RiVal.T Advanced Support – The Great Rift Valley Software Company

Our countdown timer app is designed to be intuitive and powerful, helping you manage timed activities across your iOS, iPadOS, and macOS devices. This support page provides answers to common questions and guidance on how to get the most out of RiVal.T.

App Features

RiVal.T is a specialized countdown timer application with powerful features for organizing and running multiple sequential timers. Key features include:

Timer Groups: Organize timers in horizontal groups of up to 4 timers that run sequentially
Customizable Sounds: Choose from a variety of transition and completion sounds
Visual Indicators: Three distinct timer display modes (Numeric, Circular, and Stoplights)
Warning Thresholds: Set warning and final thresholds with visual color changes
Distraction-Free Mode: Full-screen timer display with optional controls
Gesture Controls: Intuitive gestures for controlling timers
Accessibility Support: Full compatibility with Dark Mode, VoiceOver, and high-contrast mode

Getting Started

Navigating the App

When you first open RiVal.T, you’ll see the Group Editor Screen. This is your “home base” for managing all your timer groups.

Add a New Timer: Tap the plus (⊕) icon to create a new timer. You can add up to 4 timers in a row, or start a new row).
Edit an Existing Timer: Tap on any configured timer to access its settings (or select the timer, and select “Edit,” at the bottom, right of the screen). You can turn off “One-Tap Edit,” so that tapping on a timer simply selects it.
Start a Timer: Select a timer and tap the “Play” button (▶️), in the toolbar at the bottom, to begin the countdown.
Configure App Settings: Use the upper-left navigation bar “items”gear” icon to access app-wide settings.

Understanding the Three Main Screens

Group Editor Screen: The main screen where you organize and manage your timer groups
Timer Editor Screen: Where you configure individual timer settings
Running Timer Screen: The distraction-free countdown display that appears when a timer is active

Using Timer Groups

Creating and Managing Timer Groups

Timer groups allow you to run multiple timers in sequence, perfect for interval training, cooking, presentations, and more.

Each group can have up to 4 timers.
Timers in a group run sequentially from left to right.
Groups are arranged vertically in the Group Editor Screen, and timers within a group, are arranged horizontally.
You can move timers around, within a group, or between groups, by long-pressing on a timer, and dragging it to its new destination.

Customizing Group Settings

To customize settings for an entire group:

Select any timer in the group. The group shows that it is selected.
Tap the right Navigation Bar items (Display or Sound), at the top, right of the screen, to access group settings
Configure group-specific options:
- Display style (Numeric, Circular, or Stoplights)
- Transition sound between timers
- Final alarm sound
- Vibration settings (on compatible devices)

FAQ: Timer Groups

Q: How do I create a new timer?
A: Simply tap on the plus icon on the right of the last timer in the row in the Group Editor Screen to create a new timer. You can only have up to four timers per group.

Q: How do I delete a timer?
A: Select a timer, and tap on the “trash” icon, at the bottom, left, of the Group Editor Screen. You will be given the opportunity to confirm the deletion. You can also delete a timer, in its Timer Edit Screen.

Q: How do I create a new group?
A: Simply tap on the plus icon in the bottom row in the Group Editor Screen to create a new group. It will create a new group, with one timer.

Q: Can I rearrange timers within a group, or move it to other groups?
A: Yes, long-press on a timer and drag it to a new position within the group, or into other groups.

Configuring Individual Timers

Setting Timer Duration

The Timer Editor Screen allows you to configure three important time values:

Start Time (Green): The total duration of the timer (up to 23:59:59). This is required, for a timer to work.
Warning Time (Yellow): When reached, the display turns yellow. Leave it at 00:00:00, to disable it.
Final Time (Red): When reached, the display turns red. Leave it at 00:00:00, to disable it.

Use the picker wheels to set hours, minutes, and seconds for each time value.

Understanding Timer Thresholds

For optimal timer configuration:

The Warning Time must be less than the Start Time.
Final Time must be less than the Warning Time (or Start Time, if the Warning Time is at 00:00:00).
Setting either threshold to 00:00:00 disables that threshold.

Pro Tip: If Warning/Final Time is set just one second less than Start Time, the entire countdown will display in Warning Mode (yellow), or Final Mode (red).

FAQ: Timer Configuration

Q: What’s the minimum and maximum time I can set?
A: Timers can range from 1 second to 23 hours, 59 minutes, and 59 seconds.

Q: Can I save timer configurations for later use?
A: Yes, all timer configurations are automatically saved for future use.

Q: How do I navigate between timers in a group during editing?
A: Use the toolbar tabs at the bottom of the Timer Editor Screen, or swipe left/right to move between timers in a group. You can also tap on the Group Number, at the right of a group row, in the Group Editor Screen.

Running Timers

Understanding the Display Modes

RiVal.T offers three distinct display modes for the Running Timer Screen:

Numeric: Classic LED-style digits that change color at thresholds
- 2 digits for seconds-only timers
- 4 digits when minutes are included
- 6 digits when hours are included
Circular: A donut-shaped display that gradually erases counterclockwise
- Multi-colored sections represent different thresholds
- Visual at-a-glance representation of remaining time
Stoplights: Three large colored circles (green, yellow, red)
- Only one circle is illuminated at a time
- Each represents a different time segment (standard, warning, final)

By default, timers begin counting down immediately, but you can turn that off, so they begin in a “paused” state, and need to be explicitly started.

Controlling Active Timers

Control your running timers using either the optional toolbar or gestures:

With Toolbar Visible:

Tap Rewind ⏪: Reset timer to beginning
Tap Stop (X): End timer and return to previous screen
Tap Play ▶️/Pause ⏸️: Start, pause, or resume timer
Tap Fast Forward ⏩: Skip to next timer or trigger alarm

Using Gestures (when toolbar is hidden):

Single-tap: Start, pause, or resume timer
Double-tap: Stop timer and return to previous screen
Left-swipe: Rewind timer or select previous timer
Right-swipe: Trigger alarm or select next timer
Long-press: Access time adjustment slider

FAQ: Running Timers

Q: How do I make the toolbar disappear?
A: In group settings, enable “Auto-hide toolbar” to make it disappear after a few seconds of inactivity.

Q: Can I adjust a timer while it’s running?
A: Yes, use a long-press gesture to bring up the adjustment slider, allowing you to set the timer to any point.

Q: How do I stop the alarm once it’s triggered?
A: Simply tap anywhere on the screen to stop the alarm.

Accessibility Features

RiVal.T is designed to be accessible to all users with comprehensive support for:

Visual Accessibility

Dark Mode: Full support for system-wide Dark Mode settings
High-Contrast Mode: Enhanced visibility for users with visual impairments
VoiceOver: Complete VoiceOver support for screen reading

Hearing Accessibility

Visual Alarms: Flashing screen indicators complement audio alarms
Vibration Options: Tactile feedback available on compatible devices
Custom Sounds: Multiple sound options to suit different hearing needs

Motor Accessibility

Gesture Alternatives: All gesture controls have button alternatives
Adjustable Timing: Long-press and hold options for users with motor impairments

Troubleshooting

Common Issues and Solutions

Timer doesn’t make any sound

Check that your device is not in silent mode
Verify sound settings in the app’s configuration
Ensure volume is turned up on your device

Timer stops when app is in the background

RiVal.T is not designed to continue running in the background, but will account for time spent in the background.

Visual display flickers unexpectedly

This is by design when warning or final thresholds are crossed
Adjust threshold settings if the flickering is uncomfortable
Reduce screen brightness or use the Circular or Stoplights display mode for a less intense visual

System Requirements

iOS/iPadOS 17.0 or later
macOS Ventura (13.0) or later
Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices

Contact Support

ThaSource Code

RiVal.T is a “source-available” app. Full source code is available here.