What's new?

The application is available on the Microsoft Store

You can install the latest version from the Microsoft Store

Today's screen time have been added to the application icon tooltip

The time remaining is kept

When the application is stopped for less than five minutes (a reboot for instance), the time remaining is kept.

Breaking Changes

The application now targets .NET 8. If you want to benefit from the MSIX package in order to install it (manually or from the store), you must have Windows 10, version 1903 minimum. Otherwise, if have an older system, you still can build the app yourself or download a previous version from the Releases page. It should work starting with Windows 7.0 but I've not tested it.

Bug fixes

There was bugs due to migration to MSIX Package that are fixed now:

• Run at start not working
• Win32Exception when clicking on hyperlinks from the about window

Housekeeping

• Dependencies updated
• Build workflows
• Code cleanup

Installation

You can install the latest version from the Microsoft Store

If you prefer, you also can download the MSIX package and install it yourself:

1. Download NeedABreak.zip from the assets and unzip it in some folder
2. Open NeedABreakPackagingProject_3.0.0.0_Test folder
3. If it is the first time you install the application, execute the powershell script Install.ps1 to automatically install the certificate and the application.
4. For subsequent installation, you can Double-Click or Right-Click>Install on NeedABreakPackagingProject_3.0.0.0_x86_x64.msixbundle
   

If you had installed a previous version, you should uninstall it before installing version 3.0.

What's Changed

• Benoît => Benoit by @bNobo in #101
• Create dotnet-desktop.yml by @bNobo in #116
• Build and deploy release only by @bNobo in #117
• Bump Microsoft.AspNetCore.SystemWebAdapters from 1.3.0 to 1.3.2 by @dependabot in #115
• Display today's screen time by @bNobo in #119
• Bump xunit from 2.7.0 to 2.7.1 by @dependabot in #121
• Bump xunit.runner.visualstudio from 2.5.7 to 2.5.8 by @dependabot in #122
• Store todays screen time by @bNobo in #126
• split workflow by @bNobo in #127
• restore countdown after short interruption by @bNobo in #128
• Fix run at startup by @bNobo in #129
• fix crash when link is clicked by @bNobo in #131
• Release/3.0.0 by @bNobo in #120

Full Changelog: v2.3.1...v3.0.7

Installation

You can install the latest release from here or download setup.zip from below. You can can also clone the repo with git clone https://github.com/bNobo/needabreak.git and compile it yourself if you prefer.

Note that you will have a big red warning from the UAC during installation because the installer is not digitally signed.

What's new?

Selected delay saved and restored at startup

When you select a delay, it is stored in the application settings and restored at startup. So you don't have to re-select your prefered value each time you restart your computer.

Do not disturb mode

Suspend mode have been replace with "do not disturb" mode which is more relevant. See issue #92.

Desktop icon

An icon is added on desktop when the application is installed.

What's new?

Improved idle detection

The idle time has been increased from 3 seconds to 7 seconds and NEED A BREAK! now detects when a mouse button is pressed to avoid user interruption while drag and dropping or text selection.

Bug fixes

• An issue under Windows 11 prevent the tooltip from beeing updated just before it appears. The tooltip is now updated periodically in order to workaround the issue.

• The flickering issue on the countdown window has been fixed

Housekeeping

Dependencies have been updated to their lastest version.

What's new?

User activity detection

The application now avoids to annoy user with a popup while they are active. When it is time to have a break, the application will wait for the user to be inactive for at least 3 seconds before showing the countdown. So, you won't be interrupted while you are moving the mouse or typing at the keyboard.

To detect user activity NEED A BREAK! do not catch user actions like key strokes, clicks or mouse moves. Instead it relies on the GetLastInputInfo function of Windows API (user32.dll). This function only returns elapsed time since last user input. Thus, privacy is completely maintained.

Sizeable adjust delay window

The layout of this window is improved and you can now resize it.

Housekeeping

Updated dependencies.
Renamed master branch to root
Add FOSSA
Add dependabot
Fix typos
Updated issue templates
Add CODE_OF_CONDUCT

Breaking changes

NEED A BREAK! now targets .NET Framework 4.8. This framework version is included in Windows 10 since v1903. If you have an older version, you should upgrade to the latest. Alternatively you can download .NET Framework 4.8 separately. You will need to have Windows 7 SP1 minimum.

If you have a Windows version anterior to Windows 7 SP1 and you don't want to upgrade then you can stick to version 1.3 which requires .NET Framework 4.5.2 and is compatible with Windows Vista SP2 minimum. To do so, you should uninstall your current copy of NEED A BREAK and install version 1.3.1 from this link. Note that you will no longer receive updates because version 1.3.1 won't be maintained and won't evolve anymore. Version 1.3.1 will not benefit from future improvements.

What's new?

Application suspension

The application is automatically suspended when you're using a fullscreen application like a videoconference with a colleague, watching a video or playing a video game. When suspended, the application won't notify you and won't lock the screen anymore.

You can also control suspension manually with the suspend/resume menu item. Note that if you manually suspend the application, it won't be resumed automatically, even if "automatic suspension" is checked. Automatic resuming works only when application was automatically suspended.

If you don't like automatic suspension then you can disable it by unchecking the menu.

What's new?

"Lock now" button on the countdown window.

By pressing it you can immediately lock your workstation so you won't have to wait until the end of the countdown. As before you still can postpone five minutes later or cancel lockdown.

"Run at startup" is automatically checked after first installation.

If the application is already installed and you had unchecked "Run at startup", it will be checked again after this update. You can uncheck it if you wish, future updates won't check it anymore because the application will remember your preferences.

What's new?

• About box with legal notice and contact information

You cannot install previous version from the ClickOnce setup because it will automatically update the application at startup, but you can download the source code and compile it yourself from the assets bellow:

What's new?

New application icon designed by @kourosh95, thanks to him!

You cannot install previous version from the ClickOnce setup because it will automatically update the application at startup, but you can download the source code and compile it yourself from the assets bellow:

This is the first stable version made publicly available.

You cannot install previous version from the ClickOnce setup because it will automatically update the application at startup, but you can download the source code and compile it yourself from the assets bellow: