InkHour

A Python-based digital clock that displays the current time through literary quotes. InkHour combines the timeless appeal of literature with modern e-ink technology (Papirus) to show time-related quotes from literature that match the current time, creating a unique intersection of classic storytelling and contemporary timekeeping.

Overview

The Literary Clock pulls quotes from a JSON database and displays them on an e-ink screen, with special formatting for time references within the quotes. When the current time matches a time mentioned in literature, the display updates to show the relevant quote along with its source.

Features

• Displays literary quotes containing references to the current time
• Dynamically formats quotes with emphasized time references
• Rotatable display support
• Configurable font sizes and text formatting
• Quote filtering based on length
• Attribution display for books and authors
• Automatic display updates every 30 seconds

Requirements

• Python 3.x
• Papirus e-ink display and related packages (see PaPiRus installation guide)
• Required Python packages:
  • papirus
  • Additional standard libraries: datetime, json, os, random, time

Configuration

The following parameters can be adjusted in the code:

dispWidth=200# Display width in pixelsscreenRot=0# Screen rotation in degreestypeSize=12# Base font sizequoteLen=70# Maximum quote lengthtimeSizeIncrease=1# Time text size increasesourceSizeDecrease=1# Source text size decreaselineSpacing=1.2# Line spacing multipliermaxQuoteLen=250# Maximum quote length in characters

Data Format

The project expects quotes to be stored in a quotes.json file with the following structure:

{
"HH:MM": [
{
"quote": "Quote text containing the time",
"book": "Book Title",
"author": "Author Name",
"timeAlt": "Alternative time format (optional)"
}
]
}

Usage

1. Ensure all requirements are installed
2. Place your quotes.json file in the same directory as the script
3. Run the script:

python literary_clock.py

The program will:

1. Load and filter quotes from the JSON file
2. Initialize the e-ink display
3. Continuously update the display with quotes matching the current time
4. Handle display formatting and rotation automatically

Error Handling

The script includes robust error handling for:

• Missing or invalid JSON file
• Display update failures
• Quote formatting issues
• General runtime exceptions

Display Layout

The display format follows this structure:

1. Quote prefix (if time appears mid-quote)
2. Time reference (enlarged)
3. Quote suffix (if any)
4. Source attribution (slightly smaller text)

Contributing

Feel free to contribute to this project by:

• Adding new quotes to the database
• Improving the display formatting
• Optimizing the refresh rate
• Adding new features

License

MIT License

Copyright (c) 2024

Acknowledgments

• Built using the Papirus e-ink display library
• Inspired by literary timepieces and book lovers everywhere
• Based on the original concept from literature-clock