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2010/01/07 - Google Checkout Gadget Improves With Full HTML Support

posted Jan 7, 2010, 2:45 PM by Rick Anderson   [ updated Jan 7, 2010, 3:15 PM ]
Google's Checkout gadget continues to improve with full HTML support in the title and the description.  This is an important step in the development of the gadget as it allows for unlimited variation in the display of product information within the e-commerce site.  Previously, the title and description were limited to simple text - the display was pre-formatted and not definable by the user.

By allowing full HTML support, the possibilities are endless to display additional information about the product - such as adding tables, charts, graphs, additional pictures, etc.

I've enhanced the first item in my sample miniatures e-commerce page with a few simple modifications.

  • modified the spacing between the header and the description;

  • added a link to an additional website which has more product information;

  • placed a table of technical characteristics about the product;

  • added three additional pictures of the product for better representation;

  • and finally I put in a "home run" tag (creates that horizontal line) for better separation between products.


I left the remainder of the samples as they were in order to get an idea on the difference in limitations between pre-HTML support and the current HTML supported gadget.  Additionally, all these modifications are very simple using basic tags ( <br>, <table>, <a href>, <img src>, <hr> ) that can be learned by anyone from various html help websites.  Another simple way to get code is to build your tables and pictures in a Sites page and then select the HTML button on the icon bar to view and copy the source code into your spreadsheet.
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