Ubuntu – Real-time star map

GPM is just the application you are looking for! It stands for "General Purpose Mouse":

 This package provides a daemon that captures mouse events when the system
 console is active, and delivers events to applications through a library.
 .
 By default, the daemon provides a 'selection' mode, so that
 cut-and-paste with the mouse works on the console just as it does
 under X.

And can be installed by running:

sudo apt-get install gpm

Screenshot:

FYI: I have put a red box around the mouse just to make it obvious where and what it is. I have also selected some text above just to show that this can be done.

EDIT

In the original answer, further below, the countdown window appeared after an arbitrary idle time. Re- reading your question, you might want it permanently. The permanent version is below (which is simpler), the original answer further down.

1a. Version, permanently showing countdown time

The solution is a background script, showing a semi- transparent countdown window. The window behaves like a notification: it is always visible on top, but (of course) you can work in your other windows as usual:

The initial time is the idle- time before suspend should be activated. The time is reset on mouse- keyboard events.

As the image shows, the script comes with different pre- set color options (see further below).

How to setup

1. The script needs xprintidle:

   sudo apt-get install xprintidle
   

2. Copy the script below into an empty file, save it as countdown.py

3. Run it with the idle time as argument:

   python3 /path/to/countdown.py <idle_time>
   

   e.g.

   python3 /path/to/countdown.py 300
   

   to enter suspend after 5 minutes.

4. If all works fine, add it to startup applications: Dash > Startup Applications > Add. Add the command:

    /path/to/runner.py <idle_time>
   

The script

#!/usr/bin/env python3
import gi
gi.require_version('Gtk', '3.0')
from gi.repository import Gtk, Gdk, GObject, Pango
from threading import Thread
import subprocess
import time
import signal
import sys
import os

# --- set the color (index) below (1 is the first)
color = 1
# ---
textcolors = ["grey", "orange", "green", "blue", "white"]
# --- don't change anything below
txtcolor = textcolors[color-1]

countdown = int(sys.argv[1])
susp = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))+"/susp.sh"

class CountDown(Gtk.Window):

    def __init__(self):
        Gtk.Window.__init__(self)
        maingrid = Gtk.Grid()
        self.add(maingrid)
        maingrid.set_border_width(40)
        # set initial text for the spash window
        self.label = Gtk.Label(convert_seconds(countdown))
        self.label.modify_font(Pango.FontDescription('Ubuntu 22'))
        self.label.set_width_chars(10) 
        maingrid.attach(self.label, 0, 0, 1, 1)
        self.update = Thread(target=self.start_countdown, args=[countdown])
        # daemonize the thread
        self.update.setDaemon(True)
        self.update.start()

    def start_countdown(self, countdown):
        idle1 = idletime()
        t = countdown
        while True:
            time.sleep(1)
            idle2 = idletime()
            if idle2 < idle1:
                t = countdown
            else:
                t -= 1
            if t <= 0:
                subprocess.Popen(["systemctl", "suspend"])
            GObject.idle_add(self.label.set_text, convert_seconds(t),
                priority=GObject.PRIORITY_DEFAULT)
            idle1 = idle2

    def stop(self):
        Gtk.main_quit()

def get_screen():
    scr = [s.split("x") for s in subprocess.check_output([
        "xrandr"]).decode("utf-8").split() if "+0+0" in s][0]
    return int(scr[0]) - 300

def convert_seconds(sec):
    timedisplay = [
        str(int(sec/3600)),
        str(int((sec % 3600)/60)),
        str(int(sec % 60)),
        ]
    for i, n in enumerate(timedisplay):
        if len(n) == 1:
            timedisplay[i] = "0"+n
    return ":".join(timedisplay)

def idletime():
    return int(subprocess.check_output(
        "xprintidle"
        ).decode("utf-8").strip())/1000

def splashwindow():
    window = CountDown()
    window.set_decorated(False)
    window.set_resizable(False)
    window.override_background_color(Gtk.StateType.NORMAL, Gdk.RGBA(0,0,0,1))
    window.modify_fg(Gtk.StateFlags.NORMAL, Gdk.color_parse(txtcolor))
    window.set_opacity(0.6)
    window.move(get_screen(), 80)
    window.set_keep_above(True)
    window.show_all()
    Gtk.main()

GObject.threads_init()
splashwindow()

Note

The text color can be changed, as explained at the very bottom of the second version of the answer.

1b. As requested in a comment: luxury version of the same script: text color changes to yellow if half the time passed, to red 30 seconds before suspend.

> >

Use it exactly as 1a.

The script

#!/usr/bin/env python3
import gi
gi.require_version('Gtk', '3.0')
from gi.repository import Gtk, Gdk, GObject, Pango
from threading import Thread
import subprocess
import time
import signal
import sys
import os

# --- set the color (index) below (1 is the first)
color = 1
# ---
textcolors = ["grey", "orange", "green", "blue", "white", "yellow", "red"]
# --- don't change anything below

txtcolor = textcolors[color-1]
al_cl1 = textcolors[5]; al_cl2 = textcolors[6]
countdown = int(sys.argv[1])
alarm1 = int(countdown/2)
alarm2 = 30

class CountDown(Gtk.Window):

    def __init__(self):
        Gtk.Window.__init__(self)
        maingrid = Gtk.Grid()
        self.add(maingrid)
        maingrid.set_border_width(40)
        # set initial text for the spash window
        self.label = Gtk.Label(convert_seconds(countdown))
        self.label.modify_font(Pango.FontDescription('Ubuntu 22'))
        self.label.modify_fg(Gtk.StateFlags.NORMAL, Gdk.color_parse(txtcolor))
        self.label.set_width_chars(10) 
        maingrid.attach(self.label, 0, 0, 1, 1)
        self.update = Thread(target=self.start_countdown, args=[countdown])
        # daemonize the thread
        self.update.setDaemon(True)
        self.update.start()

    def mod_color(self, color):
        self.label.modify_fg(Gtk.StateFlags.NORMAL, Gdk.color_parse(color))

    def start_countdown(self, countdown):
        idle1 = idletime()
        t1 = countdown
        t2 = countdown
        while True:
            time.sleep(1)
            idle2 = idletime()
            if idle2 < idle1:
                t2 = countdown
                if t1 <= alarm1:
                    # print("change textcolor default")
                    GObject.idle_add(self.mod_color, txtcolor,
                        priority=GObject.PRIORITY_DEFAULT)
            else:
                t2 -= 1
            if all([t2 <= alarm2, t1 > alarm2]):
                # print("change textcolor red")
                GObject.idle_add(self.mod_color, al_cl2,          
                    priority=GObject.PRIORITY_DEFAULT)
            elif all([t2 <= alarm1, t1 > alarm1]):
                # print("change textcolor yellow")
                GObject.idle_add(self.mod_color, al_cl1,          
                    priority=GObject.PRIORITY_DEFAULT) 
            if t2 <= 0:
                subprocess.Popen(["systemctl", "suspend"])
            GObject.idle_add(self.label.set_text, convert_seconds(t2),
                priority=GObject.PRIORITY_DEFAULT)
            idle1 = idle2
            t1 = t2

    def stop(self):
        Gtk.main_quit()

def get_screen():
    scr = [s.split("x") for s in subprocess.check_output([
        "xrandr"]).decode("utf-8").split() if "+0+0" in s][0]
    return int(scr[0]) - 300

def convert_seconds(sec):
    timedisplay = [
        str(int(sec/3600)),
        str(int((sec % 3600)/60)),
        str(int(sec % 60)),
        ]
    for i, n in enumerate(timedisplay):
        if len(n) == 1:
            timedisplay[i] = "0"+n
    return ":".join(timedisplay)

def idletime():
    return int(subprocess.check_output(
        "xprintidle"
        ).decode("utf-8").strip())/1000

def splashwindow():
    window = CountDown()
    window.set_decorated(False)
    window.set_resizable(False)
    window.override_background_color(Gtk.StateType.NORMAL, Gdk.RGBA(0,0,0,1))
    window.set_opacity(0.6)
    window.move(get_screen(), 80)
    window.set_keep_above(True)
    window.show_all()
    Gtk.main()

GObject.threads_init()
splashwindow()

2. Original answer: version, showing countdown time after x idle time

The setup below will show a countdown (during an arbitrary time length) to the next suspend:

The window is always on top of all other windows, exactly like the notification bubbles.

The setup replaces the "normal" suspend settings, which means you need to disable suspend from system settings.

About the solution

The command to suspend in the script is:

 systemctl suspend

which doesn't require sudo. The consequence is that you will need at least 15.04 to use this solution.
The script was written and tested on Ubuntu (Unity) 15.10, but there is no specific code in it that should be Unity specific. I assume it works fine on all default Ubuntu versions > 15.04

How it works

To setup (detailed version further below), simply copy the three scripts involved into one and the same directory, exactly named as indicated. To run, simply run the main script (running the time- check).

• If the idle time exceeds a certain limit, the countdown window is called.
• If during countdown the computer becomes un- idle (mouse- or keyboard event) the window is closed (its pid is killed).
• If the timer has ended its count down, it runs a simple script to suspend

How to setup

1. The script needs xprintidle:

   sudo apt-get install xprintidle
   

2. Copy the three scripts below into separate empty files, save the in one and the same directory, exactly named as indicated:

   A. save (exactly) as win.py:

   #!/usr/bin/env python3
   import gi
   gi.require_version('Gtk', '3.0')
   from gi.repository import Gtk, Gdk, GObject, Pango
   from threading import Thread
   import subprocess
   import time
   import signal
   import sys
   import os
   
   # --- set the color (index) below (1 is the first)
   color = 1
   # ---
   textcolors = ["grey", "orange", "green", "blue", "white"]
   # --- don't change anything below
   txtcolor = textcolors[color-1]
   
   countdown = int(sys.argv[1])
   susp = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))+"/susp.sh"
   
   class CountDown(Gtk.Window):
   
       def __init__(self):
           Gtk.Window.__init__(self)
           maingrid = Gtk.Grid()
           self.add(maingrid)
           maingrid.set_border_width(40)
           # set initial text for the spash window
           self.label = Gtk.Label(convert_seconds(countdown))
           self.label.modify_font(Pango.FontDescription('Ubuntu 22'))
           self.label.set_width_chars(10) 
           maingrid.attach(self.label, 0, 0, 1, 1)
           self.update = Thread(target=self.start_countdown, args=[countdown])
           # daemonize the thread
           self.update.setDaemon(True)
           self.update.start()
   
       def start_countdown(self, countdown):
           t = countdown
           while t > 0:
               time.sleep(1)
               t -= 1
               GObject.idle_add(self.label.set_text, convert_seconds(t),
                   priority=GObject.PRIORITY_DEFAULT)
               print(t)
           subprocess.Popen(["/bin/bash", susp])
           self.stop()
   
       def stop(self):
           Gtk.main_quit()
   
   def get_screen():
       scr = [s.split("x") for s in subprocess.check_output([
           "xrandr"]).decode("utf-8").split() if "+0+0" in s][0]
       return int(scr[0]) - 300
   
   def convert_seconds(sec):
       timedisplay = [
           str(int(sec/3600)),
           str(int((sec % 3600)/60)),
           str(int(sec % 60)),
           ]
       for i, n in enumerate(timedisplay):
           if len(n) == 1:
               timedisplay[i] = "0"+n
       return ":".join(timedisplay)
   
   def splashwindow():
       window = CountDown()
       window.set_decorated(False)
       window.set_resizable(False)
       window.override_background_color(Gtk.StateType.NORMAL, Gdk.RGBA(0,0,0,1))
       window.modify_fg(Gtk.StateFlags.NORMAL, Gdk.color_parse(txtcolor))
       window.set_opacity(0.6)
       window.move(get_screen(), 80)
       window.set_keep_above(True)
       window.show_all()
       Gtk.main()
   
   GObject.threads_init()
   splashwindow()
   

   B. Save exactly as runner.py:
   
   

   #!/usr/bin/env python3
   import subprocess
   import time
   import os
   import sys
   
   window_mod = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))+"/win.py" 
   
   suspend = int(sys.argv[1])
   countdown = int(sys.argv[2])
   
   w = False
   while True:  
       time.sleep(1)
       idletime = int(subprocess.check_output(
           "xprintidle"
           ).decode("utf-8").strip())/1000
       if all([idletime > suspend-countdown, w == False]):
           subprocess.Popen(["python3", window_mod, str(countdown)])
           w = True
       elif all([idletime < suspend-countdown, w == True]):
           try:
               procdata = subprocess.check_output([
                   "pgrep", "-f", window_mod
                   ]).decode("utf-8").strip()
               procs = procdata.splitlines()
           except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
               pass
           else:
               for p in procs:
                   subprocess.Popen(["kill", p])
           w = False
   

   C. Save (exactly) as susp.sh:
   
   

   #!/bin/bash
   
   sleep 3
   systemctl suspend
   

3. Make all three scripts executable, and again, make sure they are in one and the same directory.

4. You're practically done.

   • Disable your "usual" suspend settings

   • Test- run the script the suspend time (idle time before suspend should be applied), and the count down time (in seconds) as arguments, e.g.:

     /path/to/runner.py 600 300
     

     to set idle time to 10 minutes, counter starts 5 minutes before suspend.

5. If all works fine, add it to startup applications: Dash > Startup Applications > Add. Add the command:

    /path/to/runner.py <idle_time> <countdown_time>
   

Notes

1. In the head section of the win.py, you can set different colors for the displayed text:
   
   

   # --- set the color (index) below (1 is the first)
   color = 1
   # ---
   textcolors = ["grey", "orange", "green", "blue", "white"]
   

2. Playing with the values in the lines:

   maingrid.set_border_width(10)
   

   and

   return int(scr[0]) - 200 
   

   (from the function get_screen, where 200 is the distance of the left side of the window to the right side of the screen), and

   window.move(get_screen(), 35)
   

   (where 35 is the distance between the window and the top of the screen), you can easily change the geometry of the window, e.g.:

   

Have fun :)