DarshellClock – A Minimalist ASCII Art Console Clock

Introduction

In the realm of ASCII art, where creativity knows no bounds, DarshellClock is a shining example of simplicity and elegance. This minimalist console application, written in Python, serves a singular purpose – to display time and date in your terminal with charming ASCII digits. It’s not just a clock; it’s a piece of art for your terminal. This article delves into the world of DarshellClock, offering a tutorial on how to use it and a glimpse into the author’s creative journey.

DarshellClock: The Art of Simplicity

DarshellClock was born out of a desire to create a beautiful and functional time display for those who appreciate minimalist aesthetics. The author set out to create a console clock that would be perfect for tiling window managers or terminal multiplexers like tmux. The result is a captivating work of art, featuring the following key features:

1. Nice ‘Blocky’ ASCII Digits: The clock displays time with charming and blocky ASCII digits that add a touch of nostalgia to your terminal.
2. Localized Date Format: The date format can be localized, making it accessible and user-friendly for different regions.
3. Variable Digit Sizes: DarshellClock is designed to adapt to different terminal sizes. It offers two sizes of digits, with smaller digits for smaller terminals.
4. Autoresizing and Centering: The application automatically resizes and centers the clock, ensuring it looks perfect in any terminal.
5. Color Customization: You can select the colors for the time and date, allowing you to personalize the look to your liking.
6. Date and Seconds Toggles: You have the flexibility to show or hide the date and seconds to match your preferences.
7. Autoclosing: The application can be set to close after a specific duration, making it perfect for temporary use.
8. Persistent Configuration: All the configuration parameters are saved when you exit the application, providing a seamless experience when you reopen it.

How to Use DarshellClock

https://github.com/darokin/darshell-clock

Using DarshellClock is straightforward. To get started, ensure you have Python 3.x installed on your system. Please note that you should use pip3 or python3 instead of pip and python.

Installation is as simple as running the following commands:

$ pip3 install darshellclock  # Installing
$ darshellclock               # Launching

Alternatively, if you prefer to do it manually or want to customize the code, you can clone the project from GitHub and launch it using the following commands:

$ git clone https://github.com/darokin/darshell-clock.git
$ cd darshell-clock 
$ python3 darshellclock          # To launch/test
$ python3 setup.py install --user # To install
$ darshellclock                   # To launch the installed version

Author’s Creative Journey

DarshellClock is more than just a utility; it represents the author’s exploration of a full life cycle of a simple Python application and a dive into various aspects of development. The author’s journey included:

1. GitHub and CI: The project allowed the author to gain experience with GitHub and continuous integration (CI) practices, learning how to collaborate and manage a codebase effectively.
2. Python Package Distribution: Distribution on PyPI showcases the author’s understanding of packaging Python projects for the community, making it easily accessible.
3. Enhancing Skills: The author has grown and improved their skills in the realm of Python development and open-source contributions.

Conclusion

DarshellClock is not just a clock; it’s a work of art that you can integrate into your daily computing experience. The author’s journey in creating this simple yet elegant application is a testament to the limitless creative possibilities in the world of ASCII art and software development. If you encounter any issues or have suggestions, don’t hesitate to engage with the author through issues or pull requests on the GitHub repository. ASCII art enthusiasts and terminal aficionados alike can appreciate the beauty of DarshellClock.