Simple Task Scheduler (C++ implementation)

Made by - Subhajit Das (60) & Saksham Kumar Gupta (50)

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This project implements a Task Scheduler using C++ to manage the lifecycle of tasks with both a console-based CLI and an enhanced FTXUI-based graphical terminal interface. Tasks transition through three distinct states: Staged (waiting to start), Active (in progress), and Finished (completed). The application features:

• Modular object-oriented design with separation of concerns
• Two user interfaces: Classic CLI and modern FTXUI TUI
• CSV logging for finished tasks with timestamps and duration tracking
• Time tracking in seconds for precise task duration measurement

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Project Structure

The codebase is organized into these main components:

1. Task.h: Defines the Task data structure and its Status enum (header-only implementation).
2. Scheduler.h / Scheduler.cpp: Defines and implements the Scheduler class, which handles all task management, state transitions, and CSV logging.
3. main_ftxui.cpp: Provides an enhanced FTXUI-based graphical terminal interface with interactive navigation.

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Core Components and Functions

1. Task Class (in Task.h)

This class represents a single unit of work, along with its description, time estimates, and actual timing data.

Function Name	Description
Task(int id, const std::string& description, int estimate)	Constructor to create a new task in the Staged state. Time estimate in seconds.
void markActive()	Sets the task's status to Active and records the startTime.
void markFinished()	Sets the task's status to Finished and records the finishTime.
std::string getDetails() const	Returns a formatted string with all task details for display.

Member Variables:

• int id - Unique task identifier
• std::string description - Task description
• Status status - Current state (Staged/Active/Finished)
• std::time_t startTime - Timestamp when task was started
• std::time_t finishTime - Timestamp when task was completed
• int estimatedDurationSeconds - Estimated duration in seconds

2. Scheduler Class (in Scheduler.h and Scheduler.cpp)

This class manages the three internal lists of tasks (stagedTasks, activeTasks, finishedLog) and handles all state transitions and CSV logging.

Function Name	Description
Scheduler()	Constructor. Initializes the internal task ID counter (nextId) to 1.
void addTask(const std::string& description, int estimate)	Creates a new task with time estimate in seconds and adds it to the Staged list.
void startTask(int id)	Finds the task by ID in the Staged list, marks it as active, and moves it to the Active list.
void finishTask(int id)	Finds the task by ID in the Active list, marks it as finished, moves it to the Finished Log, and logs it to CSV.
void viewStagedTasks() const	Prints all tasks currently in the Staged list.
void viewActiveTasks() const	Prints all tasks currently in the Active list.
void printLog() const	Prints the Finished Log, including actual duration calculated as (finish time - start time).
const std::vector<Task>& getStagedTasks() const	Returns a reference to the staged tasks list (used by FTXUI).
const std::vector<Task>& getActiveTasks() const	Returns a reference to the active tasks list (used by FTXUI).
const std::vector<Task>& getFinishedTasks() const	Returns a reference to the finished tasks list (used by FTXUI).
Task* findTaskById(int id, std::vector<Task>& list)	Public utility function to locate a task within a specified vector by its ID.
void logTaskToCSV(const Task& task)	Private function that logs finished tasks to finished_tasks.csv with full details.

3. CSV Logging Feature

When a task is finished, it is automatically logged to finished_tasks.csv with the following fields:

• ID - Task identifier
• Description - Task description (properly escaped for CSV)
• Estimated Duration (sec) - Original time estimate in seconds
• Start Time - Formatted as YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS
• Finish Time - Formatted as YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS
• Actual Duration (sec) - Calculated duration between start and finish

4. User Interfaces

FTXUI Interface (main_ftxui.cpp)

An enhanced terminal user interface featuring:

• Interactive menu navigation with arrow keys
• Tab key to switch between input fields
• Real-time task viewing with color-coded displays
• Visual borders and formatted layouts
• Status messages with success/error indicators
• Integrated task panels showing tasks directly in the interface

Features:

• Cyan-colored headers for input sections
• Green checkmarks (✓) for successful operations
• Red X marks (✗) for errors
• Color-coded task lists (Cyan for Staged, Yellow for Active, Green for Finished)
• Responsive layout with bordered panels

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Compilation Instructions

Prerequisites

• C++17 compiler (g++ or clang++)
• FTXUI library (included in the repository under FTXUI/ directory)

git clone https://github.com/ArthurSonzogni/FTXUI.git

Building the FTXUI Library

cd FTXUI
mkdir build
cd build
cmake ..
cmake --build .
cd ../..

Compiling the Scheduler

FTXUI Version:

g++ -std=c++17 -o scheduler_ftxui main_ftxui.cpp src/Scheduler.cpp -I./FTXUI/include -L./FTXUI/build -lftxui-component -lftxui-dom -lftxui-screen

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Usage Instructions

Running the FTXUI Version

./scheduler_ftxui.exe   # Windows
./scheduler_ftxui       # Linux/Mac

Navigation:

• Arrow keys - Navigate menu options
• Tab - Switch between input fields
• Enter - Execute selected action or submit input
• Type - Enter task details directly

Menu Options:

1. Add Task - Enter description and estimated duration (in seconds)
2. Start Task - Enter task ID to start
3. Finish Task - Enter task ID to finish (automatically logs to CSV)
4. View Staged Tasks - Display all tasks waiting to be started
5. View Active Tasks - Display all tasks currently in progress
6. View Finished Log - Display completed tasks with actual durations
7. Exit - Close the application

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Features Summary

• Task Lifecycle Management - Staged → Active → Finished
• Automatic CSV Logging - All finished tasks saved to finished_tasks.csv
• Time Tracking - Precise duration tracking in seconds
• Enhanced UI - Beautiful FTXUI terminal interface with colors and borders
• Interactive Navigation - Keyboard-driven menu system
• Real-time Display - Tasks displayed directly in the interface
• Data Persistence - CSV format for easy data analysis
• Proper Documentation - Comprehensive Doxygen comments in source code

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Output Files

• finished_tasks.csv - Automatically created/updated when tasks are finished, containing : ID, Description, Estimated Duration, Start Time, Finish Time, Actual Duration

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Technical Details

• C++ Standard: C++17
• Libraries: FTXUI (v5.0.0+)
• Time Tracking: Uses <ctime> for timestamp recording
• CSV Format: RFC 4180 compliant with proper escaping
• Memory Management: Uses STL containers (std::vector)
• Design Pattern: Object-Oriented with clear separation of concerns