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
- ...
Test/Demo Plan
Unresolved issues