Dashboard Widgets

Dashboard widgets are provided by the app when you install them (and removed if you un-install the app). Essentially, they are just the same Controller/View (in the MVC model) that powers all other Webconfig pages, with the exception that they follow a naming convention and are defined in an apps metadata file (/deploy/info.php).

Writing the Controller/View

In order for a dashboard widget to hook into the Webconfig framework and the ClearOS Dashboard page, you need to create a controller with the format:

<basename>_dashboard.php.

The Controller can have any number of routes/functions defined, each displaying different information. Each function will be defined as a separate dashboard widget that an administrator can configure to be displayed or not. For example, if you had an app that reported on system diagostics, a deveper would have the choice of calling a single dashbaord widget that displayed multiple pieces of information (eg. CPU load, temperatures, hard disk usage etc.) under one single function with the view displaying this information in a pre-determined layout. Alternatively, a developer could separate these functions into 3 separate dashboard widgets under distinct functions, allowing the admin to control which to display and where in the dashboard layout.

Making the Dashboard Widget Available

Once your controller and view(s) have been completed, you hook into the Webconfig Dashboard widget. To do this, simply edit the /deploy/info.php app definition/metadata file and add:

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Dashboard Widgets
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

$app['dashboard_widgets'] = array(
    $app['category'] => array(
        '<basename>/<basename>_dashboard/widget_1' => array(
            'title' => lang('widget_1'),
            'restricted' => FALSE,
        ),
        '<basename>/<basename>_dashboard/widget_2' => array(
            'title' => lang('widget_2'),
            'restricted' => TRUE,
        ),
    )
);

Parameters

Title

The title displayed on the widget selector.

Restricted

The restricted parameter, if set to boolean TRUE, will only be made available on the 'root' account.

Widgets Using JavaScript

The dashboard will pull in required Javascript files as required. See section TODO.