, getting rid of widgets was one of the reasons I joined this site. One click on search, and into a message, and my stupid widgets are gone.
I just bought my first mac and am looking forward to learning how to get the most out of it.
Cheers

Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 12:27 pm

Hello ryeh20 and welcome. I think you will find much of the information your going to need here, not to mentions a nice bunch of folks. If you are interested there is a MacMentor Widget . That's how I found this forum.