Blog Archives
How to track app use with OSXClock
OSXClock just got a major update, adding a productivity log that helps you to track how much time you spend actively using each app on your mac.
I wrote an ad-hoc AppleScript to do this sometime ago that proved pretty popular, but I wasn’t satisfied with either the code or the interface. OSXClock improves on that by tapping directly into Cocoa’s API and by offering a more attractive display.
OSXClock is currently on offer for only $2.99. Lots more exciting features are planned for future updates, so now’s a good time to get with the program, folks! 🙂
*OSXClock requires OSX Yosemite
how to sit down safely
Well, Tim Cook says sitting is the new cancer…and since I don’t envisage myself in the market for an iWatch, but do need to be reminded to get up and take a break from the desk every 60 minutes, I wrote OSXClock.
I also need a clock for displaying the time on a large screen on occasion when conducting timed-based tests. In the past, I’ve used timeanddate.com for this, but it has a couple of disadvantages: first, you have to be connected to the internet; second, it doesn’t have an alarm or timer.
Hence, OSXClock was born, Applehelpwriter’s answer to the Apple Watch :p, and considerably cheaper! 😀
frozen menubar, disappearing icons
An out-of-control mds process can show itself with a number of symptoms across the menubar:
— disappearing or frozen Spotlight icon in the right-hand corner
— the menubar clock stopping
— other menubar icons like TM frozen or failing to appear
Try this quick-fix solution with the Activity Monitor:
1. Open Activity Monitor.app (Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor.app)
2. Select ‘All Processes’ from the drop down menu next to the search bar (called ‘Filter:’) and type in ‘mds’.
3. Select the process name ‘mds‘ with user ‘root‘. Click the ‘Quit Process’ button at the top. You will be asked to supply your password.
