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Race Results System Manual
(c) James Bell 1995 - 2009

Contents



1. What is the Racing Results System?

The Racing Results System is a free MS-DOS program that makes calculating handicap results for a dinghy sailing race easy. The program uses the RYA Portsmouth Yardstick (PY) scheme to calculate race results. The program will run under all versions of Microsoft Windows in a DOS session window or screen.

Features
  • Free
  • Easy to use
  • Can handle up to 150 competitors
  • Runs under MS-DOS.
  • Export feature allows you to use the results with other software.
  • Uses the new RYA Portsmouth Yardstick system.
  • Can handle average lap time races (eg. slower boats do less laps than faster boats)

2. How Do I Use the Program?

Install the program by extracting the zip file to a directory on your computer.

The following steps explain how you would use the program to calculate the results for a race.

2.1 Load the Program

Windows: double-click on the file rrs1-14.exe.
DOS: To load the program type rrs1-14 at the DOS prompt.

Once the program has loaded you will be presented with a menu of options. The bottom line of the screen explains what the currently selected menu option does. The time of day is displayed at the top right hand side of the screen. To change the time displayed, quit the program and from the DOS prompt type time or set the time by double-clicking the time display in the Windows taskbar.

You can toggle the screen between colour and monochrome modes by pressing F1 whenever the main menu screen is displayed (you can also select the screen mode from the options menu or start the program in monocrome by typing 'rrs1-14.exe mono').

In Windows you can flick between a window and full screen mode by pressing Alt + Enter.

2.2 Start a New Race

Before starting a new race you should clear any current race information from memory. To do this simply select New Race from the main menu. This will bring up a sub menu. Select:
  • Clear Finishing Times to clear any competitor finishing times that you may have entered into the system without clearing the actual competitor information. This option keeps any competitor information you have typed in but resets every competitors finishing time to zero. This is useful if you want to use the system for several races which have the same competitors.
  • Clear All to clear all competitor and finishing time information from memory.

2.3 - Enter Information About the Race

Select Edit Race Info from the main menu and type in the name, date and race officer for the event. Select Exit to return to the main menu.

2.4 - Enter Competitor Information

Select Edit Competitor Info from the main menu, to enter details about the competitors taking part in the race.

Type in the helm's name, the crew's name (or leave blank if a singlehander), and the sail number. Then enter the class of boat, for example Laser. As soon as you press return or the down arrow key, the handicap number for the class will be automatically filled in for you, if it is defined in the program's handicap file. Otherwise, you will need to manually type in the handicap number.

The program uses the new RYA handicap numbers (based on the latest published numbers), so if you enter the class as Laser, the program will fill in the handicap field with 1078. See Default Handicaps for a list of classes known to the system and the default handicap numbers. You can edit the default handicaps by using the options menu.

If you want to use a different handicap number to the one automatically entered, just add any character after the name of the class, for example Laser-, and then enter your own handicap number.

Adding More Competitors and Moving between Competitors
To enter another competitor, or display/edit the next competitor - press F2.
To display/edit the previous competitor - press F1

Jumping between Records
To go to a specific record number (competitor) - press F3. Type in a number from 1 to 200 and press the return key to go that record number.

To select a competitor from a list of all competitors - press F5. A list will popup showing the helm, sail number and class for each competitor in a row. Use the up and down arrow keys to highlight any competitor. Use the PageUp and PageDown keys to select a specific competitor. Press enter to view/edit that competitors details.

Deleting a Competitor
To delete a competitor - press F6.

When you have finished entering competitor information press F4 to return to the main menu.

NOTE: You should try to enter the details of all competitors in the current race before the race starts, though this is not essential.


2.5 - Using the Countdown menu

The countdown menu is useful for starting races. It automatically records the time the race started into the race info screen, once the countdown reaches zero.

The options available are:

  • Timesheet
    This allows you to note the time of day on screen by pressing the space bar. The screen will display the last eight times. This is useful for getting the times of finishers down on paper when a number of competitors finish in a group. The times displayed on this screen are not saved, they are purely for assistance in manually recording finishing times.

  • 5 Minute 10 Seconds
    Same as below, but with an extra 10 seconds to make it easier to give a verbal countdown/warning to the person operating the flags.

  • 5 Minute Countdown
    This has been revised for the new starting system.
    • 5:00 - (LONG BEEP) Class flag should be diplayed.
    • 4:00 - (LONG BEEP) P, I, Z, Black flag or I and Z should be displayed
    • 1:00 - (LONG BEEP) Preparatory signal flag(s) should be removed.
    • 0:30 - (SHORT BEEP) Warning to get ready to remove flags
    • 0:05,4,3,2,1 - very short beeps.
    • 0:00 - (LONG BEEP) Class flag should be removed

  • 1 Minute Countdown. As above but starts from 1 minute.


2.6 - Enter Competitor Finishing Times

Enter competitor finishing times into the system by filling in the three fields displayed at the bottom of the competitor information screen.

Enter the competitor's finish time in hh:mm:ss format. The laps field is optional. You can press F10 to record the current time of day into the field.

If you are using average lap times, enter the number of laps each competitor did and the program will automatically take that into account when calculating results.

Leave the 'Result Code' field blank unless you want to record that, for example, the competitor didn't finish by entering something like 'DNF', 'DSQ', 'OCS' etc. If the result field is not empty it will take precedence over the elapsed time and the competitor will be tagged onto the end of the results with the code displayed instead of a finishing position.

2.7 Calculate the Results

Select Calculate Results from the main menu. Results will only be calculated for competitors who have a handicap number and a finishing time. A warning message will appear if there is not enough information to work out any results (you need at least one competitor with a finishing time to be able to display any results).

If there is enough information to calculate results then a sub menu will appear.
Select:

  • View Results - to display and check the race results on the screen.
  • Print Results - to print the results to your printer.
The results contain the following items of information for each competitor: Position, Helm & Crew name, SailNo, Class, Elapsed time, Corrected Time and Time Difference.

The time difference field is the difference in corrected time between two adjacent competitors in the results list.

All results are sequentially numbered. Ties are also sequentially numbered but highlighted by an equals sign in front of the number, indicating a tie with the result directly above.

 

2.8 Loading, Saving and Exporting Races.

Select the File Menu from the main menu. The options are:

  • Load Race - loads a race file
  • Save Race - saves a race file. NOTE: The program only saves information about competitors who have a handicap number.
  • Export Result HTML - exports the results in a simple HTML format with '.htm' appended to the file name
  • Export as CSV - please see below

Exporting Race Results (CSV format)
Use the Export Results option to save the results in CSV (comma seperated variable) format, if you want to use the results with other applications, such as databases or spreadsheets.

After selecting this option you will be prompted for a filename. The filename will have the extension .ASC added to it.

The results will be saved in the following format:
Position, Helm, Crew, Sail No., Class, Handicap, Elapsed Time (in seconds), Corrected Time (in seconds), Elapsed Time (h:m:s), Corrected Time (h:m:s), No. of Laps, Finish Code

To use results with a database, use the Import function, and select delimited text. The delimiter used is a comma. For example, in Microsoft Access set up a new database, then select File/Import, and then select Text (Delimited). You can use a database or other application to print the results in a more attractive style.

3. Options Menu

The Options Menu allows you to change two settings:

  • Screen Mode: toggle between monochrome and colour screen modes.
  • Edit Handicaps: change or add to the predefined handicap numbers.

 

4. Default Handicaps

The default PY numbers are taken from the latest available as supplied by the RYA. You can change the default handicaps by selecting the Options Menu, followed by the Edit Handicaps option.

5. Disclaimer

You should run this system in conjuncture with the normal methods for running a race. All finishing times and other information should also be recorded on paper.

THERE IS NO WARRANTY, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, AS TO THE QUALITY OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS PROGRAM. THE ENTIRE RISK FOR THE USE OF THIS PROGRAM IS ASSUMED BY THE USER (YOU). THE AUTHOR MAY NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY LOSS OR CORRUPTION OF DATA, EQUIPMENT OR OTHER GOODS RESULTING BY THE USE OR POSSESSION OF THIS PROGRAM, EVEN IF IN KNOWLEDGE THAT SUCH LOSS OR CORRUPTION MIGHT HAPPEN. SHOULD APPLICABLE LAWS LIMIT THE EXTENT OF THIS DISCLAIMER, OR IMPOSE ANY FORM OF RESPONSIBILITY, THEN YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO USE THIS SOFTWARE.

6. Limitations

  • Maximum of 200 competitors
  • Maximum of 200 predefined handicap numbers

7. History

1.14a Handicap numbers sorted into alphabetical order on exit from edit handicaps screen. Quit option redone.
1.14 Handicap numbers displayed on printed, screen and HTML results to help make results as transparent as possible. Some menu options revised and other minor revisions.
1.13 Minor updates
1.12 Removal of out-dated 11 and 10 minute countdown options
1.11 Calculation of Average Lap Times changed to method defined in RYA YR2/2005, with the exception that there is no PN adjustment for boats of the same class.
1.10c Calculation of ties changed - results now all sequentially numbers with ties only indicated by an equals sign (= ) prefixing the finishing position. Bug with HTML/CSV export fixed.
1.10 Removed race timers and converted all timing to use 'time of day' format.
1.09a Improved screen display. Updated minor bugs.
1.09 Added Export as HTML feature. Added Timesheet option. Added result code feature (eg. DNS/DNF). Added average lap times for results. Updated PY numbers
1.08 Updated starting system to accomodate new ISAF (5,4,1,0) starting procedure. Updated documentation.
1.07a Updated default handicaps to year 2000 PY numbers.
1.07 Added option to change default handicaps. Updated documentation.
1.06beta Added support for variable handicap system.
1.05a Fixed some very minor bugs, changed a few things, updated documentation
1.05 Added a few more features such as (export).
1.04c Fixed a few bugs.
1.04b Fixed a bug which prevented races from being saved!
1.04a First public release.


8. Notes

The program was written for MS-DOS specifically to allow as many people as possible to be able to use it. PCs that run MS-DOS programs can be obtained very cheaply, ideal for sailing clubs that don't have much money, or which are donated old computer equipment.

The program uses the following formula to calculate the corrected time:

Corrected time = (Elapsed Time in seconds) / (Portsmouth Number) x 1000

The corrected time is rounded to the nearest whole number. If the fractional part is greater than 0.5 then the corrected time is rounded up, else it is rounded down to the nearest whole number.

When using average lap times the program uses the formula:

Corrected Time = (Elapsed Time x Most Laps x 1000) / (Portsmouth Number x Actual Laps)

Where Most Laps is the number of laps sailed by the boat which sailed the furthest.


The program has been tested on:
- A 1986 laptop with monochrome display and no hard drive
- A Compaq 386 laptop
- A 500mhz PIII running Windows 98 & Windows 2000
- A 1.8ghz P4 running Windows 2000 & Windows XP
- A 2.4ghz quad core running Windows Vista 32-bit