4
I'd like to track how much time I spend interacting with various applications and files on OS X. I found SLife in my search, but it is a web / subscription service. Is there any other OS X application that does something similar or better?
Michael Prescott
Posted 2011-01-15T02:54:00.433
Reputation: 3 351
2
Time Sink by Many Tricks does this. It records running and frontmost application names, as well as the window titles of each application's frontmost window.
One downside of this approach I've found is that I often read a document in a background window because I can scroll through it anyway. I don't think there's a way around that issue, other than discipline.
It's generally not possible to record file interaction otherwise, since many applications close their file handles even though the user is editing or viewing the file in the application, only opening it again to save it, or load more data.
Daniel Beck
Posted 2011-01-15T02:54:00.433
Reputation: 98 421
1
I'd like to recommend my own app Timing (see the screenshot below). It automatically tracks which documents you edit and which websites you visit, so that you can later review what exactly you have done. You can also manually add offline activities so that they don't get lost. All data is stored locally and there is no subscription required.
As opposed to Time Sink, Timing also tracks file paths and website URLs rather than just window titles.
MrMage
Posted 2011-01-15T02:54:00.433
Reputation: 134
Hi @MrMage, It's been a while ago, but I actually bought your app as well. I really liked the file path tracking as it gave some insight into which projects and tasks were costing the most time. Thanks! – Michael Prescott – 2016-02-13T08:23:23.773
Thanks @MichaelPrescott! Please consider upvoting my reply and marking it as the answer so other can see it better as well :-) – MrMage – 2016-02-13T12:16:15.607
0
Qbserve tracks time for websites, applications and their windows (that are usually filenames), and also Skype chats and Slack teams.
It detects productivity for popular sites and apps automatically and stores your data privately on your machine.
There are no subscription fees since it's a traditional software that just works offline.
UPD: now the app also tracks project time automatically and generates invoices.
Disclaimer: I'm the developer of this app.
Ivan Mir
Posted 2011-01-15T02:54:00.433
Reputation: 149
Thanks Daniel, I evaluated and purchased it. I found that the way it trackes window titles provides a good-enough way of tracking how long I work particular files within applications. – Michael Prescott – 2011-02-26T04:18:32.327