Stopwatch by Rick Andrews

This months Series 3 utility is a stopwatch that's friendly to
batteries. The start time is written in a data file, so the computer
can be turned off whilst timing long duration events.

Most stopwatch programs rely on the Series 3 remaining switched on
because they *count* elapsed time; the one in the Psion Programming
Manual, for example, will 'stop' and lose time if the computer is
switched off, so to be of any use, you have to ensure the computer
won't auto-switch off. 

This stopwatch, however, stores the actual time that the activity
commenced, (as the number of seconds since midnight 1 Jan 1970) in a
datafile on the internal drive, so the elapsed time can be
*calculated* when the utility is re-run.

Also, a short description can be stored in the data file, in case
you forget what you're timing.

The utility is simple to use; the first time it is run, it waits
until Enter is pressed, then immediately starts timing the event. A
short description can then be entered. The elapsed time is displayed
"ticking away" in double height. Here, the Menu key or hot-key allows
the following:-

L - Lap. The lap time is displayed.

S - Stop or Start. Switches between running and stopped.

Z - Zero. Resets a stopped stopwatch.

X - Exit. Quits a stopped or running stopwatch. The start time and
current details are saved in a data file, ready for the next time the
utility is run.

K - Kill. Quits a stopped stopwatch. Deletes the data file and exits
the utility.

D - Desc. Edit the event description.

The elapsed time and lap time displays also show the number of days
if the event was started more than 24 hours ago.

If you exit (Psion-x) the utility which saves the event details, the next
time the utility is run, the elapsed time is displayed straight away.

Finally, a question about utilities. I've almost run out of ideas for
short S3 utilities that can be published here in IPSO. Do you have
any ideas or a 'wish list'? Please write to me at 164 Castle Hill,
Reading, RG1 7RP.