color-notify 1.0.10
Desktop notification tool for clipboard color code detection
License: MIT
Requires Python: >=3.6
Keywords: color, notification, clipboard, monitor, desktop, growl, hex, rgb, color-picker, system-tray, pyqt5, qt, gui

# Color Notify

[![PyPI version](https://badge.fury.io/py/color-notify.svg)](https://badge.fury.io/py/color-notify)
[![License: MIT](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-MIT-yellow.svg)](https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT)

A desktop notification tool that detects color codes in your clipboard and displays beautiful growl-style notifications with the detected color as background. Now includes an integrated Color Picker dialog for manual color selection!


<p align="center">
  <img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/cumulus13/color-notify/master/icons/color-notify.png" alt="color-notfy" width="200">
</p>
<br/>
<p align="center">
  <img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/cumulus13/color-notify/master/colordialog.png" alt="color-notfy-color-dialog">
</p>
<br/>
<p align="center">
  <img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/cumulus13/color-notify/master/color-notify.gif" alt="Demo">
</p>

## ✨ Features

### Clipboard Monitoring
- 🎨 **Auto-detect color codes** - Supports HEX (#FF0000, #F00) and RGB (rgb(255, 0, 0))
- 🔔 **Growl-style notifications** - Frameless, borderless, with smooth fade animations
- 📍 **Flexible positioning** - 9 positions: left/center/right × up/center/down
- 👁️ **Adjustable transparency** - Opacity from 0.0 to 1.0
- ⏱️ **Configurable timeout** - Auto-hide after specified time or keep visible (0 = no auto-hide)

### Color Picker Dialog
- 🎨 **Interactive color picker** - Qt color dialog integration
- 📍 **Smart positioning** - Color dialog opens next to picker (configurable: left/right/top/bottom)
- 🎯 **Smart focus management** - Focus returns to previous window on Escape
- ⚙️ **Auto-hide option** - Optionally close picker after color selection
- ⌨️ **Global shortcut** - **Ctrl+Alt+Shift+C** to open from anywhere
- 💾 **Auto-copy to clipboard** - Selected colors automatically copied
- 🔍 **Hex input support** - Manually enter hex color codes
- ⌨️ **Keyboard shortcuts** - Quick access with hotkeys
- 📺 **Always on top** - Toggle with keyboard shortcuts
- 🔄 **Live clipboard detection** - Auto-updates from clipboard

### System Integration
- ⚙️ **INI configuration** - All settings in `.color-notify.ini` or `color-notify.ini`
- 🖥️ **System tray integration** - Background monitoring with tray menu
- 🔝 **Always on Top** - Optional AOT mode
- 🌈 **Smart text color** - Auto black/white text based on luminance
- ⏸️ **Pause/Resume** - Toggle monitoring from tray menu
- 🖱️ **Click to dismiss** - Click notification to close it

## 📦 Installation

```bash
pip install color-notify
```

### Requirements

- Python 3.6+
- PyQt5
- pynput (for global hotkey support)

> **Note**: The global hotkey `Ctrl+Alt+Shift+C` requires `pynput`. If not installed, you can still use the tray menu to access the color picker.

## 🚀 Usage

### Run the application

```bash
color-notify
```

Or run as Python module:

```bash
python -m color_notify
```

The application will start in the background with a system tray icon.

### Clipboard Monitoring Mode

1. Copy a color code to your clipboard:
   - `#FF5733`
   - `#F00`
   - `rgb(255, 87, 51)`
   - `rgb(100, 200, 150)`

2. A notification will appear with the color as background!

### Color Picker Mode

1. Right-click the tray icon and select **"🎨 Color Picker"**
   
   **OR**
   
   Press global shortcut: **`Ctrl+Alt+Shift+C`** (from anywhere!)

2. Use the color picker dialog to:
   - Click **"Choose Color"** to open Qt color dialog
   - Type hex code in input field and press Enter
   - Selected color automatically copied to clipboard

#### Color Picker Keyboard Shortcuts

- `Ctrl+Alt+Shift+C` - **Open color picker (global shortcut)**
- `Q` or `Escape` - Close color picker
- `A` - Enable always on top
- `Shift + A` - Disable always on top
- `Enter` - Set color from hex input

## ⚙️ Configuration

Color Notify looks for configuration in:
1. `~/.color-notify.ini` (user home directory) - **Recommended**
2. `color-notify.ini` (current directory) - Fallback

Create or edit the configuration file:

```ini
[notification]
# Position: left_up, left_center, left_down,
#           center_up, center_center, center_down,
#           right_up, right_center, right_down
position = right_center

# Transparency (0.0 - 1.0)
opacity = 0.95

# Keep notification always on top
always_on_top = True

# Auto-hide timeout in milliseconds
# 0 = no auto-hide (stays until clicked)
timeout = 3000

# Margin from screen edge in pixels
margin = 20

# Enable notification sound (not implemented yet)
sound_enabled = False

[color_picker]
# Position of Qt Color Dialog relative to Color Picker
# Options: left, right, top, bottom
color_dialog_position = right

# Auto-hide Color Picker after selecting a color
# True = Closes picker and returns to previous window
# False = Keeps picker open for multiple picks (default)
auto_hide_after_pick = False

[detection]
# Detect HEX format (#FF0000, #F00)
detect_hex = True

# Detect RGB format (rgb(255, 0, 0))
detect_rgb = True

# Detect HSL format (not implemented yet)
detect_hsl = False

# Clipboard polling interval in milliseconds
# Lower = more responsive but may cause clipboard conflicts on Windows
# Recommended: 1000-2000ms for Windows, 500-1000ms for Linux/macOS
poll_interval = 1000
```

> **Note for Windows Users:** If you see clipboard warning messages, increase `poll_interval` to 1500-2000ms in the config file. This prevents conflicts with other clipboard applications.

### Quick Config Access

Right-click the tray icon and select **"Open Config File"** to edit settings.

## 🎯 System Tray Menu

- **🎨 Color Picker (Ctrl+Alt+Shift+C)** - Open color picker dialog
- **🧪 Test Notification** - Display a random color notification
- **⏸️ Pause/Resume Monitoring** - Toggle clipboard monitoring
- **🔄 Reload Config** - Reload configuration without restart
- **⚙️ Open Config File** - Open config file in default editor
- **ℹ️ About** - Show application information
- **❌ Exit** - Close the application

## 📸 What You'll See

### Notifications Display:
- **Title**: Color type and code (HEX/RGB)
- **Body**: 
  - RGB values
  - Brightness classification (LIGHT/DARK)
  - Luminance value and visual bar
- **Background**: The detected color
- **Text**: Auto-adjusted (black/white) for readability

### Color Picker Shows:
- **Color Preview** - Large preview box with current color
- **Color Name** - Hex code display
- **Choose Color Button** - Opens Qt color dialog
- **Set Color Button** - Apply hex from input field
- **Hex Input** - Manual hex code entry

# Color Notify - Complete Features Overview

## 🎯 Two Operating Modes

### 1. Passive Mode - Clipboard Monitoring
Automatically detects and displays colors from clipboard.

**How it works:**
- Monitors clipboard continuously
- Detects color codes automatically
- Shows growl-style notification
- No user interaction needed

**Supported formats:**
- HEX: `#FF0000`, `#F00`
- RGB: `rgb(255, 0, 0)`

### 2. Active Mode - Color Picker
Interactive dialog for manual color selection.

**How it works:**
- Open from system tray
- Pick colors interactively
- Auto-copy to clipboard
- Full dialog interface

**Features:**
- Qt color dialog integration
- Manual hex input
- Live clipboard detection
- Always on top option

## 📋 Complete Feature List

### Clipboard Monitoring Features

| Feature | Description | Config |
|---------|-------------|--------|
| **HEX Detection** | Detects #RRGGBB and #RGB | `detect_hex = True` |
| **RGB Detection** | Detects rgb(r, g, b) | `detect_rgb = True` |
| **Auto Notification** | Shows notification on detect | Automatic |
| **Smart Text Color** | Black/white based on luminance | Automatic |
| **Luminance Display** | Shows brightness info | Automatic |
| **RGB Values** | Displays RGB breakdown | Automatic |
| **Visual Bar** | Luminance visualization | Automatic |

### Notification Features

| Feature | Description | Config |
|---------|-------------|--------|
| **Positioning** | 9 screen positions | `position = right_center` |
| **Transparency** | Adjustable opacity | `opacity = 0.95` |
| **Timeout** | Auto-hide duration | `timeout = 3000` |
| **Always on Top** | Keep above windows | `always_on_top = True` |
| **Click to Dismiss** | Close on click | Built-in |
| **Fade Animation** | Smooth in/out | Built-in |
| **Frameless** | No window border | Built-in |
| **No Taskbar** | System tray only | Built-in |

### Color Picker Features

| Feature | Description | Shortcut |
|---------|-------------|----------|
| **Qt Color Dialog** | Full color picker | - |
| **Hex Input** | Manual entry | Enter |
| **Color Preview** | Large preview box | - |
| **Color Name** | Hex display | - |
| **Auto Copy** | To clipboard | Automatic |
| **Clipboard Detect** | Auto update | Every 1s |
| **Always on Top** | Toggle mode | `A` / `Shift+A` |
| **Close** | Exit dialog | `Q` / `Escape` |
| **Multi-Monitor** | Screen detection | Automatic |
| **Auto Center** | Window positioning | Automatic |

### System Tray Features

| Feature | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| **Tray Icon** | Minimized operation |
| **Color Picker Menu** | Open picker dialog |
| **Test Notification** | Sample display |
| **Pause/Resume** | Toggle monitoring |
| **Reload Config** | Hot reload settings |
| **Open Config** | Edit INI file |
| **About** | Version info |
| **Exit** | Close application |

### Configuration Features

| Feature | Description | Default |
|---------|-------------|---------|
| **Position** | 9 positions available | `right_center` |
| **Opacity** | 0.0 to 1.0 | `0.95` |
| **Timeout** | 0 to ∞ ms | `3000` |
| **Margin** | Screen edge margin | `20` px |
| **Poll Interval** | Clipboard check rate | `1000` ms |
| **AOT** | Always on top | `True` |
| **HEX Detect** | Enable hex detection | `True` |
| **RGB Detect** | Enable RGB detection | `True` |

### Error Handling Features

| Feature | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| **Clipboard Errors** | Silent retry on access error |
| **Auto Interval Adjust** | Increase on persistent errors |
| **Error Counter** | Track clipboard issues |
| **Validation** | RGB range checking (0-255) |
| **Graceful Degradation** | Continue on errors |

## 🎨 Color Format Support

### Currently Supported

#### HEX Formats
- **6-digit**: `#FF5733` (red, green, blue)
- **3-digit**: `#F00` (expands to `#FF0000`)
- **Case insensitive**: `#ff5733` = `#FF5733`

#### RGB Formats
- **Standard**: `rgb(255, 87, 51)`
- **Spaces**: `rgb( 255 , 87 , 51 )`
- **Case insensitive**: `RGB(255,87,51)`
- **Validated**: 0-255 range checking

### Planned Support

- [ ] HSL: `hsl(9, 100%, 60%)`
- [ ] HSLA: `hsla(9, 100%, 60%, 1.0)`
- [ ] RGBA: `rgba(255, 87, 51, 1.0)`
- [ ] Named colors: `red`, `blue`, etc.
- [ ] CSS color keywords

## 🎯 Position Options

All 9 screen positions available:

```
left_up      center_up      right_up
left_center  center_center  right_center
left_down    center_down    right_down
```

Each respects `margin` setting for distance from screen edge.

## ⏱️ Timeout Behavior

| Value | Behavior |
|-------|----------|
| `0` | No auto-hide (click to dismiss) |
| `1000` | 1 second |
| `3000` | 3 seconds (default) |
| `5000` | 5 seconds |
| Any positive | Custom milliseconds |

## 🎨 Smart Features

### Luminance-Based Text Color
- **Light colors** (luminance > 0.5): Black text
- **Dark colors** (luminance ≤ 0.5): White text
- Ensures readability on any background

### Luminance Calculation
```
luminance = (0.299 × R + 0.587 × G + 0.114 × B) / 255
```

### Visual Luminance Bar
- 20-character bar: `████████████████████`
- Length based on luminance value
- Quick visual brightness indicator

## 🔄 Workflow Integration

### Design Workflow
```
Design Tool → Copy Color → Notification → Verify
     ↓
Color Picker → Choose → Auto Copy → Paste
```

### Development Workflow
```
Code → Copy Color → Notification → Check
    ↓
Color Picker → Test → Copy → Implement
```

### Testing Workflow
```
Spec → Color Picker → Choose → Compare → Verify
         ↓
  Notification confirms copied colors
```

## 🚀 Performance

### Resource Usage
- **Memory**: ~50-100 MB
- **CPU**: <1% idle, <5% active
- **Startup**: <2 seconds

### Optimization
- Efficient clipboard polling
- Error-based interval adjustment
- Minimal background operations
- No unnecessary rendering

## 🔒 Security & Privacy

### What We Access
- ✅ System clipboard (text only)
- ✅ System tray
- ✅ Config file (local)

### What We Don't
- ❌ No network access
- ❌ No file scanning
- ❌ No data collection
- ❌ No telemetry

### Data Storage
- Config file only (`~/.color-notify.ini`)
- No color history saved
- No tracking or analytics
- Fully local operation

## 🎯 Use Case Matrix

| Use Case | Clipboard Mode | Color Picker | Both |
|----------|----------------|--------------|------|
| Verify copied colors | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Pick new colors | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Build palette | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Test hex codes | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Monitor workflow | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Active selection | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Background checking | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |

## 💡 Best Practices

### For Designers
1. Keep Color Picker open while designing
2. Use Always on Top (`A` key)
3. Enable notifications for verification
4. Set timeout to `5000` for longer viewing

### For Developers
1. Use notifications to verify copied colors
2. Quick color picker for testing
3. Set poll interval to `1000` for responsiveness
4. Position notifications away from editor

### For QA/Testing
1. Use both modes for comprehensive checks
2. Color Picker for spec comparison
3. Notifications for automated checks
4. Save screenshots with notifications

## 🔮 Future Enhancements

### Planned Features
- HSL/HSV format support
- Color history log
- Palette management
- Gradient picker
- Color harmonies
- Contrast checker
- Export to formats (CSS, JSON, etc.)
- Multiple color detection in single clipboard
- Notification templates
- Sound notifications
- Statistics tracking

### Community Requests
Submit feature requests on [GitHub Issues](https://github.com/cumulus13/color-notify/issues)

## 📊 Feature Comparison

### vs Manual Copy-Paste
| | Color Notify | Manual |
|---|--------------|--------|
| **Speed** | Instant | Slow |
| **Verification** | Visual | Mental |
| **History** | Session | None |
| **Errors** | Validated | Possible |

### vs Browser Extensions
| | Color Notify | Extensions |
|---|--------------|------------|
| **System-wide** | ✅ | ❌ |
| **No browser** | ✅ | ❌ |
| **Privacy** | ✅ | ⚠️ |
| **Lightweight** | ✅ | ⚠️ |

### vs Color Picker Apps
| | Color Notify | Other Apps |
|---|--------------|------------|
| **Notifications** | ✅ | ❌ |
| **Auto-detect** | ✅ | ❌ |
| **Lightweight** | ✅ | ⚠️ |
| **Free** | ✅ | ⚠️ |


## 🔧 Examples

### HEX Colors
```
#FF0000  → Red
#00FF00  → Green
#0000FF  → Blue
#FFFF00  → Yellow
#FF00FF  → Magenta
#00FFFF  → Cyan
#F0A500  → Orange
#9B59B6  → Purple
```

### RGB Colors
```
rgb(255, 0, 0)      → Red
rgb(0, 255, 0)      → Green
rgb(100, 150, 200)  → Light Blue
rgb(255, 87, 51)    → Coral
```

### Short HEX
```
#F00  → Red (#FF0000)
#0F0  → Green (#00FF00)
#00F  → Blue (#0000FF)
```

## 💡 Use Cases

### For Designers
- Quick color reference from design files
- Pick colors interactively with color picker
- Verify colors from screenshots
- Check accessibility (luminance display)
- Build color palettes

### For Developers
- Monitor colors from code
- Verify hex/rgb conversions
- Quick color validation
- Copy colors to clipboard instantly
- Test color combinations

### For QA/Testing
- Verify UI colors match specs
- Document color usage
- Cross-reference design systems
- Quick color comparisons

## 🛠️ Development

### Requirements

- Python 3.6+
- PyQt5

### Troubleshooting

**Clipboard warnings on Windows?**
- Increase `poll_interval` to 1500-2000ms in config
- See [TROUBLESHOOTING.md](TROUBLESHOOTING.md) for details

**Color Picker not showing?**
- Check system tray menu is accessible
- Try running from command line to see errors

For more help, check:
- [TROUBLESHOOTING.md](TROUBLESHOOTING.md) - Detailed troubleshooting guide
- [INSTALL.md](INSTALL.md) - Installation help
- [QUICKSTART.md](QUICKSTART.md) - Quick start guide

### Local Development

```bash
# Clone repository
git clone https://github.com/cumulus13/color-notify.git
cd color-notify

# Install in development mode
pip install -e .

# Run
python -m color_notify
```

## 🎨 Two Modes of Operation

### 1. Passive Mode (Default)
- Monitors clipboard automatically
- Shows notifications when colors detected
- Runs in background

### 2. Active Mode (Color Picker)
- Manual color selection
- Interactive color dialog
- Instant clipboard copy
- Always accessible from tray menu

Both modes work together seamlessly!

## 📝 License

MIT License - see [LICENSE](LICENSE) file for details

## 👤 Author

**[Hadi Cahyadi](mailto:cumulus13@gmail.com)**
    

[![Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/assets/img/custom_images/orange_img.png)](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/cumulus13)

[![Donate via Ko-fi](https://ko-fi.com/img/githubbutton_sm.svg)](https://ko-fi.com/cumulus13)

[Support me on Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/cumulus13)

## 🔗 Links

- **GitHub**: https://github.com/cumulus13/color-notify
- **PyPI**: https://pypi.org/project/color-notify/
- **Issues**: https://github.com/cumulus13/color-notify/issues

## 🤝 Contributing

Contributions, issues, and feature requests are welcome!

Feel free to check the [issues page](https://github.com/cumulus13/color-notify/issues).

## ⭐ Show Your Support

Give a ⭐️ if this project helped you!

## 📊 Changelog

### Version 1.0.1
- ✨ Added Color Picker Dialog
- 🎨 Interactive color selection
- ⌨️ Keyboard shortcuts for color picker
- 🔄 Live clipboard detection in picker
- 🐛 Fixed clipboard access warnings on Windows
- 📈 Improved error handling
- 📝 Better documentation

### Version 1.0.0
- 🎉 Initial release
- 🎨 HEX and RGB color detection
- 🔔 Growl-style notifications
- 🖥️ System tray integration
- ⚙️ Configurable positioning and timeout
- ⏸️ Pause/Resume monitoring
- 🖱️ Click to dismiss notifications

---

**Enjoy Color Notify!** 🎨✨