Feature request - extend timer options to other modes

All discussions here

Feature request - extend timer options to other modes

Unread postby pbowers » Fri Jan 29, 2021 7:55 am

There are 3 different areas of the menu system that I am thinking about in this feature request:
(1) When you choose "Timer..." there is a section in the middle of the resulting dialog box that gives LOTS of options what to do when the timer runs out
(2) When you choose "Timer..." there is a section at the bottom of the resulting dialog box t hat gives a few options of what to do when the timer counts down past a certain point
(3) The other 2 modes (Clock and Stopwatch)

While I completely understand that the timer running down to zero is a very special case and is probably the most common usage that people will use (i.e., the options that exist in #1 above) I want to make a case that all of those options should be incorporated into #2 (but in a different location in the menu) and be available both for count-down timer and stopwatch and clock modes.

The new menu option would be something like "Time-Activated Actions..." or "Alarm Actions..." or something like that.

The current interface for (2) is a bit awkward and probably needs re-thinking. So why not re-think it in a bigger picture by making it so that any of the options available in (1) can be activated at a certain time (the only thing that has to be added is whether the time was passed going up or going down and then the "count up" option has to be changed to "reverse direction of time count" or else add a "count down" action.
pbowers
 
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Nov 09, 2020 5:39 pm

Re: Feature request - extend timer options to other modes

Unread postby pbowers » Fri Jan 29, 2021 10:29 am

So all these things have been implemented already in code, but are limited to only when the *timer* hits 0:00 -

* Beep
* Play audio file
* Launch a file
* Raise a signal
* Blink
* Close the program
* Restart
* Reverse direction

And these are implemented in code, but are limited to only the *timer* mode:

* Change background color
* Change text color
* Play a media file

My suggestion is a list of times (like the existing pre-timeout list) that have *all* those options. And the default time is 0:00 when you are in a countdown timer so that people can specify all the same things for 00:00 (i.e., no loss of functionality).

For the UI I think a more standardized list is needed. I've given a couple examples in attached file from other areas of Windows or Chrome or other programs*...
(1) Add button BEFORE entering a time (time is a required field on the resulting dialog)
(2) Edit button that takes you to the same dialog (rather than an edit button it could just be the result of clicking on the list item)
(3) Delete or remove button (rather than a delete button at the list level it could be a button in the dialog box)

Of course having checkboxes and being able to delete multiple at a time, even being able to do a group edit - all these things are nice features, but certainly not essential. What is essential is an Add button that takes you to the edit dialog and a way of getting back to the edit dialog to change things and a way to remove - all of these need to be in an intuitive user interface.

I think if this were implemented in a user friendly way (again, the change to the UI for the list is essential - it's just too hard to understand/learn/teach in its current form) I think this could become not just a good stopwatch/timer but a fantastic alarm as well...

I tried to add attachments but was unable to do so. Look in Chrome settings for the list of pages to open on startup for one example. Look in Chrome bookmark manager for another example (would need an "Add" button). Look in Windows settings where you remove programs (either the old-style that was a more standardized list or the new style that is much more like text on a page. Having the text in the list "live" showing the colors is far less important than having it intuitive and standard. Being able to change the colors at the list level is not important - just keep the color dialogs inside the edit dialog for simplicity.
pbowers
 
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Nov 09, 2020 5:39 pm

Re: Feature request - extend timer options to other modes

Unread postby pbowers » Fri Jan 29, 2021 1:10 pm

Another example of the kind of list interface I'm hoping for is the Windows Scheduler when it is showing a list of tasks. You have a button off to the side to create a new one. You can double-click to edit a task or click on it and click "properties" in the menu to the side or else right-click and choose properties. Similarly you delete a task with right-click -> delete or with clicking on the delete button off to the side. Very normal, standard usage that any intermediate user would be able to figure out and use.
pbowers
 
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Nov 09, 2020 5:39 pm


Return to Main forum

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 84 guests