The latest version of ComTran V3.1 is out. Please contact Bill Gunesch of Mt. Hood Academy with your comments and suggestions.
gunesch@oregontrail.net
This has proven to be an excellent product for use with all levels of racing. The COMET is a real workhorse as a hand timer. COMETs were used at the 2002 SLOOC Olympics and other top events.
Read through the manual posted below.
The ComTran program downloads times stored in the ALGE Comet timer to a PC or laptop computer. A data file with the “.cmt” extension is created and saves bib numbers, times and race information. Net times are calculated and can then be printed to a report. ComTran allows editing of times and correction of false starts and finishes. ComTran also performs EET calculations and generates an EET report.
ComTran runs in Microsoft Windows 3.1x or higher and requires at least a 486 processor. Most all menus and functions can be selected from the keyboard, however, a mouse is recommended. A special cable to connect the Comet timer to the computer is required (available from Phoenix Sports Technology).
This share-ware version of ComTran is made available by Phoenix Sports Technology and is intended to promote the use of ALGE Comet timers for race backup systems and timed training. There is no technical support with this version, however comments and suggestions are welcome. The ComTran version packaged with the ALGEOnLine timing software offers online input of electric times and integrated EET functions. (Further information about ComTranT is located later in this manual.)
ComTran’s Features
Data Transfer and Storage
The most important feature of ComTran is the quick and easy transfer of Comet times to your PC or laptop computer. This can be performed right on the race hill immediately following a run, or later after a race or training session back at headquarters. The times are immediately saved for further editing, sorting, performing calculations, and printing reports.
Note: ComTran is not intended for on-line timing. It is only to be used for the mass transfer of times stored in the Comet timer after a race run or training session.
Time-of-Day: 1 or More Comet Timers
Synchronized Comets can be downloaded to your computer immediately following each run. The timers are downloaded to separate “input channels” depending on their uses. The timers can then be cleared, re-synced, and made ready for the next run. When one Comet is used to receive both the start and finish times, the times are downloaded to separate “input channels”.
EET Calculations
ComTran can calculate the EET of a missing primary time when the Comet timers are used for backup timing. The closest 10 finishers are automatically selected. Primary times are entered and saved for any additional EET calculations.
Standard Reports
ComTran includes two basic reports: the Record of Times and the EET report. The Record of Times includes start and finish times as well as the net times for both first and second runs of a race. The report can be sorted by bib number, 1st run net time or 2nd run net time. The EET report mirrors the FIS / USSA report, and can be signed by the Chief of Timing & Calculation and included with the official race documents.
Navigating the Main Screen
When a timing file is loaded all existing times are displayed as a spreadsheet on the screen. The spreadsheet consists of five columns, labeled “Bib #”, “Start-1st Run”, “Finish-1st Run”, “Start-2nd Run” and “Finish-2nd Run”. Each row represents a unique bib number.
The arrow keys move the highlight one cell at a time in any direction. The Home key and the End key move the highlight to the first column or the last column, respectfully. The PageUp key and the PageDown key move the highlight up or down a full screen.
The mouse can be used to navigate the screen by clicking on the vertical scrollbar, and then clicking on any cell to highlight the cell. Also, a control bar appears at the bottom of the screen. Click on the left arrows to move up a row, or move to the first row. Click on the right arrows to move down a row, or move to the last row.
Editing Times
To edit any time highlight the cell containing the time and begin typing to enter edit mode. While in edit mode the Left and Right arrows move the cursor left or right. The Home and End keys move the cursor to the beginning or end of the cell. The Backspace key will delete characters to the left, and the Delete key will delete characters to the right. The Esc key will abort all editing, return the cell’s original value and leave edit mode.
When entering a time the value follow this format: hh:mm:ss.ttt - where h equals hours, m equals minutes, s equals seconds, and t equals thousands. If only the first portion of a time is entered, the remainder will be filled with zeros when leaving the cell. Further editing, using the standard Microsoft Windows edit commands is available from a pop-up menu. Click the right mouse button on any cell in edit mode to access this menu. To leave edit mode press the Enter key or TAB key, use the Up or Down arrow keys or click the mouse on any other cell.
Important: One of the valuable aspects of time-of-day timing is the integrity of times and the troubleshooting-trail provided by the chronological order of times and bib numbers. Therefore, editing should be avoided whenever possible. Additionally, to help ensure integrity, bib numbers cannot be edited or deleted.
Menu Selections
Files
New Race: Creates a new race file. The file is named and saved to a drive and folder/directory. The Edit Race Data window appears to enter race specific information, i.e. race name and date, discipline and gender. Close this window to continue. The Edit Race Data window is always available for further additions or changes.
Open Race: Opens a previously created race from any drive and folder/directory.
Save As: Saves the currently open ComTran race file (“.cmt”) to any drive and folder/directory, and allows the race file to be renamed. The “saved” file becomes the current file loaded into ComTran.
Close Race: Closes the current race and disables most menu choices.
System Settings: Opens a window to set the computer’s com port, the time format for printed reports and a default data path.
The System Settings Window: Select Com Port to set the proper port for connection to the ALGE Comet timer. Select Net Time Format to choose the format for printed reports, either seconds and hundredths, or minutes, seconds and hundredths. Select the Default Data Path to browse the folders/directories and set the path from which to open and save timing files. (When conducting many races it may be helpful to group race files by different folders.)
Import ALGEOnLine Times: Only available with the ALGEOnLine program. Electric times can be imported to a ComTran file from the data generated by ALGEOnLine. ALGEOnLine creates an export file used with the USSA race scoring software. This same file can be imported to a ComTran file, eliminating the need to manually input electric times.
File List: When ComTran is first installed no file list will be displayed. As race files are created or opened they are listed, providing a quick selection of recent races. Up to four races are included in the file list with the most recent race listed first.
Exit: Exits ComTran and closes any open race files.
Edit
Sort Times è Ascending/Descending: Rows can be sorted by bib number or by any column of times, in ascending or descending order. To sort rows by a certain column just select any cell in that column. Then select the Sort Times è Ascending or Descending menu.
Enter Electric Times: Electric times can be manually input in preparation for an EET calculation. Electric times can be entered prior to, or after, downloading Comet times. Times may be entered as “sss.hh” format or “m:ss.hh” format. However, once entered, the display converts to “sss.hh” format.
Entering Bib Numbers: First run bib numbers may be entered prior to downloading times from the Comet timer. Individual numbers, multiple numbers, or a series of numbers may be entered. Separate individual numbers with “commas”, and define a series of numbers with two periods. Bib numbers can not be deleted from this window. Use Delete Null Times to remove any incorrect bib number.
Recalculate Times: After making changes to times, and before viewing or printing reports, selecting Recalculate Times may be necessary to update net times.
Delete Null Times: As stated earlier, the integrity of time-of-day timing rests with the independent, chronological record of times from the start and from the finish. Therefore, deleting a record (an entire row including bib number) is highly discouraged. However, if there is the need - e.g., an extremely large number of false start times recorded to the Comet timer – one or more records can be deleted.
To delete a record you must make all the times in that row null (“00:00:00.000”) by deleting each time. (Caution: before deleting a time be very sure that the time is not a legitimate time of another bib number. Deletion is permanent!) Once all times in a row(s) are made null, select Delete Null Times to permanently remove the row(s).
Transfer
This is the heart and soul of ComTran. ComTran’s functionality is based on the use of Comet timers for backup timing, either electric or manual. When Transfer is selected the following submenu becomes available – Start Clock 1st Run, Finish Clock 1st Run, Start Clock 2nd Run and Finish Clock 2nd Run. These are the input channels for the different Comet timers.
At the completion of a race run, both the start and finish Comet timers are brought to the computer. In turn, each timer is connected to the computer, the appropriate input channel is selected and the timer data is downloaded. Be sure the correct input channel is selected for the correct Comet timer. (In some situations one timer is used to provide times to more than one input channel – see below.)
Note: Use the “MEMOMETER” mode of the Comet timer to transfer times. Some Comet timers offer different transfer (transmit) options. Use the “TRANSMIT TO TDC” option when given more than one choice. (See the Comet Reference Manual for more instructions.)
Once an input channel is selected the Data Transfer window is displayed, identifying the selected input channel. You can either cancel the function or begin data transfer from the Comet. During transfer all the data from the timer will scroll onto the screen. This may take several seconds. When transfer is complete times will stop scrolling onto the Data Transfer window and the Comet timer will display, “DATA TRANSFERRED CONTINUE WITH *.”
The format of the input data must be “bbbbchh:mm:ss.hh.t”, where “b” equals bib number, “c” equals timer channel, the first “h” equals hours, “m” equals minutes, “s” equals seconds, the second “h” equals hundredths and the “t” equals thousandths. If the data is not in this format something “silly” happened or you used the wrong Comet option. Select Cancel and try again. If the data is formatted correctly select Save.
Note: Prior to selecting Save, the Data Transfer window acts as a text editor. You can scroll through the times and edit the data. However, use caution, since any disruption to the data format will corrupt the data file.
After selecting to Save the data, ComTran will ask for the timer channel number of the times to save (not the same as the “input channel”). This is very useful if one Comet timer was used to receive both start and finish impulses, or multiple intermediate impulses. You can therefore save different times to different ComTran input channels from one timer. If you want all times to go to the selected input channel enter “0” or leave blank and select OK.
If data from a timer was accidentally saved to the wrong input channel – i.e. a start timer was saved to a finish channel – you can overwrite the input by simply repeating the transfer steps. Whenever you attempt to transfer data to an input channel that already contains saved times you will see an “Overwrite Warning”. Do not select “Yes” unless you are absolutely sure. Once “Yes” is selected all previously saved times will be erased! There is no recovery!
Important Note regarding Bib Numbers: ComTran allows only one time per input channel to be saved with each bib number. When more than one time is stored in the Comet timer with the same bib number (either automatically or manually) ComTran saves the subsequent time with a unique bib number. This unique bib number is assigned a sequential value from 1001 for input channel 1, 2001 for input channel 2, etc.
The thousand values (1000, 2000, 3000 or 4000) identify the input channel – i.e. bib 3001 is the first duplicate bib number from the 3rd input channel (Start Clock – 2nd Run). Often these “1000 bib numbers” contain the true time of an actual bib number, depending on what caused the duplication error. When sorted by bib number, the “1000 bib numbers” are grouped in numeric order, and when sorted by time, the “1000 bib numbers” are easily recognized among the true bib numbers, allowing for quick edit.
Reports
When a report is selected from the main menu the Print Comet Times window is opened and the selected report is displayed. From this window any other report can be selected and then sent to the default printer or to a disk file.
Record of Times è Sort by Bib Num. / Sort by 1st Run / Sort by 2nd Run: This report shows the start times and finish times from both 1st run and 2nd run Comet timers, and the net times for both runs. The report provides a permanent hardcopy of back-up times and an easy comparison of back-up times with primary times.
When ComTran is used for interval timing, the Record of Times can easily printout intervals using the following timer-to-input channel examples.
4 Timers: Timer 1 to Start Clock-1st Run / Timer 2 to Finish Clock-1st Run = 1st Interval
Timer 3 to Start Clock-2nd Run / Timer 4 to Finish Clock-2nd Run = 2nd Interval
3 Timers: Timer 1 to Start Clock-1st Run / Timer 2 to Finish Clock-1st Run = 1st Interval
Timer 2 to Start Clock-2nd Run / Timer 3 to Finish Clock-2nd Run = 2nd Interval
- or -
Timer 1 to Start Clock-1st Run / Timer 3 to Finish Clock-1st Run = Total Int.
Timer 2 to Start Clock-2nd Run / Timer 3 to Finish Clock-2nd Run = Sub Int.
When ComTran is used for timed training sessions a racer’s first and second run times can be input just as a race. Record of Times will produce the normal report with both runs. When timing more than two runs you should “force” ComTran to print all the times in the 1st Run columns. Remember that ComTran will not accept duplicate bib numbers. Therefore, assign multiple bib numbers to each racer. For example Racer A has numbers 11, 12, 13… etc. for runs 1, 2, 3… Racer B has numbers 21, 22, 23… etc. for runs 1, 2, 3… Record of Times can then produce a report sorted by bib number – printing each racer’s time consecutively, or sorted by elapsed time – printing the total training session as an unofficial result.
E.E.T. è 1st Run / 2nd Run: An E.E.T. Worksheet window is first opened when E.E.T. is selected. This window allows you to quickly calculate an EET to be used at the scoreboard or with results. The EET report can be printed at any time, for inclusion with your race documents.
E.E.T. Worksheet: To calculate an EET enter the bib number of the missing primary time at the top of the worksheet and click Go, or press Enter. ComTran automatically includes the 10 bib numbers closest to the missing time, displays their hand times (backup times) and electric times, and calculates the difference. The calculated EET for the desired bib number is shown at the bottom of the window. Any of the 10 closest bib numbers can be changed if ComTran has selected a false finish. All other values will be automatically updated.
The primary times for the 10 closest bib numbers must be manually entered from the primary timing system’s records. However, once entered, ComTran saves the electric times for further use. When an electric time is entered or modified the EET calculation is automatically updated.
Note: Primary times can be imported from disc when using ComTran with ALGEOnLine.
Edit Race Data: The reports included with ComTran print header information similar to the standard USSA / FIS result header. Select Edit Race Data to enter or modify that information. Click the right mouse button on any edit box to access standard Microsoft Windows edit commands. All changes are immediately saved.
Print Comet Times Window
The Reports menu offers the same selections as described above in the main menu.
Print
The Print menu gives the choice to print the entire report, print select pages or print to a file. The number of copies can also be set when printing to the printer. The name of the destination printer is displayed. Change the default printer setting in Windows in order to change the destination printer.
To print to a file, check the Print to File box and click OK. The Save Report to File… window opens. The destination drive and directory/folder can be set and the file can be given a unique file name. The file is saved with the “.csv” extension (comma separated), and can be read by Microsoft Excel and most other spreadsheets.
Navigating the Print Comet Times Window
Reports are displayed as WYSIWYG and can be navigated with the mouse and with keystrokes. Clicking on the vertical scroll bar at the right of the screen will move a single page of the report up and down. In order to move between pages keystrokes must be utilized. The following list explains the keystrokes available. Important: With some systems the mouse-navigating wheel will disable some keystrokes. If this happens, the report must be re-opened.
Arrow Up Scrolls the report up a line
Arrow Down Scrolls the report down a line
Page Up Moves up the same page
Page Down Moves down the same page
Ctrl Page Up Moves to the previous report page
Ctrl Page Down Moves to the next report page
Ctrl Home Moves to the first page of the report
Ctrl End Moves to the last page of the report
ComTran Installation
Installation: To install ComTran from the .zip file place the .zip file in a temporary folder/directory on your hard drive. Then unzip the file, extracting all files to the temporary folder/directory. Run Setup from the temporary folder/directory. Continue following the Setup instructions until Setup is complete. The files in the temporary folder/directory can then be deleted.
Setup will ask for the destination directory in which to install ComTran. Setup defaults to directory “c:\Program Files\Alge”, and will create this directory if it does not exist. However, ComTran can be install to any other directory. Setup will update the Microsoft Windows Program Manager or Start Menu, and ComTran can be started from either of these locations.
Re-installing ComTran: If it is necessary to re-install ComTran or install an updated version of the program, simply run Setup again. However, it is helpful to first uninstall the current version of ComTran using the Windows uninstall utility. Only program files will be removed and data files will remain intact. This is the best way to insure that all updated files are copied to your hard drive.
ComTran Upgrades: New versions of ComTran will become available from time to time. Most enhancements occur because of feedback from users. Please feel free to email comments and ideas.
If you are interested in ALGEOnLine and the integrated ComTran version, please contact the address below.
Please send comments to Bill Gunesch: gunesch@oregontrail.net
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