Simple Brew Timer (working version!)

[Yuri_Rage]

1. Can you get the app to pop to the foreground on alarm?

2. You ought to put your mark (name) on this somewhere? Trackback to here?

3. Any way to make it (the beep) continuous for the 15 seconds?

1. Maybe. Java is notoriously and intentionally weak at forcing OS tasks.

2. Indeed. I just haven't gotten around to making an "About" button.

3. Turn your volume up. Check the "wait until I push the clear button" option, and the beep will go off every 1/2 second until you make it stop.

OR

Wait for the version where you can specify your own sound, and choose a really annoying one.

OR

There's enough interest in the feature, I can add a "crazy beeping" check box that will make the beep loop almost continuously rather than every 1/2 second.

On a different note:

Anybody try this on a Mac yet? I know XP, Vista, and Linux work (well, the sound SHOULD work in Linux, but my system is jacked).

 

[EdWort]

Can you add a reminder like this one every half hour?

 

[Redweasel]

This is nice and unobrusive. I like the fact you could use this for other applications than **gasp** just brewing.

 

[beerthirty]

I set as you suggested, only get one beep for each alert. set 2 alerts to zero get 2 beeps, set 4 to zero and get 4 beeps. using version 0.5 on XP machine.
+1 for "crazy beep" box

 

[Yuri_Rage]

Hmm...it should beep every 1/2 second for 15 seconds (or whatever you choose) or until you "clear" it if you have the "wait until I push the clear button" option selected. Do you happen to know what version of Java you're using?

 

[SavageSteve]

Anybody try this on a Mac yet? I know XP, Vista, and Linux work (well, the sound SHOULD work in Linux, but my system is jacked).

Just tried it on my Mac (OS X 10.5.4), and I get the following error:

Exception in thread "main" java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: javax/swing/GroupLayout$Group

-Steve

 

[Yuri_Rage]

Steve, thanks for trying it out! I'll work on a bug fix.

EDIT:
Steve, do you know what version of Java you're running? I'm developing it under Java 6 (1.6.0_06), so that may cause compatibility issues with previous versions. Try typing "java -version" into a terminal window/command line.

 

[beerthirty]

Hmm...it should beep every 1/2 second for 15 seconds (or whatever you choose) or until you "clear" it if you have the "wait until I push the clear button" option selected. Do you happen to know what version of Java you're using?

It took a few to find. version6 update7.

 

[SavageSteve]

Steve, thanks for trying it out! I'll work on a bug fix.

EDIT:
Steve, do you know what version of Java you're running? I'm developing it under Java 6 (1.6.0_06), so that may cause compatibility issues with previous versions. Try typing "java -version" into a terminal window/command line.

Here ya go:

java version "1.5.0_13"
Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build 1.5.0_13-b05-237)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.5.0_13-119, mixed mode, sharing)

-Steve

 

[Yuri_Rage]

Try upgrading to Java 6. In Linux I ran it under Java 5 (the one Steve is using), and I got the same error. Ultimately, it should be my responsibility to make a more robust program, but in the short term, it appears you need the latest JRE.

 

[SavageSteve]

I can try that on my Mac Pro, but Apple has so far only released Java 6 for 64-bit Intel Macs. All other Macs are stuck at 5.

-Steve

 

[Yuri_Rage]

Good to know. I'll see about backward compatibility.

 

[stevea1210]

Thanks for the work on this. It is awesome. And since it is in java, I can use it in Linux. I run ubuntu and am having two minor layout issues. The check boxes don't line up, and the top most and bottom most time boxes aren't wide enough for double digit times to be fully displayed. I am on ubuntu 7.10, with java build 1.6.0_03-b05. See screenie below for more info.

 

[Yuri_Rage]

I'll see if I can tweak the layout to be more friendly for all systems. I know it works well on Ubuntu 8.04 and Vista.

 

[Jester369]

Hi Yuri,

Just tried it with MacOSX 10.5.4. Once I set the Java prefs to default to Java SE 6 it started without the error that SavageSteve was getting. I set several alarms, and the first one did trigger the alert, although there was no sound. Subsequent alerts were not triggered.

Looks very cool, though, and I appreciate your efforts on this!

 

[IrregularPulse]

Ultimately, it should be my responsibility to make a more robust program, but in the short term, it appears you need the latest JRE.

it's not your "responisbilty" to make it work with everyone's setup. You're not selling this. It's your GENEROSITY to accommodate everyone's setup. Thanks for doing this for everyone here.

 

[Yuri_Rage]

No sweat. I walked away for a couple of days hoping to come back with some new inspiration for Java+Linux+sound. I'm not done with it by any stretch. Expect another few "releases" (so to speak) soon.

 

[McKBrew]

Great Timer Yuri. I've used it on two batches this weekend. Since I usually have the laptop out anyway to chat while I'm brewing, it's pretty handy.

 

[FSR402]

Man this thing looks great, one more reason for me to buy a brewing computer. <walks away to cry to wife>

 

[bosipipes]

will this or can this run on windows Mobile?

 

[Yuri_Rage]

If you have Java working on Windows Mobile, it should run just fine.

 

[Revvy]

So, I've lost track of this. Is there a final version?

 

[Yuri_Rage]

Nope. It just gathered some more attention lately.

 

[Brewiz]

can't get it to open on my antique with ME

 

[WBC]

Yuri,
It works great on Win XP Pro. I wish I could save it with my hop additions typed in ready for brewday like this........



You could then use several of the same timers saved as other names of your beers so that you make all the time and don't have to keep typing them all over again. You don't have to look up or remember what and how many hops are used in your various brews either.

 

[bull8042]

WHOA!!! I can't believe I have been missing this thread! *Subscribed*
What is the latest Yuri?
Oh, and thanks SO much for cross-platform compatibility. Nice to see something with Linux I can use while I brew. Now if Beer Smith was ported over to Linux, I would be ecstatic!

 

[Slappy White]

Simple but effective....thanks Yuri...was just what I needed.

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

btw- this timer is awesome for cooking as well as brewing. Just a public service announcement, I have found it invaluable for coordinating nicer meals with multiple things cooking at once.

 

[Howler]

Nice to see something with Linux I can use while I brew. Now if Beer Smith was ported over to Linux, I would be ecstatic!

, but have you tried to Wine Beer Smith? I don't have a copy of it (I think there is a demo..if I remember I'll try to get it running), but I've had pretty good success getting things running in linux with Wine (including World of Warcraft).


ok, well... maybe I should just first before I start posting? Beersmith Ubuntu

 

[Damonic]

Nice and simple... brilliant.

 

[WBC]

Is there anything that Yuri can't do? :rockin:

 

[Yuri_Rage]

The latest:

I haven't really done any tinkering with this in a while, but there are some feature requests that have a lot of merit. I've been unable to get the sound working on a Linux system, but that doesn't mean it won't work. So far as I can tell, that problem is more likely an issue with the Java installation itself than with my code.

Glad you guys are getting some use out of it!

 

[bull8042]

, but have you tried to Wine Beer Smith? I don't have a copy of it (I think there is a demo..if I remember I'll try to get it running), but I've had pretty good success getting things running in linux with Wine (including World of Warcraft).


ok, well... maybe I should just first before I start posting? Beersmith Ubuntu

I use VirtualBox with an XP Pro appliance, but it would be nice to have BS run as a native app so I don't have to jump through USB-mounting hoops. (Long story).
I am having a hard enough trying to get this timer to run on my box. Java can't seem to find the classes and is just basically pissed. I have java extension in firefox, but it either wants to save it or open it with something else.

 

[Yuri_Rage]

bull, it's not an applet. Run it from a command line using:
java -jar simpleTimer.jar

 

[Kelsch]

Yuri, is v0.5 the "latest and greatest?" I'm anxious to give this a shot this weekend. Thanks!

 

[bull8042]

bull, it's not an applet. Run it from a command line using:
java -jar simpleTimer.jar

Nah! My java is just not happy. It still complains about missing classes...
Exception in thread "main" java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: my.simpleTimer.simpleTimerUI at java.lang.Class.initializeClass (libgcj.so.81)
ad naseum....

I will have to play with it when I get home I guess.

 

[brewskibob]

I'm running it in ubuntu hardy heron and I don't get any sound. I'm in a few computer sci classes in school (using java) but I'm trying to learn python. If a verson of your program was written in python making calls to the os would be so easy. I still don't know jack about python, but I may tinker around with something like your program(as a learning experience) and see how hard it would be. Great program Yuri.

 

[bull8042]

Hey Yuri, what does your /etc/environment file look like?
I am wondering if I didn't get my JAVA_HOME in there right...

 

[Yuri_Rage]

bull, I only have the path set in /etc/environment, and there are no surprises there (pretty much every */bin directory is included, and there is nothing java specific). It looks like you might be running a non-Sun version of the JRE. Try upgrading to sun-java6-jre.

 

[bull8042]

bull, I only have the path set in /etc/environment, and there are no surprises there (pretty much every */bin directory is included, and there is nothing java specific). It looks like you might be running a non-Sun version of the JRE. Try upgrading to sun-java6-jre.

Well, I installed from the repositories. I am going download and compile the source code and see what happens.

OK Yuri, I got it! But only after:

sudo mkdir /usr/lib/java
sudo mv downloads/jre-6u7-linux-i586.bin /usr/lib/java/
sudo chmod 755 jre-6u7-linux-i586.bin
sudo ./jre-6u7-linux-i586.bin
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/java" "java" "/usr/lib/java/jre1.6.0_07/bin/java" 1
sudo update-alternatives --set java /usr/lib/java/jre1.6.0_07/bin/java

Ahhh, the fun in Linux. Gotta love it!
Thanks for the help and especially for the time you have spent developing the app.
GREAT JOB!