What's New with Version 7.0
GrandPrix Race Manager™ was originally written
for use in our Awana Grand Prix races of Gateway Church of El Cajon,
CA. Then it was offered as shareware for a couple of years before being
rewritten as a commercial grade application and launched as Version 2.0.
Each year we continue to improve the software and use it to run our own
Awana and Cub Scout races each year. Countless race coordinators have given
their feedback and suggestions over the years, which has helped make GrandPrix
Race Manager into a quality race management software package and
an outstanding value for the price.
Overview of Version 7.0 Changes:
The changes with Version 7.0 are really quite dramatic! The user interface
has been radically overhauled to make it simpler to use, more intuitive
and give it a cool and modern look. As with all of our other new version
releases, we have added some significant new bells and whistles to make
sure that GrandPrix Race Manager will still provide the best
bang for the buck compared to all other race management software.
Sample Screenshots:
| Click on an image to enlarge |
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| Overview |
Registration |
Racing |
Reports |
Click
Here to view other screenshots.
Detailed list of Changes:
- General
- GrandPrix Race Manager has been made more intuitive
and simpler to use.
- GrandPrix Race Manager now sports a cool new look
and feel.
- Anytime data is to be deleted, the user must confirm the deletion but
they will also be given the opportunity to backup the data before
hand.
- More screens will now remember their last size and location for
the next time they are opened.
- More screens are resizable.
- More screens allow you to sort table data by clicking on column titles.
- Context menus (right mouse click menus) have been added to many of the
screens for quick access to some options.
- Dropped support for Windows 95, 98 and NT systems. These are either
not compatible with the Microsoft framework that the software is now
built on or the reporting engine that it now uses.
- Main Screen
- Added an Overview tab. This tab lists the steps to run a race and provides
shortcut buttons for each. You can also check off each step as you go.
- Tabs can now be opened and closed, so you can only have the tabs open
that you are interested in.
- Tree list views of Groups, Subgroups and Rounds on each tab replace separate
drop-down lists, making it easier to get to the data that you want.
- Added direct access to the Reports Setup screen.
- Added a progress bar to show the progress of some tasks (roster import,
awards imports, schedule creation, and chart import).
- Registration Tab
- There is no longer a separate section to add or modify racer data.
Enter and modify racer data directly into the list of racers.
- Schedule Tab
- Added an option (via context menu) to display racer names on the schedule.
- Added a new "Dynamic" scheduling method.
- The goal of the method is to maximize the number of racers winning at least one heat.
- For the first "phase", racers are randomly assigned to a heat
and lane.
- For subsequent phases, seedings are based on the total win count and
number of points (based on finish order) for each racer.
- Stronger racers are matched up with stronger racers and weaker racers
with weaker racers. Competition gets tighter for all racers and more racers
end up winning at least one heat.
- Results Tab
- Added an option to show "All", "Completed" or "Not
Completed" heats.
- Standings Tab
- Added a warning if all heats have not been completed for the selected
round/group/subgroup. This is a reminder to make sure a heat is not accidentally
missed.
- Awards Tab
- There is no longer a separate section to add or modify awards data.
Enter and modify awards data directly into the list of awards.
- "Sort Order" was replaced by "Priority" to make it
more intuitive.
- Winners can be typed in (with auto complete) or selected from the drop-down
list for each award.
- Stats Tab
- Combined all of the race stats into the one tab. There are
separate sub-tabs for Lane, Overall, Group and Individual stats.
- Lane Stats Graph - Graph control allows
for zooming in on a selected area, printing and saving the chart as an image
file. These features are available by right mouse clicking over the graph.
- Software Setup Screen
- Added the ability to manage track records for each race group.
- Moved the "Group" and "Subgroup" relabeling feature
to the Advanced Software Setup screen, as it was causing new users confusion.
- Removed "Number of Trophies" section. It was confusing to
new users and only sometimes applied when starting new rounds.
- Custom lane labels now allow for a change of font color. You can tweak
the font colors for each lane to better display on a projection system
or TV.
- Hardware Setup Screen
- Maximum time will be initially tied to the max time of the selected
timer. The user can make it lower, but not higher.
- Made the "Reverse Lane Order" and lane enabling/disabling options
accessible without first having to press the "Start Testing" button.
- When first trying to use a timer, a communications check will automatically
be performed (for timers that support this feature). This will give users
a warning if there is a communications problem. Applies also to the racing
screen.
- Added a "Test Race" button, to do a complete test of the timer (reset, lane masking, start indication, etc.). Behaves like the "Ready Timer" button in the racing screen.
- Added a status bar at the bottom of the screen to display status messages.
- For Fast Track timers - Added an Intermission Timer test section.
- For SmartLine timers - Removed Photo Finish tab and put those settings
on the timer tab.
- If using a USB to Serial Adapter and the adapter gets unplugged, the
user will get a notice that they may have lost communications. The COM
port drop-down list will be automatically updated any time a port disappears
or appears on the computer.
- Dropped support for parallel port devices. Most supported laptops no
longer have parallel ports and with the new design there was a
concern for timing accuracy.
- Added support for triggering a solenoid start gate via the serial port.
The serial port provides a higher voltage meaning a longer cable can
be used.
- Added support for triggering a drag racing style light tree via the serial
port. The light tree must be able to control the light sequence on its
own. GrandPrix Race Manager only provides the kick-off
signal.
- Custom Serial Timer Setup Screen
- Removed the lane masking options. Lane masking implementation by the manufacturers
is too varied to provide generic support.
- Added a Max Time setting.
- Reports Setup Screen
- Added support for report titles and report name to have fonts and font
colors changed.
- Added vehicle and certificate image thumbnail views.
- Added the ability to customize the list of inspection items shown on
the Check-in Sheet Report.
- Roster Screen
- Select the Group and Subgroup from a tree list instead of separate drop-down
lists.
- Removed the "Reveal" button. Any selection changes will cause the screen
data to be refreshed.
- Perfect-N Type Chart Generator Screen
- Moved Heat Ordering Options and Chart Upgrade Options to an Advanced Options
screen, to provide less confusion for new users.
- "Chart Title" box removed. If the user wishes to save a chart
to a text file, they will be asked for the chart title at that time.
- "Save Chart" button renamed to "Create Schedule", which
is more in line with what occurs.
- Added a Race Time Estimator section. This will display the estimated
amount of time to run the generated chart. The user can modify the average
heat turnaround time, so as to get a better estimate.
- If the chart generator is unable to get a chart with the desired number
of runs per lane, two charts will be combined. However, the user will
get a warning that racers may face some opponents significantly more
than others.
- Removed the two run per lane minimum restriction for two lane tracks.
Replaced with a warning to the user.
- Lane Rotation Chart Generator Screen
- Moved Chart Upgrade Options to an Advanced options
screen, to provide less confusion for new users.
- "Chart Title" box removed. If the user wishes to save a chart
to a text file, they will be asked for the chart title at that time.
- "Save Chart" button renamed to "Create Schedule", which
is more in line with what occurs.
- Added a Race Time Estimator section. This will display the estimated
amount of time to run the generated chart. The user can modify the average
heat turnaround time, so as to get a better estimate.
- Clustered Charts - If possible, multiple Byes are now distributed through
different clusters, instead of all being in the last cluster.
- Removed the two run per lane minimum restriction for two lane tracks.
Replaced with a warning to the user.
- Manual Chart Entry Screen
- Enter data directly into the list of heats.
- Racing Screen
- Select Group and Round from a tree list instead of separate drop-down
lists.
- Speed column can now be hidden.
- Bottom section has tabs for Track Record, On Deck Circle and a Top
10 Times list. These can be opened or closed as desired.
- Added Top 10 Times list to record the overall top times.
- Added ability to show overall track record or the record for the current
race group.
- Top border of bottom section is now resizable so the bottom area can
be expanded as desired.
- Added menu options to stop sound effects that are playing or to loop
them continuously.
- When first trying to use a timer, a communications check will automatically
be performed (for timers that support this). This will give users a warning
if there is a communications problem. Applies also to the hardware setup
screen.
- If using a USB to Serial Adapter and the adapter gets unplugged, the
user will get a notice that they may have lost communications.
- Standings Screen
- Combined with the Awards screen.
- Awards Screen
- Select Group, Subgroup and Round from a tree list instead of separate
drop-down lists.
- Added the ability to display speed standings.
- Reports Screen
- Upgraded all reports and the report viewer to Crystal Reports XI.
- Report (rpt) files are now accessible instead of embedded in the program.
Users with knowledge and access to Crystal Reports XI software can customize
the reports.
- Report viewer has a tree list to provide shortcuts to finding data
for a specific round, group, subgroup, and racer (as applicable to the
report).
- Added a bulk print feature. User can select one or more reports to print.
Printing will be done in the background, with a progress display in the
status bar.
- Added a bulk export feature. User can select one or more reports to export.
Exporting will be done in the background, with a progress display in
the status bar.
- Added an Excel export format.
- Roster Report - Added a sort by last name or vehicle number option.
- Check-in Sheet Report - Added a racer name display option.
- Race Results Report - Added options to show "All", "Completed" or "Not
Completed" heats.
- Standings Reports - Added an "Overall Round Standings" report.
It is more intuitive than having this ability in the Group Standings
report.
- Awards Certificates - Added the ability to print awards certificates
directly from the speed standings.
- New Round Screen
- Added option for advancing round finalists from each subgroup.
- Added a Group drop-down list so users don't have to select a group first
from the main screen.
- No Chart Racing Screen
- Added support for typing in racers into their lanes, with auto complete.
- Removed sort racer list option since the list itself is now sortable by clicking
on the column headers.
For a summary of what was new with Version 6.0, Click
Here.
The cost to upgrade to Version 7.0 is $10.00. If you would like to purchase
the upgrade, Click
Here.
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