Hourglass, The simple countdown timer for Windows, Freeware, version 1.5.0, Last updated Jun 29, 2016
https://chris.dziemborowicz.com/apps/hourglass/The genius is that if you want to
time 8 minutes, you just have to type that one digit,
8, and press
Enter, and voila!
I’m Chris Dziemborowicz, a software engineer in Redmond, Washington. The Orzeszek name of this site derives from the Polish language and was in the past intended to maintain my pseudonymity. It’s also an inter-lingual pun: orzeszek n [IPA: ɔʐɛʂɛ̃k] — a small, hard-shelled, dry seed or fruit of some plants : diminutive of nut.-About Orzeszek
You will not guess how many words they can use to describe such a microscopic application and at the same time be straight to the point, without using unnecessary words! I am impressed that such a lightweight program can be so versatile. For the sake of "space" I have hidden most of their words behind the spoiler, but here are just a few words about the main features:
Specifying units – To start a timer specifying the units, enter a number followed by one of the supported units: seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, and years are supported:
30 seconds – count down for 30 seconds
5 minutes – count down for 5 minutes
7 hours – count down for 7 hours
3 days – count down for 3 days
25 weeks – count down for 25 weeks
6 months – count down for 6 months
2 years – count down for 2 years
Show more supported formats...
< details from
https://chris.dziemb...s/hourglass/#details =>
many many more details behind this spoiler:
Hourglass advanced simplicity
Advanced simplicity
Hourglass is the most advanced simple countdown timer for Windows. Just enter a time in just about any format, and hit Enter.
Pause and resume
Start, stop, pause and resume your timers. Finally an app that can do everything your kitchen timer can.
Smart input
Type a duration like 5 minutes or a date and time like August 11 at 8 pm to start your timer.
Beep, beep, beep
Choose from three different versions of the same beeping noise. Or use your own notification sound instead.
Hourglass - The simple countdown timer for Windows.
Improved interface
Brighten up your device with the built-in color themes. Or tell apart multiple timers by assigning a title to each one.
Right-click for more
Set advanced options, start common timers, resume closed timers, manage custom color themes and sounds, and more…
Absolutely free
Hourglass is absolutely free to use, free to share, and free to hack. No ads. No in-app purchase. No nothing.
And now with even more features…
Always on top
Optionally keep your timer on top of other windows.
Full screen mode
Fill your screen with your timer, and stay focused on the time left.
Show in notification area
Hide your timer in the system tray.
Loop timer
Repeat your timer over and over again.
Pop up when expired
Show the timer window when your timer expires if it’s hidden.
Close when expired
Automatically exit Hourglass when your timer expires.
Remember recent timers
Easily start recent timers without retyping your timer.
Resume accidentally closed timers
If you closed your timer accidentally, you can resume it without losing a tick.
Command line arguments
Advanced users can start the timer and control any option from the command line.
Add a title
Keep track of multiple timers by setting a title for each one.
Choose your sound
Pick one of the built-in sounds, or add your own.
Choose your theme
Run multiple timers with your choice of the built-in color themes, or create your own.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I start, stop, pause or resume a timer?
To start a timer, enter a duration or date and time in the large text box in the middle of the timer window and click Start or press Enter.
To stop a timer, click Stop, press Ctrl + S, or simply close the timer window.
To pause or resume a timer, click Pause or Resume, or press Ctrl + P.
Note that the Pause and Stop buttons only appear when you move your mouse cursor onto the timer window.
What formats are supported when entering a duration or date and time?
Minutes – To start a timer for a specified number of minutes, enter the number of minutes:
1 – count down for 1 minute
5 – count down for 5 minutes
10 – count down for 10 minutes
Specifying units – To start a timer specifying the units, enter a number followed by one of the supported units: seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, and years are supported:
30 seconds – count down for 30 seconds
5 minutes – count down for 5 minutes
7 hours – count down for 7 hours
3 days – count down for 3 days
25 weeks – count down for 25 weeks
6 months – count down for 6 months
2 years – count down for 2 years
Show more supported formats
How do I start a second timer with Hourglass?
Right-click on any empty space in the timer window and select New timer.
How do I keep the timer window on top of other windows?
Right-click on any empty space in the timer window and check Always on top.
How do I run a timer in full screen mode?
To enter full-screen mode, press Alt + Enter, double-click on any empty space in the timer window, or right-click on any empty space in the Hourglass window and check Full screen.
To exit full-screen mode, press Alt + Enter again, double-click on any empty space in the timer window, or right-click on any empty space in the timer window and uncheck Full screen.
How do I stop the timer from prompting me when I close the window?
Right-click on any empty space in the timer window and uncheck Prompt on exit.
How do I minimize the timer window to the notification area (system tray)?
Right-click on any empty space in the timer window and check Show in notification area. Now when you minimize the timer window, it will be hidden in the notification area (system tray). To restore a hidden timer window, click on the Hourglass icon in the notification area (system tray).
To remove the Hourglass icon from the notification area (system tray) and restore any hidden timer windows, right-click on any empty space in the timer window and uncheck Show in notification area.
How do I do I repeat the timer automatically when it expires?
Right-click on any empty space in the timer window and check Loop timer.
How do I stop the timer from popping up on top of other windows when it expires?
Right-click on any empty space in the timer window and uncheck Pop up when expired.
How do I automatically close the timer window when the timer expires?
Right-click on any empty space in the timer window and check Close when expired. Note that the timer window will not close until the notification sound has finished playing.
How do I automatically shut down Windows when the timer expires?
Right-click on any empty space in the timer window and check Shut down when expired in the Advanced options submenu. Note that Windows will not shut down until the notification sound has finished playing.
How do I start a timer for a duration or until a date and time that I recently entered?
When you relaunch Hourglass, the last duration or date and time that you entered will be automatically populated in the input text field. To start a countdown for that duration or until that date and time, simply press Enter.
To start a timer for another duration or until another date and time that you recently entered, right-click on any empty space in the timer window and select the duration or date and time from the Recent inputs submenu.
How do I clear recently entered durations and dates and times?
Right-click on any empty space in the timer window and select Clear recent inputs from the Recent inputs submenu.
How do I resume a timer that I accidentally closed?
Hourglass keeps track of running timers that you close. To resume a saved timer, right-click on any empty space in the timer window and select the timer from the Saved timers submenu.
You can also resume all saved timers by checking Open all saved timers in the Saved timers submenu.
And you can set Hourglass to automatically open saved timers when it starts up by checking Open saved timers on startup in the Advanced options submenu.
How do I clear saved timers?
Right-click on any empty space in the timer window and select Clear saved timers from the Saved timers submenu.
How do I set a title for a timer?
Click in the text field that says Click to enter title, enter a title, and press Enter.
To clear a title that you entered, click the title text field, delete the title text, and press Enter.
How do I change what is displayed in the timer window title?
By default, the timer window title displays the application name, Hourglass. You can change it to display the time left, the time elapsed, or the timer title instead.
Right-click on any empty space in the timer window, select Advanced options, and then select the appropriate option from the Window title submenu.
How do I change the timer window color theme?
Right-click on any empty space in the timer window and select a color theme from the Theme submenu.
Is there a dark color theme available?
Yes. Right-click on any empty space in the timer window and select Dark theme from the Theme submenu.
How do I add a custom color theme?
Right-click on any empty space in the timer window, select Manage themes… from the Theme submenu. Pick a color theme from the drop-down menu to base the new theme on, and click New.
Click on each color your want to change, and select a color using the color picker. Type the theme name in the textbox at the top of the dialog, and click Save to save your changes.
How do I rename a custom color theme?
Right-click on any empty space in the timer window, select Manage themes… from the Theme submenu. Pick the color theme that you want to rename from the drop-down menu, type the theme name in the textbox at the top of the dialog, and click Save.
The built-in color themes cannot be renamed.
How do I delete a custom color theme?
Right-click on any empty space in the timer window, select Manage themes… from the Theme submenu. Pick the color theme that you want to delete from the drop-down menu, and click Delete.
The built-in color themes cannot be deleted.
How do I change the notification sound?
Right-click on any empty space in the timer window and select a sound from the Sound submenu.
How do I add a custom notification sound?
Save the sound file to the folder where you installed Hourglass – typically, C:\Program Files (x86)\Hourglass.
Your sound file should then appear when you right-click on any empty space in the Hourglass window and select the Sound submenu.
The supported formats are .aac, .m4a, .mid, .midi, .mp3, .wav, and .wma. If your sound file is not in one of the supported formats, you will need to convert it first.
How do I remove a custom notification sound?
Delete the sound file from the folder where you installed Hourglass – typically, C:\Program Files (x86)\Hourglass. Be careful not to delete any other files.
How do I loop the notification sound?
Right-click on any empty space in the timer window and check Loop sound from the Sound submenu.
How do I stop the timer keeping the computer from going to sleep?
By default, Hourglass keeps the computer from going to sleep so that progress can be displayed and the notification sound can be played.
To stop Hourglass keeping the computer from going to sleep, right-click on any empty space in the timer window and check Do not keep computer awake in the Advanced options submenu.
If the computer goes to sleep while a timer is running, Hourglass will try to wake the computer around the time the timer will expire so the notification sound can be played.
How do I show the time elapsed rather than the time left?
Right-click on any empty space in the timer window and check Show time elapsed instead of time left in the Advanced options submenu.
How do I create a shortcut that automatically starts a timer with Hourglass?
To create a shortcut, right-click on your Desktop or the folder where you want to create the shortcut and select Shortcut from the New submenu. Enter the location where you installed Hourglass.exe – typically C:\Program Files (x86)\Hourglass\Hourglass.exe – followed by the duration or date and time for your countdown in quotes.
Then click Next, give your shortcut a name, and click Finish to create the shortcut.
You can also specify additional command line arguments to set other options for the timer. See “What command line arguments does Hourglass accept?” below.
What command line arguments does Hourglass accept?
You can launch Hourglass and immediately start a timer by running Hourglass.exe "". For example, to launch Hourglass and start a 5-minute timer, run Hourglass.exe "5 minutes".
You can also set any option that you can set using the user interface by specifying additional command line arguments. To view a full list of command line arguments, run Hourglass.exe --help or click below.
Show all command line arguments (...)
What are the Hourglass system requirements?
Processor: 1 GHz
RAM: 512 MB
Disk space: 600 MB (32-bit), 1.5 GB (64-bit)
Operating system: Microsoft Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8 or 10
Runtime: Microsoft .NET Framework 4.0 Client Profile
Other software: Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 or later, Windows Installer 3.1 or later
What happened to Orzeszek Timer?
Orzeszek Timer is still available on the Orzeszek Development site.
and on top of it all, this is freeware!
So, are there no problems?
Unfortunale, there is an item!
VirusTotal: 3 out of 57 antivirus programs have marked
the installer as a
Trojan - Jiangmin, NANO Antivirus and Yandex -but of course this means that 54 out of 57 antivirus programs are saying it is clean... 68 out of 68 scanners have reported the site as
Clean, and I am running the program and has not seen any problems of any kind - except that my desktop version of Agnitum Outpost Security Suite Pro also said
the installer was a Trojan. But I am running the program any way.
