Race Log

for Sailboat Racing  

Reference Manual  
 
Release 3.4

(Excerpt from manual in HTML Format)

Complete Manual included with Downloads

    

Copyright (c) 2003 by ELB Software

 

 



 

Race Log Start Up Screen and Operation...

  

Click the “Registration View” button to register a new fleet, or open an existing fleet.  All of the sailor’s personal and sailing data is edited here.  Event data can also be entered.  “Racing View” can be invoked from the “Registration View” with the current fleet file opened.  (Both Views can be toggled back and forth from this entry  point.)   

Click the “Racing View” button to go directly to the “Standard” Race Log to enter or edit the sailor’s racing finish data, and then score the fleet.

Regetta Registration View

Sailor Data 

Enter as much or as little sailor data as need to manage your fleet or regatta.  

Select “Fleet” | “Register New Fleet” or “Open Existing Fleet” from the menu, or click one of the buttons on the button bar…

 

Enter the sailor data, then click the “New” button  in the Record area of the screen to enter another, and so on.  New” adds a new record at the end of the file.... 

Each Button on the above screen has built-in Pop-up-Hints.  Just hold the cursor over any button for a couple of seconds and a pop-up Hint will explain its function. 

Race – The “Race” button on the button bar, and the “Go Race” selection from the “View” menu will invoke the Standard Race Log / Racing View with the current fleet file opened and ready for Finish data to be entered.  When Exiting the Racing View you will be return to the Registration View with the current file opened. 

Clone –  A record can be duplicated by clicking the “Clone” button.  Position yourself to the record you wish to duplicate, then click “Clone” and a new record will be created at the end of the file with the same name and address data. 

Navigation - Click the “Next” or “Prior” button in the Record area to scroll through the data.  The multi-line scroll area above the data entry area of the screen is there to help you visually see where you are in the fleet data.  You can also use the Scroll Bar there to scroll through the fleet data.  

Searching – type in the data you wish to search for into the entry box next to the “Find” button, then select the “Field” from the next box, and click the “Find” button.  Race Log will scroll to the next record containing the data.  Click “Find Next” to find the next, and so on.  The search is Case sensitive, so “Smith” and “smith” are different. 

Sorting - Sort the fleet data by clicking on any of the Column Headings.  Clicking on the “Name” Column will sort by the data as it appears in the column – ie. by First Name if you have typed the name in “First Last” format.  Clicking  the “A-Z” button on the right side of the screen will sort by Last Name even though the name is in “First Last” format.  Or you can enter the name as “Last, First”.  In this case clicking on the “Name” column heading will sort by Last Name. 

Age - The “Set Age” button  will calculate and set the Age field based on the “Date of Birth” field.  The appropriate Class field will also be set based on the calculated Age. (This is currently set for the Optimist Class.) 

Save – Fleet data is when you click the various “Save” buttons, or select “Save” from the menu.  You will be asked to Save – “Yes” – saves files, “No” – does not save but continues with your action (such as Closing the Registration Window), “Cancel” – does not save and cancels you action.

Blank records will be removed when you “Close” the fleet file, Saving alone does not remove them. 

Event Data

  •    Select “View” | “Event Information” to enter data pertaining to your event… 

 

You can switch between views from the “View” menu.  Enter as much or as little data as needed.  There are no required fields. 

Ready to Race

Race Results – Click “Go Race” from the “View” menu, or the “Race” button on the button bar to go to the Racing View.   Race Log will open in Racing View with the fleet file you have been working on.  Go to the Race Log documentation below for instructions on entering finishes and scoring races. 

Important note regarding fleet files - When you exit Standard Race Log after you finish scoring, you will be returned to the Registration View of the same fleet file.  All data for each of the Views – Registration, Event, and Racing, is in a single fleet file.  Each View shows you the pertinent data from the file for that View.  So you can go straight to Standard Race Log and open your fleet file if you have no more Registration data to enter.

Options 

Select Race Log Options for the Options menu… 

 

Sailboat Class – Select you Class.  The only class implemented at this writing is the “Optimist” class.  This selection causes the “Set Age” button on the “Registration Screen” to generate the proper “Class” (ie.  RED, BLU, etc) for Optimist sailors..

Default Country – Set to the Country you wish to appear at the top of the selection list for the ”CntryCode” Code field.  This makes the default Country easier to select from the drop down list when entering the sailors data on the “Registration Screen”.

Date Format – Set to American, MM/DD/YY.  European date format not implemented yet.

Reports 

Mailing Labels  - “Labels 3 Col” button generates an Avery # 8160 compatible report (3 column labels).  The data will be in the most recent sort order you specified in the Registration View. 

Mailing Labels – “Labels 2 Col” button generates an Avery # 8161 compatible report (2 column labels). The data will be in the most recent sort order you specified in the Registration View. 

Forms for the Race Committee to use in compiling Finishes…

Racing Form – “Racing Form A” button generates a racing form as below with racers listed based on  most recent sort order specified in the Registration View. 

 

Racing Form – “Racing Form B” button generates a racing form to fill in boats as the cross the finish line.  The racer data on the left side of the form is your legend to find the sailors Name and Sail Number.  The data is automatically sorted by Sail Number for easy identification of boats as they cross the finish line. 

 

Fleet Detail – This button products a  report showing complete fleet data - Event Information, and most of the sailors personal data. 

Quick List – Sailors name and address data for quick list of each sailor – printed in Landscape mode. 

Essential – List each sailor and important (essential) regatta registration data.  Provides quick review of who has and has not completed the registration process.


Racing View...

Entering Race Results

Quick Start for New Race Log Users 

·      Open an existing file of fleet data using the "Fleet" | "Open Existing Fleet" menu option, or create a new file using the "Fleet" | "New Fleet" menu option. 

       Or if you selected Go Race from the Registration View, your fleet file will already be opened and ready for entering Finishes

·      Select the “Edit | “Enter Finishes by Place…” menu option and Race Log will prompt you for each finish starting with the First finisher. (You can also enter finishes directly onto the open fleet window.)

·      Before you score the results you need to select your scoring method (such as Low Point) and scoring options (such as throwouts).  Select the “Scoring” | “Score Method” menu selection and fill in the appropriate information.  When done, click “Save Fleet” at the bottom of the Options screen so you won’t have to do this again the next time you Score your Fleet.

·      Select "Score It" from the "Score" menu.  Your fleet will be scored and standings will be displayed on the screen. 

·      Print the results by selecting one of the Print selections from the "Print" menu.   That's it!        

·      Race Log automatically computes your scores including all Penalties, Tie breaking, and automatically computes Throwouts (including not throwing out a DND).  Sailors without a finish or penalty entered are automatically scored with a DNC (did not compete).  The penalty assigned is specified in the "Score Method" menu selection.

Data Entry Overview 

The Race Log system works similar to a word processor or spreadsheet system in that your data can be entered in a full screen edit mode.  Use the Home key to move the cursor between the Command Line and the Data area.  There is no particular order of entry required - partial names or Sail numbers can be entered and updated later; finishes can be modified at any time; records can be deleted or added at any point in your data entry process.  Save your fleet data using the “Fleet” pulldown menu, or type the “save” command on the Command Line.  You will be asked to save if you try to quit but forgot to save your data. 

The Race column is where you enter a racer’s Finishing position, or DNC, DSQ, DNF, etc..  Actual points earned by the racer are automatically calculated by Race Log.  ( Occasionally it is necessary to override the actual points a sailor earns for his finish.  This situation can occur if you have a protest and need to adjust scores, or if you provide series credit for sailing in out of town regattas.  For information on Override Points see the Override Points section.) 

Again, similar to a word processor or spreadsheet, you can edit an existing file containing race results, or you can create a new file, and you can have more than one file open at the same time which is handy for comparing to a previous year's data.  Open an existing score file or create a new one by making the appropriate selection from the “Fleet” pulldown menu. 

Race results can also be entered using the “Enter Finishes” dialog box on the “Racers” pulldown menu.  This will prompt you for the next finish in the next race.  All you do is enter the Name or Sail number of the racer. 

Data Entry Specifics - “Enter Finishes” via Drag ‘n Drop

 

 Drag from right to left to insert finish, drag from left to right to remove from finish list.

Use the Mouse to drag Sailors from the “Entrants” list on the right to the “Finishers” list on the left.  Finishers are inserted into the finish list depending on where they are “Dropped” with the mouse.

After dragging a sailor to the finish list, you can change the sailor to a penalty by clicking the finisher with the “right” mouse button.  This will display a list of penalties to select.  The list will automatically be re-sequenced.  (You can turn off re-sequencing by selecting “No” at the top of the window.)

Data Entry Specifics - Full Screen 

Select New Fleet or Open Existing Fleet to open a fleet file.  If you entered from the Registration View you fleet file will already be opened.

 

   Opened fleet file.  Data can be entered directly onto the fleet screen....

 

  The Home key will move the cursor back and forth between the Command line (where you can enter commands) and the Data area of the screen (where you can enter and edit data). 

After entering the sailors Names or Sail Numbers you may want to Sort the list of names by last name (see the SORT dialog box in the Racers pulldown menu) or by Sail Number so that you can more easily find the sailor you are entering results for.  Make sure you Save your fleet data to keep it in your Sorted order. 

The mouse can be used to place the cursor anywhere on the screen where you need to enter or change data. 

The Tab key will move the cursor to the next column, Shift/Tab will move to the previous column. 

The Arrow keys will move the cursor around the screen. 

The Enter key is a little different than a word processor, it will take you to the next line but it does  not insert data onto the following line like a word processor.  It will, however, create a new record (new line) if you hit the Enter key while on the last record in the file.  Also the Enter key will remember where you started typing on a line and position you on the next line underneath where you started typing.  This is handy for entering multiple finishes for a particular race since Enter will keep you in the same Race column. 

The Insert, Delete, and Backspace keys work as you expect them in a word processor. 

The Insert Racer and “Delete Racer” entries on the Edit pull-down menu will insert or delete a line (or record).  First, place the cursor on the line you want to delete, or place the cursor on the line where you want to insert a new record and then select the “Inser Racer” or “Delete Racer” option.   (Also see Keyboard below:  F2, Ctl+F2, and Ctl+Del.) 

Insert and Overtype mode when typing.  You can tell what mode you are in by the size of the cursor.  If the cursor is an underline then you are in insert mode.  If the cursor is block shaped then you are in overtype mode.  You can change between Insert and Overtype mode by pressing the Insert Key.

When entering finishes in the Race columns the system will always automatically overtype what was in that column whether you are in Insert or Overtype mode.  The Insert and Overtype modes act in a more normal word processor fashion in the other data columns - such as Name, Class and Number (sail number).

Any Race column left blank will automatically be scored as DNC.  This will also happen if a 0 or bad data is entered in a Race column.  You only need to fill in the finishes for those who actually started a race, this includes DSQ and DNF - these must be entered.  DNC may be entered if you chose. 

Race Dates 

Dates will appear on the first line under the column heading.  If the Race Date line is not there, select “Add Race Dates” from the “Edit pulldown menu.   Then use the mouse to click under the column heading for a specific race.  A dialog box will open for you to enter a date.  The following formats may be used to enter a date:    mm-dd-yy,  mm/dd/yy, mmddyy.  (Examples:  012996,  1/29/96, 1-29-96).

Scoring

From the "Scoring" menu, select "Score It".  You currently opened fleet will be scored based on the settings in "Scoring Method".  You new window will open with the results.  From here you can Print or Publish to the internet.