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Show HN: Programmable timer web app (for gym workouts or stretching sessions) (timer.jotaen.net)

30 points by jotaen ↗ HN
Over the last couple of months, I’ve been building a timer web app for myself that I use for workout and stretching sessions. My main use-case is gym routines that consist of repeatable sequences, e.g. where you are holding certain positions for a set time (rinse and repeat). The app counts down the program, beeps, and reads the activities out loud.

Two things (I suppose) are special about it:

- The timers are “programmable”, so you can freely express your own routines and procedures in a declarative notation.

- The app is all static (no backend): the entire program is encoded in the URL and can be bookmarked or shared/transferred via QR-code.

You can check it out at https://timer.jotaen.net, optionally with a demo program pre-loaded: https://timer.jotaen.net/#demo.

Source code is at https://github.com/jotaen/timer. I’ve also written up a small behind-the-scenes on my blog: https://www.jotaen.net/SAKxq

9 comments

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r3trohack3r
My first reaction to this before clicking the link: why would anyone want a programmable timer?

After clicking the link and seeing the demo: man, I’ve always wanted a programmable timer.

This is awesome, can see myself using this for workouts and focus sessions. Thank you for sharing.

jotaen
I’m wondering whether anything could be done in terms of name/“tagline” to clarify this? (Or maybe this is just a peculiar niche?)
aquariusDue
Oh that's pretty cool! I also like how you can bookmark timers to save them and then keep a list of them for various activities/purposes.

Also when I saw the HN post I knew something was familiar and I remembered an old project of yours: x[it]!

From time to time I still think about that one. Are you still engaging with x[it] or have you moved on in a sense?

vibrio
Nice work! Love it.
redmoonx
I love the declarative syntax, and it makes me wonder if there is a use case for a timeline-based scripting language.

Functions, variables, data structures... Intervals (timers) as a first-class citizen - an actual keyword "timer"[1] that works like const or let.

Anyway, this is really cool.

[1] Where are my VB6 devs??

aitchnyu
Tested, browsed to another tab, switched to another app, turned off screen. Are there any limitations compared to a native app?

It needs an example of nested loop and skipping last item, with comments.

librasteve
nice work … would love to have this on my apul watch
gabrielsroka
Years ago, I wrote something similar but simpler and non-programmable using Pith (JS with Python-like syntax).

https://gabrielsroka.github.io/webpages/pith.html

  cancel = false
  editor.style.display = 'none'
  debug.hide()
  btn = button('Stop', 'cancel=true id=stopBtn')
  bar.html(btn)
  beep = new Audio('beep.mp3')
  lock = await navigator.wakeLock.request('screen')
  stopBtn.style.fontSize = runProgram.style.fontSize = results.style.fontSize = '72px'
  
  wus = 'roll shoulders,arm circles,arm hugs,knee raises,rotate torso,rotate hips'
  wus = wus.split(',')
  
  sets = 'march in place,squat,push up,standing bicycle crunch,stand and box,split squat,push up,plank,jumping jacks,wall sit,push up,standing side crunch'
  sets = sets.split(',')
  
  cools = 'walk,hands up,hands forward,hands back,right leg,left leg,right hams,left hams,balance'
  cools = cools.split(',')
  
  await countdown('check volume.', 5, true)
  
  for wu in wus
    await countdown(wu, 12)
  
  await countdown('first up ' + sets[0])
  
  for set in range(sets.length)
    msg = (set + 1) + '. ' + sets[set]
    await countdown(msg, 30, true)
    if set < sets.length - 1
      await countdown('next up: ' + sets[set + 1])
  
  for cool in cools
    await countdown(cool, 15)
  
  results.html('done')
  lock.release()
  editor.style.display = ''
  
  async def countdown(msg, secs=5, play)
    for s in range(secs)
      results.html(msg + '<br>' + (secs - s))
      if play && secs - s <= 3
        beep.play()
      if cancel
        break
      await sleep(1000)