What is Scriptable?

Scriptable is a powerful automation tool that allows you to create scripts that interact with iOS’s native features.

Widget Specifications

At a high level, the script will take a list of dates, calculate how many days remain until each date, and display this information on the home screen widget. Each date will also have an associated title to explain its significance.

Strategy Overview

• Read an array of event records, each containing a date and a title.
• Create a widget.
• For each event, calculate the number of days until it occurs and display the title.
• Use the absolute value to manage past dates, relying on the title for clarification.
• Update the widget with the results.

Writing the Code

Begin by launching the Scriptable app. Create a new script and assign it a name that you prefer, such as “Date Countdown.” This name will be important when setting up the widget.

Copy and paste the code below, which follows the video tutorial on how to create the script. This process is much simpler than navigating Apple Shortcuts!

Here’s the code to use:

// Based on sample script, Apple Event Countdown

// W Murphy 18-10-23

// The dates you want to track are in this array.

// Each array record holds the date and a title for the date.

const theDates = [

{ aDate: "Dec 25, 2023 0:00:00", title: " days until Xmas"},

{ aDate: "Jul 20, 1969 0:00:00", title: " days since moon landing"},

{ aDate: "Oct 23, 2023 0:00:00", title: " days until my birthday" },

{ aDate: "Jan 1, 2024 0:00:00", title: " days left in this year" }

]

// Sort the dates into ascending order

theDates.sort((a, b) => new Date(a.aDate) - new Date(b.aDate));

// Launch the widget

if (config.runsInWidget) {

let widget = createWidget(theDates)

Script.setWidget(widget)

Script.complete()

}

// function to create widget: this does most of the work.

function createWidget(listOfDates) {

let widget = new ListWidget()

// Loop through the array of date records and put them in the widget.

for(let i = 0; i < listOfDates.length; i++) {

addTextToThis(widget,

theDaysUntil(listOfDates[i].aDate).toLocaleString("en-US") + listOfDates[i].title)

}

//make a gradient for the widget background.

let startColor = new Color("#3050cc")

let endColor = new Color("#050530")

let gradient = new LinearGradient()

gradient.colors = [startColor, endColor]

gradient.locations = [0.0, 1]

widget.backgroundGradient = gradient

widget.backgroundColor = new Color("#ff5401")

return widget

}

// helper function to calculate days until date.

// Uses absolute value, and the title indicates whether it's in the past.

function theDaysUntil(aDate) {

var countDownDate = new Date(aDate).getTime();

var now = new Date().getTime();

var distance = countDownDate - now;

var days = Math.ceil(distance / (1000 * 60 * 60 * 24));

return Math.abs(days)

}

// Format the message for the date

function addTextToThis(widget, line1) {

let title = widget.addText(line1)

title.font = Font.semiboldSystemFont(20);

title.centerAlignText()

title.textColor = Color.white()

}