Use this command to install Hourglass with WinGet:
winget install --id=i2van.hourglass -e
Hourglass is a countdown timer designed for Windows users seeking precise time management with enhanced flexibility. Offering a command-line interface, customizable timers, and support for multiple simultaneous timers, Hourglass provides robust functionality tailored to user needs.
Key Features:
Command-line interface with options to pause, resume, and customize timer behavior.
Digital clock display format for clear time visualization.
Multi-timer support allowing users to manage several countdowns simultaneously.
Notification area icon with status indicators (e.g., paused, expired) and hotkeys for quick access.
UI enhancements including accent color themes and jump list support for improved user experience.
Ideal for students, professionals, or anyone needing reliable time management tools, Hourglass helps users stay organized and focused by providing customizable countdown reminders. It can be installed via winget, ensuring seamless integration into Windows environments.
README
Hourglass
This project is the modified simple countdown timer for Windows. The changes were made to the original Hourglass can be found here. The latest Hourglass installer or portable distribution can be downloaded here.
To run script as an Administrator press Win+X and select the Windows PowerShell (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin). Copy script full path to the console opened and execute one of the following:
Generate the Hourglass native image and its dependencies and install in the native image cache:
ngen-Hourglass.bat install
Delete the native images of the Hourglass and its dependencies from the native image cache:
The Command-line usage dialog can be accessed from the About dialog and vice versa.
The Command-line usage dialog supports incremental search with match highlighting: press /, Ctrl+F or F3 to open the search bar, Enter/F3 and Shift+Enter/Shift+F3 to navigate matches, Escape to close.
All the timer windows are arranged by the time left. The order is new, expired, paused, running. Timers can be ordered by the title first using --order-by-title, -ot, /ot command-line option or by the checking Advanced options / Order timers by title first then by time left timer window context menu option.
The red circle is shown over the notification area icon if at least one timer is expired.
The pause sign is shown over the notification area icon if at least one timer is paused.
The digits from 0 to 9 are the hotkeys for the timer windows in the notification area icon context menu.
The Double Click shows/hides all the timer windows.
The Ctrl+Click creates a new timer window.
The Shift+Click shows the first timer window.
The Shift+Middle Click shows the recently opened timer windo w.
The Middle Click or Shift+Right Click opens the timer window options menu.
The Pause all menu command pauses all the running timer windows.
The Resume all menu command resumes all the paused timer windows.
The Options menu command opens the timer window options menu. The shortcut is the Middle Click or Shift+Right Click on the notification area icon.
The Silent mode disables all the timer windows notifications. It is not preserved between runs.
The Exit menu command prompts for closing all the running timer windows if the Prompt on close option is set.
⏺⏸⏹⏏🔁 symbols are used for the New, Paused, Stopped, Expired, Looped.
Timer Windows
Keyboard Shortcuts
The Esc shortcut minimizes the timer window.
The F11 shortcut makes the timer window full screen and back.
The Ctrl+N shortcut creates a new timer window.
The F2 shortcut edits the timer window title; holding Shift removes selection.
The F4 shortcut edits the timer window time; holding Shift removes selection.
The F5 shortcut edits the timer window time's minutes; holding Shift removes selection.
The F6 shortcut edits the timer window time's seconds; holding Shift removes selection.
The F7 shortcut edits the timer window time's hours; holding Shift removes selection.
Context Menu
All the timer window commands are available in the timer window context menu.
The shortcuts are displayed in the timer window context menu.
The Window title submenu is available directly from the timer window context menu.
The Reset position and size menu command sets the timer window default position and size.
The Restore, Minimize and Maximize timer window commands are always present in the timer window context menu.
The Advanced options / Display time in the digital clock format timer window context menu option toggles the displayed time digital clock time format. The command-line option is --digital-clock-time, -c, /c
The Advanced options / Show trigger time timer window context menu option shows the trigger time in the timer window and in the notification area context menu. The command-line option is --show-trigger-time, -st, /st
The Advanced options / Activate next window when minimized or closed timer window context menu option enables the next timer window activation when the current timer window is minimized or closed. The command-line option is --activate-next, -an, /an
The Advanced options / Order timers by title first then by time left timer window context menu option orders the timers by the title first then by the time left. The command-line option is --order-by-title, -ot, /ot
The Advanced options / Save timer on closing timer window context menu option enables timer window save on closing. The command-line option is --save-timer-on-closing, -sc, /sc
The Advanced options / Open settings file location timer window context menu command opens the settings file location in Windows Explorer.
The Pause all timer window context menu command pauses all the running timers. Command-line command is pause
The Resume all timer window context menu command resumes all the paused timers. Command-line command is resume
The Pause after each loop timer window context menu command pauses the loop timer when it expires. Command-line command is --pause-after-loop-timer, -pl, /pl
The Minimize when expired timer window context menu command minimizes the timer window when the timer expires. Command-line option is --minimize-when-expired, -em, /em
Other
All the timer windows are arranged by the time left. The order of the timer windows is new, expired, paused, running.
The minimum timer window size is limited by the Windows only.
The timer tooltip is shown if the timer window size is too small.
The progress bar changes direction to vertical when the height is more than the width and vice versa.
When the timer window is minimized or closed the next visible non-minimized timer window is activated.
The until-date timer is controlled the same way as the countdown timer.
The time left is now used for editing instead of the original launch time.
The timer window pops up on the current virtual desktop.
The mouse double-click on progress border toggles full screen.
The sound file can be placed to the %LOCALAPPDATA%\Hourglass, %LOCALAPPDATA%\Hourglass\Sounds, %APPDATA%\Hourglass or %APPDATA%\Hourglass\Sounds directories. It can be the symbolic link created by the mklink system command.
