Introducing qqTimer!

[Rubik's Exer]

qqTimer (http://mzrg.com/miniSites/scramblers/qqtimer.html) is a JavaScript timer I've been developing. I haven't tried to make this timer extra-pretty, just very functional - it does tons of things that most other online timers won't do, and doesn't require an account to use. I've put some effort into making it have a lot of features; here's a list:


- Use spacebar to start and stop the timer. The timer starts when you release spacebar and stops when you press it, so the time is very accurate.
- If you want, you can turn off timer updates, so that it will only show you the time when the timer stops.
- qqTimer allows you to optionally enter in times by keyboard.
- qqTimer has scrambles for pretty much everything I could think of (everything that was in the MegaScrambler plus a few more). Just select a scramble from the dropdown box. There are even some joke scrambles for fun If you change the scramble type, a proper scramble length will automatically be set.
- A new scramble will appear every time you enter in a time, reset the session, or change the type or length of the scramble.
- qqTimer has optimal 2x2 and pyraminx scrambles. It might take up to a few seconds for each scramble to generate, though.
- If you got a really good time and want to save the scramble, just click "last scramble" and it will be shown. Most timers won't do this.
- If the last time was a +2 or DNF, you can set that by clicking the buttons under the timer. To delete a time, just click on it.
- The timer will automatically calculate a session mean and average as well as the best averages of 5, 12, 100, and 1000 (although they will only appear if you have at least that many times submitted). Click on that time and the best average will be highlighted in yellow.
- It's very small - about 32KB at the moment.
- You can actually save the file (qqTimer.html) onto your computer, and then run it anytime you want! It will even run offline, as long as you have an internet browser on your computer.


Well, there you have it. In short, it's a highly functional timer that will run offline and that can generate more types of scrambles than anything else. At the very least, I think it's worth checking out

Ha cool when I figure out how to make the timer show up and the space bar thing part I am going to make my own.

 

[bwatkins]

I Love the "inspection" and "timer updating" options! Its shaped up nicely from the very first version

 

[PeterV]

Using 2x2x2 (optimal random state) I noticed that after stopping the timer, my times would jump up at least to 0.01, sometimes as much as 0.04. After playing with it a bit, it seems to be random as to how much time it adds.

Great timer, though. I can see myself switching to this one.

Edit: It has the same problem when using times displaying 1/100 sec.

 

[qqwref]

Using 2x2x2 (optimal random state) I noticed that after stopping the timer, my times would jump up at least to 0.01, sometimes as much as 0.04. After playing with it a bit, it seems to be random as to how much time it adds.

Great timer, though. I can see myself switching to this one.

Edit: It has the same problem when using times displaying 1/100 sec.

I think I've said this before in the topic, but I'm pretty sure this is an updating issue with the browser. If you look at the code (in the stopTimer function) the timer figures out the time before it generates the scramble, so no matter how computationally-intensive the scramble is, it will have no effect on the actual time recorded.

What I think happens is that, since as soon as the final time is printed the scramble starts being computed, the browser waits for that computation to finish and then displays the final time as well as the new scramble, rather than displaying everything in the order that it appears. It's kind of similar to the effect of seeing a StackMat display stop a bit after the solver stops the timer - the timer itself has no problem, and the lag comes from the thing that actually displays the time.

 

[PeterV]

Using 2x2x2 (optimal random state) I noticed that after stopping the timer, my times would jump up at least to 0.01, sometimes as much as 0.04. After playing with it a bit, it seems to be random as to how much time it adds.

Great timer, though. I can see myself switching to this one.

Edit: It has the same problem when using times displaying 1/100 sec.

I think I've said this before in the topic, but I'm pretty sure this is an updating issue with the browser. If you look at the code (in the stopTimer function) the timer figures out the time before it generates the scramble, so no matter how computationally-intensive the scramble is, it will have no effect on the actual time recorded.

What I think happens is that, since as soon as the final time is printed the scramble starts being computed, the browser waits for that computation to finish and then displays the final time as well as the new scramble, rather than displaying everything in the order that it appears. It's kind of similar to the effect of seeing a StackMat display stop a bit after the solver stops the timer - the timer itself has no problem, and the lag comes from the thing that actually displays the time.

It may also be that I was using Netscape Navigator when using the timer (don't ask why ). Now that I'm using Internet Explorer, there doesn't seem to be a problem.

Again, great job on this.

 

[Cride5]

Hi qq, nice timer

Is there any chance you could add a standard deviation calculation to the stats (absolute and percentage of avg)?

 

[Forte]

I was hoping for something EXACTLY LIKE THIS!
Now I don't have to have both Cubetimer and the WCA page open and flip back and forth! Also, my Bandaged Square-1 scrambles usually took me about three minutes because I didn't have scrambles for them, but now I do!

Just a question, which metric for Square-1 does the WCA use, and what are the benefits of using either one?

 

[KJiptner]

This timer is by far the best html-based I know. I especially like it because it works awesome on my mobile phone (Nokia E90) . Thanks, Michael.

 

[dbax0999]

Thank you Michael! With this timer (and my new cube) I got my first sub-20 average.

 

[piemaster]

I love the LOL scrambles.

 

[qqwref]

Is there any chance you could add a standard deviation calculation to the stats (absolute and percentage of avg)?

I'll try. I can't think of a good place to put the SD at the moment, though.

Just a question, which metric for Square-1 does the WCA use, and what are the benefits of using either one?

The WCA uses the turn metric. I think the twist metric makes more sense from a mathematical standpoint (for the Square-1, anyway) but turn metric leads to (slightly) better scrambles since the middle layer is not in the same position every time.


Thanks for the compliments everyone, I'm glad you guys like it

 

[daniel0731ex]

i have brilliant idea of how to start the timer!

you could only start the timer when you press the spacebar and the left mouse button at the same time~

 

[guitardude7241]

i have brilliant idea of how to start the timer!

you could only start the timer when you press the spacebar and the left mouse button at the same time~

Why not the "0" key on the keypad and the spacebar at the same time?

 

[daniel0731ex]

i have brilliant idea of how to start the timer!

you could only start the timer when you press the spacebar and the left mouse button at the same time~

Why not the "0" key on the keypad and the spacebar at the same time?

because that wont work for (some) laptops

 

[qqwref]

i have brilliant idea of how to start the timer!

you could only start the timer when you press the spacebar and the left mouse button at the same time~

No thanks. This is just silly, and you can do that with one hand anyway - if you want to emulate a StackMat you have to use keys that are so far apart that it's impossible to start it with one hand. (Or you could just get a StackMat yourself, which is what I'd suggest.)

 

[miniGOINGS]

i have brilliant idea of how to start the timer!

you could only start the timer when you press the spacebar and the left mouse button at the same time~

No thanks. This is just silly, and you can do that with one hand anyway - if you want to emulate a StackMat you have to use keys that are so far apart that it's impossible to start it with one hand. (Or you could just get a StackMat yourself, which is what I'd suggest.)

The `/~ key and the =/+ key. How does that work for you?

 

[daniel0731ex]

i have brilliant idea of how to start the timer!

you could only start the timer when you press the spacebar and the left mouse button at the same time~

No thanks. This is just silly, and you can do that with one hand anyway - if you want to emulate a StackMat you have to use keys that are so far apart that it's impossible to start it with one hand. (Or you could just get a StackMat yourself, which is what I'd suggest.)

The `/~ key and the =/+ key. How does that work for you?

too small, and Franz Liszt could touch them it with ease

 

[jtjogobonito]

The `/~ key and the =/+ key. How does that work for you?

too small, and Franz Liszt could touch them it with ease

John Tamanas, too.

 

[darthyody]

I REALLY like the timer and will probably only use it from now on since it's such a small file and I can run it offline. (though I haven't done so yet) Anyway, if it isn't too hard to implement, I'd like to request a feature; A PLL and/or OLL scrambler to practice last layer algs. I got the idea from the specialty Roux scrambler that is included. I know I would use it and there are probably quite a few others that would too. I know you've put a lot of work into already so if I sound like a greedy little kid, just ignore me. Anyway, thanks for a great timer.

 

[masterofthebass]

The problem with a LL scrambler, is that you have to have a list of algorithms to look up to scramble, as you can't randomly generate an algorithm to scramble the LL only. I'm pretty sure michael already decided against this.