This is a stopwatch with 3 independent timers. Times are accurate to approximately 0.017 seconds but with a few technical provisos. The TickClock window must be active before it will register your mouse clicks. Hence, if you want accurate times, you should not activate other windows just before you expect to click a timer. TickClock is also most accurate if there are no other applications working in the background. If you notice that the hundredths of a second seem to jump irregularly, then it is likely that time is being given to a background task of some sort (or the Mac operating system is slowing itself down as on a PowerBook).
Operation
•Timers are operated with mouse clicks (or ⌘1, ⌘2 or ⌘3 keys, or via the TickClock Shortcuts… menu items). Sequential clicks will start, stop and reset each timer separately. To start all timers synchronously, click the 'All' button (or ⌘7 keys). Each timer can then be separately controlled.
•Lap times are available by clicking the LR1 (⌘4), LR2 (⌘5) or LR3 (⌘6) buttons. The button will hilite, and the timer will stop. Re-select the same lap button to resume the timer.
•The LR… buttons can also Restart a stopped timer, eg if you stop timer 1 by clicking on its window, then wish to restart it, click the LR1 button once. Timer 1 will resume from the currently displayed time. Note that this is different from using the LR1 button for a lap time.
•The text field will display the current date and time (12 hour notation) unless an alarm has been activated, in which case it will show the preset message.
•Clicking the "Alarm" button (middle bottom, or ⌘8 keys) displays a new dialog box. There are popup menus for you to set times for up to 15 alarms. You should select the desired alarm (5 for each timer) popup, then the timer popup, then type in the delay for that timer before the alarm sounds, and enter a message you wish to be displayed on the stopwatch at the appointed time. Note that you can use the Tab key to move between editable fields (or click in them directly). You can store count down times up to 999 minutes 59 seconds and 99 hundredths before it will revert to zero again. Clicking the Set button will record your selection for that alarm for the current session. Clicking Save permanently records your settings in a preferences file in the System folder. Note that to record your settings you must have clicked Set for each alarm (or they will not be activated). Clicking Revert will revert to the settings saved previously in the preferences file, and Close will dismiss the dialog without making any further changes.
•Clicking on the message field will clear any message and return the date & time.
Limitations
•TickClock will probably not update properly in the background. I will attempt to fix this in the next issue, if there is enough interest (since I do not need this!).
•If there are any other suggestions for TickClock's improvement, please pass them on to me! I'll leave you to work out the reason behind the icon.
