Mom's Canning Timer — Quickstart

1. Install

pip install moms-canning-timer

Nothing else is needed — no compiler, no third-party packages. tkinter comes with Python.

2. Run it

canning-timer

Equivalent alternatives:

python -m moms_canning_timer
python main.py            # from a clone, without installing

3. Use a burner

The window shows four timers in a 2x2 grid, like a stove top.

For each one:

1. Type a length in minutes.
2. Press Start.
3. The ring around the timer fills as it counts down.
4. Pause and Resume as needed; Reset clears it.

Each burner is independent — four different jars, four different times, all running at once.

4. When it finishes

A bell sounds and a popup appears. The popup needs dismissing, so a finished timer stays noticeable if you have walked away.

If nothing opens

Almost always missing tkinter, which some Linux distributions package separately from Python:

sudo apt install python3-tk      # Debian/Ubuntu

See Troubleshooting.

Then what

• Usage — the controls in detail
• Installation — running from source, or the Windows executable