What is XTimer?

XTimer is a timer for calculating time based charges.
My original idea came from the desire to keep track of expenses
while using extended service areas of CompuServe (CIS).  I set off 
to make an "ex" timer.  In time, I expanded the idea to include users of
different online services, such as America OnLine (AOL), GEnie,
and Prodigy.

I thought others might find a generic "X" timer useful, to keep track
of long distance charges, for billing a client, or some other need.
To make XTimer an  "X" timer,  I gave it the flexibility to be shaped
to many different needs.

The charge rates are set to CIS, AOL, GEnie, and Prodigy rates,
current as of this release.  You can easily change them to whatever you
like by selecting Preferences under the File menu.  The maximum charge
allowed, per hour, is $99.99.  You can enter in your own rate 
description, up to 20 characters.

How XTimer is Different From Other Timers

The controls are like any standard timer, but the time shown is
a little different.  The time shown is the time you've been charged
for, each minute or part of a minute counts as a full minute.  This
is the way most time based charges are calculated.  The seconds
left in the current minute being charged, before the next minute
will be charged, are shown as an added help.

You can minimize, or maximize the timer by choosing the option under the
File menu,  or clicking in the grow window of the timer.  Holding the option
key down and clicking in the grow window of the maximized timer will show
or hide the "Next Notice at..." message.

The minimized "stoplight" version of the timer, allows you to save desktop
space, while retaining most of the functionality of the timer.  Use the green
light to start (G button in B&W), red to stop (S in B&W), and the
yellow button to reset (R in B&W).

The timer can log up to 100 hours, after that it will turn over to zero.
(If you should happen to let it run for more than four days!)

How Do I Total My Online Charges

Most online services calculate hourly charges by totaling all of the times
from a session (from log on, to log off) that you spent in areas where there
were hourly charges. The total time is then rounded; if a partial minute is
left, it is counted as a full minute, i.e.  a charge for 10 minutes 34 seconds
is counted as  11 minutes.

You can round your time likewise, at the end of a session, by clicking the
"Round" button, on the timer.

Setting, Saving, Restoring, and Adding

You can set the time to whatever needed, by choosing "Set Time" under
the File menu.

You may:
     Save the time on the timer as time charged for any rate.
     Restore a time saved from any rate to the timer.
     Add a time on the timer to charges already logged to any rate.

All of these options are available under the File menu.  The rate currently
selected under the Rate menu comes up as the default selection when you
choose any of these options, but you may use any one of the rates, as you 
like.  If you choose a rate different from the default, the rate you choose
becomes the current rate.

Saving, or Adding a time does not effect the time on the timer.  You must use
Restore to put a logged time back on the timer.

Viewing the Log

You can review your charges and times charged for by selecting "View Log",
from under the file menu.

The Notify Menu

It seemed obvious that if you are keeping track of time you're 
being charged for, it would really be nice to warn yourself when a
certain amount (x) of time had passed, without having to keep an
eagle eye on the timer.  The Notify menu is set up for that purpose.

The times on the menu represent interval times.  If you set a
notice to come at 10 minutes, for instance, the notice will arrive
at the next 10 minute interval, i.e. at 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30
minutes, and so on.  The notices will continue to come at the 
interval you selected.  If you check the box "Send Notices Early",
your notices will come at the beginning of that minute, rather than
at the end.

You can choose to have the next interval time calculated based on
the time you first started  the timer (from zero), or from the time
you last started  the timer, the next start  will be used if the timer
is stopped.  So, if the timer has 5 minutes of charges built up
already when started, if the interval is 10 minutes, the notices
would be sent at 15 minutes, 25 minutes, 35 minutes, and so on.

If you wish to set the next interval from the current time while the
timer is running, and you don't want to stop the timer, select "START NOW"
from the Notify menu and the "Last START" time will be set to the current
minute.

To see the time when the next notice will be sent, click in the timer
window's grow box, in the upper right-hand corner of the timer window,
to expand the window to its full size; when using the maximized timer.

Using XTimer with MacCIM™

I've found the best way to use XTimer is to click on the start button
during the transfer to an extended service area.  XTimer activates on
the first click, so you won't have to click twice.  After that, click back
in one of CIM's windows to reactive it.

A Couple of Things to Note

1.  Be aware that if you change the notice interval while the timer
      is running, you could very well set it on the nose of the next
      notice time.  If you do, the notice will be sent, probably sooner
      than you were expecting!

2.  This is true for many programs that use the system clock:
      If you change the time on your Mac, say, back an hour in the fall,
      or forward in the Spring, and you do this while XTimer is 
      running.  It may produce unexpected results.

I'd love to expand this furthur.  I'll wait and see what the response is, first. 
I hope XTimer is useful to you.  Enjoy!

Short Cuts

Command Key        Application
         H                   Hide/Show timer
         M                  Minimize/Maximize timer
         T                   Set Time
         D                   View Log
         S                   Save Time As
         R                   Restore Time From
         J                   Add Time To
         F                   Notify from First START
         L                   Notify from Last START
         U                   No Notice

Other command key short cuts are standard Mac command keys.

Other shortcuts:
   <option> + Reset   Reset without asking confirmation
   <option> + Start    Reset and Start
   <shift> + <command> + Start
                                  Add time on timer to current rate and Start
   <shift> + <command> + <option> + Start
                                  Adds time, but Resets before Start
   <option> + <click>    In Maximized timer grow window to
                                  Show/Hide "Next Notice at..." message

System Requirements

XTimer requires System 7, a version compatible with System 6.07
or higher may be made available in the next release.

Legal Stuff

XTimer ©1994  Eric Long.  All Rights Reserved.
XTimer comes without warranty expressed or implied.  Use of
XTimer is solely at your own risk, author is held without liability.
XTimer may be distributed freely, so long as it is not sold or modified.

XTimer is shareware:
       Send $5 to Eric Long, 4731 28th Avenue, Sacramento, CA 95820

Send E-mail to:
       CompuServe    72764,1072
       Internet           ericlong@macnexus.org

If not unexpectedly deluged with mail, I will try to respond, 
when asked for a reply.

CompuServe® and MacCIM™ are registered trademarks of CompuServe 
Incorporated, Columbus, OH 43220
America Online, Prodigy, and GEnie are trademarks of their respective
holders.
XTimer is not a product of, nor representative of CompuServe Incorporated,
America Online Inc., GEnie, or Prodigy.

Who Wrote This Nice Help Screen Code?

My thanks to James W. Walker for his great plug-in module.

Special Thanks

Thanks to Paul Celestin for his PICTButton CDEF (control definition), which
was used to make the minimized "stoplight" version of the timer's buttons
work.

Thanks to my wife Donna, who made the XTimer icon, and designed the
stoplight used in the minimized timer.

Thanks to everyone in MACDEV for their assistance, thanks to the beta
testers, esp. C.W. and Mary.