ChronoFly station program has been implemented in the Java language. It does not require an associate separate database. The only requirement for the use of the program is a Java Runtime Environment and for this reason the program works with nearly all operating systems. For more information, see article ChronoFly.

The purpose of this document is to clarify the basic characteristics of the program, thus enabling you to arrange a successful competition.

Cold start

When the program starts the first time, it asks the license file and station identifier. You can choose any name as a station identifier and you can edit it later if needed. Necessary license files are supplied by Enymind.

Before first competition

Before the program are being examined it is important to familiarize with other necessary accessories and equippments of the competition site. More of these equippments in own articles.

It is possible to create competition settings required by the regulations beforehand, or alternatively, at a competition site. The either way is used, it is important to indicate the staff before the start of the competition. The program also remembers the old settings from the previous competition. In the case of the program's first start-up, the settings must be set before the actual operation of the program.

For more information, see Configurations.

Setting the time

The time of the computer can be adjusted through Settings->Set time. The more accurate the time, the more accurate results will be produced.

Using the software

First start

For launching the program has been created for necessary shortcuts on the desktop or alternatively on start menu, or both. The program is starting by double-clicking its icon. Start-up takes some time.

Creating new competition

If you want to create a new competition, or if a single race has not yet been created, a new competition can be created from the menu File->New competition.

Competition are created with assistance of a easy wizard. For more information, see Competition settings.

Import/Export files

  • Import preset times, File->Import files
  • Import preset competitor related data during creating a new competition (AT-distance and time, class, etc..), Load rules from file

Configurations

If everything is configured beforehand, you can skip this step and go directly to: Starting the competition.

Station settings

Use station settings to edit the settings of the program itself. In station settings there is not any competition related settings. Settings can be accessed from the menu Settings->Station settings

General

  • Station identifier: Name of the station. Have to be different in every station.
  • Language: Language of the software.
Default: en_EN
  • Table columns: Snow/Hide desired columns.
  • License: License information or file

Reader

  • Device: Transponder reader driver. Depends on reader used.
  • Serial port: If transponder reader have a RS232 serial connector, set corresponding port here.
  • Serial speed: Serial port speed.
Default: 9600
  • IP-address: If transponder reader have an ethernet connector, set reader IP-address here.
  • TCP-port: TCP-port used in ethernet protocol.
Default: 50007
  • Read gap: Defines how often the same transponder are read in reading area.
Default: 60 (in seconds)
  • Antennas: Antennas used (in systems with multiple antennas)
  • Transponder codec: Desired transponder data codec.
Default: DESIMAL

SMS messages

Enabled / Disabled
  • Number: GSM-number of the timekeeping center (J2Chrono). Use international format +358XXYYYYYYY
  • Rows per. message: How many rows to put in one message. Max. value is 10 when normal SMS-messages are used.
Default: 10
  • Driver: SMS-modem driver. In Linux it is smstools
  • Message format: Defines the format of the data in SMS-message. Depends on reciving side.
  • Max wait time: Defines how long to wait until the message is forced to sent even there is not enough rows.
Default: 400 (in seconds)
 

TCP/IP

Enabled / Disabled
  • IP-address: IP-address to send times over ethernet (eg. to J2Chrono).
  • Protocol: Format of the data. Depends on reciving side.
  • Target: Target of the data. (eg. in http: index -> 1.2.3.4/index.php)

Printer

Enabled / Disabled
  • Serial port: If printer have a RS232 serial connector, set corresponding port here.
  • Protocol: Protocol of the printer used.
  • Header: Header text. Printed at top of the paper.
  • Footer: Footer text. Printed at bottom of the paper.

IR

Enabled / Disabled
  • Serial port: If backup device (eg. infrared light beam) have a RS232 serial connector, set corresponding port here.
  • Protocol: Protocol of the backup device.

Backup

Enabled / Disabled
  • Path: Place where backup data file is being written. Saved as zip-format. (eg. /tmp/backup.zip)
  • Method: Defines when the backup file is being created. Read = when transponder passes, Time = when minute changes
  • Interval: Defines how often the backup file is being created. (eg. 5 = each 5 times)

Competition settings

Settings can be accessed from the menu Settings->Competition settings

General

  • Competition name: Name of the competition. (eg. "Great race 2009")
  • Clock type: Time format used. Real time (real time of the day) / Timer (stopwatch, starting from 00:00:00.000)
  • Transponder reader in use: Whether to use transponder reader or not.
  • Start light in use: Whether to use start light or not.
  • Gap limiter in use: Defines, is user noticed (warning text) if passings are registered too often. Used only in start lines to avoid jams in track.
  • Wait for passing: Defines whether to wait a transponder or not before sending a new competitor to track (using start light).
  • Accept lacking times automatically: Defines whether to accept manual times automaticlly to official times if there is no corresponding time from transponders.
  • Starting gap: Defines how often a competitor is sent to track (using start light, in seconds).
  • Minimum service time: Defines how many seconds every competitor must be at service at least.
  • Load rules from file: Load preset start times from file (used in service area passings).

Start light delays

  • Flash before start: How many seconds to blink before send.
  • Static before start: How many seconds not to blink before send.

Rounds

  • Name: Name of the new round.
Required format (ST): <name> <number> <alternative word>
Esimerkki: ST 1 Hill
Required format (ST+TC): <name> <number> <name> <number> <alternative word>
Esimerkki: ST 2 TC 4 Shire
  • Round type: Type of the new round.
Edit round afterwards by double-clicking it on table.
  • Additional text: Text to be printed to every paper.

Starting the competition

It is helpful to ensure that all peripheral devices are connected correctly before the competition. More about circuits in own article.

After the launch of the program we have to ensure that the correct round and the competition are selected. If selected competition is not correct, it can be changed from the selection box at the top of the window and from the menu File->Manage competitions.

When right competition and round are selected, wait the start of the competition. If you have clock type Real time, the competition may be begin immediately by pressing a function button Start or button on the keyboard F5. If you have clock type Timer, the competition is initiated after it is started (in the same moment). Start button changes it's color to turquoise, when competition has begun.

During the competition

Times from transponders automatically appear in the left table. Manually entered spare times will appear in the right table. The manual time are taken in the same moment when the competitor passes the transponder reader. If the transponder reader is not in use, take all times by hand. Create manual times by pressing a function button Passing or keyboard function buttons F1 or Ctrl or AltGr.

When using transponder reader, hand-timing is not mandatory, but desirable to improve timing reliability.

In a situation where transponder reader not registered a passing competitor, manually taken time con be transfered to the left table "Official results" by pressing a function button Accept or button on the keyboard F7. It is required, that the manual passsing has a time and transponder number set (competitor number) before accepting it. Before the manual time is accepted it is possible to modify both time and number in the right table. Modifying is done by double-clicking on the desired value.

Transponder number can be set either before or after the period of manual registration. Before the period of registration you can enter the numeric identifier after which the focus automatically switches to the registered time until the time value has been given. If you want to enter the transponder number afterwards, do it by double-clicking a desired cell in the table.

Manual times can ignored afterwards by selecting the desired row in the table, and then pressing the function button Ignore or button on the keyboard F3. In this way you can also edit official transponder times; first ignored and moved to left table where it can be edited and then returned back to the official times by accepting it again.

Table rows are also shown as an icon:

Left table

  • Green: Time sent to timekeeping.
  • Yellow: Time waiting for sending.

Right table

  • Green: Time accepted to official results.
  • Yellow: Row lacks number or time.
  • Blue: Informative spare time.
  • Red: Ignored time. Can not be edited afterwards.

After the competition

Before the end of the competition you have to be sure that the every time will be sent to timekeeping. Only when the last competitor has certainly got it's every time can following steps to be done:

  • First check that all times in the left table are marked as sent (green icon).
Note: If not, the rest must be sent manually. This is can be done by selecting the menu File->Packet data->Send packet data or File->SMS messages->Send SMS messages. Sending times can take a while.
  • When all times have been marked as sent, stop the competition by pressing a function button Stop or the keyboard function button F5.
  • Then, depending on the situation either, choose the next round or start processing the results.
Note: If you selected a new round, be sure to start the competition before the start of the competition (Start / F5)!

Exceptions (errors)

During the competition

Transponder reader does not read transponders

Cause: Competitor bypasses the antenna too fast or too far away or competitor's transponder is missing or broken.
Solution: Move manual time from right to left (Accept / F7) | Check the transponder

Times does not appear in result software

Cause: Ethernet cable is dropped off or broken or wrong IP-address or computer's IP-address not set.
Solution: Check ethernet cable | Check IP-address | Restart computer | Check computer's ethernet settings
Cause: GSM-card is dropped off or GSM-number is wrong or GSM-network is busy or no GSM-network available or SIM-card closed/expired.
Solution: Check GSM-card | Check GSM-number | Restart computer | Check SIM-card
Note: Restart computer after re-inserting the GSM-card

Software does not work as it should

Cause: Error in software.
Solution: Restart ChronoFly | Restart computer

Computer does not work as it should

Cause: Error in computer.
Solution: Restart computer

Error messages

Reader not found

Cause: Data cable between computer and reader is dropped off or broken or wrong reader address/port or reader power failure of broken reader.
Solution: Click Settings->Reinit devices | Check cables and connections | Check condition of the reader | Restart ChronoFly | Restart computer

SMSTools is not installed

Cause: SMS-send daemond (software) in linux is not installed of installed without restart.
Solution: Restart computer | Install SMSTools

Any other error message

Cause: Error in software.
Solution: Restart ChronoFly | Restart computer
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