Author Topic: IDEA: Timer based on real time (Read 61820 times)

wetsmellydog · « **on:** October 10, 2007, 11:25 PM »

Yes another timer problem.

I work at a hospital and have to chart the patient's vitals every 15 minutes after surgery. This has to be done at 15 past the hour, 30 minutes past the hour 45 minutes past the hour and on the hour.

I need a timer that will sound a user chosen wav file (some sounds can be irritating to recouping patients so one that is tolerable has to be used) on the 15's, display a user defined message that will only go away after acknowledgment and continue counting happily away without user intervention. That is it will alarm at the next 15 even if the message is not acknowledged.

Most timers will not auto continue after sounding an alarm and if the timer is started at 10 after the hour, will not alarm at 15 past but at the preset countdown time.

The only way this can truly be done is to be tied to the computer real time clock.

Any takers?

Thanks!

urlwolf · « **Reply #1 on:** October 11, 2007, 04:37 AM »

Hi wetsmellydog,

Welcome to the site.

I'm working on a program that will do this easily, although it's designed for other purposes. It's called interruptron.

I still have some bugs to iron (lots actually), so I cannot say when it'll be ready.

wetsmellydog · « **Reply #2 on:** October 11, 2007, 11:26 AM »

Thanks for the welcome urlwolf.

I would be happy to help alpha/beta test your program. Just let me know if I can help out.

Cpilot · « **Reply #3 on:** October 11, 2007, 07:44 PM »

OK, if I understand some of your requirements, I wrote this little script that sits in the tray and counts the quarter of the hours.
It pops up and sounds a user selected wave as an alarm and flashes. It will continue to alarm every 15 minutes.
I'm a little fuzzy on the "user defined" message though.
If you could expound on that it would help.
Anyway here's what I got so far.

wetsmellydog · « **Reply #4 on:** October 11, 2007, 09:25 PM »

Cpilot,

I ran your program and it worked as advertised. I was even able to change the wave file used.

What I am seeking with the user defined message is that the popup box have a user defined message i.e. I could put in "Time to check temp" or "time to chart" and the box displays the text when the alarm sounds.

Thanks again, this is a great time saver for me just the way it is!

Cpilot · « **Reply #5 on:** October 11, 2007, 09:35 PM »

Cpilot,

I ran your program and it worked as advertised. I was even able to change the wave file used.

What I am seeking with the user defined message is that the popup box have a user defined message i.e. I could put in "Time to check temp" or "time to chart" and the box displays the text when the alarm sounds.

Thanks again, this is a great time saver for me just the way it is!
-wetsmellydog (October 11, 2007, 09:25 PM)

OK, you just want a short message then really.
I can add that without much trouble at all, I'll do that first thing in the morning and upload it for you and you can see if it's what you need. I can also have the message display in the tooltip if you'd like.
BTW closing the window just hides it, to exit the application use the menu on the tray icon.
If you want it prettied up or anything let me know.

BigJim · « **Reply #6 on:** October 11, 2007, 10:20 PM »

If you want it prettied up or anything let me know.
-wetsmellydog (October 11, 2007, 09:25 PM)
-Cpilot (October 11, 2007, 09:35 PM)

Go For It !! I can see lots of uses for this and will appreciate whatever you have time to do to finalize the program. Thanks, you guys are great!!

wetsmellydog · « **Reply #7 on:** October 11, 2007, 10:47 PM »

OK, you just want a short message then really.
I can add that without much trouble at all, I'll do that first thing in the morning and upload it for you and you can see if it's what you need. I can also have the message display in the tooltip if you'd like.
BTW closing the window just hides it, to exit the application use the menu on the tray icon.
If you want it prettied up or anything let me know.
-Cpilot (October 11, 2007, 09:35 PM)

I like that it does not exit when closed. It would be too easy to exit the program by accident.

I could ask for a lot of "while your at it" addons but you have really saved me a lot of headaches and adding the text feature will be good enough for me.

Cpilot · « **Reply #8 on:** October 11, 2007, 10:53 PM »

OK, you just want a short message then really.
I can add that without much trouble at all, I'll do that first thing in the morning and upload it for you and you can see if it's what you need. I can also have the message display in the tooltip if you'd like.
BTW closing the window just hides it, to exit the application use the menu on the tray icon.
If you want it prettied up or anything let me know.
-Cpilot (October 11, 2007, 09:35 PM)

I like that it does not exit when closed. It would be too easy to exit the program by accident.

I could ask for a lot of "while your at it" addons but you have really saved me a lot of headaches and adding the text feature will be good enough for me.

-wetsmellydog (October 11, 2007, 10:47 PM)

I'm OK with suggestions of what you'd like, I can just take them one at a time, this was just a preliminary script to see if I understood what the requirements are. If your happy with it then I can continue.
BTW I will include the source with any more uploads, why horde all the fun?

mouser · « **Reply #9 on:** October 12, 2007, 07:55 AM »

i love to see things like this

looking forward to seeing you create a little web page for this app cpilot.

rjbull · « **Reply #10 on:** October 12, 2007, 10:02 AM »

I don't have a use for this at present, but...

Suggestion: if there will only be four boxes, one for each quarter of an hour, could you make them each a different colour, so you can see from a distance which quarter you're in? Or at least make the background of the text a different colour? And maybe make them so they tile, in case you're away from the computer a long time and more than one alarm goes off?

Cpilot · « **Reply #11 on:** October 12, 2007, 10:07 AM »

i love to see things like this
looking forward to seeing you create a little web page for this app cpilot.
-mouser (October 12, 2007, 07:55 AM)

I have a little web page already for some of my scripts, Half Bytes Coding page
I'll add it when I done with it.

Cpilot · « **Reply #12 on:** October 12, 2007, 10:16 AM »

I don't have a use for this at present, but...

Suggestion: if there will only be four boxes, one for each quarter of an hour, could you make them each a different colour, so you can see from a distance which quarter you're in? Or at least make the background of the text a different colour? And maybe make them so they tile, in case you're away from the computer a long time and more than one alarm goes off?
-rjbull (October 12, 2007, 10:02 AM)

I can add other features later of course, but this is wetsmellydog's requested app for a specific task, first I want to make it suitable for what he needs.

destiny_ruler · « **Reply #13 on:** October 12, 2007, 05:50 PM »

I read this post yesterday night only and guess what........I am surprised to see the responses. I was lazy to respond back after deciding to code for this but nevertheless, the laziness was worth it because I spent two nights thinking and implementing the design for the given requirements. I hope this one is exactly as per your requirements. I did unit testing but it needs to be tested further. Please report any bug that you find.

You require DotNet 2.0 Framework to run this application

edit by jgpaiva: removing attachment

Cpilot · « **Reply #14 on:** October 12, 2007, 06:07 PM »

Sorry I haven't uploaded yet but real life got in the way today, I'll work on it some more this evening.
BTW my version requires no framework to operate.

mouser · « **Reply #15 on:** October 12, 2007, 07:16 PM »

destiny_ruler, i love the icon for it, but when i run it i get an error:
"Error reading configuration. Application will close now."

i have .net 2.x installed, not sure of exact version #.

cranioscopical · « **Reply #16 on:** October 12, 2007, 10:15 PM »

destiny_ruler, i love the icon for it, but when i run it i get an error:
"Error reading configuration. Application will close now."

i have .net 2.x installed, not sure of exact version #.
-mouser (October 12, 2007, 07:16 PM)

Same here, for both points...

destiny_ruler · « **Reply #17 on:** October 12, 2007, 11:55 PM »

OOps..........I didnt upload everything out !

I am sorry.....I will modify my code to generate a sample Configuration for first run. Give me few mins from now.

Also, I might add a splash !

destiny_ruler · « **Reply #18 on:** October 13, 2007, 01:27 AM »

Full and Final Release......Will work for sure !

Features

+ Drag and drop support for wav file ( Directly drag files to the text box )
+ Splash
+ AutoConfigure on first run
. Switched from 12 hours format to 24 hours format

Please report bugs to planetcall

Gmail [ DOT ] COM

destiny_ruler · « **Reply #19 on:** October 13, 2007, 01:29 AM »

Heh....enough time invested...... Now time to take a shower

destiny_ruler · « **Reply #20 on:** October 13, 2007, 01:43 AM »

I wonder why there isnt any option to delete the previous attachments on a post modify action. I request moderator to remove top two TimerAssist.exe files from my last post

I am uploading the file again to remove any confusion

Cpilot · « **Reply #21 on:** October 13, 2007, 01:50 AM »

Heh....enough time invested...... Now time to take a shower
-destiny_ruler (October 13, 2007, 01:29 AM)

Balloon tip constantly pops up making noise that it's been activated, cpu usage varies wildly between 6% to 11%.
WinXP pro SP2

destiny_ruler · « **Reply #22 on:** October 13, 2007, 02:08 AM »

^^
CPilot, I am unable to reproduce the same thing here on XPProSP2. Are you sure you are testing my last upload ?

mouser · « **Reply #23 on:** October 13, 2007, 02:13 AM »

I wonder why there isnt any option to delete the previous attachments on a post modify action. I request moderator to remove top two TimerAssist.exe files from my last post.

can't you just modify the post and uncheck the attachments you know longer want attached? that's what i did to accomplish what you wanted. if normal users can't do this let me know and i'll fix.

mouser · « **Reply #24 on:** October 13, 2007, 02:20 AM »

Works and looks beautiful too.

Bug report:

The bunny is a little overeager.. the tray balloon saying "TimerAssist is Activated" seems to pop up on its own every 2 seconds or so once activated
Once I "Activate" it, the Deactivate button doesnt seem to do anything.