Timing readout and label

While you time, Grindstone shows a readout and a label in the app bar and on the stopwatch. This topic covers what they are, choosing the ones you see, and adding and changing them in Timing Formulas.

Readouts and labels

Both are formulas that Grindstone works out for the time slice you’re timing, and they update as it changes:

• A readout is what the clock shows while timing.
• A label is what’s shown beside the clock while timing.

A workspace can have several of each, and you choose which readout and which label you see. In the built-in presets, the readout is Hours, the length of the time slice you’re timing so far, and the label is Work Item Name. The Law Firm: Matters and UTBMS Codes preset adds a Tenths of an Hour readout.

In the app bar and on the Windows stopwatch, a readout that looks like a number or a time is drawn in digital-clock digits.

Choosing your readout and label

While you’re timing, click the readout or the label in the app bar. A menu lists the readouts (or labels) in the workspace, with a check mark beside the one you’re using. Choose another to switch to it.

You can also choose from Timing Readout and Timing Label in the main menu, which work whether or not you’re timing, or by clicking the readout or label on the stopwatch (see The stopwatch).

Grindstone remembers your choice in the workspace. Until you choose, or if the one you chose is deleted, you see the workspace’s default.

Managing timing formulas

To add, change or delete readouts and labels, choose Timing Formulas in the main menu, or Manage Timing Formulas at the bottom of the readout or label menu in the app bar.

Timing Formulas has a Readouts section and a Labels section. Each readout or label has a Name and a Formula, with buttons beside them:

• Change Answers: change the answers to the pattern the formula was made from. It appears when Grindstone recognizes the formula as one of its patterns. See Formulas.
• Save as Pattern: save the formula as a pattern you can use again. See Formulas.
• Make Default: make this the default (see The default).
• Undo: put back the name and formula as they were when you opened Timing Formulas.
• Delete: remove it (see Deleting).

Nothing is saved until you choose OK. Cancel discards all your changes.

Adding a readout or label

Choose Add Readout or Add Label. When there are patterns that fit (see Formulas), Grindstone lists them under Patterns:

1. Choose a pattern and answer its questions.
2. Choose Add Readout (or Add Label) to add it as it is, or Customize to adjust the formula in the formula builder first.

To start from scratch instead, choose Write a Formula to open an empty formula builder. When there are no patterns that fit, Add Readout and Add Label go straight to the builder. If you cancel the builder, nothing is added.

Grindstone names a new readout or label after its pattern, or with a number. Change Name to something you’ll recognize in the menus; a name is required.

Changing the formula

Click a formula, or its Edit button, to open it in the formula builder, where you can build it or type it with suggestions. If a formula has parts that don’t fit together, Grindstone says so under it, and you can’t choose OK until it’s fixed.

For how the builder and typing with suggestions work, see Formulas. For every function you can use, see Formula functions.

The default

Each kind has one default, marked with a filled star. It’s what you see until you choose another, and what you go back to if the one you chose is deleted. Choose the outline star (Make Default) on another readout or label to make it the default instead.

A workspace needs a default readout and a default label. If either is missing, Timing Formulas says Choose a default readout. or Choose a default label., and you can’t choose OK until you do.

Deleting

Choose Delete to delete a readout or label. It stays in the list, struck through, until you choose OK; choose Restore to keep it after all.

You can’t delete the default. Make another one the default first.