Quackpit

Where is the app after I open it?

Quackpit lives in the menu bar and has no Dock icon. Look for the duck at the top right of your screen. Clicking it opens the menu, and Setup reopens the settings window.

Why does it need my calendar?

So it knows when your meetings start. Quackpit reads the title and start time of upcoming events and nothing else. It never writes to your calendar, and it has no network code, so nothing can be sent anywhere. You can revoke access at any time in System Settings › Privacy & Security › Calendars.

Nothing flew. What now?

• Check the menu bar: if it says calendar access is needed, grant it and the duck starts watching immediately.
• Quackpit only flies for timed events that have not started yet. All-day events, cancelled events, and meetings you have declined are skipped on purpose.
• Open Setup and press Send a test flight. If the duck flies, the app is working and you simply have nothing due inside your lead time.

Does it work with Google Calendar?

Yes, and with iCloud, Exchange and Office 365. Quackpit reads the calendars already set up in the macOS Calendar app, so whatever appears there is covered. There is no account to create and nothing to connect.

Can I change how it looks?

Open Setup. Lead time can be 1, 3, 5, 10 or 15 minutes. The plane comes in Crimson, Sunbeam, Moss, Sky, Violet, Bubblegum, Snow, Midnight, or pick Surprise me for a different duck every flight. Flight path can be right to left, left to right, or random.

I have more than one monitor

One duck flies on every attached display, all in step, in the same colour and heading. The flight is timed off your widest screen so it always finishes its crossing.

Will it get in the way?

No. The overlay is click-through, so clicks pass straight to whatever is underneath it. It cannot be dragged, clicked or accidentally dismissed. It flies past in about nine seconds and disappears on its own.

Something is broken

• Email [email protected] with what happened and which Mac and macOS version you are on.
• Feature requests are welcome. So are new mascots.