USER INSTRUCTIONS for the Roll Call Program Version 1.02 June 27, 1998 FILES: There are four files necessary to run the Pacific Cup Roll Call Program: rollcall102.exe (the executable program file) Msvbmv50.dll (the "dynamic link library" for Visual Basic racedata.txt (the text file of race initialization data) boatdata.txt (the text file of boat names and ratings) Plus one optional file: prevdata.txt (the text file of the previous day's positions) This RTFM102.txt file contains sample racedata.txt and boatdata.txt files that can be clipped out and used for practice. An output file is generated each time the program is run. This file contains the program's output, but it also repeats the input data and can be used in place of the boat data file for the next roll call. The default name is RC-mmdd.txt, where mm is the 2-digit month and dd is the 2-digit day of the month.) Another file is used to provide positions from the previous day. These positions are only used for computing day's runs and distance to finish, and do not contribute to the ETA calculation. The default name is RC- ddmm, where the date is one day earlier than the current date. Only one of the three files is open at any one time, and the same file may be used for all three sets of data. Two more files are generated by the program, RCprev.dat and RCdata.dat. These are random access scratch files used by the program, and are normally never seen by the user. However if a session is interrupted before the new output file is saved then the RCdata.dat file can be viewed with a text editor. With the addition of line breaks this file can be easily edited to look very much like the output file. All required files (except the .dll file) must be in the same folder or directory as the RollCall.exe file. The name of the racedata.txt file cannot be changed, but the names of the other three text files can be set by the user before pressing the program's start button or by editing the appropriate lines of the racedata.txt file. TO RUN THE ROLL CALL PROGRAM: Click on RollCall.exe, or a shortcut thereto. Set the filenames as desired, then click on the Start button. Underlined characters on buttons indicate how to press the button with the keyboard - press the alt key plus the underlined character. Keyboard shortcuts avoid the area often designated as a numeric keypad on laptops. It is recommended that the numeric keypad be turned on. The program accepts latitude, longitude, and status input for the race fleet in the order that the boats appear in the boatdata.txt file. This order can be changed or boats can be deleted by editing the input file. Typing a different name in the "next boat" box will cause the Next button to search for that boat. Use only as many characters as are necessary for a unique identity. The Check button activates display of calculated data for each entry. It is not necessary to use the check button while entering data, the calculations will be done again whenever the output file is saved. Each boat's position and status (and optionally, finish time) is saved to the temporary file when the Next or Back button is pressed. The output file, which includes the calculated ETAs and rankings, is updated when exiting the program, or by clicking on "save and continue." When a boat has finished, change the status to "finished" by clicking the option button and enter the finish date and time in the ETA/Finish Time text box. The format should be m/dd hh/mm/ss (example: 7/12 14:04:32). HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS The roll call program does not need the roll call file from the previous day to compute ETAs and standings. The ETA calculation is based entirely on position, distance to finish, and rating. Once the ETA is established, the PCR handicap is applied to the ETA to determine corrected time and standing in class and fleet. The estimated time for the remainder of the race is a function of time, distance, and rating based on a regression analysis of previous races. Time to finish = f(DTF, PCR, DFS) where: DTF = distance to finish PCR = Pacific Cup Rating DFS = distance from start f() = arithmetic function based on regression analysis Speed is calculated only as a function of rating and distance to the finish line, where speed in knots = 3600/(PCR+SOR). SOR is "speed on rating," and is usually around 380 or better for the average Pacific Cup racer. In physical terms the SOR is the number of seconds that a zero-rater would take to sail one mile. If a boat rates 100 and takes 480 seconds to sail one mile, then its SOR is 380. Multiple least-squares regression of SOR as a function of rating and distance to the finish yields the following formula: SOR= 343 + 9.3257*DISTANCE - 0.67798*DISTANCE^2 + 0.017466*DISTANCE^3 -0.000787*RATING^2 This is based on over 800 data points from the '92, '94, and '96 races, and considers only the first four boats on final corrected time in each class. The average SOR for the data set is 373, and the standard error of the formula is 28. THE RACE DATA FILE FORMAT Only the lines between "begin race data" and "end race data" are used by the standings program. Each line contains one or more variables needed by the program. Only columns 1-25 are used, the remainder of the line describes the nature of the data in the first part of the line. Data fields are in fixed format. Do not use tabs or commas as field delimiters. Do not insert blank lines. Edit with any word processor, and save as "MS-DOS text with line breaks" or as "ASCII with line breaks." This is a sample of the race data file: begin race data 1988 Pacific Cup Event Name 37-48.65 X 122-26.72 Start lat and long, dd-mm.mm x ddd-mm.mm 21-28.83 X 157-46.33 Finish lat and long, dd-mm.mm X ddd-mm.mm 2070 Official race distance for handicapping (no commas) 8 number of classes A 1998/06/29 10:00 Class Name, Start date & time for that class B 1998/06/29 10:15 DH1 1998/06/29 10:30 C 1998/06/30 10:45 DH2 1998/06/30 11:00 D 1998/07/01 11:30 E 1998/07/01 11:45 F 1998/07/02/12:15 PDT Time label for time zone used for position reports PDT Time label for time zone used for ETA and finish 0 Offset from position report time zone to ETA zone 08:00 Default time at which reported positions apply boatdata.txt Input file name. Defaults to RC-MM(DD) if blank boatdata.txt Previous day file. Defaults to RC-MM(DD-1) if blank boatdata.txt Output file name. Defaults to RC-MMDD if blank end race data THE BOAT DATA FILE FORMAT In the boat data file, only the lines between "begin boat data" and "end boat data" are used by the program as inputs. The data is in fixed format, and data must appear in exactly the columns specified to be read correctly. Do not use tabs or commas anywhere in the data area of the file. Do not insert any blank lines. All text is case insensitive. Throughout the program, upper and lower case can be used interchangeably. Do not type decimal minutes. Only whole minutes of latitude or longitude will be read. The dash - and x characters between the lat/long position fields are not read by the program and can be any other characters, or spaces (but don't use commas or tabs). Edit with any word processor, and save as "MS-DOS text with line breaks" or as "ASCII" (with line breaks if the choice is offered. Be sure to use a non-proportional font (e.g., courier) so that you can maintain alignment of the columns. This is a sample of the boat data file: boatdata.txt for the Pacific Cup Race, 1998 begin boat data Bona Roba A 182 Breila A 154 Cinderella A 177 Copernicus A 171 Daydreamer A 168 Flyer A 156 Jennifer Anne A 174 Kiaimakani 2 A 160 Laurel Anne A 157 Mintaka A 159 Trial Run A 151 Water-Pik A 203 Aldebaran B 128 Bounty B 126 Cirrus B 132 Gravity Storm B 140 Grey Eagle B 148 Grey Ghost B 134 One Flew Blue B 136 Pisces B 128 Red Sky B 130 Scotch Mist B 139 Significant Other B 146 Siren B 142 Transaction B 147 Alicante DH1 132 Arturo the Aqua Boy DH1 182 Low Profile DH1 152 Mariposa DH1 147 Moretoise DH1 137 No Name DH1 129 Noah's Raven DH1 188 Sabra DH1 121 Bodacious C 90 Caccia Pomadora C 70 Gingerbread Man C 62 Kurrewa C 102 La Adriana C 114 Millennium Falcon C 79 Perestroika C 79 Puff C 62 Skal C 108 Vanadis C 108 X-Dream C 70 Azzura 310 DH2 64 Confetti DH2 70 Mystic DH2 108 Oa Oa DH2 96 Roxanne DH2 -18 Surge III DH2 93 Camelot D 37 Kaimiloa D 45 Osprey D 60 Promotion D 52 Pursuit D 49 Scorpio D 42 Solution D 50 Bay Wolf E -11 Blue Chip E 16 City Lights E -16 Medicine Man E -57 Oaxaca E -6 Ripple E 18 Rollercoaster E -6 Rosebud E -16 Surprise E 11 Terremoto E 18 Vitesse E -24 Magnitude F -114 Merlin F -132 Pyewacket F -123 Rage F -105 Zephyrus IV F -129 end boat data The fields are: 01-20: Boat Name (up to 17 characters) 21-23: Class Name (A, B, DH1, etc.) 24-27: PCR rating 29-39: Status (optional, "not yet started", "racing", "finished", or "withdrawn.") THE OUTPUT FILE FORMAT This file repeats all the data from the boat data file, but adds five more fields of data to the record (line) for each boat. The program also adds tables listing ETAs, corrected times, class and fleet standings, and other information. A roll call file can be used in place of the original boat data file to enter new roll call data and compute new standings and results. This makes it easy to re-run the program with a small correction, and also holds the previous status fields and roll call order as the new defaults. New fields added to the boat data records when the program runs: 29-39: Status 41-42: degrees of latitude 44-45: minutes of latitude 49-51: degrees of longitude 53-54: minutes of longitude This is a sample of the output file format: 1988 Pacific Cup Standings for 6/3/98 Time of reported position (PDT) boat name class PCR status position or finish(PDT) begin boat data Trial Run A 151 racing 23-45 x 126-23 08:00 Siren B 142 racing 23-45 x 145-32 08:00 La Adriana C 114 racing 08:00 Bodacious C 90 racing 08:00 Millennium Falcon C 79 racing 08:00 Azzura 310 DH2 64 racing 08:00 Promotion D 52 racing 08:00 Acey Deucy D 45 racing 08:00 Surprise E 11 racing 08:00 Rage F -105 racing 08:00 Pyewacket F -123 racing 08:00 end boat data boat name class PCR ETA corrected standing (PDT) time class Fleet Trial Run A 151 06/14 08:04:36 13 16:44:54 1 2 Siren B 142 06/07 13:56:09 06 05:57:51 1 1 La Adriana C 114 no report 1 3 Bodacious C 90 no report 1 3 Millennium Falcon C 79 no report 1 3 Azzura 310 DH2 64 no report 1 3 Promotion D 52 no report 1 3 Acey Deucy D 45 no report 1 3 Surprise E 11 no report 1 3 Rage F -105 no report 1 3 Pyewacket F -123 no report 1 3 boat name class PCR day's course distance course run made good to finish to finish Trial Run A 151 421.9 152 T 1,725.4 271 T Siren B 142 910.9 249 T 677.1 260 T La Adriana C 114 0.0 0 T Bodacious C 90 0.0 0 T Millennium Falcon C 79 0.0 0 T Azzura 310 DH2 64 0.0 0 T Promotion D 52 0.0 0 T Acey Deucy D 45 0.0 0 T Surprise E 11 0.0 0 T Rage F -105 0.0 0 T Pyewacket F -123 0.0 0 T