I have created a zip file. I have all the proper files in it. I rename it to x.gadget and the icon changed to a sidebar gadget icon.
I double-click it and it prompts to install the gadget.
I hit "Install"
It pops up an error message saying this is not a valid gadget file.
In the directory it puts a folder with my gadgets name with ".~0019" appended to the end of the foldername. The number increments with each attempt.
MyfolderName.gadget.~0019
What is going on

can't "build" a valid gadget file!!! UGH!
John Wesley Harding
I got the same error, not a valid gadget package.
CAB works, ZIP doesn't
Steve Jensen
Get this, I used AlphaZip to ZIP the folder instead of CAB it and renamed to gadget and the install wouldn't work.
CAB works, ZIP doesn't.
So how do I upload to Microsoft They require a zip upload, but the zip upload won't install. I guess I will zip the cab file and hope they accept it.
Newbie Kam
MeasleScar
>>>>>>>> ToddOS <<<<<<<<
Are you willing to zip it for me
jack563
I downloaded AlphaZip and compressed the files into a cabinet file instead of a zip, then I renamed it to a gadget file and the install works fine.
Something is wrong with using "Compressed Zipped Folders."
hye_heena
Here is what I think is the final fix. I was finally able to upload a valid gadget to Microsoft. (Still pending approval).
1. Create the widget
2. Compress the widget as a foo.cab file
3. Rename foo.cab to foo.zip
4. Microsoft will rename foo.zip to foo.gadget
That should do it for a valid file. I'll let you know if Microsoft rejects it again
K Sumeet
That was one of my posts.
I'm still getting a ~00019 at the end of my folder. And I am NOT zipping a gadget folder, I am zipping all the files in the archive.
Also, I've noticed that when it does this it won't write any files after the letter g. Meaning that all filenames that start with an "I-Z" aren't unzipped into the folder. So, I thought that maybe I had a corrupt file in the Gs or Hs. (ie. gadget.xml)
I remade the file structure to use an en-US folder and the install worked without alerting me of an invalid gadget file BUT STILL appended a ~0019 at the end of the folder name. If I delete that, the gadget works.
My gadget file:
foofoofoo.gadget
[----------images
[----------- foo1.jpg
[----------- foo2.jpg
[----------- foo3.jpg
[----------foo.css
[----------foo.html
[----------gadget.xml
[----------foo2.html
[----------foo3.html
[----------icon.png
[----------logo.png
Once I figure this out, I'm going to write a gadget builder gadget that packs the .gadget file. This is crazy doing it by hand and guessing.
Bdenison
I was having the same problems. Went through a lot of things in this thread, until I figured out that I had some empty files.
When I initially started the gadget, I assumed I was going to use flyout.htm, settings.htm and some others but didn't, in the end.
Once I'd removed all empty files, using Send To Compressed Folder worked a treat.
Still get the Unsigned notification, but at least it works :)
jwalker343
sanmarcos
voxan, take a look at the last part of this thread -- http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowPost.aspx PostID=1290390&SiteID=1
Are you zipping up your entire gadget folder, or just the files and directories below it Meaning, if you were to manually unzip your file, would you end up with a directory like "foo.gadget" and then gadget.xml under that, or would you immediately get gadget.xml wherever you unzipped
tee_user5
Well, Microsoft rejected it again.
They said they couldn't unzip my "zip" file that was actually a cab. They will not accept a cab file even though it is a valid file. You MUST upload a zip file. I built the cab and renamed it zip thinking it would be a good work around, nothing to do with being sneaky.
I'll try WinZip next and hope it works.
marsboee
Keith27
If you're going to compress as a cab, you can still name the gadget "foo.gadget" directly. In fact naming a .cab as a .zip is a little sneaky and could lead to other problems.
As for zipping as ZIP, I use WinZip. I haven't tried with "native" zip folder support, so it's quite possible that there's something different between WinZip and Vista's ability to zip files natively. I suggest you download and use winzip, as I've had no problems submitting gadgets zipped that way.
Of course, cab is a valid compression method, so whatever works.
Alex Araujo
I am zipping the files, not a directory of files
is that wrong