Widgets to Desktop

You don't ,they don't run from the Desktop.

You can get Widgets on the desktop by starting Developper mode if you are willing to use the terminal.

see Instructions below.

Or you can download this widgets to desktop app here:

http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/24561/widget-to-desktop

Complete Details (tested on 10.6.6)

1) Open the "Terminal" app *don't worry it's easy* (Applications > Utilities > Terminal) and write (or cut and paste) this line of text, beside the existing where the small grey cursor is.

defaults write com.apple.dashboard devmode YES

Then push enter ... and close the "Terminal" app

2) Now Restart the Dock (Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor > double click "Dock" > click "Quit" > click "Force Quit") the Dock will automatically restart ... (Or just restart your Mac if that's easier for you)

3) Open the dashboard (tap F4), click on a widget and HOLD DOWN the mouse button then move it slightly and keep HOLDING DOWN the mouse button. Now push the F4 key again a this widget will stay behind, drag it a new location as it will be "Always on Top" ... thats it!

4) Now to get rid of the widget from your desktop, click and HOLD DOWN the mouse button on the widget you want removed, tap F4 to bring up the dashboard. The release the mouse button Tap F4 again and it's gone.

5) At this point however the discarded widgets exist as zombies in a kind of no mans land. When you look at the dashboard, the discarded widgets will be shown faded or greyed out, they are not on the dash board but neither are they on the desktop, but it's an easy fix.

6) To bring them back to life you need to tap F4 to open the dash board ...now click once on the black PLUS SIGN sign way on the bottom left of your screen (it will change to an "X" and your screen will fade and raise up) and another "X" will appear on the widgets ... Just click the "X"'s on any faded widgets and they will now be back to normal, ready to be used again.

The only real disadvantage of this procedure besides the items being "Always on Top" is it uses the same amount of resources as if the Dashboard is fully activated (check you activity monitor).

I was going to post the same devmode thing because I saw these in a google search too. But I actually tried it before posting and for me it doesn't work so I didn't post it. Either these instructions are for pre-Snow Leopard or it is because I don't use a Apple keyboard.

Indeed. I had the same experience. It doesn't work, and i am running 10.7.5 and i have Spaces enabled. I also tried HoverDash, to no avail... Do you use spaces?

I am running 10.8.2 and the devmode trick works, but you must have dashboard set to not display as a space. I got it working by having dashboard display in the old way (Snow leopard) I think.

Its easy to lose the widget when its dragged. I had to make sure that I let go of F4 first when dashboard dissappears.

I guess the way to remove them at that point is to reverse develop mode, set dashboard to space, and edit/remove at that point.

They do seem to be in zombie state for some reason. This works in 10.8.2...just that F4 dropping is finnicky.

Yes the zombie space is strange. If you have any widgets that have "fallen into" the zombie space, then when you deactivate developer mode (in the terminal) the zombie widgets will appear on the desktop. If you press alt then you get the little x sign to delete the widget from the desktop.

That's how I've been deleting them anyway. I think its more trouble than its worth unless there is a widget that you really want on the desktop.

You can also reset the dock by typing killall dock into Terminal. :)