Lightquick Web Design - Elements of the past and the future combining to make something not quite as good as either

This is the Steampunk Clock/Calendar Help file.

Version 2.8
I wrote this tool as I heartily dislike the Windows operating system  limited choice of interface. In my humble opinion the user interface should be separated from the operating system functions, allowing you to theme the GUI as you wish.

So, fed up of the glossy pseudo-modern cr@p that was shipped with the later versions of Windows I decided to make a series of widgets that can replace certain system functions. Windows is shipped with a particularly rubbish clock and if you have XP you don't have access to Vista's gadgets and sidebar (now obsolete too!). So, this clock was created to cater for those with a certain discerning taste. Nice thing about the widget is that it runs on Windows (all versions from XP onwards) and Mac OS/X.

It is steampunk (whatever that means to you) and unashamedly so. If you want to make any recommendations, stylistic or functional then please do.

-oOo-

Note: some of the instructions will apply to the new version of the widget - the new version has been released now. You can get the current version here: Steampunk Clock/Calendar Widget.

The real changes provided in the latest version are the ability to resize the clock, the new day of the week indicator, the slider animation is much slicker, slider can be operated with your mouse scroll wheel, reduced cpu usage overall, lower cpu required by the pendulum swing action, many bugs fixed, slicker operation in general, standard 12 hour clock face, a right click menu with plenty of options and links, more documentation and more back end preferences to configure and play with. Some of the graphics have also been improved upon. 

-oOo-

The tool has two modes, Clock mode and Alarm mode. In clock mode the clock ticks, the calendar shows the date, the weekday can be made to display. In alarm mode you can set alarms and when the alarm time has arrived the alarm will sound. It is loud and repetitive.

Instructions for use:

By the left of the calendar are five brass toggles/keys. Pressing on each will have the following effect:

H Key - will show the first help canvas indicated by the brass number 1 on the top left of the wooden bar. clicking on the brassnumber 1 will select the next drop down help canvas.
Clicking on the ring pull at the bottom will make the current canvas go away.

A Key - will activate the alarm mode. Clicking on the bell set will also cause the clock to go into alarm mode.

Alarm mode - Normal operation is this: When you have pressed the A key it will release the slider. When the slider is released the further you move the slider from the centre position the more quickly the date/time will change.  You may move it to the right or left and change time.

When you have selected the date/time you want then move the slider to the central position and click on the bell set. The alarm will set. You can set up to five alarms.

When you are ready to set the alarm, click the gold bell or the A key, two bells will sound and the alarm is set. To cancel the current alarm setting or viewing operation just click on the clock face again.

* Please note that while the timepiece in Alarm Mode all normal clock functions are switched off  and alarms will not sound whilst in alarm mode. 

Each time you press the alarm bell to set an alarm, a pop-up will display indicating which alarm you are going to set. Each time you press the A key, it will select the next alarm up to a maximum of five.
To the right of the clock there are from zero to five alarm toggles depending on how many alarms you  have previously set. If you click on the toggle it will display the date and time set for this alarm. If you then click on the associated 'cash-register-style' pop-up it will allow you to delete this alarm.

To cancel a ringing alarm - just click on the Alarm flag. When you hover over this flag it will turn red allowing you to delete an alarm at any time. 

M Key - The Mute key -  leaves all other sounds alone but turns off only the chimes. Another click turns the
chimes back on again. You will see the bell clapper move to/from the bell set.

P Key - Turns off the pendulum. Another click turns it on again. Single-click on the pendulum itself also turns off the pendulum.

L Key -The Loudness Key - gently quietens the whole clock: ticking, chimes, alarm sounds all reduced by 21db. There is also a chain that can be pulled to silence the ticking.

Crank - The hand crank is the master volume control. Crank it down to mute all sounds and crank it up to restore the sound back to the level it was prior to muting.



To the left of the digital clock is another brass toggle: S Key - Raises the transparent screen logging the various controls you select. Because the screen is transparent the text may be hard to see when used on a dark desktop background. A new 'B' key will also appear on the right of the screen frame that allows you to raise/lower the back screen. This will allow you to read the text.

The W Key allows you to see the weekday indicator, counting from Sunday as day one. click to hide the flag or click the flag itself. The flag will go red when you hover over it.

  -oOo-

The screen currently only displays clock/calendar operations but may do more in the future. Perhaps some time machine images/steampunk adverts, I'm unsure, any suggestions?

  -oOo- 

Right Click Menus

You can right click on the widget at any time to show the preferences that control the operation of the widget. It will show a pop up menu that allows access to some extra functions. For example, you can access online help from this link as well as visit other links to allow satisfied users to kindly donate...

The Widget Preferences link shows the preferences screen allowing you to select show more configuration options. Some of the configuration changes that can be made can be made.

The other links are generally self-explanatory, they will open pages on my website where you can obtain new versions of the widget, obtain assistance or help from the developer &c.

  The console screen can be raised or lowered here as well as from the front end.

  If the alarm is noisy then you may turn it off here.

Digital clock settings - the function of the digital clock can have an adverse effect on very low powered machines. You can reduce the effect by altering these settings. Leave these well alone if all is operating as it should.

 The Pendulum is switched off by default, there is a good reason for this:

The graphics of a swinging pendulum in Javascript requires processor power. Some Intel single core or older dual core machines may take exception to the pendulum and cause it to use of a lot of cpu. I have a dual core Pentium D 3.0 ghz system that is no slouch, it runs twice as fast as my laptop. However, when the pendulum is turned on it travels at a third of the speed when compared to the laptop and uses an inordinate amount of the cpu.

I don't know why this is (probably due to poor threading) but it does not happen even on slower machines with core2duo processor. I guess this is to do with some processor design element that allows it to cater for multiple threads and therefore certain mathematical functions better used in the animation. The pendulum is pure math so it could be a shortcoming in this area. It has a side-effect on these older systems where if you right click in order to get the preferences screen it may refuse to show immediately and then wait for 30 seconds or more before it appears.

If it does not show the prefs then close the widget, restart and click on the pendulum, it will turn off the swing and the preferences will then be accessible.

One of the preferences allows you to stop the pendulum animation whenever the cpu is being used by other programs beyond this value. This prevents your computer's cpu from overloading at peak times. Note you will see the pendulum stutter from time to time the lower the value set.

You can also raise or lower the weekday indicating flag here.

 You can alter the widget in size and it will still function, you can also specify the default startup position.

 The various sounds can be controlled here.

Other basic functions of the widget can be configured, opacity is an important one as is prevent dragging, give it a go.

My advice - Don't set the ignore mouse check box!

-oOo-

If you want to see the Steampunk Clock/Calendar in action watch it here:

If you liked this, please consider buying me a beer., any contribution is appreciatedmfBeer Joomla! Plugin

Comments (3)

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Boyofbow wrote on December 08, 2012

Title: Clock/calender This is just amazing, I am using windows7 with UXPack to look like windows 8 all works well but I dont see chain bottom right or get day tab at top otherwise great looking and lots of fun Thanks Alistair boyofbow.com report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Tim wrote on September 24, 2012

Title: ... These are the most spectacular steampunk widgets I have ever seen, period. And I have spent a considerable amount of time searching for such, for both PC and phones. I can't imagine how I failed to miss your work in the past. But thank you, good sir, for the magnificent confabulations. Simply wonderful, I really must say! report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Martha wrote on July 06, 2012

Title: Loverly! I am attempting to get this on my desk top as I LOVE it so much on my lap top! It's beautiful and functional. Wish I had a real one for my house! ♥ ) report abuse vote down vote up Votes: -1

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