                                µTimer  0.4
                                -----------


Description
-----------

µTimer (or commonly written "utimer", but pronounced "micro-timer") is a
multifunction timer (command-line only).
It provides:
 - a timer (e.g. count from 0 to 4 minutes and 20 seconds),
 - a countdown (e.g. count from 1 hour and 10 minutes down to 0),
 - a stopwatch (count from 0 til it is stopped).

Version Information
-------------------

Version:  0.4

Homepage / Download
-------------------

Homepage  :   http://utimer.codealpha.net
Launchpad Page  :   https://launchpad.net/utimer
Bug reports :   https://bugs.launchpad.net/utimer

To download other releases of µTimer, use one of these download locations:
  - https://launchpad.net/utimer/+download
  - http://utimer.codealpha.net/files/

Requirements
------------

To build µTimer, you need the following software:
    Glib (>= 2.18.2)
    intltool (>= 0.40.5)
    Autotools

gtester (from Glib) is necessary to run tests.

Installation
------------

Please read the INSTALL file in this package to know more about how to install
this software.

An easy way is:
  $ ./configure
  $ make
  $ make install
Note that you may need to run "make install" as the root (or administrator)
user (or use `sudo make install' for Debian or Ubuntu).

If the `./configure' fails:
 Try running `./autogen.sh' first, then try again with the commands above.

Note that you can also run tests using:
  $ make test

Bugs Report
-----------
If you wish to submit a bug report about µTimer, please use Launchpad:
  https://bugs.launchpad.net/utimer
If you really can't use Launchpad, send an email with DETAILED instructions on
the bug to: bugs@utimer.codealpha.net

Ideas / Contributing
--------------------

To contribute to µTimer, you have to create what we call a blueprint using
Launchpad, at this address: https://blueprints.launchpad.net/utimer
Just fill the form with your idea or contribution and if we think this is a good
idea and that is well adapted to µTimer, we'll try to implement it or put it 
into the source code.

Usage
-----

(See the man page for more information.)

Timer:
  
  The timer mode will reach the given time length and then exits.
  
  For the timer, you have to use the --timer (or -t) option. This option requires a time
  length to be given, like this:

    utimer --timer 1h30m45s300ms

  The time length is composed of pairs of a value and a suffix, it can be in any
  order.
  The known suffixes are:

    d: days
    h: hours
    m: minutes
    s: seconds
    ms: milliseconds

  The value must be a positive integer and can be null.
  Here's a few examples of valid time lengths:

    10s300ms
    400ms
    2d
    15m1h
    0s0d87h451ms
    0ms
  
  You can also use the timer in scripts, like this for example (in bash):
  
    utimer -t 10m && wget "http://www.mywebsite.com/myscript"
    utimer -t 1d5h38m && reboot
  
  Or you try this command (in bash):
  
    echo -n Hi && utimer -qt 900ms && echo -e "\rHello" && utimer -qt 900ms

Countdown:
  
  The countdown starts counting from the given time length down to 0, and then
  exits.
  
  The countdown mode works almost the same as the timer (see above), except you
  have to use the --countdown (or -c) option.
  
  For example:
  
    utimer --countdown 1m30s
  
Stopwatch:
  
  The stopwatch starts counting from 0 and keeps counting until it is stopped
  (like un infinite timer).
  
  To start the stopwatch, you have to use the --stopwatch (or -s) option:
  
    utimer --stopwatch

Copyright
---------

Copyright 2008, 2009  Arnaud Soyez <weboide@codealpha.net>

License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.
There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

For more information, please read the COPYING file and AUTHORS file.

