time:calc - the timecode time calculator
By popular request, you no longer have to press the colon between hours, minutes, seconds etc. Click here to find out how to activate this feature and more about the V1.3 update.
For info on timecode and using frames, click here.
For info on the previous updates, click here.
time:calc lets you do calculations and conversions with time. I originally designed this app to help calculate the timings of TV shows, but I have since found many other great uses. For example converting the cryptic runtime details on the back of DVD covers, or ensuring the Sunday roast is not overdone (because the original cooking times were devised with the help of a bottle of wine).
Here's how it works.
The main screen in h:m:s mode - the Memory recall (Mr) key is highlighted to indicate there is a number in the memory
The h:m:s mode enables you to enter the time is hours, minutes and seconds. When you first start to type, the numbers are entered onto the screen in seconds (the little hint at the bottom of the screen helps you see where you are). Once you press the colon button, the number is moved into the minutes position, and typing continues.
Hints help you keep track of what part of the time you are entering
You aren't restricted to 60 seconds per minute, or 60 minutes per hour. You can type in any amount, press the equals button, and the correctly formatted time will be displayed ready for calculations to continue.
For example you might want to find out what 134 minutes and 212 seconds is. So you would type 132:212, then press equals, and the screen will now show... well there is no point in spoiling the ending... oh ok here is a screen shot:
You can type in any amount of hours, minutes and seconds, and pressing equals will convert it into proper time format
If you make a mistake while typing, you can press the delete key to delete the last digit entered, the 'C' key to delete the last complete number entered or 'AC' to clear the calculator ready for a new calculation.
AC clears the entire calculator (except the memory), C clears the current input and the delete key removes the last digit entered
The mode keys at the top will enable you to switch into other time representations. Pressing 'h' will take you into hours mode. Let's say you enter 0.5, you can now convert this to minutes by pressing 'm' or seconds by pressing 's'. You can go back and forth between different modes as much as you like (care should be taken as this can be quite exciting, and you don't want to get an RSI).
Conversion between different time representations is easy - and the hints help you see where you are
Calculations can be made in any mode, and you can freely switch between modes along the way. You can also put time into the memory which will also translate across all modes.
M+ adds to the memory, while M- subtracts from it. Mr recalls the memory and glows to indicate a value is stored. Mc clears the memory
You have the option to turn on or off the hints at the bottom of the screen. Just press the info button and make your selection.
Settings allow you can decide which hints you want to be shown
In this release I have added the two most popular feature requests: the ability to switch off the input of seconds and an around-the-clock mode that formats the result to time of day.
Here's how they work.
There are two new options in the settings menu labelled 'Seconds entry' and 'Around the clock'
time:calc now gives you the option to enter hours and minutes without the need to enter seconds. This is really useful if you are only worried about hours and whole minutes (for example job time sheets). It will still show seconds if your result needs it, but they are greyed out so you know you can ignore them.
To do this, go into settings and switch Seconds entry to off.
With Seconds entry off you only need to input hours:minutes. The seconds are still shown greyed out if the result of your calculation needs it
Around the clock mode, also switched on from the settings page, formats your calculation in 24hr time and indicates how many times your result goes past midnight. This is great for working out the real-time of events. For example, if you have a show that starts at 23:45 which runs for 32 minutes, then you can enter 23:45 + 32. With Around the clock mode switched off, the answer would be 24:17, but with Around the clock mode switched on the answer would be 00:17. This works with or without Seconds entry switched on.
When Around the clock mode is turned on a clock indicator is shown at the top of the screen. In this example 23:59 represents one-minute-to-midnight. Adding 3 minutes gives you 2-minutes-past-midnight. The clock indicator shows how many times you have gone passed midnight. So adding 24 hours will not change the result, but in this case increases the midnight counter to 2. This also works backwards.
time:calc has the ability to do calculations with timecode. You can use settings to configure the frame rates.
Here's how it works.
The timecode mode here shows one hour, 39 minutes, 18 seconds and 15 frames of video.
Timecode mode is turned on and configured from settings. When in timecode mode, seconds entry is automatically turned on.
When timecode is turned off, the blue text on the timecode line will say 'Off'. In this case timecode is on and in 59.94 frames per second non-drop-frame mode
Click the timecode line to switch into, or out of, the timecode mode
Timecode settings let you turn timecode on or off, and select the frame rate to work in. Selecting a new timecode, will convert any currently displaying result into the new timecode.
Conversion into and out of timecode mode is done on a realtime basis. So, 2 minutes and 22 seconds will be converted into 2 minutes, 22 seconds and 0 frames - in all frame rates. But, converting between timecodes is done in frames. For example 1 minute and 24 frames (in 25 fps mode) will convert into 2 minutes and 1 frame in 24 fps mode.
Most things stay the same when calculating, except the mode key now indicates that frames are being used and the actual frame rate is displayed in the screen.
The same short cuts still apply - typing a colon is a shot cut for entering zeros also. For example, you can type 1::: and time:calc will interpret it as 1:00:00:00.
Also you aren't restricted to 2 digits. If you are in 25fps mode and type 1:123 time:calc will interpret this as 1 second and 123 frames, and it will convert it into 0:00:05:23 automatically.
The mode key shows that Timecode mode is on by adding an 'f', and the actual frame rate is shown in the top right hand corner of the display
Two new features have been added in version 1.3. First, Auto colon is the ability to enter time without the need to press the colon button. The second is a more sensitive info button to give quicker access to settings (especially useful if you are switching frame rates often).
To turn on Auto colon enter the settings page from the info button at the top-left of the screen. Then, switch Auto colon to on
When Auto colon is on, the colon button turns into a double-zero button
More updates coming soon... happy calculating!
