Introduction to widgets
Widgets are little applets that are added in Signs to represent dynamic data and visual presentation of live data sources such as weather information, news tickers, and event calendars for real-time updates.
The Appspace Widget Library contains a standard set of widgets such as Clock, Event Calendar, Media Zone, and RSS Ticker, as well as customized widgets in categories such as Background Themes, Banners, Slide Shows, Content Holders, Clocks, Tickers, and Weather. You can add single or multiple widgets to each layout, in both passive and interactive Advanced signs.
Standard Widgets
The below are the Standard Widgets currently available in Appspace:
Clock
Display single or multiple clocks with the current date and time, and a wide range of formatting options for different time zones, using the Clock widget.
Event Calendar
Display scheduled information by hour, day, week, or month with recurrence options using the Event Calendar widget. External information can also be imported from third-party services such as Microsoft Exchange and Google Calendar.
Flash Container
Embed Flash SWF files with extended scripting abilities with the Flash Container widget. Create custom functions by passing variables between the Flash Container and the sign for custom interaction and data communication.
HTML5 Text Ticker
Create smooth scrolling or fading text ticker animations with the HTML5 Text Ticker widget optimized for HTML5 accelerated devices.
Media Container
Create and manage multi-level menus containing media content and data for interactive signs with the Media Container widget. Link menu items to custom layouts and functions, or sync with external data sources for automated updates.
Media Zone
Use the Media Zone widget to build the visual foundation of any sign with media content. From backgrounds and interface elements to video playlists, the Media Zone widget is highly customizable and can be layered to form rich media interfaces.
Plain Text
Display static or dynamic text with a wide variety of formatting options including font styles, color, position, and rotation, with the Plain Text widget. The widget also supports scrolling text tickers.
Remote Control
Create interactive signs that are controlled by the Cisco DMP remote control. The remote control widget turns any sign into an intuitive interactive TV experience.
RSS Ticker
Create scrolling or fading tickers for RSS feeds with the RSS Ticker widget. Formatting options such as ticker direction and spacing can be customized.
RSS Viewer
Display live information from public or custom RSS feeds with the RSS Viewer widget. The widget has extensive formatting options, and all RSS components such as headlines, media, and body content can be displayed in various layouts.
Table Listing
Create table listings to display any type of tabular information such as event timetables, currency exchange rates, or stock indices, and bind to external data sources for automated updates.
Text Ticker
Create scrolling or fading plain text tickers, while customizing the ticker direction and spacing, with the Ticker widget.
Important
Widgets that connect to an external data source via API, will only update once a device is registered and assigned to the advanced channel the widget belongs to.
Note
For more information on how to use these widgets, please refer to articles in the Configuring Standard Widgets section.
Widget and Player Support
Please refer to the Widget Support section in the Supported devices capability comparison article.
Widget Properties
When editing a widget, the tabs and property sections that are displayed in the Widget Properties window vary depending on the type of widget being edited. However, the APPEARANCE tab and the COMMON section are displayed for every widget type. Other sections below or above this section may vary based on the widget type.
The following table describes the tabs that may be available in the Widget Properties window:
| Tabs | Description |
|---|---|
| APPEARANCE | Describes the common and widget specific properties that affect its appearance. |
| CONTENT | If the widget displays content, the CONTENT tab allows users to manage the content. |
| ACTIONS | Allows users to create basic and advanced scripting actions. |
| PROPERTIES | Allows users to perform advanced editing to Key-Value pairs within the widget. |
| PERMISSIONS | Allows Administrators to set per user access permissions for the widget. |
| DATA PROVIDER | Allows database information to be sent via a provider (e.g. MySQL Server) into the widget target sheet. |