Script/Action to Dim Screen based on time of day

**thanassius** · 07-22-2006, 01:18 PM

Ok so nevermind Automator, I resaved them as scripts, then created an event in iCal that repeats everyday at a specified time, and I set the alarm to Run Script. Still ahve to test on the mini though.

**thanassius** · 03-17-2007, 03:35 AM

I'm about to resurrect an old thread, in hopes of putting it to bed for good! I took my install off of the indefinite hold it's been on for almost a year, and I just had some new thoughts on this issue...

Bugbyte's AppleScripts mentioned above work great for an Apple notebook or cinema display, but unfortunatly have no effect on the touchscreens most of us are using. However, using Shades, you can adjust the screen brightness of any display connected to any Mac, as the adjustment is not dependant on any specific type of hardware. It also has the ability to assign hot keys to increase and decrease brightness functions.

As I mentioned earlier, I have no coding skills at all, SO, would someone be willing to write up an AppleScript similar to Bugbyte's that opens Shades (if its not already running) and sends the hot key combinations to it? Shades can run hidden in the background (in its preferences, keep it out of the dock and the menu bar), and we can set the resulting Apple Script as a reccuring iCal alarm, to seamlessly automate the process of dimming and brightening our touchscreens at predetermined times of the day.

I would be totally thrilled if someone would be able to do this! Thanks in advance :-)

**Bugbyte** · 03-17-2007, 03:23 PM

I suggested this idea in the Amp wishlist thread but I don't think people took it seriously. I like this implementation. It should be a snap to write a script.

For awhile, I looked into trying to calculate sunrise/sunset based on a user's lat/long but Applescript doesn't have the math functions to do it. You end up having to call them out of Coccoa! The iCal alarm idea is a dead simple solution for that problem.

I'll look at it but no promises on time frames.

**Jirka Jirout** · 03-17-2007, 04:17 PM

http://www.srrb.noaa.gov/highlights/sunrise/azel.html

Check the source of the page for JavaScript implementation of the algorithm that calculates the position of sun. And I am sure there are plenty of other sites and libraries. AFAIK it does not require any math, that is not doable in AppleScript.

**Bugbyte** · 03-17-2007, 04:22 PM

This worked on my Mini with Shades installed.

There's no error handling in it. It assumes Shades is running. It then checks to see if it is either before or after 12:00pm. If it is after 12:00pm, it dims. If it is before 12:00pm, it brightens.

It sends 10 repeats of Cmd and '-' or 10 repeats of Cmd and '+'. Make sure your hotkeys are set to this setting.

You can easily modify how many times it repeats by opening the script in Script Editor and changing the number in the "repeat" lines. There are two.

**thanassius** · 03-18-2007, 12:48 AM

Thank you SO much Bugbyte. I hadn't even thought of the before noon/after noon way of doing it. I also like how the repeat function gives off an unintentional sort of animated/gradual dimming effect...pretty cool! Perhaps Aychamo can incorporate this with something similar to what Jirka linked to when Kindling is released (and I hope that's soon!).

It will definitely be cool to have this run according to the user's sunrise/sunset times. In the meantime, I plan on adjusting my iCal alarms according to daylight savings, so that will at least put me in the right ballpark for when to dim/brighten my display.

Thanks again for doing this, hopefully others will see how useful it can be!

**zapwizard** · 05-22-2007, 10:00 AM

Thought I would bump this as I installed it and it works great.
Will iCal still run the even if I set it for 8:00pm, but I dont turn my car PC on until 9pm?

**thanassius** · 05-22-2007, 12:27 PM

I'm pretty sure it will. I'm using my mini inside the house right now, and if the computer isn't on or awake when the iCal alarm runs, it runs when i turn it on or wake it up if it was sleeping. I THINK it only does the most recent one, so in other words, if your computer was off for 2 days and you turn it on, it won't brighten then dim then brighten then dim, etc. It will only run the most recent one that you missed.

**hammer32** · 07-02-2008, 10:21 PM

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but I just installed my screen and needed to find a way to dim the screen at night. I haven't tested this program yet, but it will allow you to adjust screen gamma automatically based on sunrise/sunset and your lat/long (looks like this is 'pro' version only ($10)).

It comes with a few AppleScripts, but I don't know how scriptable it is... if one could automatically update the lat/long once an hour or so with GPS data then this would remain accurate on long trips.

http://www.aquiladigital.us/DarkAdapted/index.html

Cheers,

Sean

**NeonDev** · 07-03-2008, 12:15 AM

I was going to use my arduino coupled with an ambient light sensor for this but I figure it prolly won't be too hard to extend that function to optionally use the time. I'll look into it for NBB 1.X

yeah this'll be easy