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widget development guide

developing simple mylo com-2 widgets is very straightforward - a mylo widget file (mylow) is literally just a renamed zip file that contains a webpage (created with html, css, and/or javascript) plus some xml metadata.

at least three files are required to be in every widget:

  • index.html - this webpage (along with any other html/css/javascript files) defines the look and contents of your widget.
  • myloConfig.xml - i'm not sure exactly what this file is used for yet, but it is required.
  • widgetPackage.xml - all the metadata for your widget, such as its name, version, and size, are defined here.

once you've created all the files necessary for your widget, package them into a .zip file, then rename the file extension from ".zip" to ".mylow". if you created a file called "widget.zip" for example, rename it to "widget.mylow" before transferring it to your mylo.

required xml files

these files must be included in your widget in order to be a valid mylow file. (click here to use my widget xml generator!)

myloConfig.xml

the myloConfig.xml file looks like this and must be included in every widget file. the only thing you should modify here is the xmlns - set it to your website URL.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<config xmlns="http://yoursite.com/" version="1.0">
</config>

widgetPackage.xml

the widgetPackage.xml file defines all of your widget's metadata. here's an example one - make sure you follow this format exactly.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<widgetPackage xmlns="http://yoursite.com/" version="1.0">
	<info>
		<packageName>A Cool Widget</packageName>
		<author>Your Name Here</author>
		<abstract>A cool widget I made!</abstract>
		<version>1.000</version>
		<locale>US</locale>
		<engine>1.000</engine>
		<updateURL>http://yoursite.com/mylo/</updateURL>
		<siteURL>http://yoursite.com/mylo/thiswidget/</siteURL>
		<minWidth>15</minWidth>
		<maxWidth>50</maxWidth>
		<minHeight>15</minHeight>
		<maxHeight>50</maxHeight>
		<defWidth>32</defWidth>
		<defHeight>32</defHeight>
		<createDate>2022-08-15</createDate>
	</info>
</widgetPackage>

just like with the myloConfig.xml file, set the xmlns to your website URL. you should modify all the metadata tags in this file to refer to your widget.

  • packageName - the name of your widget that's shown in the widget installer.
  • author - the name of the author that's shown in the widget installer.
  • abstract - a short description of your widget.
  • version - the revision/version number of your widget.
  • locale - a 2-letter code denoting the language of your widget.
  • engine - the minimum OS version that the mylo must be running in order to install your widget. specify 1.000 for full compatibility.
  • updateURL - the mylo will try to download the widget file from this URL when it checks for updates. due to the TLS Apocalypse, this must be http, not https.
  • siteURL - when selecting "go to author's page" in the widget installer, this website will open.
  • minWidth & maxWidth - the minimum and maximum width that the widget can be resized to. omit these tags to disable horizontal resizing.
  • minHeight & maxHeight - the minimum and maximun height that the widget can be resized to. omit these tags to disable vertical resizing.
  • defWidth & defHeight - the default width and height of your widget.
  • createDate - the date that this revision of the widget was made, in yyyy-mm-dd format.

copying the widget to your mylo

as mentioned above, after you've created all the widget files necessary, package them into a .zip file and rename the file extension from ".zip" to ".mylow". you're now ready to install the widget.

  • 1. copy the mylow file to anywhere on your mylo's storage via USB or by downloading it via the web browser.
  • 2. on the mylo, press the orange mylo button on the right side of the screen.
  • 3. go to Option → Widget Installer → Install.
  • 4. use the file browser to select the mylow file you copied over earlier.
  • 5. accept the 3rd-party software disclaimer.
  • 6. if all goes to plan, a confirmation dialog box will pop up, displaying your widget's name, author, and version number. press OK to install.
  • 7. press back to return to the mylo screen, then go to Option → Widget Setting Mode.
  • 8. in Widget Setting Mode, go to Option → Add Widget.
  • 9. select your widget name from the list to add it. it should appear in the center of the screen.
  • 10. drag the widget around by the top-left handle to move it, and the bottom-right handle to resize it (if you didn't disable resizing in widgetPackage.xml).
  • 11. go to Option → Exit Setting Mode → Yes to save your changes and enjoy your new widget!

example widgets

here are a couple of example widgets that you can dissect and play with. remember, mylow files are just renamed zip files, so they're super easy to open up and modify!

  • sudoku.mylow - the only mylow file i could find on the web anywhere. everything i know about creating mylo widgets i learned from this file.
  • hello.mylow - the first widget i made. it just shows the text "hello mylo!" on a blue background.