Hey all.

I was poking around with the Vista sidebar thingo and was looking for an Amnet usage meter.

Has anyone got one/a link to one? That's all that's missing from my sidebar! :(

There are ones for iiNet and Optus, but none for the best ISP! How sad :(

If anyone has one or (would like to make one! =D) that would be great!

-Kip

I gather you want a Vista specific feature and not something embedded in Firefox, for example?
Sorry don't have Vista
(Hope that wasn't too obvious)

I would be keen on making one if there is enough interest

Sira(WA) writes...

I gather you want a Vista specific feature and not something embedded in Firefox, for example?

That's correct. I have the (wonderful) Net Usage Item addon, but I don't always have Firefox open.

I am looking for a sidebar gadget (widget)

nolim8ts writes...

I would be keen on making one if there is enough interest

Wow! That would be great! I was looking today at the Microsoft site, and it's far too complicated for me to do. Shame :(

That would be so awesome if you could make one.

nolim8ts writes...

I would be keen on making one if there is enough interest

Put me down for a copy

+3

I'd be interested

nolim8ts writes...

I would be keen on making one if there is enough interest

Add myself to your total

Add one here.

Netusage has been broken for me for a while.
I am using firefox 3 rc1 so maybe thats why...

I'm pretty sure a quick re-install of that latest edition of netusage fixes that problem? Did for me when Amnet updated the way they counted data for those users with both cap and uncapped periods... Give it a shot, you never know.

I would like a sidebar usage meter as well! :)

Bit of an update to the project. The widget is now able to retrieve the XML data. I still need to work out how to place the username / password in the SOAP body as it is hard coded at the moment.

nolim8ts writes...

Bit of an update to the project.

Wow! Nice one

One for me to :D

Another Project Update.

The Gadget how takes the Username / Password from the settings page, downloads the XML data, formats it accordingly and places it within the external window.

The next stage will be to place an update timer so that it refreshes every 30 min / 1 hour and also test for errors rather than returning the standard JScript error, do you wish to debug.

Also, If anyone is good at designing themes / layouts / colour codes for the widget, that would be much appreciated. I have tried looking at other widgets but my design skills aren't the best.

Happy to beta test for you :)
currently using the firefox usage plugin (has been updated and fixed ) but a widget would be appreciated .

Is there any volunteers to design the look of the gadget / colour design?

I use a gadget to display the core usage just has two bars with description a % then the bar that you could copy/adapt that lets you scroll through colours in the config section so you can pick your own to get the gadget to contrast with whatever you have set as your desktop background. Its called "Multi Meter (D)" I am pretty sure that I got it from the MS site.

+1 Add me to your testing list!

The Gadget is now ready for testing. Feedback / Bugs should be posted within this thread..

Downloading / Installing the Gadget:

1) Download from nolim8ts.bounceme.net/ga...Amnet.gadget.zip

2) Extract the gadget and place the folder "Amnet.gadget" in "%userprofile%\appdata\local\micro­ soft\windows sidebar\gadgets"

3) Fire up the Windows SideBar

4) Right Click on the SideBar and select add Gadget

5) Double click on the "Amnet Gadget"

6) Right click on the "Amnet Gadget" and select options

7) Enter your username / password and click OK

8) Your Amnet Usage should be displayed. For more detailed information, double click on the gadget and a flyout window should appear

Things to test For:

1) Bugs Obiviously
2) As your usage increases the coloured bars should change colour
3) The gadget should update every 30 minutes...

I have downloaded and extracted the file into the Windows sidebar folder as directed however its icon does not show up amongst the available gadgets ready to be installed when I activate the 'add' option.

There are a number of default microsoft icons that come up in that window but I cannot find their files in the sidebar folder.

The only folder there is the Amnet one that I have just downloaded. I was looking for the folder/files for the default ones as I had expected all gadgets would be in the same sidebar folder

Is there another location.

Consequently I am unable to add the Amnet gadget to the sidebar.

Is that a bug or am I doing something stupid?

You should have a folder called "Amnet.gadget" in "%userprofile%\appdata\local\micro­ ­soft\windows sidebar\gadgets". The contents of this folder should be:

CSS Folder
Images Folder
JS Folder
Skins Folder
Status Folder
flyout.htm
gadget.htm
gadget.xml
settings.htm

If you placed the gadget in "C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\Gadgets", it most likely won't appear.

On a side not, has anyone else had a chance to install the gadget?

Seems to be working fine , The bars don't seem to signify anything .

However I'd prefer it to show remaining quota and days remaining .

Looks good .
Effort appreciated .
EDIT : not on a peak plan .

I have solved the problem

I think that you will find that when you unzip your download you finish up with an Amnet Gadger Folder. When you open that folder you will then find an Amnet Gadget sub folder which contains the required files.

You are going a bridge too far in that, to have the sidebar recognise the gadget, you only need a folder containing the required files - the subfolder of the same name being superfluous and preventing the gadget from being recognised.

Anyway - for some constructive criticism.

Although I have a 19 inch screen I find the gauge difficult to read at a glance. It would be better if it could be made larger or more distinct.

However I like the pop out window with its more detailed readings

Congratulations this could be developed into a very useful gadget.

I hope that helps

The bars are a work in progress but for now, they should change colour as more quota is used. They could be taken out and substituted for something else (open to suggestions...). I could also modify the size of the gadget so that text can be easier to read...

I thought that I had better draw your attention to my previous post which you may not have read as I edited it after you had made the above post.

Your download file is corrupt in that it needs to only have an Amnet Gadget folder containing the 5 sub folders and 4 files.

The zip file that I downloaded had an extra subfolder of the same name as the main folder which made the gadget uninstallable in that configuration.

Also the pop up window information would be improved by placing the quota and amount downloaded for each category side by side. It would make that window a little smaller but would be a more efficient way of presenting the information so that they viewer does not have to search for the two intertwining pieces of info.

Perhaps the listings would be better organised by placing basis quota and basic download side by side

Then peer quota and peer download side by side

followed then by uploads

That would keep everything together and in order of most interest

Extracting the ZIP File with WinRAR created the 'Amnet.gadget" folder with all the sub folders and files correctly (No extra Amnet.gadget folder was created). What decompression software are you using?

Winrar - the same as you

That is strange as I have the zip file in front of me now

I have just unzipped it again

It unzips to a folder Amnet Gadget

When I open that folder it opens to another Amnet Gadget sub folder

When I open that sub folder it opens to 5 other sub sub folders and 4 files.

I have done this half a dozen times with the same result and that is why I could not add the gadget to the sidebar before.

I finally deleted the Amnet gadget sub folder (copied its 4 files and 5 folders first to the Amnet Gadget folder) and the sidebar recognised the gadget and allowed me to instal it.

Very very strange. I wonder if the zip file was corrupted in transit or whether this was because of opening a zip file with winrar - something that I rarely do as most archives that I play with are .rar.

Anyway - alls well that ends well

I used Winrar and it worked exactly as you described ,spot on .
IMHO the bars would be easier to comprehend if they looked like the usage agent plugin for firefox , As in get longer corresponding with usage . I really like the layout of the usage meter plugin , It's very intuitive to me anyway . I think the text size is ok but not really necessary and would be better off with a percentage of download used .
I'm sure your aware of it but if not this thread will get you sorted : /forum-replies.cfm?t=786818 . Lots of very happy users there .
As a first effort I think you've done really well and was wondering why no one had made one before . Thanks .
Currently have your widget on my lappy but use the plugin on my desktop . It's very handy .

installed fine, but only get a loading

with no data showing

Are you on one of the new plans. If so , I might have to modify the gadget to work for both types. Hope to have a new release by the end of the weekend.

I am impressed. nice simple look, easy to read, I personally would prefer the bars to display the percentage used, so that if you use 50% of quota, the bar will show colour half way along the bar. I think the option to show EITHER % or GB used would cover most users preferences, I personally like the GB used with the bar showing % others may prefer the reverse

sarmajor writes...

I think that you will find that when you unzip your download you finish up with an Amnet Gadger Folder. When you open that folder you will then find an Amnet Gadget sub folder which contains the required files.

I think you will find this will vary with the extraction prog used, some create a folder with the zip file name then extract all files from there, causing the double level of the amnet gadget folder.

yes i'm on a peak/offpeak plan.

cheers

Awesome, installed it and works fine.
Great job.
Now a countdown til the quota ends would be nice (please).

That is exactly what happened WG

How many days left until your quota resets would be handy .

Installed and working great, many thanks!

i also get just a loading sign.. im on the peak/offpeak plans too

thanks dude been waiting ages for one of these

works a treat

I have done exactly what you said and it didn't work.....

strike that it worked....

Cheers!

Thanks a million!

still only get loading....

vista64

The link to d/load the gadget seems to be broken?
Was looking to get one.

Is anyone/everyone else still having the problem that the gadget just shows 'Loading...', but never actually loads or displays data?

Braechnov writes...

Is anyone/everyone else still having the problem that the gadget just shows 'Loading...', but never actually loads or displays data?

It did that for me when I first gave it a go, it just took about 20-30 mins and then it showed the usage.

I get the same problem but i am using the Google sidebar right now.

I wonder if there is one for that

Hi All,

I'm currently in the process of re-writing the gadget. Due to time constraints, there have been no updates. I hope to have a new version released by next week.

Thanks!! This is exactly what I was chasing and looks to be working perfectly!