I would like to add a coutdown timers to my numbers spreadsheet if possible. I know I could use an external widget or other software but I'd like to have it in numbers...
Thanks!
Charles
Numbers-OTHER, Mac OS X (10.5.8)
Okay thanks Vince.
I was hoping maybe there is some way to tell numbers to reference the system clock and "change the colour of a cell when 120 seconds pass" or something like that. Oh well, I'll just keep on using a seperate app.
Thanks for your reply though!
Charles
Okay thanks Vince.
I was hoping maybe there is some way to tell numbers to reference the system clock and "change the colour of a cell when 120 seconds pass" or something like that. Oh well, I'll just keep on using a seperate app.
Thanks for your reply though!
Charles
Here is a way to do a timer using Applescript.
You need a 2 row x 2 column table named TimeClock on Sheet 1 of your document.
Cell A2 is a checkbox
Cell B2 is formatted as a number
Row 1 is there for header text: On/Off, Seconds
Open the application AppleScript Editor
Paste in the Applescript
Run the Applescript.
When A2 is checked, the timer starts at zero then counts up.
When A2 is not checked, the timer stops and keeps the current count.
property storeddate : current date
tell application "Numbers" to tell document 1 to tell sheet 1
if exists table "TimeClock" then tell table "TimeClock"
set value of cell "b2" to 0
end tell
repeat
if exists table "TimeClock" then tell table "TimeClock"
if value of cell "a2" = true then
set value of cell "b2" to ((current date) - storeddate) as integer
else
set storeddate to (current date)
end if
end tell
end repeat
end tell
If that works for you, you can save it and run it from the script menu, create an application from it, or you can create a service using Automator and run it from the Services menu (and can assign a keyboard shortcut to it). You'll need some directions on how to do either.
You can do the countdown in another table.
B2 =180
C2 =B2-TimeClock::B2
Or you can do it in one cell in the other table:
B2 = 180-TimeClock::B2
Or you can add a row to the TimeClock table:
B3=180-B2
Or you can modify the formula in the Applescript. In this case I am using cell B3 to specify the start time for the countdown. I don't know how to do a chime but I put a comment into the script to show where it would go.
property storeddate : current date
tell application "Numbers" to tell document 1 to tell sheet 1
if exists table "TimeClock" then tell table "TimeClock"
set value of cell "b2" to 0
end tell
repeat
if exists table "TimeClock" then tell table "TimeClock"
set starttime to value of cell "b3"
if value of cell "a2" = true then
set B2 to starttime - ((current date) - storeddate) as integer
if B2 < 0 then
set B2 to 0
(* do other stuff you want to do *)
end if
set value of cell "b2" to B2
else
set storeddate to (current date)
if value of cell "b2" ≠ starttime then
set value of cell "b2" to starttime
end if
end if
end tell
delay 1
end repeat
end tell
Note the addition of "delay 1" at the end. That should have been in the original script too. Takes a lot of processing time if you don't have it
Charles, to the best of my knowledge, you won't be able to have an active timer in a Numbers sheet. You set up a table in a cell to see how much time is left between NOW() and some future date/time, but that will just pick it up when you load the table, not keep updating it as the seconds pass.
Vince
This is awesome thanks!
I hate to be picky at this point but is it possible to have the time count backwards in seconds from a set time (say 3 minutes) and then when it hits zero the script plays a system sound (like the built in Alert Sound under system preferences called "Hero")?
Thanks again!
Charles
Alas, I believe I am too amateur to figure Apple Script out...
When copying and pasting your text into script editor it just becomes all purple.
I then attempted to add the application Numbers into the applescript library and it said "Numbers is not scriptable."
I only have OSX Leopord and my version of numbers is '08 1.0.3
Sorry that I suck at this...
Yes, it would not be good for timing something to the exact second.It doesn't lose any seconds but it might not display them at the exact time or it might skip the display of one (though I've not seen that happen). It also might be off by a partial second depending on when you start the timer.
Thanks a lot Badunit.
I'll give this a shot and let you know how it works out.
Charles
It is probably not you. 08 may not be scriptable. I assumed you were using 09. With the two forums now combined, it often is not clear which version is being used.
Oh well, I'll update one day...and then I'll come back to this thread.
Thanks anyways!
Charles
Okay, I was able to give this a try on Numbers '09 and it works!! It skips a second every now and again but that doesn't bother me for what I need it for.
Thanks so much!
Charles
How do I add a countdown timer in Numbers?
