From kde-devel  Fri Nov 30 16:52:57 2001
From: Sean Pecor <sean () digitalspinner ! com>
Date: Fri, 30 Nov 2001 16:52:57 +0000
To: kde-devel
Subject: Time tracking applet prototype.
X-MARC-Message: https://marc.info/?l=kde-devel&m=100713907131878

Hey folks,

I've started work on a prototype applet I've tentatively labled "Kime", w=
hich=20
so far does the following:

1. Maintains a timer for each window (active and historical).

2. Active window's timer runs until another window receives focus; the ol=
d=20
active window's elapsed time is added to a historical total for that wind=
ow.

3. Retires a timer for a given window when that window's title changes (i=
=2Ee.,=20
from "Google.com" to "Someotherwebsite.com"), then registers a new timer =
for=20
the window's id.

4. Kicker panel contents shows the title of the current window, plus the=20
total elapsed time (current elapsed plus historical elapsed time). For=20
example, right now I see 3.4 minutes for "Time tracking applet prototype"=
 in=20
the applet panel.

5. Status button brings up a master list of all windows (active and=20
historical) with the time spent in each.

Along with general bells and whistles, my specific goals for the applet a=
re=20
the following:

1. Keep track of all tasks (windows) for the day. Note how much time is s=
pent=20
in each window (by monitoring window focus, other factors).

2. Support the assignment of each task to a registered activity (examples=
:=20
"System Administration", "Entertainment", "XYZ Company Web Site", "ABC, I=
nc.=20
Intranet", "General Programming", etc.).

3. Through default and user defined filters I'd like assignments to be=20
semi-automatically made. So, for example, a user could create a filter th=
at=20
would assign any window caption that contained "/mnt/sites/abcintranet.co=
m"=20
to a default assignment of the activity "ABC, Inc. Intranet". Something=20
comparable to Kmail's filter system although somewhat less complex.=20

OR:

3. In a time assignment dialog, each entry could be weighed against previ=
ous=20
assignments. A list of possible assignments would appear, ordered by how=20
closely the current caption matches previous captions. So, if I made a=20
previous assignment of "ABC, Inc. Intranet" to a caption=20
containing"/mnt/sites/abcintranet", then that might be the default assign=
ment=20
for a new time assignment entry with the caption=20
"/mnt/sites/abcintranet/file.html". Perhaps this feature in combination w=
ith=20
the first (3) would be the best thing.

4. Provide a time reporting function that can export to CSV, submit to a=20
Mysql database, etc., the time entries for a given time period.

Possible uses:

1. For me, a better way to track my time throughout the day. Also interes=
ting=20
to find out how much of my day/week/month is spent programming, designing=
,=20
emailing, etc. I'd like it to feed into my existing project management ap=
p.

2. Usability testing. Find out how much time is spent in setup, toolbars,=
=20
text windows, etc.=20

3. Productivity enhancement. Maybe if you see a report indicating you've=20
spent 10% of your work week goofing off at Entertainment sites, it can se=
rve=20
as a wake up call :).=20

Once I put more time into the prototype, draft a spec sheet, I'll post it=
 at=20
Sourceforge. Is anyone else interested in this type of project? I'm a fir=
st=20
time KDE developer, so I'd love some guidance, someone to point out / cor=
rect=20
bad programming mistakes :).

Sean.

--=20
Digital Spinner, Inc.
Cutting edge web design and applications development.
http://www.digitalspinner.com
Phone: 802.948.2020
Fax: 802.948.2749
 
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