Starting with Google Desktop Gadget API

So now you have decided to start making something of your own, a good decision. So what you need to do now is make sure you have installed Google Desktop by this time and the latest release. Otherwise download Google Desktop. Google desktop download for Mac user's and Linux user's.

Some pre-conditions before programming your own gadget are that you know at least the basic of JavaScript and are familiar with the XML syntax and have XHTML knowledge will make it easier. Otherwise a good resource to learn more about these 3 techniques are at w3schools.

Download the Google Desktop SDK, you'll need that one. Unpack the SDK somewhere. Then read the documentation for Gadget API. Follow the tutorials, Modifying Hello World and Using gadget designer is the most important ones to start with.

When you are finished with that it's important to continue reading and understand the API overview with instructions for creating the files that's needed for a desktop gadget, look at the document Creating a Gadget.
It's probably very value for Mac users that you make your gadgets supported Mac platforms if possible, read Writing a Cross-Platform Gadget.
It's good with Guidelines for gadgets to improve the overall quality , read the Gadget Design and Testing Guidelines.

Have a look at the Gadget API reference, that one is always good to have open while programming. The SDK comes with several examples, they are a good resource. Good luck now with your start.

Getting Started with Google Desktop

Now that we know what Google Desktop is, it's time to getting started with it.
First of all you need to go and download it from http://desktop.google.com/ Note:Google Desktop is free to download.
It's available (when writing) for Windows XP or Vista, Mac OSX 10.4+ and Linux users. Note that Google Desktop doesn't fully support 64 bit Windows (x64). If you try to install Google Desktop on a 64bit Windows you'll get a message saying that it's not currently compatible with your operating system. It requires a 32 bit version of Windows Vista, Windows XP or Windows 2000 with Service Pack 3 or above. Anyhow there is a way to go around this compatibility problem. By opening the command promt with Run in Windows, writing cmd.exe. Then you locate the installation file "GoogleDesktopSetup.exe" and write this "GoogleDesktopSetup.exe /force". By doing that it'll force to install Google Desktop on your computer but Not all features will be available with 64 bit's Windows. The sidebar will work on 64bit but the search wont. The Google Developers of the Desktop application is of course aware of this and there will be a support for 64 bit's later on. On the other hand, there are support for 64bit Linux version.

After the installation is completed Google Desktop will start up automatically and also each time you reboot your computer. As I wrote before in a previous post Introducing Google Desktop it'll start indexing files on your computer automatically when your computer is idle, and that is to say more than 30 seconds. It has a real time indexing, it'll continuous index files as you open a file or update a file. Note that it also includes a web page. The indexing will continue for some minutes to a couple of hours depending on how many files you have stored on your computers hard driver.

There are some few options and status regarding the indexing if you click at the icon in the taskbar. You can pause the indexing for 1 hour or re-index everything, also there is a status for the indexing. Also you'll find others settings if you click at Options.

It's pretty obvious how to search with Google Desktop. There are several of ways, maybe to many?

• Through the search field in the sidebar.
• Through the search field in the floating deskbar.
• Through the search field in the deskbar.
• Click on the icon in the taskbar.
• Press twice on the "Ctrl" button.
• Clicking on the Desktop link at Google's homepage (The preferred way if you want to use the advanced search options).
  

Google Homepage Desktop search

The main thing with the Desktop sidebar is probably the gadget function. You can have a personalized sidebar with any gadgets that are available to download. Gadgets to show you new emails, weather report, photos and customized news. Gadgets that are included are Analog clock, weather, scratch pad, web clips, news and photos. Not only that they can be added to the sidebar but can also be integrated with your personal iGoogle page. To add new Gadgets to your sidebar you do this by right clicking somewhere at the sidebar and choose Add Gadgets or on the "plus" button on the sidebar. There is no need to install any other external programs when adding a new gadget. The new gadgets will be instant added to the sidebar. You can place the gadgets outside the sidebar by dragging the gadgets to the desktop. By clicking on the Desktop icon you can choose how Google Desktop will be visible and by choosing Floating deskbar the Sidebar will be hidden.

I'll be digging deeper in both the Search- and the Gadget function. Compare the Desktop search with Windows search. Compare Windows Sidebar with Desktop sidebar. Working with the Gadget API. Writing your own gadgets and more.

References:
Google Desktop Download
http://desktop.google.com
Google Desktop - Getting Started
http://desktop.google.com/en/gettingstarted.html