I’ve recently started using Montastic (the website monitoring service that doesn’t suck) to monitor my web sites. Can’t get much simpler or cheaper (free for 3 sites) and only $5 for 15 sites.
Anyways I noticed they had Widgets/Gadgets for the Yahoo widget system and the Mac OS X, but they had nothing for Windows Sidebar (Vista / Windows 7). So I made a quick port of the Yahoo one for Windows Sidebar.
The Montastic sidebar gadget allows you to keep an eye on your servers from your desktop.
- Author: Pål Andreassen
- License: free
- Platform: Windows Vista / Windows 7
- Version 1.0.0
- Download Montastic sidebar gadget (106.3 kB, 339 downloads)
I installed the widget but find that it does not automatically update.
If I go into the settings and press ok again then it updates.
I am running Windows 7 Ultimate (x64).
Any ideas?
That is strange. Can you please try this page in your browser:
http://www.montastic.com/feeds/quick_status?key=YOURKEY
Substitute YOURKEY with the key you have entered on the gadgets property page (the one you find on your profile page on montastic.com). The page returns a single number. 0 if all is ok, otherwise the number of servers that have a problem. The gadget polls that page once a minute.
Hi,
I tried the above url with my key and got a response of 0. All seems to work fine now and the gadget updates properly. Not sure what was happening there but thanks for the quick reply.
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I have a site on error, however my widget says “all systems go”. Vista Ultimate 64. I’m trying out the free version of montastic.
I’ve tried your test link and it returns a 0. Logged into the montastic site, it shows 1 site on error.
Then Montastic must have some problems with their system. The link is the one Montastic has documentet to use in applications like this sidebar gadget.
Hello
How do I completely remove the Montastic sidebar gadget?
I use Windows 7.
I use the free version of montastic website monitoring.
Will the Montastic sidebar gadget then not work if I don’t have
an API key to enter?
Thank you.
Kind regards,
Martin
Hello again
Just forget it. I removed it from Windows’ gadgets.
Hi
I’m using your widget and I’m very happy with it, nice job !
Suggestion:
1- See the status of each individual
server the user is tracking. I can imagine something like
an airport flight panel:
2- to see if the widget itself can get the information from the Montastic
regards
Thank you for your feed back. To answer question two first. The widget is fetching the status information from Montastic. They have a simple API (or rather a URL) where the widget can query status. The API returns 0 if all is ok, or the number of alerts triggered if something is wrong. This is the one the widget is using. There is also a more advanced API (http://montastic-wiki.metadot.net/api) that can return individual server status.
I am no longer a Montastic user (I’ve moved to Monitis which fits my needs better) so I’m not going to develop this widget further. But anyone is welcome to modify it and add features.
Hi — where can I download the gadget. The links on the monastic site to the live gallery lead to a dead end. —
Thanks
JS
I’ve updated the download link on this blog post to a local copy now that Microsoft has retired the Gadget gallery.
Thanks for letting me know.
Thanks Pal!