Programmable timer web app (for gym workouts or stretching sessions)

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• Hacker News
• I love the declarative syntax, and it makes me wonder if there is a use case for a timeline-based scripting language.

  Functions, variables, data structures... Intervals (timers) as a first-class citizen - an actual keyword "timer"[1] that works like const or let.

  Anyway, this is really cool.

  [1] Where are my VB6 devs??

  by redmoonx
• Nice work! Love it.
  by vibrio
• nice work … would love to have this on my apul watch
  by librasteve
• Tested, browsed to another tab, switched to another app, turned off screen. Are there any limitations compared to a native app?

  It needs an example of nested loop and skipping last item, with comments.

  by aitchnyu
• > Are there any limitations compared to a native app?

  Probably only minor ones; three come to mind:

  - The web app has to be loaded every time (~700K total right now), whereas the native app works offline. This could be mitigated with a progressive web app, though.

  - Fullscreen mode is usually blocked by mobile devices for websites, so you always see e.g. the address bar. That’s just a visual thing, though.

  - I’d assume that native audio APIs would allow for more control (and are likely easier to work with too).

  by jotaen
• Oh that's pretty cool! I also like how you can bookmark timers to save them and then keep a list of them for various activities/purposes.

  Also when I saw the HN post I knew something was familiar and I remembered an old project of yours: x[it]!

  From time to time I still think about that one. Are you still engaging with x[it] or have you moved on in a sense?

  by aquariusDue
• I’m still using [x]it! every day for tracking daily todos or various check lists (e.g. tracking payments or packing lists) – same for klog, by the way, which I use for time tracking.

  I consider the [x]it! file format mostly complete, so in a way there isn’t much for me to do anymore. But I guess that’s also a good thing about such standards – that there is little to no maintenance burden compared to “actual” software.

  (Links for reference: https://xit.jotaen.net and https://klog.jotaen.net)

  by jotaen
• Years ago, I wrote something similar but simpler and non-programmable using Pith (JS with Python-like syntax).

  https://gabrielsroka.github.io/webpages/pith.html

    cancel = false
    editor.style.display = 'none'
    debug.hide()
    btn = button('Stop', 'cancel=true id=stopBtn')
    bar.html(btn)
    beep = new Audio('beep.mp3')
    lock = await navigator.wakeLock.request('screen')
    stopBtn.style.fontSize = runProgram.style.fontSize = results.style.fontSize = '72px'
    
    wus = 'roll shoulders,arm circles,arm hugs,knee raises,rotate torso,rotate hips'
    wus = wus.split(',')
    
    sets = 'march in place,squat,push up,standing bicycle crunch,stand and box,split squat,push up,plank,jumping jacks,wall sit,push up,standing side crunch'
    sets = sets.split(',')
    
    cools = 'walk,hands up,hands forward,hands back,right leg,left leg,right hams,left hams,balance'
    cools = cools.split(',')
    
    await countdown('check volume.', 5, true)
    
    for wu in wus
      await countdown(wu, 12)
    
    await countdown('first up ' + sets[0])
    
    for set in range(sets.length)
      msg = (set + 1) + '. ' + sets[set]
      await countdown(msg, 30, true)
      if set < sets.length - 1
        await countdown('next up: ' + sets[set + 1])
    
    for cool in cools
      await countdown(cool, 15)
    
    results.html('done')
    lock.release()
    editor.style.display = ''
    
    async def countdown(msg, secs=5, play)
      for s in range(secs)
        results.html(msg + '<br>' + (secs - s))
        if play && secs - s <= 3
          beep.play()
        if cancel
          break
        await sleep(1000)

  by gabrielsroka
• My first reaction to this before clicking the link: why would anyone want a programmable timer?

  After clicking the link and seeing the demo: man, I’ve always wanted a programmable timer.

  This is awesome, can see myself using this for workouts and focus sessions. Thank you for sharing.

  by r3trohack3r
• I’m wondering whether anything could be done in terms of name/“tagline” to clarify this? (Or maybe this is just a peculiar niche?)
  by jotaen
• I read this comment, which convinced me to click the link, and had the exact same reaction.

  Such a compelling idea - feels completely obvious after seeing the demo that this is what I want in a timer.

  by benn0