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The Fetch Dashboard widget lets you easily upload files and folders to a specific server by dragging and dropping items on the widget. After the upload has started, the Fetch widget displays the progress of the transfer.

Dashboard is a feature of Mac OS X 10.4 and later that provides a convenient way to access mini-applications and utilities called "widgets." If you are not familiar with Dashboard, you may want to read the Mac OS X help topics on Dashboard and widgets. Dashboard and the Fetch widget are only available on Mac OS X 10.4 or later.

When you first open Fetch, you will be asked if you want to install the Fetch widget. If you choose not to install it at that time, you can always install it later by choosing Fetch > Install Dashboard Widget.

If you choose to install the widget when asked, Fetch will open Dashboard and display a new copy of the Fetch widget. If you've set a default shortcut in Fetch, the widget is automatically configured with that shortcut; otherwise, the widget starts unconfigured.

Using the Fetch widget is simple:

  1. Click the info () button to flip the widget to its back.
  2. Choose a recent connection or a shortcut as the widget's destination by clicking one of the two pop-up buttons. If the destination you want is not listed, you must create a shortcut in the Fetch application first, and then return to Dashboard.
  3. Click the Done button to return to the front of the widget.
  4. In the Finder, select the files and folders you want to upload.
  5. Click one of the items and start dragging.
  6. With your other hand, press the Dashboard keyboard shortcut (usually the F12 key) to open Dashboard.
  7. Continue dragging the files until they are over the Fetch widget, and drop the files by releasing the mouse button.
  8. The widget will open a connection in Fetch and start uploading the files.

For more detailed steps on configuring and using the widget, see the Using the Fetch widget for uploading help topic.

The Fetch widget, like most widgets, has two sides, a front and a back.

On the front of the widget you'll find:

  • the status line — displays the progress of the current transfer, or the final status of the last transfer;
  • the hostname and path lines — list the widget's destination;
  • the donut-shaped progress indicator — shows how much of the current file has been transferred;
  • the Open Connection button (when no transfer is in progress) — when clicked, dismisses Dashboard and opens a connection to the widget's destination in the Fetch application;
  • the Stop button (when a transfer is in progress) — when clicked, stops the current transfer;
  • the info () button — when clicked, flips the widget to its back so you can configure it.

If the attempt to upload the items fails, the widget will display a More Details button. Click the More Details button to dismiss Dashboard and go to the Fetch application to see an explanation of why the transfer failed.

If Fetch requires a password to open the connection, the status line will report "Waiting for password…" and display an arrow button. Click the arrow button to dismiss Dashboard and go to the Fetch application to enter the password. The upload will then begin.

On the back of the widget you'll find:

  • the Recent Connections button — click to configure the widget with a recent connection;
  • the Shortcuts button — click to configure the widget with one of your Fetch shortcuts;
  • the name of the recent connection or shortcut you've chosen as the widget's destination;
  • the disclosure button to display the info drawer — click to display or hide detailed information about the widget's destination;
  • the info drawer (optional) — shows the hostname, username, connection type, path, and security of the widget's destination;
  • the Done button — click to return to the widget's front when you're done choosing a destination.

Note that the widget will not list shortcuts to files as choices for configuring the widget, since you cannot upload to a file. If the destination you want is not listed, you must create a shortcut to it in the Fetch application first, and then return to Dashboard.

When you upload items with the widget, they are uploaded using the default upload format, unless a transfer window to the destination is already open and you have changed the upload format for that transfer window to something other than the default.

You can open as many copies of the Fetch widget as you want, and configure each one with a different shortcut or recent connection.

To open a new copy of the Fetch widget:

  1. Open Dashboard, either by clicking the Dashboard icon in the Dock or by pressing the Dashboard keyboard shortcut (usually the F12 key).
  2. Click the Open (+) button in the bottom-left of the screen to reveal the widget bar.
  3. Use the arrow buttons in the widget bar to find the icon for the Fetch widget if necessary.
  4. Click the Fetch widget icon or drag it out of the widget bar to open a new Fetch widget.
  5. Click the Close (x) button to hide the widget bar again.

To close a copy of the Fetch widget, hold down the Option key and move your mouse over the copy of the widget you want to close. A close (x) button will appear in the upper left corner of the widget. Click the close button.

For information on uninstalling the Fetch widget, see the Uninstalling Fetch help topic.

To change the keyboard shortcut for displaying Dashboard, open the Dashboard & Exposé pane in the System Preferences. (On Macintosh laptops that use the F12 key to eject a disc, Fn-F12 should open Dashboard, but you may want to change it to something more convenient.)

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