Ubuntu Wiki

• Launchpad Entry: desktop-r-unity-widget-support

• Created: Oct. 09, 2012

• Contributors: Xiaodong Yi

• Packages affected: Unity

Summary

• Implement a widget mechanism in Unity
• Provide the API for developing widgets
• Provide the documentation on the API

Release Note

The Unity will now support widgets. There also will be a widget named Clock for demonstration.

Rationale

Unity does not support widgets now. Widgets are handy things and tools living on the desktop area, e.g. clock, news panel, weather forecastor, etc. They themselves are part of desktop. Widgets are acknowledged by many desktop users. We think Unity should provide API for widget development. Those who don't like it may choose to run no widget.

User stories

Coco feel happy to place some widget on desktop, e.g., Clock, Weather forecastor, Notes, etc. They are very handy and useful.

Assumptions

Design

• The widget framework. Just like other Unity plugins such as panel, widget framework provides the fundamental functions such as control, view, menu, style customization etc. for widgets.
• The API for widget developers. We need to design a reasonable set of API functions, so that developers can easily write their widgets.
• Corresponding document, including design docs and API docs.

Implementation

The widget framework is going to be implemented as a part of UnityShell, just like dash, launcher and panel. Comments on technical details are most warmly welcome.

• comments no. 1
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Test/Demo Plan

Unresolved issues

BoF agenda and discussion

CategorySpec