Creating and Customising Widgets

Overview

Widgets in SharpCloud are versatile elements used to enhance views with text, images, embedded content, and navigation. They are particularly effective for building dashboards, presentations, and interactive layouts, especially within Wall Views.

Creating a New Widget

1. Select the view (or slide) where the widget will be added

2. Open the Widgets panel from the right-hand toolbar

3. Click New Widget

4. A default widget (blue rectangle with placeholder text) will appear in the view

By default, widgets are placed in the foreground layer but can be repositioned as needed.

Customising Your Widget

All widget edits are made in the Widgets side-panel, with changes saved automatically and reversible via undo/redo.

Standard Editing Options

Background

• Set a background colour or use Auto for transparency

Image

• Add a single image (PNG or JPG) behind the text

• Options include:

  • Fill Space (may crop the image)

  • Show All (maintains aspect ratio)

  • Stretch to Fit (fills the widget area)

• Additional options include removing or replacing the image

Text

• Edit and format text using:

  • Font type, size, colour

  • Bold, italic, underline

  • Vertical alignment (top, centre, bottom)

  • Horizontal alignment (left, centre, right)

• Formatting applies to the entire text block unless using inline HTML (e.g., <i>text</i>)

Advanced Editing Options

Expand Advanced Options in the widget panel to access the following:

Layer

• Move widgets between Foreground and Background layers

Object Appearance

• Roundness: Adjust corner curvature (up to 100%)

• Opacity: Control transparency (0–100%)

• Shadow: Add depth with adjustable shadow intensity

Click Event (Navigation)

• Assign a URL or link to another view

• Turns the widget into a clickable navigation element

• Supports:

  • Relative URLs (recommended for portability when copying stories)

  • Absolute URLs (link to original or external locations)

• Option to open links in a new tab (automatic for external links)

Embed URL (Embedded Content)

• Embed SharpCloud views, presentations, items, or external web pages

• Displayed within an iFrame (subject to external site restrictions)

• Provides control over placement and sizing within the view

• Supports both relative and absolute URLs

Margins

• Define spacing for text and images within the widget

• Use percentage values for: top, right, bottom, left

• Behaviour varies slightly for text vs images

• Simpler configurations are recommended for consistent layout

Best Practices

• Use widgets to create structured dashboards or landing pages

• Combine text, images, and embedded content for richer storytelling

• Use relative URLs to ensure links remain valid when copying stories

• Test embedded content to confirm compatibility with iFrame restrictions

• Keep layouts clean by using margins and alignment effectively

Notes

• Widgets are highly flexible and can function as both content containers and navigation tools

• Not all external websites support embedding due to security restrictions

• Widget configuration can be adjusted at any time without affecting underlying data