Quick reminders from Terminal (bash)

dontforget.bash

#!/bin/bash
# dontforget
#
# A stupid script for short term reminders in bash
#
# Arguments just need to contain a number and a bunch of words.
#
# The number can be anywhere in the arguments, but there shouldn't
# be any other numeric digits.
#
# If the number has h, m, or s immediately after it (no space), it will
# be interpreted as hours, minutes, or seconds. The default assumption
# is minutes.
#
# Save the script as `dontforget` in your path and make it executable
#
# Usage
# 	$ dontforget let the dog back inside 10
# 	=> I'll remind you: "let the dog back inside" in 10 minutes
#
# It can parse a little extra verbosity around the text, too
# 	$ dontforget to let my dog back inside in 10m
# 	=> I'll remind you: "let your dog back inside" in 10 minutes
#
# 	$ dontforget I really need to take a break in 1h
# 	I'll remind you: "you really need to take a break" in 60 minutes
#
# Running dontforget with no arguments will list upcoming reminders
#
# Use `dontforget cancel` or `dontforget nevermind` to cancel the last
# reminder that was created
#
# $ dontforget cancel
# Canceled "you really need to take a break"
#
# To turn on LaunchBar "large text" display
# export DF_LAUNCHBAR=true
#
# To make dontforget remain in the foreground and cancelable with ^c
# export DF_NO_BACKGROUND=true
#
# Tip:
# alias forget="dontforget cancel"

[[ -z $DF_LAUNCHBAR ]] && DF_LAUNCHBAR=false || $DF_LAUNCHBAR
[[ -z $DF_NO_BACKGROUND ]] && DF_NO_BACKGROUND=false || $DF_NO_BACKGROUND

__df() {
	if [[ $# == 0 ]]; then
		__df_list_reminders
		return
	fi

	if [[ $# == 1 && $1 =~ (cancel|nevermind) ]]; then
		__df_cancel
		return $?
	fi

	local timespan reminder
	for arg in $@; do
		# e.g. 3:30pm, 10am -- parse as date
		if [[ $arg =~ ^[0-9][0-9]?(:[0-9][0-9])?(a|p)m?$ && -z $timespan ]]; then
			# ensure meridian (2a = 2am)
			arg=$(echo "$arg"|sed -E 's/m?$/m/')
			timespan=$(__df_parse_date $arg)
		# e.g. 1h or 30m -- parse as interval
		elif [[ $arg =~ ^[0-9]+[hms]?$ && -z $timespan ]]; then
			timespan=$(echo "$arg"|sed -E 's/^([0-9]+)([HhSsMm])?$/\1 \2/')
		# Assume part of reminder string
		else
			reminder+=" $arg"
		fi
	done

	length=${timespan%% *}
	unit=${timespan#* }

	if [[ $unit == "h" ]]; then
		length=$(($length*60*60))
	elif [[ $unit != "s" ]]; then
		length=$(($length*60))
	fi
	reminder=$(__df_clean_reminder "$reminder")

	# echo "I'll remind you: \"$reminder\" in $(($length/60)) minutes"
	echo "I'll remind you: \"$reminder\" in $(__df_show_time $length)"
	if [[ $DF_NO_BACKGROUND == true ]]; then
		sleep $length && __df_remind "$reminder"
	else
		sleep $length && __df_remind "$reminder" &
	fi
}

__df_parse_date() {
	TIMESTAMP=$(ruby -rtime -e "puts Time.parse('$1').strftime('%s')")
	NOW=$(date '+%s')
	echo "$(($TIMESTAMP-$NOW)) s"
}

__df_list_reminders() {
	IFS=$'\n'; for line in $(ps ax | grep -E "bash .*?dontforget \w+" | grep -v grep); do echo $(__df_clean_reminder $(echo "$line" | sed -E 's/.*dontforget //')); done
}

__df_remind() {
	local reminder="$*"
	if [[ -n $(ps ax | grep LaunchBar.app) && $DF_LAUNCHBAR == true ]]; then
		osascript -e "tell application \"LaunchBar\" to display in large type \"Time to $reminder\" with sound \"Glass\""
	else
		osascript -e "display dialog \"Time to $reminder\""
	fi
	/usr/bin/afplay /System/Library/Sounds/Glass.aiff
	say "$reminder"
}

__df_clean_reminder() {
	local input="$*"
	# trim whitespace
	input=$(echo -e "$input" | sed -E 's/(^ *| *$)//g') | tr -s ' '
	# change " I " to " you "
	input=$(echo -e "$input" | sed -E 's/(^| +)[Ii]( +|$)/\1you\2/g')
	# change " my " to " your "
	input=$(echo -e "$input" | sed -E 's/(^| +)[Mm]y( +|$)/\1your\2/g')
	# strip leading "forget" in case you alias to dont, i.e. "dont forget to..."
	input=$(echo -e "$input" | sed -E 's/^ *forget//')
	# strip extra words from natural language
	local output=$(__df_strip_naturals "$input")

	# final whitespace trim
	echo -e "$output" | sed -E 's/(^ *| *$)//g' | tr -s ' '
}

__df_strip_naturals() {
	local original=$(echo "$*"|sed -E 's/^( *remind me *)//')
	while [[ "$original" =~ ^[[:space:]]*(to|in|about|at) ]]; do
		original=$(echo "$original"| sed -E 's/^ *(to|in|about|at) *//g')
	done

	[[ "$original" =~ in[[:space:]]*$ ]] && original=$(echo "$original"| sed -E 's/ *in *$//')
	# [[ "$original" =~ at[[:space:]]*$ ]] && original=$(echo "$original"| sed -E 's/ *at *$//')

	echo $original  | sed -E 's/(^ *| *$)//g'
}

__df_show_time () {
	local num=$1
	local sec=0
	local min=0
	local hour=0
	local day=0
	local output=""
	if ((num>59)); then
		((sec=num%60))
		if ((sec>0)); then
			output="${sec} $(__df_pluralize $sec second) $output"
		fi
		((num=num/60))

		if((num>59)); then
			((min=num%60))
			if ((min>0)); then
				output="${min} $(__df_pluralize $min minute) $output"
			fi
			((num=num/60))
			if((num>23)); then
				((hour=num%24))
				if ((hour>0)); then
					output="${hour} $(__df_pluralize $hour hour) $output"
				fi

				((day=num/24))
				if ((day>0)); then
					output="${day} $(__df_pluralize $day day) $output"
				fi
			else
				((hour=num))
				output="${hour} $(__df_pluralize $hour hour) $output"
			fi
		else
			((min=num))
			output="${min} $(__df_pluralize $min minute) $output"
		fi
	else
		((sec=num))
		output="${sec} $(__df_pluralize $sec sec) $output"
	fi
	echo $output
}

__df_pluralize() {
	if (($1>1)); then
		echo "${2}s"
	else
		echo $2
	fi
}

__df_cancel() {
	local df_job=$(ps ax | grep dontforget | grep -v grep | grep -v cancel | grep -v nevermind | tail -n 1)

	if [[ -z $df_job || $df_job == "" ]]; then
		echo "No timer found"
		return 1
	else
		local pid=$(echo "$df_job" | awk '{print $1}')
		kill $pid
		local title=$(echo "$df_job" | sed -E 's/.*dontforget (.*)$/\1/')
		echo "Canceled \"$(__df_clean_reminder "$title")\""
	fi
}

__df $@

Thanks for this! Super handy script.

On line 59 you have variable local instring="$*" but it's never used. Not a big deal.

On line 103 shellcheck recommended to move the final parenthesis to properly assign the output of the pipeline:

input=$(echo -e "$input" | sed -E 's/(^ *| *$)//g' | tr -s ' ')

You're a really good programmer and it's always inspiring seeing the way you write code. Thanks for sharing. 👍

I really need to touch up on my bash scripting :-/

A convenient and somewhat related add-on to this script could be something that also runs lightly in the background and if you type a certain command, it will give you a little reminder of any common followup commands that you should probably do (in case you aren't in a good habit of some command sequence or something).

Just thought of it as I'm working through Django and it is good practice that if you change a model, you should then generate a migration file as well, then execute the migration (depending on if your team's setup), and then you should make a single commit which includes both the migration file and the changes to the model.

Anyways, cool gist! I'll probably get around to making that modification one day, but it could be a long while so if you like it, feel free to build on it @ttscoff or others.
Cheers

Excellent! And impressive. Haven't gone through the code yet. I'm leaving a reminder to myself to do so tomorrow ;)
P.S. Wonder wether it recognises 1d or not!

UPDATE!

1. Ok, I tried 1d and didn't work and I used 24h and of course it did.
2. I noticed a tiny bug! I used dontforget in the description and it trimmed it and everything before it!

~/dev/apps/dontforget [global_reporistory__master]$ ./dontforget.bash to look at dontforget source code in 1d
./dontforget.bash: line 75: *60: syntax error: operand expected (error token is "*60")
~/dev/apps/dontforget [global_reporistory__master]$ ./dontforget.bash to look at dontforget source code in 24h
I'll remind you: "look at dontforget source code" in 1440 minutes
~/dev/apps/dontforget [global_reporistory__master]$ ./dontforget.bash 
source code in 24h

You could change say "$reminder" on line 97 to notify-send Test "$reminder"

Then reminders would be posted as a notification: