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Menu Bar Experience

Chimr lives in your macOS menu bar, providing instant access to your calendar while staying out of your way. The dynamic menu bar adapts to your schedule, showing relevant information exactly when you need it.

Dynamic Status Display

The menu bar intelligently changes based on your current situation, providing at-a-glance schedule awareness.

Event States

🔴 LIVE - During Events

When you're in a meeting, the menu bar displays the following.

  • Shows "LIVE" in red to indicate ongoing event
  • Displays the current event title
  • Perfect for screen sharing awareness
  • Reminds you that you're currently committed

TBD: スクリーンショット - メニューバーのLIVE状態表示

⏱️ Countdown - Next Event

Between events, the menu bar shows these details.

  • Shows time until next event (e.g., "In 5 min")
  • Displays the upcoming event title
  • Updates in real-time as event approaches
  • Helps with time management between meetings

TBD: スクリーンショット - メニューバーのカウントダウン表示

☀️ Free Day Messages

When you have no events, the menu bar displays these messages.

  • Morning (before noon): "Free day ☀️"
  • Afternoon (noon-6 PM): "Free afternoon ☀️"
  • Evening (after 6 PM): "Well done today 🎉"
  • Celebrates your availability
  • Motivational messaging based on time of day

TBD: スクリーンショット - メニューバーのフリーデイメッセージ

Display Modes

Choose how much information appears in your menu bar from these options.

Full Display Mode

Shows complete event information as follows.

🔔 Team Standup - In 5 min
🔔 LIVE - Quarterly Review
🔔 Free afternoon ☀️

TBD: スクリーンショット - フルディスプレイモードのメニューバー

Icon Only Mode

Minimalist approach with these features.

🔔
  • Just the bell icon
  • Click to reveal full calendar
  • Perfect for clean menu bars
  • Reduces visual clutter

TBD: スクリーンショット - アイコンのみモードのメニューバー

Click Interactions

Primary Click

Opens the calendar popover showing these elements.

  • Monthly calendar grid
  • Today's event list
  • Quick access to settings
  • Event details on hover

Calendar Popover

Right-Click Menu

Quick actions without opening the popover include the following.

  • Settings (⌘,) - Open preferences
  • Quit Chimr (⌘Q) - Exit application
  • About - Version information

Right-click Context Menu

Smart Time Formatting

Chimr uses contextual time displays that make sense at a glance, including these formats.

Relative Time

  • "In 2 min" - Very soon
  • "In 15 min" - Coming up
  • "In 1 hr" - Later
  • "Starting now" - Event beginning

Intelligent Updates

  • Updates every 30 seconds for accuracy
  • More frequent updates as events approach
  • Smooth transitions between states
  • No jarring menu bar changes

Visual Design

Consistent Styling

  • Matches macOS menu bar aesthetics
  • Adapts to light/dark mode automatically
  • Uses SF Symbols for native feel
  • Respects system accent colors

Space Efficiency

  • Truncates long event titles intelligently
  • Prioritizes important information
  • Maintains readable text size
  • Balances information density

Advanced Features

Multi-Display Support

  • Menu bar appears on all displays
  • Click on any display to open popover
  • Consistent state across screens
  • No duplicate notifications

Spaces Integration

  • Available on all desktop spaces
  • Popover opens on current space
  • Menu bar updates globally
  • Works with Mission Control

Keyboard Support

While popover is open, these keyboard shortcuts are available.

  • ⌘, - Open settings
  • ⌘Q - Quit application
  • Escape - Close popover
  • Arrow keys - Navigate calendar

Customization Options

In Settings, configure these options.

  1. Display Mode

    • Full event information
    • Icon only
  2. Event Title Length

    • Show full titles
    • Smart truncation
  3. Time Format

    • Relative times ("In 5 min")
    • Absolute times ("2:30 PM")

Status Priority

When multiple states could apply, the priority order is as follows.

  1. LIVE always takes precedence
  2. Countdown shows for next event
  3. Free day only when calendar is empty

Use Cases

For Executives

  • Full display: See your next meeting at a glance
  • LIVE indicator: Know when you're double-booked
  • Countdown: Mental preparation time

For Developers

  • Icon only: Minimize distractions
  • Free day: Know when you have focus time
  • Quick check: Click for full schedule

For Remote Workers

  • LIVE status: Avoid interruptions during calls
  • Event titles: Quick meeting context
  • Countdown: Transition time between calls

Tips and Tricks

Optimize Your Workflow

  1. Position strategically

    • Place near clock for time awareness
    • Group with other status apps
    • Keep visible on all displays
  2. Use with other apps

    • Complements focus apps
    • Works with time tracking
    • Enhances productivity tools
  3. Develop habits

    • Glance before starting deep work
    • Check during meeting transitions
    • Review at day start/end

Troubleshooting

For menu bar display issues, see our Troubleshooting Guide or FAQ.