ClockWork 1.11 - (C) 2023 Herbert zur Nedden

Freeware - i.e. feel free to copy and use

ClockWork may only be hosted on GAG website... exceptions see below


Purpose
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Detect if RISC OS clock is not ok (i.e. potentially not set) and tell you.


Reasoning
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Some RISC OS hardware lacks a real time clock and relies on the clock being set by NTP (network time protocol) from internet (or in case of virtual systems from the host).

But even on those with a real time clock the battery might have died and thus the clock is not set.

If the clock is out of sync, then some things can happen that are not agreeable:

1. Copying files with the option 'newer' set does odd things

2. SPAM filters might ditch alleged old email, or it shows far down in the inbox

3. TLS-Certificates are considered invalid since they have a validity range

4. You might miss some appointment since the alarm won't go off


Installation
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Simply copy the ClockWork file into !Boot.Choices.Boot.Tasks, double click once and then select "OK" so that it is well initialized (I dare assume that you system clock is will set at that moment).


ClockWork in use
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Good timing:
If your system clock is in good shape and the computer booted regularly you will not even notice it.

Futuristic:
If the last boot time is over 28 days ago (that is an arbitrary range, I considered worthwhile) you will be advised and hitting enter sorts that for you...
If I learn that those 28 days are not convenient, I'm ok to revise my code.

Historic:
This is the main reason for ClockWork: If the current system time is *before* the last boot time you are probably in some trouble...
Even now an OK click indicates that the system time is the good one... but you have been warned.


Configure
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If you rather not be warned if no reboot was for 28 days but some other number of days or never get that warning - here you go:
Rename ClockWork appending a dash and the numer of days (or nothing or a zero to disable that part).


Technical
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To get the last boot time ClockWork simply looks at its own file timestamp; and if the system time is good (i.e. in the near future relative to ClockWork’s timestamp), or has been approved by the user to be good in case of a prompt, ClockWork will simply stamp itself :-)
I do agree that this is a slightly odd way of storing the last boot time, but with this ClockWork is self-containing, i.e. needs no config file or such.


Hosting
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The only place where ClockWork may be supplied on internet is on my web site at https://gag.de/software/clockwork.html.

I herewith permit RISC OS Open, RISC OS Developments, and Cloverleaf to include ClockWork in their hard disc images, if they consider that to be a good idea – as long as this !Help file is on that disc image in a sensible location (i.e. inside Documents, or some folder indicating 3rd party additions).

Furthermore I am happy, upon request, to supply ClockWork including the full source code to be included in the RISC OS Open RISC OS repository if it is considered a good addition to the default boot application.


Disclaimer
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The fact that ClockWork worked well for me during my tests does suggest that the code is not all that bad - but use it at your OWN RISK. There is no guarantee or warranty whatsoever - neither that it is useful in the first place, nor that it does what it is intended to do.


Contact
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https://gag.de/kontakt.html
