Display how much time we spend on each project

[MYounker]

Hi,

I heard that some workstations can show how much time we spend on each project. Is it difficult to implement on REAPER?

I believe many of us have an interest in how much time actually we need to complete one track, which allow us to reconsider and improve our method of composing.

[Jae.Thomas]

it would be great if said timer could pause when it senses a certain amount of inactivity....

[nofish]

Free plugin alternative for now

http://hofa-plugins.de/pages/start_en/4u_en.php

[Dstruct]

Tracker: http://forum.cockos.com/project.php?issueid=27

[witti]

Workaround:

If you put a copy of the reaper-reginfo2.ini into your project folder and later
before you start your project again and you put it back into the reaper folder, the 'About' window can show you the project time.
(To start from zero, just delete this file. Reaper creates a new file on startup.)

-or-

JS project time: (Forgot who originally posted it. To 'Pause' just bypass this plugin. Also remove the 'inserting' of this plugin from the undo history.)

slider1:0<0,24,1>Hours
slider2:0<0,60,1>Minutes
slider3:0<0,60,1>Seconds

@init
ext_noinit = 1;

@serialize
file_var(0, proj_open_seconds);

@block
sr_ticker += samplesblock;
sr_ticker > srate ? 
(
proj_open_seconds += 1; sr_ticker -= srate;
temp_secs = proj_open_seconds;
hours = (temp_secs / 3600)|0; temp_secs -= hours * 3600;
minutes = (temp_secs / 60)|0; temp_secs -= minutes * 60;
seconds = temp_secs;
slider1 = hours; slider2 = minutes; slider3 = seconds;
sliderchange(slider1); 
sliderchange(slider2);
sliderchange(slider3);
);

[grabie]

Thank you witti, nice to have.

I just loaded 'JS project time', as I messed up the last mixing-contest from the previously indicated company.
I just do not want to see that name, in my surroundings ...

So, I am happy to use chances, developed, here.
A big THANK YOU all. You know who you are.

[TimU]

Is this still not in Reaper? if not it would make a great addition

[Lawrence]

Seems like it would be easy enough in Reaper, with the scripting. Calling JamesHE? (le' master scripter)

Path to it ...

1. Extension or script that loads whenever you load any song.
2. Said thing monitors the title bar for an active song name. (or you manually add songs you want to track)
3. If song name exists, start the counter.
4. When song name no longer exists or changes, stop the timer and update the text file that holds all of that info for every song.

All it really has to do is continually monitor the title bar which uses little to no cpu (not enough to even register on the system as a percentage). I could whip that up in Win API in 15 minutes.

The pause Jason asks about is also simple enough. Use a second timer for inactivity. If the main window focus doesn't change in say, 3 minutes (and the status isn't "playing"), pause the first timer. When the main window regains or changes focus again, resume the main timer again.

I could easily do this for Reaper Windows via a third party app because all of it's window parts / classes are directly exposed to the OS. It wouldn't work on OSX though. Harder in something like S1 because it has a transparent window class blocking all of it's internal window classes... and you can't so easily spy on them.

[morgon]

Id want the info about the point reached in the song where I'm actually making it worse the more I work on it. Or how many Doom 3 levels does it take to complete a chorus, that kind of thing...

[serr]

Basically the issue is you work on 3 or 4 different projects in an evening and you forget to look at the time spent on each. Then when you go to add the hours to the bill for each project you're not sure what to charge.

I just take a glance at the Reaper backup folder (since I keep auto-backup set to 2 minutes) for a reminder.

I've thought of making a folder action script (not sure what this is called in Windows) to generate a report or something but never bothered.

[amin]

That's what I do (see image)

[Ejrionm]

I really want this

[serr]

Originally Posted by Ejrionm

I really want this

Enable backups in Reaper preferences/Project.

[nofish]

https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=167883

[Ejrionm]

But those solutions are quite annoying, considering that this tool looks easy to implement

[RJHollins]

Wonder if actual SEQ PLAYING time would be useful.

IOW ... As DAW is playing, the running time accumulates. There would
also be a TOTAL PLAYING TIME that would be saved with the project.

Everytime a Project is loaded, the session would start anew time ... this would
also be added to the TOTAL PROJECT TIME.

additionally ... it would be nice to have a Total RESET function. [Zero it out].

Just some ideas, and things I'd find useful.

[JamesPeters]

Originally Posted by Ejrionm

But those solutions are quite annoying, considering that this tool looks easy to implement

The free script that someone made for this exact job is "quite annoying"? You haven't tried it, have you.

[Ejrionm]

Originally Posted by JamesPeters

The free script that someone made for this exact job is "quite annoying"? You haven't tried it, have you.

you mean the Project Work Timer in the nofish' comment? the thing is, you have to run the script every time you open your project, and the time will restart if you don't save the project before close, even that is still a current time you spend on it. I think this needs to be a part of the Project Info, that shows you the day that the project was created, and the working time. Just saying..

[ivansc]

Originally Posted by MYounker

Hi,

I heard that some workstations can show how much time we spend on each project. Is it difficult to implement on REAPER?

I believe many of us have an interest in how much time actually we need to complete one track, which allow us to reconsider and improve our method of composing.

Own up - you are a lawyer & want an easy way to figure billable hours!

[serr]

Hmmm...

If some feature were written, you would have to manage some settings. How far back to look? What folders in your file system to include? You'd have to be consistent with project name indexing of course.

Opening a Finder window (Explorer in Windows) and glancing at your backup folder entries is pretty quick and easy and straight to the point. Kind of a nice touch that Reaper pauses backups if nothing has changed (eg. during that coffee break you took).

[Luster]

There is this script in the ReaPack:
Script: sexan_Project time counter.lua

You could load it as a startup script I believe.

[JamesPeters]

Originally Posted by Luster

There is this script in the ReaPack:
Script: sexan_Project time counter.lua

You could load it as a startup script I believe.

Both those statements are correct.

Originally Posted by Ejrionm

you mean the Project Work Timer in the nofish' comment? the thing is, you have to run the script every time you open your project, and the time will restart if you don't save the project before close, even that is still a current time you spend on it. I think this needs to be a part of the Project Info, that shows you the day that the project was created, and the working time. Just saying..

Yes, that project timer won't show time spent on a project you haven't saved (and/or hasn't been "auto saved"), and it doesn't provide detailed information as you describe.

[RJHollins]

I ended up having to write up a VST plugin that maintains a project start
timestamp, and monitors elapsed DAW playing time. Data is stored within the project as a standard VST. Currently beta-testing.

[PVinKC]

Originally Posted by RJHollins

I ended up having to write up a VST plugin that maintains a project start
timestamp, and monitors elapsed DAW playing time. Data is stored within the project as a standard VST. Currently beta-testing.

Did you wind up finishing this? I would definitely be interested. HOFA does have a plugin. But I would like to explore all solutions before choosing which one works best for me. Ideally a plugin that I can keep open during tracking and mixing sessions and hit a PAUSE button when taking a break or doing something that I don't want to charge the client time for...

The exploration continues...