Mac 101: faster widget management

If you make any kind of extensive use of the OS X Dashboard, you probably close as many widgets as you open. Usually, that means hitting the plus sign at the lower left of the screen to reveal the widget bar, clicking the "X" on the widget you want to remove, and then closing the widget bar. Seems like there should be a faster way, right? Tipster Nass has a solution for you.

Next time you want to close a widget, just hold down the option key (?) while your mouse is over it. You'll see the "X" button on the current widget and can close all the widgets you want without ever having to open the widget bar. Sure, it's only a couple of seconds saved, but if you shuffle widgets as often as I do, that could add up to entire minutes being added back on to your life.

This being Mac 101, I'll also mention that ?-= will pop up the widget bar instantly without having to reach for the mouse, and ?-[left arrow] and ?-[right arrow] will scroll the bar. But you already knew that, having diligently read every page of the OS X help file, right?

Thanks, Nass!

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Source: http://www.tuaw.com/category/mac-101/

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If you make any kind of extensive use of the OS X Dashboard, you probably close as many widgets as you open. Usually, that means hitting...

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robogobo

another tip. command-R reloads the active widget.

March 11 2008 at 9:00 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

jwilliek

you know, I was just thinking about this the other day. did you read my mind, TUAW?

duh, hold the option key, why didn't I think of that? I could've had a V8.

March 11 2008 at 2:31 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

tophat

Some needed refinement to a great piece of software.

urltea.com/2td

March 10 2008 at 11:45 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Zoli

I submitted this tip to you guys like 6 months ago! Nice to see you read your tips section.

March 10 2008 at 9:38 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

tendo

oh, I was totally being sarcastic, I dont use the dashboard at all. It's actually the first thing I disable when I install the OS again.

March 10 2008 at 9:22 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

tendo

I'd rather have a dashboard widget that opens a new dashboard that launches front row. now there's some improvement!

March 10 2008 at 8:35 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to tendo's comment

Pete Zich

There are some widgets out there that sorta make multiple widget selections, they work by holding onto various copies of the two dashboard plists in the home folder's Library/Preferences/. As for opening Front Row that's easy enough.

March 10 2008 at 9:11 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Maxintech

Excelent tip for âŒ˜-=
Someone known the shortcut to avoid click on "Manage Widgets..." button?

March 10 2008 at 7:41 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to Maxintech's comment

smacklin

Just beware that if you have Command - arrow keys set for navigating spaces, they will not work to scrolling widgets.

March 10 2008 at 9:59 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Darren

very cool tips! what widget is that? looks very interesting... some type of player or remote?

March 10 2008 at 7:24 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

2 replies to Darren's comment

Brett Terpstra

It's a countdown timer w/alarm, nice for quick and dirty egg timing. I can't recall the link, but it's in the Apple Downloads.

March 10 2008 at 8:00 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

George

It's called 'Minutes', I just downloaded it the other day and it's quite slick:

http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/24218/minutes

March 10 2008 at 10:28 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

wow...I didn't know this one, very useful tip, thanks!

March 10 2008 at 7:18 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

A. Jay

Funny, I have been using this since dashboard came out!! I guess I read too much of the Help file! By the way, âŒ˜-[arrow left/right] scrolls the bar not âŒ˜-. Also try to unlock your iPhone by touch and hold the the arrow sliding it just a bit, keep holding that finger down, and tap the end of the unlock bar....the iPhone is now unlocked!! Hope that makes sense...try it out!!

March 10 2008 at 7:10 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

2 replies to A. Jay's comment

Brett Terpstra

Sorry, the editor stripped my arrows out (but not my "command" symbols, for some reason). Fixed with good 'ol plain text. Thanks for the catch!

March 10 2008 at 7:57 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Brett Terpstra

Wow, apostrophe on the wrong side of ol'. Bad day, I guess.

March 10 2008 at 7:58 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply