Prisma Puzzle Timer

[demma]

Great news, Walter.
Wainting for the next release!

 

[Xishem]

I would also like to suggest that for large cubes use notations that double layer moves are only on F and U because a Bw and Dw is annoying. Idk if that is possible but it would be nice

I would prefer that all scrambles are only composed of U and U'.

Thank you.

 

[tim]

Writing the code for this feature is not hard, but I need a format that can be easily imported by Excel, R, etc.. Any suggestion?

YAML and JSON are pretty awesome formats . And in order to support Excel, i'd just throw out some CSV.

 

[Eric79]

The history (times, scrambles, etc.) are stored in "puzzletimer.h2.db". Have you moved "PrismaPuzzleTimer0.4.jar" and left "puzzletimer.h2.db" behind?

Just out of curiousity: When I backup this file somewhere and I deinstall Prisma Timer and install a new one (run a new one) and just put the "old" *.db file in place of the new one, my history should be back there?

Writing the code for this feature is not hard, but I need a format that can be easily imported by Excel, R, etc.. Any suggestion?

Sure: Since on Cubemania it is possible to "Get your times in CSV format!" I would suggest the same: Exporting Datat in a CSV in the same way (dividing of the data) as cubemania does it. This way it also should be easier to import data from "each other". Talking of that, did you already get in contact with the "owners" of cubemania regarding that?

Oh, before I forget about it: Recently I tried to "copy" (as you told me by marking the times and pushing control+c key) times from 2x2 and insert it with teh "insert solution" function - it did not work. Format seems to be different. So I suggest that you change the "import" or "insert solution" function so it is the same what one gets when exporting data with the export function that you are going to implement.

As said before - I think it's a good idea to talk to the cubemania guys about it so people have the freedom to exchange data without troubles.

 

[tim]

Sure: Since on Cubemania it is possible to "Get your times in CSV format!" I would suggest the same: Exporting Datat in a CSV in the same way (dividing of the data) as cubemania does it. This way it also should be easier to import data from "each other". Talking of that, did you already get in contact with the "owners" of cubemania regarding that?

That's me . I don't like CSV at all, since it has no explicit semantics (just a bunch of values). It's definitely not useful for exchanging data.

It would be awesome if we came up with some kind of "cubing standard" for exchanging solves.
Just a quick draft of what i have in mind (JSON):

[
    {
        "puzzle": "3x3x3",
        "scramble": "D2 F2 L2",
        "time": 1032
    },
    {
        "puzzle": "4x4x4",
        "scramble": "Dw2 Uw2",
        "time": 12012,
        "penalty": "+2"
    },
    {
        "puzzle": "magic",
        "time": 12012,
        "penalty": "dnf",
        "comment": "I hate that F***ING magic..."
    }
]

I left out the date attribute for simplicity's sake.

/edit: A button named "Sync with Cubemania" would be even more awesome, i guess.

 

[Ethan_Dale]

hey Great timer, i have one problem though when i'm timing square one solves and i start the timer instead of starting timing the timer just saves a random time with only one press of the spacebar. this only happens on square one would insalling a more recient edition help?

 

[Eric79]

Servus Tim, schön das du dich hier meldest - wenn du dich nicht hier oder er sich nicht bei dir gemeldet hätte, hätt ich mich wohl zwecks Vermittlung mal mit dir in Verbindung gesetzt. Grüße aus Speyer nach Karlsruhe

So just out of curiousity: If CSV is so bad, why was it the chosen format for cubemania? Well, actually I don't care about the file format as long as the times can be im-/exported on each of the two timers - which was the reason why I suggested it in the first place ;-) .

 

[tim]

So just out of curiousity: If CSV is so bad, why was it the chosen format for cubemania?

CSV isn't bad in general. The only purpose of cubemania's export was to "support" Excel and AFAIK CSV is still the best way to do so.
But for exchanging data, there are nicer solutions.

 

[Eric79]

So, I'd say you guys work something out now that I gave you the momentum. Interchangable data would be just awesome. And if Prisma and Cubemania start with it, others will follow.

 

[Eric79]

Ohh... one thing I forgot before:

It happens very often, that for example I finish one day of cubing with 2x2 and 3 days later I go on with 3x3 and after a hundret solves I eventually recognize that I forgot to change the puzzle... that is SO annoying. Would it be possbile to not only have the puzzle type in the title bar of the window but also... like... above/below the scramble or time in real big, bold letters/numbers? Or, something like "3x3x3: U' R2 U2 F2 D B2 U F2 R2 D2 U' F L2 F' R' U2 B D B' F' L' U" or like in a gray colour all over the background of the timer? This would really help (probalby not only me) to recognize from the start in which puzzle"mode" we are.

 

[M4rQu5]

Put in a possibility to change scramble orientation. It would help a bit, since I always scramble with yellow on top.
(It's not the same if I just change the colors!)

 

[Eric79]

Put in a possibility to change scramble orientation. It would help a bit, since I always scramble with yellow on top.
(It's not the same if I just change the colors!)

Just change the colour scheme in the timer and you are good.

 

[Tall5001]

Ohh... one thing I forgot before:

It happens very often, that for example I finish one day of cubing with 2x2 and 3 days later I go on with 3x3 and after a hundret solves I eventually recognize that I forgot to change the puzzle... that is SO annoying. Would it be possbile to not only have the puzzle type in the title bar of the window but also... like... above/below the scramble or time in real big, bold letters/numbers? Or, something like "3x3x3: U' R2 U2 F2 D B2 U F2 R2 D2 U' F L2 F' R' U2 B D B' F' L' U" or like in a gray colour all over the background of the timer? This would really help (probalby not only me) to recognize from the start in which puzzle"mode" we are.

Well if you think about it and actually use the scrambles then you dont need to worry about it 2x2 is only 10 letters were 3x3 is 22ish so if you use the provided scrambles it shouldnt be a probelm

 

[Eric79]

Well if you think about it and actually use the scrambles then you dont need to worry about it 2x2 is only 10 letters were 3x3 is 22ish so if you use the provided scrambles it shouldnt be a probelm

Sure, you're right - examples weren't picked good. So say 3x3 OH, 3x3BLD, 3x3 feet and normal 3x3 - same scramble lenght... But either way, it would just be a handy thing to have.

 

[Tall5001]

Sure, you're right - examples weren't picked good. So say 3x3 OH, 3x3BLD, 3x3 feet and normal 3x3 - same scramble lenght... But either way, it would just be a handy thing to have.

Yeah but i think it would be annoying to have at the top of the screen

 

[iEnjoyCubing]

Looks awesome, I'm downloading it now

 

[THE PUNISHER]

It's Realy good.... But I always use qqtimer....
Thank alot

 

[MaeLSTRoM]

I would like to request something.
Sometimes, when using this, as I put the ube down & stop the timer, sometimes it knocks another key, causing one of the shortcuts to be triggered and my time to be lost, So could it be possible that while the timer is running, the shortcuts are disabled?

 

[OmeGa15]

Thank you very much, this timer is amazing!

I just have a few suggestions though:

1. Being able to choose a different GUI or maybe a different layout (specially a dark one) would be nice.
2. Definitely showing just seconds for inspection.
3. Being able to change the font size (time).
4. Highlighting the last move of the scramble.
5. Having profiles would be nice, but not that important, I think.
6. And also I think the Histogram and the Graph could be a little more pleasing, I mean they're colorless.

Well, that's all I can think of now. Thanks again.

 

[JLarsen]

Are you doing crazy fast times (like, under 0.3s)?

No sir. I'm doing times around the 1-2 second range. It seems to only happen when I reset the timer immediately after putting in a time because there is a delay time between the stackmat and the timer. If I wait a bit, (sometimes 5 or more seconds), the timer eventually syncs up to the stackmat, and the time is entered normally.