Info.NET, the way to collect and organize your data on the side of your screen, similar to Dashboard on MSN 8

• Download .NET framework version 1.1 from Microsoft.

  This program REQUIRES version 1.1 of the .NET framework to run.

• Download entire project - 907 Kb
• Download release files only - 273 Kb
• Download Pre Everett Project (v1.1 of .NET Framework not needed) - 792 Kb

  Note* - some graphics and colors do not work properly, as this is a ported project.

Introduction

Our life is surrounded by data. For example, your calendar, events, appointments, special dates, current projects, job data, friends, family, books, research, and anything in between. It is getting to point that it is uncontrollable. One cannot finish jobs by their priority because knowledge and data are continuously flowing in. There must be a solution. There is, but it is currently in MSR (Microsoft Research), still being developed. In the mean time, there must be an application to organize data, but in a way that is always accessible. Enter Dashboard in MSN 8, and Side Bar in Longhorn. The only problem is that Dashboard is part of a parent program, and Side Bar is long from materializing, besides in beta groups. Even when Side Bar is released, it still will not be open to third party development. These problems and more were my primary motivations in writing this program.

For now, I only have written panels (or a tile, depending on your preference) that are most commonly used: Stocks, Internet Search, Weather, News, Dictionary, Sports Scores and Messenger contacts. My goal is to develop a tile for every piece of information that would ever be wanted in this format. This is where everyone else come in. Use this as a framework, and then go develop your own panels, ones that more accurately present your interests. Then, go and distribute this program. Don’t just give this to the development community, but give it to your friends, family, and coworkers. Anyone is a worthy candidate for data organization. I mean anyone. For example, say your company likes stocks, but they also need a way for people to easily grab documents over the network. Well, get rid of all the panels except for stocks, and then write your own panel to show and easily enable workers to distribute files over the network. You are not only limited to these panels, or even any of these at all. Write all your own. As I said, the framework is in place. All that is needed is creativity. Then come and post your new panels to this web site and spur more innovation.

New Panels

• 12/11/02
  • Longhorn Clock

    

    Developer - EDM Software

    This is a beautiful mixture of the .NET image power and the elegance of timepieces.

Enter the programmer

You may be wondering how you can develop you own panels. What you put on the panel is totally up to you. This gives the freedom to accomplish the most challenging presentation. In order to develop an application, all you must do is create a class that inherits from Dashboard.Windows.Forms.CollapsiblePanel, as in such:

public class News : Dashboard.Windows.Forms.CollapsiblePanel
{
    // ...
}

Inside the class, there are some functions that should be implemented in all panels. For example, a constructor that accepts the variable of type PanelSettings, which will pass the panel variables. Further, there is an override function that is called when the program is exiting, and basically you put any class of data in the PanelSettings.classobject and then the program will automatically take the PanelSettings class and serialize it, unto which it gives it back when the constructor is called. The specific function for saving functions is called PrepareSettingsObject. Examples of constructor and destruction are followed:

/// <summary>
/// Constructor
/// </summary>
public News (PanelSettings ps)
{
    Initialize(ps);
}

/// <summary>
/// Records the variables for save.
/// </summary>
public override void PrepareSettingsObject()
{
    nsc.updateInterval = this.updateInterval;
    nsc.rotateSpeed = this.rotateSpeed;
    this.SettingsObject = (object) nsc;
}

Besides this, all you need to supply is a small XML file that describes important DLL data, and then it can be installed easily. Here is a sample file called newsinstall.xml which is used to install:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<Dashboard>
    <gUID>news1.01</gUID>
    <invokeMember>GetPanel</invokeMember>
    <name>News</name>
    <titleText>News</titleText>
    <systemType>Dashboard.Components.News, Components</systemType>
</Dashboard>

The common points of interest are:

• GetPanel – A function in the class which returns the class object or this identifier. This function is imperative, or else the panel will not work.
  C#

  /// <summary>
  /// Method exposed for reflecting type.
  /// </summary>
  /// <returns></returns>
  public Dashboard.Windows.Forms.CollapsiblePanel GetPanel ()
  {
      return this;
  }

• SystemType – The exact namespace and class of the panel class, including the name of the DLL in which the panel is in. As in this example: Dashboard.Components.News, Components.

  Dashboard.Components is the namespace, and News is the class name. Components is the name of the assembly.

Documentation

As of now, there is no supporting text for features or an SDK. But, in time, I plan to write something similar. If you would like to help, please go ahead.

Works Cited

I would graciously like to thank the following:

• Derek Lakin – for an impeccable project on Collapsible Panels as in Windows XP.
• FredB – His wonderful example of using and registering AppBars with the shell.

Feedback

The reason many of Microsoft applications succeed is because the product is supported by the developers. The same holds true; without you, there is no program. Therefore, to make this program work to the greatest benefit, you must make panels. Ones that interest you. I will be developing many more panels and will update this page as they become available, so check back. Further, I would be more than happy to hear feedback concerning the application, bugs, or need-to-be features.

Updates

• 12/10/02
  • News item for Health News is fixed
  • Stock Reader fixed
• 12/12/02
  • Internet search
  • Dictionary word of the day