Chimes Information
About The Chimes Utilities
The Chimes Utilities are a suite of applescripts.
- "Ring My Chimes" A tool for keeping you and your duties on a regular schedule. Configure it with up to twelve (12) tasks per hour. Each can take the form of an applescript, an application, or a URL. At the top and the bottom of the hour, you will also be reminded of the correct time. The application comes with a set of scripts that are helpful for the typical user;
- "Wisdom" Keep your heart and you mind nourished with quotations that inspire and teach. Wisdom displays a random saying from your own saved list each time it is run. Comes with a large collection of Bible verses.
- "Shuffletune" Have you ever wanted to play just a single tune from "iTunes" with no repeats? The "Shuffletune" utility grabs a random song from your "Party Shuffle" iTunes playlist, plays it, then turns off. Simple.
- "Trashday" Keep your computer clean and uncluttered. Trashday checks your trash, displays its contents and prompts you to empty it.
Installation: Both the scripts and the prefs file "Chimes-Prefs.txt" need to reside in the same folder. That folder could be, for example the "Scripts" folder that is found at ".../user_name/Library/Scripts/" on your Macintosh computer (running OS X). If you will configure it to call another script, that script must reside in the same folder as well. You may want to make Ring My Chimes a "log-in" item (see System Preferences).
Configuration: All configuration is done with the prefs file called "Chimes-Prefs.txt", the first twelve lines of which will look something like this:
00:Wisdom.scpt
05:Trashday.scpt
10:Shuffletune.scpt
15:Mail
20:Shuffletune.scpt
25:http://homepage.mac.com/hhbv/DeborahWeb/privatefolder/Feedback.html
30:Wisdom.scpt
35:None
40:Shuffletune.scpt
45:iCal
50:Shuffletune.scpt
55:None
Overview: The 12 lines above contain references to 12 hourly tasks that "Ring My Chimes" will perform at exact 5 minute intervals; on the hour ("00"), at five minutes past the hour ("05"), at ten minutes past the hour ("10"), at quarter past the hour ("15"), and so on. There needs to be exactly twelve lines above, beginning with "00:" and continuing to "55:". You can edit the tasks, but you cannot edit the times they will be performed.
Editing the tasks: If you want no task to be accomplished for a particular time slot, use "None" after the colon. Otherwise, each reference after the colon should be either the name of a script, an application program or a URL such as a web link. This preference file (Chimes-Prefs.txt) must reside in the same folder as "Ring My Chimes". Spelling is important. If you misspell the name of the task, it will result in an error.
About scripts: If a reference is a script, then it must have the suffix ".scpt". If the reference is a script that is saved as an application, then it must have the suffix ".app". Both scripts and scripted applications must reside in the same folder as "Ring My Chimes".
About regular applications: References to regular applications do not need a suffix. Ring My Chimes will find and open regular applications automatically. However, the only thing Ring My Chimes can do with a regular application (generically) is to "activate" it in its current state. If you want the application to do anything (such as open a new window), then it would be better to write a script that Ring My Chimes can "call" according to the schedule you set. If you need help creating a script, even one with considerable complexity, please contact me. A small archive of useful scripts can be found on my website. See http://homepage.mac.com/hhbv/DeborahWeb/privatefolder/index.html
Custom packages are available. My fee for custom work is $100 per hour with a minimum of $250. Many projects can be probably done for the minimum.
Support: More information can be found at: http://homepage.mac.com/hhbv/DeborahWeb/privatefolder/index.html. For comments, suggestions, questions, and support, contact Hudson Barton