Calculating Elapsed Time "Realtime"

[cmiller]

I would like to have a calculation that would could calculate elapsed time, so that when x number of minutes pass a conditional format would be applied. So far, the calculations that I have attempted do not keep up with realtime, they perform the elapsed time calculation based on dates and times already in a field.

Any help would be greatly appreciated..

Thanks

Chad

[comment]

calculate elapsed time

Elapsed since... ?

[cmiller]

The Calculation would be based on a Time Field.

[comment]

Try a condition of:

Get (CurrentTime) - YourTimeField > 60 * x

Note that the formatting will change only when the screen is refreshed.

[cmiller]

Thanks,

I've actually been using a similur calculation that has worked as you mentioned.

I was hoping there might be a way to apply my conditional formatting, without refreshing the screen. Wasnt sure if there was a plug in or some other way to check the time field against realtime, so that the formatting is applied automatically.

Thanks for your input, I do appreciate your time

[comment]

In version 10, you can install a script to run at a specified interval. In previous versions, you'd need a plugin - or you could run a looped script (though this would preclude any other use of the solution on that workstation). Another option is to use a web viewer running a Javascript.

[cmiller]

I have considered a looping script, however, this is an Active workstation, so it probablly wouldnt be the best option.

Any idea on how to best implement the webviewer to acheive this goal? That may be the way to go.

In addition, if you are familure with any specific plug in that could do this, I would certainly be willing to look into that as an option.

Thanks again for your time.

Edited May 12, 2010 by Guest

[comment]

I am afraid my Javascript skills are rather rudimentary. I'd start by searching the web for javascript countdown or egg timer, and adapt one of those. Or you could use an external site - see, for example:

http://www.clocklink.com/gallery.php?category=COUNT

As for plugins, see:

FMbutler DoScript:

http://myfmbutler.com/index.lasso?p=416

EventScript:

http://www.softs4humans.com/

There was also zippScript, but I don't know how you can get a copy today.

[cmiller]

Thanks for your suggestion and your time. I will research these options and see what I might be able to get going.

Chad

[comment]

I got curious about this myself. Unfortunately, all I could find seemed over-complicated, so I came up with my own:

EggTimer.zip

[cmiller]

Thats seems absolutely usable, I really appreciate it. However, I have not had much experience using the webviewer in conjuction with calculations. When the count down time expires, how could I reference that in a calculation, so that I could apply conditional formatting on a seperate field?

[comment]

I am afraid that's not going to work. You see, what happens inside the web viewer is a not an event in Filemaker. You don't need the web viewer in order to know the countdown has expired - you can calculate that directly from the difference between Get (CurrentTime) and StartTime. But still nothing is happening to cause a screen refresh. You can use web viewer here INSTEAD of the conditional formatting - not as a trigger for it.

[cmiller]

Thanks alot

You have been a tremendous help, and I really do appreciate your time. In fact, I can already see that I have a use of the countdown timer you provided.