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Block Keeper: Cross platform desktop timer

Hazel

Premium Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2017
Messages
1,681
Location
in your walls :3
I'm still using and loving Block Keeper @DalDal :D As I continue to use it I occasionally find that there's something I'd like to be able to do with no way to do it, and here are three of those:
- A "Solve number clock" - you could input a number, and it would alert you after you've done that many solves in that event. So if you wanted to do an average of 100 on 3x3, you could just input a "100" wherever it may be and after 100 3x3 solves it would give you a popup. It would be nice to be able to easily turn it off mid-session if you don't have time to finish or whatnot.
- Ability to search for solves using the time, for example, if you know you have a 9.043 somewhere and you want to find where in the solve list it is you could search for it (control + F for windows, command + F for mac maybe). Having other criteria for searches could be good too, like if you wanted to search for every solve over 19.4 seconds or every solve with a DNF.
- Custom averages - in the Event Statistics tool you could add a way to get the current (and maybe also best) average for any number. For example, if I want to know what my current average of 27 is, I could type in 27 and it would tell me. I think the rule for any average over 12 is that you remove the best 5% and the worst 5% of solves and take the mean of the remaining 90%. You could also get the solve list if you want to copy and paste the times + scrambles for those times somewhere.

I'd personally use all of these features, especially the Solve Number Clock! But of course, only add them if you think they'd fit and wouldn't be too inconvenient to implement.
 

DalDal

Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2017
Messages
150
Location
Adelaide
WCA
2017MCNE01
I think the search and solve counter would be really useful. I am also prioritising a UI overhaul as the next thing to do. The current UI is a bit bulky and some of the code is a mess. These features can be factored in. Currently, I am starting a full time internship over the next few months, so I don't have as much free time, but I hope to get around to it soon. :)
 

Hazel

Premium Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2017
Messages
1,681
Location
in your walls :3
I think the search and solve counter would be really useful. I am also prioritising a UI overhaul as the next thing to do. The current UI is a bit bulky and some of the code is a mess. These features can be factored in. Currently, I am starting a full time internship over the next few months, so I don't have as much free time, but I hope to get around to it soon. :)
Oh wow! What kinds of things in the UI will be changing?
Good luck with the internship too! Definitely prioritize that over the timer :p
 

DalDal

Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2017
Messages
150
Location
Adelaide
WCA
2017MCNE01
Thanks!

Mainly I'm thinking
- Thinner borders
- Partially transparent elements (e.g see background image under times, similar to scramble) maybe with a subtle blur
- Compacting elements together (e.g no gap between event and session select)
- Flatter style, removing "floating" elements, so they don't appear above the background but sit beside it. Timer has it's own section which frees up more text options
- Update to preferences menu
- More UI options (positioning, size etc) but maybe only light/dark themes

Any opinions are welcome
 

Hazel

Premium Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2017
Messages
1,681
Location
in your walls :3
Thanks!

Mainly I'm thinking
- Thinner borders
- Partially transparent elements (e.g see background image under times, similar to scramble) maybe with a subtle blur
- Compacting elements together (e.g no gap between event and session select)
- Flatter style, removing "floating" elements, so they don't appear above the background but sit beside it. Timer has it's own section which frees up more text options
- Update to preferences menu
- More UI options (positioning, size etc) but maybe only light/dark themes

Any opinions are welcome
That all sounds great! And maybe make the last scramble/next scramble buttons much less bulky xD
You should maybe make a Patreon to fund your time spent developing this timer so you can spend more time on it, I'd sign up!
 

DalDal

Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2017
Messages
150
Location
Adelaide
WCA
2017MCNE01
That all sounds great! And maybe make the last scramble/next scramble buttons much less bulky xD
You should maybe make a Patreon to fund your time spent developing this timer so you can spend more time on it, I'd sign up!

Nah, the Nintendo Switch has to stay, :D
 

SnowyDay

Member
Joined
Dec 5, 2016
Messages
68
I just picked up a SpeedStacks G4 timer and wanted to connect it to my laptop for scrambles, proper 15 second inspection time, logging scores.

I couldn't find any on-line timers that would do the 15 second inspection (not saying they don't exist lol). The "Block Keeper" program worked fine.

These are the three settings I used in options of Block Keeper (click gear wheel):
1. WCA inspection
2. Use mouse for timer
3. Use StackMat timer

Solving steps
1. Press your computer mouse button to trigger the 15 second WCA inspection
2. When15 seconds expires, drop cube put both hands on StackMat timer
3. Once Stackmat timer is ready (red & green LEDs illuminate steadily), remove hands and begin solving
4. After solving cube, drop cube, place hands on StackMat timer to lock in time.

Connecting StackMat timer to Laptop
0. Need a 2.5mm to 3.5mm adapter cable. typically both are TRS (tip-ring-sleeve that look like a typical headphone jack)
1. There is a good video from CyoTheKing
2. My laptop has a combined headphone-mic jack. That requires a 2.5mm TRS to 3.5mm TRRS cable (tip-ring-ring-sleeve).
 
Last edited:
M

Mano

Guest
I just found out a weird bug, whenever I click on something that brings a popup and I select text, If I close the popup with the escape key the window will close, but the main window won't "reactivate". There's a filter above it and I can't start the timer, or do anything, I have to reload the app

Screenshot 2018-12-09 at 19.23.24.png
 

Hazel

Premium Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2017
Messages
1,681
Location
in your walls :3
In the next Block Keeper update, could you add a button to show/hide the time list/stats like in csTimer? I want to be able to force myself not to look at my previous times and my current mean/etc while solving :)
Thanks!
 

Jozo_Berk

Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2018
Messages
8
Version 0.2.0 is now available!

blockkeeperrecorder.gif


- ADDED option to use webcam to video record solves, view and save them. (You can only view and save your most recent solve, no videos are saved permanently but you can manually save them, must be enabled in preferences)
- ADDED shortcut ‘Control + R’ to quickly view video of last solve
- ADDED import and export options for Block Keeper sessions and import csTimer sessions
- ADDED tools. Select from...
- Session Trend​
- Distribution​
- Event Trend​
- RESOLVED an issue where using escape to close preferences would leave everything disabled
- RESOLVED an issue where disabled select menus were usable while preferences menu was open
- CHANGED event names to better fit WCA names. This may cause duplicate events. To resolve this (if you can navigate and understand a JSON file), go into puzzles.json (locations stated in user guide http://dallasmcneil.com/projects/blockkeeper/guide) and rename all sessions named NxN to NxNxN (e.g "4x4" to "4x4x4", "3x3 BLD" to "3x3x3 BLD") and remove the other duplicate. Make sure Block Keeper is closed before doing this. If you have any difficulty or don't know how JSON works, send your JSON file to me at [email protected], and I'll resolve it a soon as I can. Apologies for the inconvenience
- POSSIBLE ISSUE where very rarely, sessions are not saved and are lost. Please backup regularly and do not force quit the application

If you see any visual glitches or issues, restart Block Keeper and it should be fixed. This is just a transitional issue due to the above mentioned name changes to events.

As I said early, I'll be away for a week and won't be working on Block Keeper. But I'm still looking for feedback. Thanks again for checking out Block keeper :)
Is there any way to copy paste scrambles? I want to be able to send my friends my best scrambles over text and I'm really loving the timer but i cannot copy paste scrambles. Much appreciated!
 

DalDal

Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2017
Messages
150
Location
Adelaide
WCA
2017MCNE01
If you click on a time, you will see a dialog where you can select and copy the scramble. You can also carefully select and copy the main displayed scramble although I admit it is finicky and could be improved.
 

StatzGFX

Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2019
Messages
3
Hey really love your program but just wondering if you can add in input times via typing so I can use the scramble on screen and my stackmat. My stackmat sometimes doesn't work with block keeper but still shows a time and works so it would be nice to have a back up option for typing. Thanks.
 

Elo13

Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2016
Messages
144
Location
Finland
WCA
2016ELOV01
YouTube
Visit Channel
Hey really love your program but just wondering if you can add in input times via typing so I can use the scramble on screen and my stackmat. My stackmat sometimes doesn't work with block keeper but still shows a time and works so it would be nice to have a back up option for typing. Thanks.

You can input times with ctrl+T (cmd+T on Mac)
 
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