PokerChrono Poker Tournament Timer

[Vancer]

Originally Posted by Gardoon

Thanks for that note. I'm pretty sure that has to do with the current solution I'm using to keep the screen on. When I post the new build tonight (probably around 10p EST), please let me know if you still see that. This thing definitely shouldn't be using that much memory At a minimum, I will bring memory close to original levels after closing.

I actually killed my original emulator while trying to play with the power settings last night. Luckily it only takes a few minutes to make a new one, but dealing with the power is a real pain I am 90% sure that if you let it go to sleep, it will not beep at the end of rounds. I'm not sure if it will stop counting down though.

Also, can you tell me if the app is closed (not just minimized) when you're still seeing the extra memory usage?

NP ... if you'll kill the always on and re-up that I'll play around with it today while you're working on the other stuff

[Ciege]

OK, got a chance to look at it. Here are my thoughts...

1) Start/Stop button would be preferred over the entire screen being a start stop. I can see people reaching for the phone to see current time (or whatever) and accidentally hitting the screen to stop the round.

2) Vancer asked for this "The app needs to stop at the expiration of a round due to being in the middle of a hand". In true tournament play, there is no stopping the timer at any time even if a hand is underway. If you want to implement this I would request having a config option to turn this on or off.

3) Definitely need to be able to change/save the blind schedule.

4) Feature suggestion - At the end of a round may also make the screen toggle colors (ie black to white) since I can envision the timer sound not being heard in a loud room.

5) Feature suggestion - Add ability to set and show antes.

6) Feature suggestion - Add a display for what the next rounds Big/Little/Ante is going to be.

All in all it is a great start!

[Gardoon]

Originally Posted by Ciege

OK, got a chance to look at it. Here are my thoughts...

1) Start/Stop button would be preferred over the entire screen being a start stop. I can see people reaching for the phone to see current time (or whatever) and accidentally hitting the screen to stop the round.

2) Vancer asked for this "The app needs to stop at the expiration of a round due to being in the middle of a hand". In true tournament play, there is no stopping the timer at any time even if a hand is underway. If you want to implement this I would request having a config option to turn this on or off.

3) Definitely need to be able to change/save the blind schedule.

4) Feature suggestion - At the end of a round may also make the screen toggle colors (ie black to white) since I can envision the timer sound not being heard in a loud room.

5) Feature suggestion - Add ability to set and show antes.

6) Feature suggestion - Add a display for what the next rounds Big/Little/Ante is going to be.

All in all it is a great start!

1 - I don't want a button if I can avoid it. I think that looks too kludgy. Would you be happy with touching the main time as a start/stop? That should avoid accidental presses, allow for screen press, and prevent having an ugly box.

2 - It is in there as an option and is set to be off by default.

3 - See previous posts You can edit the blind schedule in Program Files\PokerChrono\Blinds.xml. It's likely much easier to modify on your PC for the time being. If you do change these, back them up as they may be wiped out on future installs for now. In the future I'll try to make it more intelligent so that it won't over-write if the file already exists, but for now I may yet change the structure of the file, so I will continue to stomp any changes with new installations.

4 - I like that idea. I'll do that. Keep in mind that it won't do much good once the screen turns off, but for those that leave it on, it'll be very helpful.

5 - It's already there. Set the Ante for the round to anything greater than 0 and it'll show up. I just hide it when it's 0 for the round.

6 - I'm trying to keep a simple UI, but I do think that is helpful, so I will look into how I can add it without making it too cluttered.


I notice a lot of timers keep a total time ticker. Does anyone want this? Again, I'm trying to keep the UI as clean as possible, so I'm not really a big fan of including it. But if you guys want it, I'll add it.

Thanks for the input!

[Ciege]

Originally Posted by Gardoon

1 - I don't want a button if I can avoid it. I think that looks too kludgy. Would you be happy with touching the main time as a start/stop? That should avoid accidental presses, allow for screen press, and prevent having an ugly box.

2 - It is in there as an option and is set to be off by default.

3 - See previous posts You can edit the blind schedule in Program Files\PokerChrono\Blinds.xml. It's likely much easier to modify on your PC for the time being. If you do change these, back them up as they may be wiped out on future installs for now. In the future I'll try to make it more intelligent so that it won't over-write if the file already exists, but for now I may yet change the structure of the file, so I will continue to stomp any changes with new installations.

4 - I like that idea. I'll do that. Keep in mind that it won't do much good once the screen turns off, but for those that leave it on, it'll be very helpful.

5 - It's already there. Set the Ante for the round to anything greater than 0 and it'll show up. I just hide it when it's 0 for the round.

6 - I'm trying to keep a simple UI, but I do think that is helpful, so I will look into how I can add it without making it too cluttered.


I notice a lot of timers keep a total time ticker. Does anyone want this? Again, I'm trying to keep the UI as clean as possible, so I'm not really a big fan of including it. But if you guys want it, I'll add it.

Thanks for the input!

1) No worries. If it is just the time that is clickable then so be it. Although I do like a red/green start/stop button myself.

2) Good deal.

3) You caught me... I didn't read the whole thread thoroughly enough. Shame on me!

4) I understand about the screen turning off. But if it is on would be kind of nice to try and get your attention any way possible.

5) OK. I'll check that out.

6) I still like this idea and would push to have it.

As for a total elapsed time timer. I could take it or leave it. Only real benefit I can see is at the end of the night saying "wow, we played for XXX hours and minutes!".

Another feature request 1 - Allow us to select a WAV or MP3 to be played at the end of a round.

Another feature request 2 - This is very low priority (and probably not even valid) but picture the scenario. multiple people with your app installed and they all share the config file for blinds and times etc... The main person running the app gets knocked out early in the night and wants to leave. Allow (easily) starting a "new" tournament from any round in the config. That way another person can continue the tournament on their phone when the original person wants to leave. (Bear in mind this is a feature I would NEVER use since I NEVER EVER get knocked out early!!! )

[Gardoon]

Originally Posted by Ciege

4) I understand about the screen turning off. But if it is on would be kind of nice to try and get your attention any way possible.

6) I still like this idea and would push to have it.

As for a total elapsed time timer. I could take it or leave it. Only real benefit I can see is at the end of the night saying "wow, we played for XXX hours and minutes!".

Another feature request 1 - Allow us to select a WAV or MP3 to be played at the end of a round.

Another feature request 2 - This is very low priority (and probably not even valid) but picture the scenario. multiple people with your app installed and they all share the config file for blinds and times etc... The main person running the app gets knocked out early in the night and wants to leave. Allow (easily) starting a "new" tournament from any round in the config. That way another person can continue the tournament on their phone when the original person wants to leave. (Bear in mind this is a feature I would NEVER use since I NEVER EVER get knocked out early!!! )

4 - I'll look into turning the screen on as well. There are a lot of things I would like to do, but I am at the mercy of what I can dig up.

6 - It's a little lower on my priority list right now, but it'll make it in eventually.

1 - Someone else hinted at it and I mentioned the possibility. It's about at the bottom of the list right now. But it is something that I would like as well.

2 - Yeah, I see the value in that. Not too sure about how to do that cleanly though. The property pages at this point are for storing persistent options, and that is a single instance option. When I get to it, I'll come up with something.

Thanks for the suggestions!

[Ciege]

I'll be headed to a 5 table tourney on Friday night. So if you have any updates you want to have tested "real world" let me know so I can get them installed before the game.

Thanks again for your work!

[Gardoon]

I probably don't have too much time to work on it this week. I'm working long hours on Monday and Tuesday, then traveling for Thanksgiving.

I have been looking at the power setting stuff and it's rather... intimidating I guess is the word. It's a sparsely-documented and complicated area of the CF. When I get it sorted out, I think it can be a differentiator for this app.

Since I won't be able to get that sorted out this week, would you guys prefer I work on some of the relatively quick suggestions that have been mentioned?

[Ciege]

Originally Posted by Gardoon

I have been looking at the power setting stuff and it's rather... intimidating I guess is the word. It's a sparsely-documented and complicated area of the CF. When I get it sorted out, I think it can be a differentiator for this app.

So what power setting stuff are you looking at? Are you wanting to put the phone into Unattended mode so that the poker app can keep running with the screen and backlight off and then resume when you are, say, 1 minute out from the end of a round?

[Gardoon]

Ideally, I would like to make it configurable. Give the user the option to either turn on x number of seconds before the end of the round, or stay on (full backlight or backlight off) for the whole round, or remain off and just do the beeps as they are now.

I would also like these features to work when the user turns off the screen and when the device auto-sleeps - though I haven't played around to see if the two are actually different.

[Vancer]

No big deal buddy,

Just work on it at your leisure when you have time!

Appreciate your work!