Notification pop-up timer.

timer.py

#!/usr/bin/env python

import time
import getopt
import sys
import subprocess 

from gi.repository import Notify

def do_notify(message, sleep_s):
    try:
        Notify.init("Quick Timer")
        notify = Notify.Notification.new("Timer", "Elapsed: "+message, "dialog-information")
        time.sleep(sleep_s)
        notify.show()
        subprocess.call(["/usr/bin/aplay", "-q", "/usr/share/sounds/purple/alert.wav"])
    except Exception, e:
        print "Error: ", e

def do_message(message, sleep_s):
    print "Timer `", message, "' for", sleep_s, "seconds."

def do(args, action=None):
    message = "Timer elapsed."
    if len(args) < 2:
        print "timer <time in seconds>"
        sys.exit(1)
    try:
        _sleep = int(args[1])
        if len(args) > 2:
            message = ' '.join(args[2:])
        if action:
            action(message, _sleep)
    except Exception, e:
        print "Error: ", e

if __name__ == "__main__":
    if (sys.argv[-1:][0] == "real"):
        do(sys.argv[:-1], do_notify)
    else:
        do(sys.argv, do_message)
        subprocess.Popen(sys.argv+["real"],close_fds=True).pid