Timer suggestion

hi, MAttgolsen try this...

Preview	Attachment	Size
	dateformatter.jpg	141.79 KB
	dateformatter.qtz	5.33 KB
	dateformatter1.png	1.22 MB

javascript has a bunch of time stuff built in to make this a snap.

// This doesn't actually use the input time, but the changing value causes it
// to update continually
 
var result = new Object();
 
function (__number day, __number hours, __number minutes, __number seconds) main (__number inputNumber)
{
   var now = new Date();
 
   result.day = now.getDay();
   result.hours = now.getHours();
   result.minutes = now.getMinutes();
   result.seconds = now.getSeconds();
 
   return result;
}

Then, plug in some always-changing value into the input (to keep the js patch evaluating every frame), like patch time or system time, and use the outputs as necessary. Use a Math Expression patch with something like "hours > 3" to output true when hours is greater than 3, or "hours > 6 && hours < 10" to output true when hours is between 6 and 10.

System time modulo 1036800 (the number of seconds in 2 days). Then just do a greater than or less than check for the period of time you want. If the switch time is midnight then you could just use x>518400 and x<=518400. Otherwise you might need to use x<## || x>#### and x>=## && x<=####.

24(hours/day) * 60(minutes/hour) * 60(seconds/minute) = 86400 (seconds/day). 86400 * 2 = 172800 -- not sure where 1036800 came from. (that's 12 days' worth of seconds).

modulo works too, as long as timezone stuff is sane (in my experience, timezone changes play hell on non-network-time-synced machines, and I hate dealing with those kinds of problems). sane = fixed/easily-derived offset you can add as an offset to keep stuff correct.

the JS above can also be extended to give you day-of-the-month, which is considerably trickier.

so, depends on what you need.

Thanks for the help, I set it up with an "Image with String" patch with a manually entered variable to indicate which timer is enabled. I'll attach it in case anyone else needs it.

Thanks again!

So, my composition has changed a little bit and I actually need to enable/disable patches by the minute on a 24 hour range. For example at 7:00am it starts showing Patch A (disabling C), at 7:06am it starts Patch B(disabling A), and then at 7:10am it shows Patch C(disabling B), after that the cycle would start over. So there are different time allotments for each patch. Not only that, but I also need to be able to add more patches down the road and change the timetable.

Also, if I use the above JS method using minutes instead of hours (minutes > 420 && minutes < 426, would be from 7am to 7:06am) I'd have to create like... 288 math patches to enable and disable everything by specific minute ranges.

I almost need a Javascript version of cron.

Any ideas? This is killing me.

I think what you're looking for here is a boolean demultiplexer -- for the input, attach true, in the inspector panel, make sure the reset value thing is checked, and for the reset value, pick false, and you're in business -- you can now enable one of many patches by adjusting the index.

You'll still likely have to implement a lot of it in JS, but it'll be much neater than using a zillion math expression patches.

The JS patch can be modified from the above to use in-source tables to drive an index output, which can control which patch is active at a given time of day.

The Boolean Demultiplexer trick is very handy. I've used it in the past for turning one of a groups GLSL Shaders on.

a|x http://machinesdontcare.wordpress.com

Y'know you kill me :D

I see this stuff, file it away for later then I forget that I even saw it. Thanks for your help though, I need to send your a present or something for X-mas for all your awesome work.