A completely new functional element, which can consist of several buttons and is intended to replace the "Commands" function.
Since some time, the MultiTimer application includes a feature that helps the user organize a group of timers and other tools into a single working cluster.
WHAT IS THIS FUNCTION?
The feature is called 'Buttons' and it is a modified 'Commands' feature that allows simultaneous actions with multiple timers: start, pause, stop and other actions on the same board or on different boards without having to open those boards and search for timers, because the commands are in the side navigation menu as a list.
Unlike commands, buttons are located directly on the board next to the timers, and their action extends only to the tools on that single board. The Buttons do not apply and cannot be configured to tools that are located on other boards.
The 'Buttons' element, which is the correct name of the function, is added to the board in the same way as the other tools available in the 'Timers' section of the app on iPhone and iPad, or in the ⊕ section on Android.
One item contains the ability to configure from one to three buttons. The buttons of one element are arranged one below the other like a sandwich.
In turn, each button contains a set of actions that are performed with a particular tool.
HOW TO SET UP THE FEATURE?
First of all, the user should add the 'Buttons' element to the board:
- On iOS / iPadOS:
Go to the edit mode of the board by clicking the button on the top right.
Tap the 'Timers' button.
Scroll through all items from left to right to the final right.
Click, pull and drag the 'Buttons' element on the board and drop it in the desired place.
Tap the button in the upper right corner again to exit The board editing mode.
- On Android:
Tap the ⋮ menu button in the upper right corner.
Tap 'Edit board'.
Tap the ⊕ button in the header of the board to bring up a pop-up tool window.
Go to the bottom of the tools list and tap the 'Buttons' item.
Move the 'Buttons' item to the desired place on the board.
Click the button in the upper right corner again to exit the board editing mode.
Important notes:
The size and location of the 'Buttons' element can be changed (the button can be reduced or enlarged, dropped anywhere on the board) if the Flexible layout setting is applied to the board.
Further configuration of commands / button actions is the same regardless of the version of the application - it’s the same for iOS and Android.
Button setup
1. Long press the button so that the context menu appears; tap 'Edit'.
2. You will see the 'Buttons' page, where initially only one button is added.
On this page the user can add 2 more buttons.
3. Click on the button to go to the settings page for this button.
4. On the settings page the user can change the color of the button as well as its label.
5. Next, by clicking on the 'Add command' button, the command line appears in the command table to be configured sequentially.
6. In the 'Timer' column press the 'Select' item.
Here you need to select the name of the timer, counter or other tool to which the action will be applied after pressing the button.
For example, Timer - Reading.
7. In the 'Status' column, press the 'Select' item.
Depending on the tool selected in step #6, the status of that tool will be suggested. For example - Working.
8. In the 'Action' column, press 'Select' and assign one of the suggested actions, for example, this action is Pause.
9. Press the '< Back' button to return to the previous page and then the 'Done' button to save all changes.
Important notes:
In this way the user can add an unlimited number of actions to different tools, which will be executed simultaneously by pressing the button.
The button must contain only one action on the same tool, it cannot contain several different actions on the same tool.
Command Deletion
To delete a command in the button settings, the user should swipe it from right to left and press the 'Delete' button.
Button Deletion
To delete a button on the 'Buttons' page, the user should swipe the button from right to left and press the 'Delete' button.
To change the order of the buttons in the 'Buttons' item, the user should hold down the button item so that it rises, and then move through the list of buttons.
Delete Button Item
To remove the 'Buttons' item from the board, the user should enter the board editing mode by clicking the button in the upper right corner of the screen. Then you should press the button so that the contextual pop-up menu appears and press the 'Delete' button on it. After that, you should press the button in the upper right corner again to exit the board editing mode.
HOW DOES THE FUNCTION WORK?
Every time the user presses the configured button, the function checks the current status of the tools connected to it, e.g. the timer is now suspended or vice versa the timer is running, and then it matches the current status of the tool with the action to be performed with the current status.
If the current status of the tool does not match the one specified in the button settings, no action is performed.
For example:
The button settings specify 3 actions with respect to the countdown timer.
First action: if the timer is inactive, start it.
Second action: if the timer is active, pauses it.
Third action: if the timer is paused, resume it.
When pressing the command button, the function first checks the status (state) of the timer, then selects the appropriate action in order.
Thus, if the timer has been started, the function defines it as active, and the next action to be performed after pressing the button is pause. If the button is pressed again, the function defines the timer state as paused, so after pressing the button the "resume" action will be applied.
LAST WORDS
The 'Buttons' function is only available with the Pro upgrade.
The 'Commands' function will be removed from the application in the near future.