The DisableDashboard Widget – the only widget you’ll ever need! :p

Disable Dashboard widgetSomeone jokingly commented that I should make a widget out of the DisableEnableDashboard utility. Actually, it’s not that crazy an idea as it sounds.. I rarely use the Dashboard, there are maybe 1 or 2 widgets I use once a week, so it would be handy to be able to launch the EnableDashboard utility, popup Dashboard, use a widget and then hit the “Disable Dashboard” button in the DisableDashboard-widget .. and voila, no trace of Dashboard in memory.

Download DisableDashboard widget

Clicking the “Disable Dashboard” button disables the Dashboard (F12 or the Dashboard icon in the Dock will no longer work) and quits the Dashboard.

Disable Dashboard widgetI’ve included the EnableDashboard utility to re-enable the Dashboard (uhm.. this is obviously not a widget).

It’s been commented elsewhere that running “killall dock” and never launching the Dashboard basically has the same effect. This is true but I prefer to disable the Dashboard altogether to prevent accidentally starting it up.

Note: as a user at MacOSX hints pointed out : “It’s probably also a good idea (that if you’ve disabled Dashboard and/or Spotlight), to remember that you’ve disabled them and re-enable them (just in case) before applying any system updates. I remember reading that some were having problems with the 10.4.1 update because they had disabled Spotlight beforehand.”

This entry was posted on Friday, August 5th, 2005 at 23:48 and is filed under 1. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.


16 Responses to “The DisableDashboard Widget – the only widget you’ll ever need! :p”

  1. Tranquillus - A Switcher’s Blog » Blog Archive » ‘Disable & Enable Dashboard’ Utility Says:

    [...] ce). Download ‘Disable/Enable Dashboard’ Update: I have now also released a DisableDashboard-widget. Note: as a user at MacOSX hints pointed out : “It’s probably also a good [...]

  2. Jurgen Proschinger Says:

    Nice idea… but: what if I need the dashboard again? Can you implement a function to kill dashboard (and all those RAM eaters called widgets) without loosing he ability to restart using F12?

    Best,
    Jurgen Proschinger

  3. N Vande Casteele Says:

    Hi,

    Good idea. :-) I modified the DisableDashboard widget to do what you describe. Get it here: http://www.natal.be/index.php/2005/10/stopdashboard-widget/

    Greetings
    Natal

  4. Tranquillus - A Switcher’s Blog » Blog Archive » StopDashboard Widget Says:

    [...] « The DisableDashboard Widget – the only widget you’ll ever need! :p [...]

  5. me Says:

    This one who hates the Dashboard, shouldnt use it! Why download this widget?

  6. N Vande Casteele Says:

    > This one who hates the Dashboard, shouldnt use it! Why download this widget?

    I prefer to disable the Dashboard altogether to prevent accidentally starting it up. If you accidentally press F-12 or click the Dashboard icon in the Dock, Dashboard is in memory and there’s no way to ‘quit’ it apart from killing the Dock. Disabling it gets around this.

  7. Chuck Walker Says:

    Thanks very much, the Dashboard can slow down the system.

  8. Matt Says:

    The “enable” dashboard widget trys to launch then quits….

    How can I re-enable dashboard
    macbook pro 17″ 10.4.6

    thanks

  9. Die Kritiker » Blog Archive » Dashboard ade Says:

    [...] Jetzt hab ich’s beseitigt, und Ruhe ist. Ich mein Dashboard, nicht Spotlight. Ein einfaches kleines Widget (!), mit einer Zugabe, um Dashboard wieder zu starten, wenn man’s mal braucht, hat die Angelegenheit für mich erledigt. Und wann braucht man es? Beim Systemupdate – möglicherweise –, denn da führte es wohl beim UpDate zu MacOSX 10.4.1 mal zu Problemen. [...]

  10. michael Says:

    Awesome, just what I was looking for.

    It would be even better if the icon in the dock was gone while dashboard was disabled.
    But since this is fairly obvious, i’d guess that this isn’t very easily done?

    Thanks…

  11. baris Says:

    Excellent!
    this is an excellent widget!

  12. hk4life Says:

    VERY NICE!!! :):):):):)
    Thanks!!!!!

  13. Jovca Says:

    This is perfect. :)

    However, when I download the .dmg and try to open it, OSX gives me the message “The disk image you are opening may be damaged and could damage your system”. If I proceed, I get a message that the image doesn’t contain a valid file system. I’m using 10.4.10, which is more rigorous in checking .dmg integrity.

    Can you re-create the image and post it again? Thanks.

    PS Also, your server is serving the file as “text/plain” instead of binary. Maybe that’s corrupting the image?

  14. Jovca Says:

    I downloaded the archive again, and am getting the same message, but this time it mounts properly when I click “Open” on the warning dialog. Widget can be copied out of the archive and works perfectly. Guess it was an unfavourable moon phase for my computer last night.

    Thanks!

  15. oz Says:

    hi, i used this widget to disable dashboard

    but now i cannot re-open dashboard

    any help on how to re-enable?

  16. N Vande Casteele Says:

    I’ve included the enable dashboard utility. Just run that once.

    You’re probably better off with the Stop Dashboard widget. It just clears the dashboard from memory, and you can press F12 to start it up again: http://www.natal.be/2005/10/stopdashboard-widget/