Develop Reference

Countdown timer javascript error on pause

I'm coding a simple countdown timer in javascript, with play and pause buttons. It works fine when I start it, but if I pause/play a few times the timer values changes randomly, I can't figure out why.
Here's my code :
var minutesleft = 60;
var secondsleft = 0;
var millisecondsleft = 0;
var bool = true;
var paused = false;
var end;
var now;
function pause(){
paused = true;
}
function stop(){
end = now;
bool = true;
}
function cd(){
if (bool) {
end = new Date();
end.setMinutes(end.getMinutes()+minutesleft);
end.setSeconds(end.getSeconds()+secondsleft);
end.setMilliseconds(end.getMilliseconds()+millisecondsleft);
bool = false;
}
now = new Date();
diff = end - now;
diff = new Date(diff);
var msec = diff.getMilliseconds();
var sec = diff.getSeconds();
var min = diff.getMinutes();
if (min < 10){
min = "0" + min;
}
if (sec < 10){
sec = "0" + sec;
}
if(msec < 10){
msec = "00" +msec;
}
else if(msec < 100){
msec = "0" +msec;
}
if(now >= end){
clearTimeout(timerID);
document.getElementById("cdtime").innerHTML = 'POLICE IS HERE';
}
else{
document.getElementById("cdtime").innerHTML = min + ":" + sec + ":" + msec;
}
if (paused == false){
timerID = setTimeout("cd()", 10);
}
else {
bool = true;
minutesleft = min;
secondsleft = sec;
millisecondsleft = msec;
}
paused = false;
}
Here's a fiddle : https://jsfiddle.net/cw3s5124/
Thanks in advance

The main issue with the jumping numbers was due to string concatenation and then using that string in the date functions. Parts of the code such as this:
if (min < 10){
min = "0" + min;
}
An example proving why this is happening
var end1 = new Date();
var minutesleft1 = 9;
console.log("Minutes to assign to current time");
console.log(end1.getMinutes() + minutesleft1); // Logs expected amount of minutes to calculate
end1.setMinutes(end1.getMinutes() + minutesleft1);
var end2 = new Date();
var minutesleft2 = "09";
console.log("Wrong Minutes to assign to current time");
console.log(end2.getMinutes() + minutesleft2); // Logs big number
end2.setMinutes(end2.getMinutes() + minutesleft2);
console.log(end1); // Logs expected result
console.log(end2); // Logs a time a day or so in the future
■
Explanation: If you were to set your start timer to 9 in the minutes var, it would immediately need to be padded with a 0 for display. Since you are now setting the minutesleft variable to "09" you are effectively doing 9 + "09" when you call end.setMinutes(end.getMinutes()+minutesleft);
Once you concatenate a string "0" to the number, you are effectively trying to do numeric operations with a string, which is causing unexpected results. This wasn't happening at the start, because your if statements weren't running yet and thus the min, sec, and msec vars were still numeric. You should only pad the numbers when displaying them, not in the calculations themselves.
I replaced the string concatenation with a padding function borrowed from this post.
I also added a play function to reset your pause parameter. This makes the code more readable and easier for me to understand. Also, change it to paused at the start because the timer isn't running yet.
var minutesleft = 10;
var secondsleft = 05; // This would normally just be returned as 5, that's why we need the pad function for display
var millisecondsleft = 0;
var firstCall = true;
var paused = true;
var end;
var now;
function pause() {
paused = true;
}
function play() {
if (paused === false) // Shorcut out because we are already running
return;
paused = false;
cd();
}
function stop() {
end = now;
paused = true;
cd();
}
document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function(event) {
document.getElementById("cdtime").innerHTML = pad(minutesleft, 2) + ":" + pad(secondsleft, 2) + ":" + pad(millisecondsleft, 2);
});
function cd() {
if (firstCall) {
end = new Date();
end.setMinutes(end.getMinutes() + minutesleft);
end.setSeconds(end.getSeconds() + secondsleft);
end.setMilliseconds(end.getMilliseconds() + millisecondsleft);
firstCall = false;
}
now = new Date();
diff = end - now;
diff = new Date(diff);
var msec = diff.getMilliseconds();
var sec = diff.getSeconds();
var min = diff.getMinutes();
if (now >= end) {
clearTimeout(timerID);
document.getElementById("cdtime").innerHTML = 'POLICE IS HERE';
} else {
document.getElementById("cdtime").innerHTML = pad(min, 2) + ":" + pad(sec, 2) + ":" + pad(msec, 2);
}
if (paused === false) {
timerID = setTimeout("cd()", 10);
} else {
bool = true;
minutesleft = min;
secondsleft = sec;
millisecondsleft = msec;
}
}
function pad(n, width, z) {
z = z || '0';
n = n + '';
return n.length >= width ? n : new Array(width - n.length + 1).join(z) + n;
}
<body>
<div id='timer'>
<button class='playerButtons' id='playT' type='submit' onclick='play()'>Play</button>
<button class='playerButtons' id='pauseT' type=' submit' onclick='pause()'>Pause</button>
<button class='playerButtons' id='stopT' type='submit' onclick='stop()'>Stop</button>
<div id='cdtime'></div>
</div>
</body>

You reset paused and bool in the wrong spot. If you look at the JsFiddle, you can see what needs to be removed
var minutesleft = 60;
var secondsleft = 0;
var millisecondsleft = 0;
var bool = true;
var paused = true;
var end;
var now;
function pause(){
paused = true;
//bool = false; //shouldn't be here (move to stop function)
}
function play(){
if ( paused === true){
paused = false;
bool = true;
cd();
}
}
function stop(){
end = now;
bool = false; //add here
}
document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function(event) {
document.getElementById("cdtime").innerHTML = minutesleft + ":" + secondsleft + "0:" + millisecondsleft + "0";
});
function cd(){
if (bool) {
end = new Date();
end.setMinutes(end.getMinutes()+minutesleft);
end.setSeconds(end.getSeconds()+secondsleft);
end.setMilliseconds(end.getMilliseconds()+millisecondsleft);
bool = false;
}
now = new Date();
diff = end - now;
diff = new Date(diff);
var msec = diff.getMilliseconds();
var sec = diff.getSeconds();
var min = diff.getMinutes();
if (min < 10){
min = "0" + min;
}
if (sec < 10){
sec = "0" + sec;
}
if(msec < 10){
msec = "00" +msec;
}
else if(msec < 100){
msec = "0" +msec;
}
if(now >= end){
clearTimeout(timerID);
document.getElementById("cdtime").innerHTML = 'POLICE IS HERE';
}
else{
document.getElementById("cdtime").innerHTML = min + ":" + sec + ":" + msec;
}
if (paused === false){
timerID = setTimeout("cd()", 10);
}
else {
bool = true;
minutesleft = min;
secondsleft = sec;
millisecondsleft = msec;
}
//paused = false; //shouldn't be here
}
<body>
<div id='timer'>
<button class='playerButtons' id='playT' type='submit' onclick='play()'>Play</button>
<button class='playerButtons' id='pauseT' type=' submit'onclick='pause()'>Pause</button>
<button class='playerButtons' id='stopT' type='submit' onclick='stop()'>Stop</button>
<div id='cdtime'></div>
</div>
</body>
https://jsfiddle.net/cw3s5124/27/

Javascript with count down timer

My problem is that the more I "click" on the Start time button, the faster it counts.
How can I change it to normal 2 minute countdown timer?
Like this: http://www.donothingfor2minutes.com/
My code:
var minute = 1;
var second = 59;
function time(){
setInterval(starttime, 1000);
}
function starttime(){
document.getElementById("timer").innerHTML = minute +" : " + second ;
second--;
if(second == 00) {
minute--;
second = 59;
if (minute == 0) {
minute = 2;
}
}
}

If you want the timer to reset each time you click on the button, try resetting the interval on click:
var minute, second, timer;
function time() {
clearInterval(timer);
minute = 1;
second = 59;
timer = setInterval(updateTime, 1000);
}
function updateTime() {
document.getElementById("timer").innerHTML = minute + " : " + second;
second--;
if (second == 00) {
minute--;
second = 59;
if (minute == 0) {
minute = 2;
}
}
}

What's happening is that you're probably calling time() multiple times, and thereby initiating multiple setInterval calls.
One way to avoid that would be to add a flag timeStarted, which starts the timer only when it is unset:
var minute = 1;
var second = 59;
var timeStarted = false;
function time() {
if(!timeStarted) {
timeStarted = true;
setInterval(starttime, 1000);
}
}
function starttime() {
document.getElementById("timer").innerHTML = minute + " : " + second;
second--;
if (second == 00) {
minute--;
second = 59;
if (minute == 0) {
minute = 2;
}
}
}

Button Click shouldn't stack the function it triggers but it does

I'm making an timer in Javascript which already works well the only problem is when I keep hitting the
"Start" button it keeps stacking the count function and will count at an higher and higher speed. Tried multiple things to stop it but can't manage myself.
JS:
var startknop = document.getElementById("start");
var stopknop = document.getElementById("stop");
var hour = 0;
var min = 0;
var sec = 0;
startknop.onclick = function()
{
intervalId = setInterval(count, 1000);
}
stopknop.onclick = function()
{
clearInterval(intervalId);
}
counter.innerHTML = hour + "0:" + min + "0:" + sec + "0";
function count() {
sec++;
if(sec <= 9)
{
var seco = "0" + sec;
}
else
{
seco = sec;
}
if(min <= 9)
{
var mino = "0" + min;
}
else
{
mino = sec;
}
if(hour <= 9)
{
var houro = "0" + hour;
}
else
{
houro = hour;
}
if(sec == 60){
sec = 0;
min += 1;
}
if(min == 60){
min = 0;
hour += 1;
}
counter.innerHTML = houro + ":" + mino + ":" + seco;
}

var running = false;
startknop.onclick = function()
{
if(!running)
{
running=true;
intervalId = setInterval(count, 1000);
}
}
when timer is finished set running false.

Wrap the setInterval in an if block with a boolean to check if initialised. You are starting multiple timers, so stop only stops the last one assigned to your global variable. You could also set intervalId to -1 and do a check on it being >0, setting it back to -1 after the clearInterval call.

Java script Timer CountDown

I'm creating java script count down timer and it works up to 60 seconds correctly and after that its not working.
var counter = setInterval(timer, 1000); //1000 will run it every 1 second
function timer() {
var val = document.getElementById("LabelTimer");
if (val != null) {
var PopUpTimeDuration = 2;
countdown(parseInt(PopUpTimeDuration));
}
}
function countdown(minutes) {
var seconds = 60;
var mins = minutes
function tick() {
var counterVal = document.getElementById("lblCountDown");
var current_minutes = mins - 1
seconds--;
counterVal.innerHTML =
current_minutes.toString() + ":" + (seconds < 10 ? "0" : "") + String(seconds);
var result = counterVal.innerHTML;
if (result == "0:00") {
clearInterval(counter);
CloseIdlePage();
}
if (seconds > 0) {
setTimeout(tick, 1000);
} else {
debugger;
if (mins >= 1) {
countdown(mins - 1);
}
}
}
tick();
}
When i run this program this start 1:59 and it continues up to 1:01. after that this display value rest to 1:59. (not 0:59). what i did wrong in here?
Fiddle demo is in Here: in here you can see two values are blinking each other

Here's how I'd implement this. Hopefully the comments are sufficient. It needs an element in the page with ID "counterDiv" to write the values to.
function quickCount(mins) {
// Keep some values in a closure
var el = document.getElementById('counterDiv');
var secs = 0;
// Helper to pad single digit numbers
function z(n){return (n<10? '0':'') + n}
// Keep a reference to the interval
var timer = setInterval(function() {
// Write the values
el.innerHTML = mins + ':' + z(secs);
// Decremement seconds
--secs;
// If finished a minute, decrement minut
if (secs < 0) {
if (mins) {
--mins;
secs = 59;
// If finsihed minutes too, cancel timer
} else {
timer && clearInterval(timer);
}
}
// Run at about every second
}, 1000);
}
window.onload = function() {
quickCount(2);
}
HTH

<head>
<script type="text/javascript">
function timer()
{
var val = document.getElementById("LabelTimer");
if (val !== null)
{
var PopUpTimeDuration = 2;
countdown(parseInt(PopUpTimeDuration));
}
}
function countdown(minutes)
{
var seconds = 60;
var mins = minutes;
function tick()
{
var counterVal = document.getElementById("lblCountDown");
var current_minutes = mins - 1;
seconds--;
var t=current_minutes.toString() + ":" + (seconds < 10 ? "0" : "") + String(seconds);
counterVal.value = t;
var result = counterVal.innerHTML;
if (result === "0:00")
{
CloseIdlePage();
}
if (seconds > 0)
{
setTimeout(tick, 1000);
}
else
{
if (mins > 1)
{
countdown(mins - 1);
}
}
}
tick();
}
</script>
</head>
<body>
<div>TODO write content</div>
<input type="text" id="LabelTimer" value="yooo">
<input type="text" id="lblCountDown">
<input type="button" value="try" onclick="timer();" />
</body>

I resolved this as follows:
var counter = setInterval(timer, 1000); //1000 will run it every 1 second
var IsFunctionCalled = false;
function timer() {
var val = document.getElementById("LabelTimer");
if (val != null) {
var PopUpTimeDuration = 2;
if (IsFunctionCalled == false) {
IsFunctionCalled = true
countdown(parseInt(PopUpTimeDuration));
}
}
}
function countdown(minutes) {
var seconds = 60;
var mins = minutes
function tick() {
var counterVal = document.getElementById("lblCountDown");
var current_minutes = mins - 1
seconds--;
counterVal.innerHTML =
current_minutes.toString() + ":" + (seconds < 10 ? "0" : "") + String(seconds);
var result = counterVal.innerHTML;
if (result == "0:00") {
clearInterval(counter);
CloseIdlePage();
}
if (seconds > 0) {
setTimeout(tick, 1000);
// tick()
} else {
if (mins >= 1) {
countdown(mins - 1);
}
}
}
tick();
}
See here for Demo

Broken closure - please help me fix it

in a related question I have posted this code. It almost works, but the counter doesn't.
Can we fix it? (no jQuery, please)
<script type="text/javascript">
var intervals = [];
var counters = {
"shoes":{"id":"shoe1","minutes":1,"seconds":5},
"trousers":{"id":"trouser1","minutes":10,"seconds":0}
}; // generate this on the server and note there is no comma after the last item
window.onload = function() {
for (var el in counters) { countdown(counters[el]) };
}
function countdown(element) {
intervals[element.id] = setInterval(function() {
var el = document.getElementById(element.id);
var minutes = element.minutes;
var seconds = element.seconds;
if(seconds == 0) {
if(minutes == 0) {
el.innerHTML = "countdown's over!";
clearInterval(intervals[element.id]);
return;
} else {
minutes--;
seconds = 60;
}
}
if(minutes > 0) {
var minute_text = minutes + (minutes > 1 ? ' minutes' : ' minute');
} else {
var minute_text = '';
}
var second_text = seconds > 1 ? 'seconds' : 'second';
el.innerHTML = minute_text + ' ' + seconds + ' ' + second_text + ' remaining';
seconds--;
}, 1000);
}
</script>
shoes: <span id="shoe1"></span><br />
trousers: <span id="trouser1"></span><br />

You just need to take the minutes and seconds variable declarations out of the inner function, like this:
function countdown(element) {
var minutes = element.minutes;
var seconds = element.seconds;
intervals[element.id] = setInterval(function() {
var el = document.getElementById(element.id);
if(seconds == 0) {
if(minutes == 0) {
el.innerHTML = "countdown's over!";
clearInterval(intervals[element.id]);
return;
} else {
minutes--;
seconds = 60;
}
}
if(minutes > 0) {
var minute_text = minutes + (minutes > 1 ? ' minutes' : ' minute');
} else {
var minute_text = '';
}
var second_text = seconds > 1 ? 'seconds' : 'second';
el.innerHTML = minute_text + ' ' + seconds + ' ' + second_text + ' remaining';
seconds--;
}, 1000);
}
When you call countdown, you want to fetch the initial values for each countdown and then slowly decrease them (closure makes sure that the values will stay available as long as the anonymous function requires them). What you were doing before was reset the countdown values at the start of each tick, so the countdown never had a chance to... well, count down.
Update:
If you need to update the values inside window.counters while the countdowns are active (although I don't see why you would want to do that; if you want to do anything meaningful with the "current" countdown values, just do it inside the anonymous function), you can simply add this at the end:
var second_text = seconds > 1 ? 'seconds' : 'second';
el.innerHTML = minute_text + ' ' + seconds + ' ' + second_text + ' remaining';
seconds--;
// ADD THIS:
element.minutes = minutes;
element.seconds = seconds;

Please check this
<html>
<body>
<script type="text/javascript">
var intervals = [];
var counters = {
"shoes":{"id":"shoe1","minutes":1,"seconds":5},
"trousers":{"id":"trouser1","minutes":10,"seconds":0}
}; // generate this on the server and note there is no comma after the last item
window.onload = function() {
for (var el in counters) { countdown(counters[el]) };
}
function countdown(element) {
intervals[element.id] = setInterval(function() {
var el = document.getElementById(element.id);
var minutes = element.minutes;
var seconds = element.seconds;
if(seconds == 0) {
if(minutes == 0) {
el.innerHTML = "countdown's over!";
clearInterval(intervals[element.id]);
return;
} else {
minutes--;
seconds = 60;
}
}
if(minutes > 0) {
var minute_text = minutes + (minutes > 1 ? ' minutes' : ' minute');
} else {
var minute_text = '';
}
var second_text = seconds > 1 ? 'seconds' : 'second';
el.innerHTML = minute_text + ' ' + seconds + ' ' + second_text + ' remaining';
seconds--;
element.seconds = seconds;
element.minutes = minutes;
}, 1000);
}
</script>
shoes: <span id="shoe1"></span><br />
trousers: <span id="trouser1"></span><br />
</body>
</html>
Working solution is here.
EDIT: There was a minor issue with the script. I've fixed it.
After recalculating the seconds and minutes you have to set the new values back in the element object.

You're decrementing the wrong variable inside your interval callback. Instead of doing seconds-- and minutes-- you need to reference the element members.
intervals[element.id] = setInterval(function() {
var el = document.getElementById(element.id);
if(element.seconds == 0) {
if(element.minutes == 0) {
el.innerHTML = "countdown's over!";
clearInterval(intervals[element.id]);
return;
} else {
element.minutes--;
element.seconds = 60;
}
}
if(element.minutes > 0) {
var minute_text = element.minutes + (element.minutes > 1 ? ' minutes' : ' minute');
} else {
var minute_text = '';
}
var second_text = element.seconds > 1 ? 'seconds' : 'second';
el.innerHTML = minute_text + ' ' + element.seconds + ' ' + second_text + ' remaining';
element.seconds--;
}, 1000);

All of the answers you've been given so far fail to handle one simple fact: setInterval does not happen reliably at the time you set. It can be delayed or even skipped if the browser is busy doing something else. This means you can't rely on your update function to decrement the number of seconds left, you'll start drifting from reality very quickly. Maybe that's okay, maybe not. There's no need for it, in any case: Just calculate when the timeout occurs (e.g., a minute and five seconds from now for your "shoes" counter), and then at each update, calculate how long you have left. That way if an interval got dropped or something, you won't drift; you're deferring the computer's clock.
Here's a procedural version:
// Note that to prevent globals, everything is enclosed in
// a function. In this case, we're using window.onload, but
// you don't have to wait that long (window.onload happens
// *very* late, after all images are loaded).
window.onload = function() {
// Our counters
var counters = {
"shoes":{
"id": "shoe1",
"minutes": 1,
"seconds":5
},
"trousers":{
"id": "trouser1",
"minutes": 10,
"seconds":0
}
};
// Start them
var name;
for (name in counters) {
start(counters[name]);
}
// A function for starting a counter
function start(counter) {
// Find the time (in ms since The Epoch) at which
// this item expires
counter.timeout = new Date().getTime() +
(((counter.minutes * 60) + counter.seconds) * 1000);
// Get this counter's target element
counter.element = document.getElementById(counter.id);
if (counter.element) {
// Do the first update
tick(counter);
// Schedule the remaining ones to happen *roughly*
// every quarter second. (Once a second will look
// rough).
counter.timer = setInterval(function() {
tick(counter);
}, 250);
}
}
// Function to stop a counter
function stop(counter) {
if (counter.timer) {
clearInterval(counter.timer);
delete counter.timer;
}
delete counter.element;
}
// The function called on each "tick"
function tick(counter) {
var remaining, str;
// How many seconds left?
remaining = Math.floor(
(counter.timeout - new Date().getTime()) / 1000
);
// Same as last time?
if (remaining != counter.lastRemaining) {
// No, do an update
counter.lastRemaining = remaining;
if (remaining <= 0) {
// Done! Stop the counter.
str = "done";
alert("Stopped " + counter.id);
stop(counter);
}
else {
// More than a minute left?
if (remaining >= 120) {
// Yup, output a number
str = Math.floor(remaining / 60) + " minutes";
}
else if (remaining >= 60) {
// Just one minute left
str = "one minute";
}
else {
// Down to seconds!
str = "";
}
// Truncate the minutes, just leave seconds (0..59)
remaining %= 60;
// Any seconds?
if (remaining > 0) {
// Yes, if there were minutes add an "and"
if (str.length > 0) {
str += " and ";
}
// If only one second left, use a word; else,
// a number
if (remaining === 1) {
str += "one second";
}
else {
str += Math.floor(remaining) + " seconds";
}
}
// Finish up
str += " left";
}
// Write to the element
counter.element.innerHTML = str;
}
}
};​
Live example
Here's an OOP version (using the module pattern so Counter can have named functions and a private one [tick]):
// A Counter constructor function
var Counter = (function() {
var p;
// The actual constructor (our return value)
function Counter(id, minutes, seconds) {
this.id = id;
this.minutes = minutes || 0;
this.seconds = seconds || 0;
}
// Shortcut to the prototype
p = Counter.prototype;
// Start a counter
p.start = Counter_start;
function Counter_start() {
var me = this;
// Find the time (in ms since The Epoch) at which
// this item expires
this.timeout = new Date().getTime() +
(((this.minutes * 60) + this.seconds) * 1000);
// Get this counter's target element
this.element = document.getElementById(this.id);
if (this.element) {
// Do the first update
tick(this);
// Schedule the remaining ones to happen *roughly*
// every quarter second. (Once a second will look
// rough).
this.timer = setInterval(function() {
tick(me);
}, 250);
}
}
// Stop a counter
p.stop = Counter_stop;
function Counter_stop() {
if (this.timer) {
clearInterval(this.timer);
delete this.timer;
}
delete this.element;
}
// The function we use to update a counter; not exported
// on the Counter prototype because we only need one for
// all counters.
function tick(counter) {
var remaining, str;
// How many seconds left?
remaining = Math.floor(
(counter.timeout - new Date().getTime()) / 1000
);
// Same as last time?
if (remaining != counter.lastRemaining) {
// No, do an update
counter.lastRemaining = remaining;
if (remaining <= 0) {
// Done! Stop the counter.
str = "done";
alert("Stopped " + counter.id);
stop(counter);
}
else {
// More than a minute left?
if (remaining >= 120) {
// Yup, output a number
str = Math.floor(remaining / 60) + " minutes";
}
else if (remaining >= 60) {
// Just one minute left
str = "one minute";
}
else {
// Down to seconds!
str = "";
}
// Truncate the minutes, just leave seconds (0..59)
remaining %= 60;
// Any seconds?
if (remaining > 0) {
// Yes, if there were minutes add an "and"
if (str.length > 0) {
str += " and ";
}
// If only one second left, use a word; else,
// a number
if (remaining === 1) {
str += "one second";
}
else {
str += Math.floor(remaining) + " seconds";
}
}
// Finish up
str += " left";
}
// Write to the element
counter.element.innerHTML = str;
}
}
// Return the constructor function reference. This
// gets assigned to the external var, which is how
// everyone calls it.
return Counter;
})();
// Note that to prevent globals, everything is enclosed in
// a function. In this case, we're using window.onload, but
// you don't have to wait that long (window.onload happens
// *very* late, after all images are loaded).
window.onload = function() {
// Our counters
var counters = {
"shoes": new Counter("shoe1", 1, 5),
"trousers": new Counter("trouser1", 10, 0)
};
// Start them
var name;
for (name in counters) {
counters[name].start();
}
};​
Live example
More about closures here.

I think it'd make your code a lot cleaner and save you some ifs if you would keep the timeout in code as seconds, rather than minutes and seconds:
var intervals = [];
var counters = {
"shoes":{"id":"shoe1","seconds":65},
"trousers":{"id":"trouser1","seconds":600}
}; // generate this on the server and note there is no comma after the last item
window.onload = function() {
for (var el in counters) { countdown(counters[el]) };
}
function countdown(element) {
intervals[element.id] = setInterval(function() {
var el = document.getElementById(element.id);
if(element.seconds == 0) {
el.innerHTML = "countdown's over!";
clearInterval(intervals[element.id]);
return;
}
var minutes = (element.seconds - (element.seconds % 60)) / 60;
if(minutes > 0) {
var minute_text = minutes + (minutes > 1 ? ' minutes' : ' minute');
} else {
var minute_text = '';
}
var second_text = (element.seconds%60) > 1 ? 'seconds' : 'second';
el.innerHTML = minute_text + ' ' + (element.seconds%60) + ' ' + second_text + ' remaining';
element.seconds--;
}, 1000);
}​
(I'd post as a comment if it weren't for all the code...)