# App Timer (Parental Control)

Control apps usage time with a command line application. Forked from [macedd/app-timer](https://github.com/macedd/app-timer)

The python daemon will watch for the apps executable and store usage time for them. It can block an app if the usage is off limits.

I'm using this at a raspberry pi gaming station (retropie) to enforce usage limits. Other use cases are very plausible, like any other gaming platform or even enforcing a pomodoro timer for your coding time. Be creative and let me know.

## Config

```yaml
# how often should the script check for apps runtime?
check-interval: 1
# optional http status endpoint configuration
status-server:
  host: 127.0.0.1
  port: 8090
# timers: list of apps that will be watched
timers:
  # the app name (list key)
  gaming:
    # list of the app executables
    apps:
      - retroarch
      - minecraft
    # how many minutes of usage
    time-limit: 60
    # within how many hours of interval
    limit-interval: 12
    # optional: warn N minutes before the limit is reached
    warn-threshold: 5
    # run on every loop inside the warning window (anything executable)
    warn-command: "notify-send 'App Timer' 'Only {time_left_int} minutes left'"
    # run only on the final loop before apps are blocked
    final-warn-command: "notify-send 'App Timer' 'Last minute before shutdown'"
```

`warn-threshold` is measured in minutes and triggers the `warn-command` every loop while there is still time remaining. `final-warn-command` fires once on the last loop before the timer exceeds its limit (based on `check-interval`). All commands are executed through the shell, so they can show desktop notifications, play sounds, etc. You can interpolate values in the command string using `{timer_name}`, `{time_left}`, `{time_left_int}`, `{time_left_floor}`, and `{time_left_seconds}` (any Python format specifiers are supported, e.g. `{time_left:.1f}`).

If the systemd service runs as `root`, wrap desktop commands so they execute inside your session:

```yaml
warn-command: >
  runuser -l randogoth -c 'DISPLAY=:0 DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS=unix:path=/run/user/1000/bus notify-send "App Timer" "{timer_name}: {time_left_int} minutes left"'
```

The status server shows timer usage at `http://host:port/` (defaults `127.0.0.1:8090`). Override the bind address or port via the `status-server` block, or keep using the `APP_TIMER_STATUS_HOST` / `APP_TIMER_STATUS_PORT` environment variables if you prefer exporting them in your service unit.

## Installation

There's a systemd service file ready for use.

```bash
  # download the sources
  cd /opt/
  git clone https://github.com/thiagof/app-timer
  cd app-timer
  # yaml dependency
  sudo -H pip3 install -r requirements.txt
  # setup the daemon
  sudo cp ./app-timer.service /etc/systemd/system/app-timer.service
  sudo systemctl enable app-timer
  # check the service
  sudo systemctl status app-timer
```

You must edit the file `config.yaml` for your timers setup.

In the code there is some python 3 so this is required. For testing the timer and check it's outputs/configs, run `python3 timer.py`.