Results screen for Simply Slalom

[djberriman]

Hi All,

As you may or may not know I am developer of the 'pretty' results screen that Simply Slalom uses. I've seen it in use at Wagon Lane, Washburn and I use it at Howsham.

I've done some work on it and sent a new version to Ken which is much easier to use so if you've tried it in the past and given up it should now be much simpler to use. You only need to install two files!

1. Enable the results screen in Simply Slalom

2. On the results computer drop the .exe and .bat file in the folder where you specified the results screen should be output and then double click on the .bat file and it will run and starting creating html files.

3. Share the results screen folder on your network

4. Connect any number of computers on your network to the share.

5. Open the html file by double clicking on it.

Sit back and relax!

If you do not have a network, you can use a second screen on your computer and simply open the html file on that and position the screen on a long cable so that paddlers can see it.

If you want to tweak how many lines are displayed on a page, how many results are shown at the top after the first page, the font size or colour you can simply edit screen.bat with something like notepad and fiddle to your hearts content, its very simple and commented!

Duncan

[djberriman]

Just a point on networking.

If you are using Windows 7 or above, the wonderful security on Windows will not allow a computer who's clock is different to connect or may disconnect it after a short while. So if you are having network issues check that both computers are set to the same time.

[djberriman]

Now that I've finished the currentupdate to the remote screen software I've been working on with Ken on the paddler database that Simply Slalom uses.

We have now linked Ken's Simply Slalom to the ranking database so it will have an up to date list of all paddlers who have a bib and appear on the ranking database.

Thus when you are putting entries in all you should have to do is enter their bib number and check the rest of the details are correct.

If you haven't tried SS then this a great reason on its own to do so as it removes all the tedious keying in from the task of putting entries in.

[slink]

Hi Duncan,
Is there a new version of SS with the link to the ranking DB? I haven't had an update for a while, and was just about to start setting up our Alva event. We use the remote results via wifi at Alva, and provided I can get the network to stay up, it works well, so thanks for your efforts with it!
Steve

[slink]

Thanks

[djberriman]

I belive Ken is trial running it at Cardington, if he is happy with everything then he will release an update and you can simply copy accross your setup from the old to the new.

Duncan

[slink]

Hi Duncan,

Sorry - I should have explained the "thanks" was for passing my message to Ken, I got a new version over the weekend! I have done some testing for Ken before, so not sure if it's general release yet, but it certainly works fine for the entries I have put in, and the remote result setup is so much easier

Now to try and link the Raspberry Pi for remote results

Steve

[slink]

Well, that was easier than I thought. Once I had got the Pi to connect to the Windows share, it could see the webpage and Midori will quite helpfully run it without change! A VESA mount for the Pi to screw it to the back of the monitor https://www.modmypi.com/modmypi-raspber ... vesa-mount, and I now have a standalone remote results display. Just need to take it to Alva to check the wifi range now and tidy up the wiring, but if it can run through the house, I hope it can work across 20m or so of field, and I don't think we'll have the wifi interference problems that we saw at Cardiff! Once I can get it to autologin and boot, or SSH login and boot, I won't even need a keyboard and mouse for it.

Thanks to Ken & Duncan for their continuing developments and the new remote results code that made this possible. All for £35 for a Pi (and an old monitor from the loft!).

[Vkcmikey]

I have used a pi at the last 3 cardington events.
First time I used the old display screen program and modified it to work on the pi and using a modified wifi router was able to create a rather large open wifi network, which covered most the course, so everyone connect could see the results.

Second time I created my own output from kens program and wrote a very nasty script to convert it to a nice table then using a 3G dongle uploaded it to a website I quickly created so every one with a smart phone could view the results. Advantage was that my script saved the output of different classes so all results could be view at will rather then the live results.
I even added a webcam on the second day and was broadcasting in full hd at certain points.

Third time I didn't get much time to sort it out so went with the new display output plus wifi network for a remote display and upload to the web where the last class is still displayed. http://www.vikingkayak.co.uk/live/resul ... play1.html

I used my pi headless (no monitor) but I do plan on getting a couple of monitors for display with pi's attached at the next event and plan to build them to just boot straight to the results screen over a wifi link.

[slink]

The Pi is coming into its own! Mine now boots straight to the results screen and has no mouse/keyboard, prior to the event starting it displays a pretty club page (called mresultsdisplay1.html)! As the remote results now over-writes the webpage once screen.bat is started, just hold off starting it until the first paddler is on the course I can use SSH if I need to tweak anything, but hopefully it will be plug & play on the day...

[djberriman]

I use a fit pc, small pc capable of running windows much like the PI and just a little bigger, that said I may well use a PI next year.

I had considered a couple of changes to the display code which is just based on what SS outputs.

1. Only change the division displayed when 3 results (configurable) are detected, thus stop it swopping to another division when an out of sequence paddler runs.

2. Automatically add click links to other divisions/classes so someone can manually switch classes to see results, the screen will then automatically return to the current display after a cycle.

3. Perhaps show the last 3 results (configurable) at the bottom of the screen.

A job for the winter!

Duncan

[Vkcmikey]

I like the idea of a ticker of last few paddlers at the bottom like on the football.
I plan on getting a couple of screens for cardington next year and would be good to have one which is latest results like the current results screen with the 3 paddler delay as you mentioned. The other would be good to have rotating around the different classes.

[djberriman]

Good ideas I will build in as many options as possible so you can configure screens as you like.

I was also considering an option to let it ftp up to a web site 'live' results at intervals during the event if you enable it and an internet connection is available.

Ken is doing some work on his program to enable this so once that is done I'll see what I can acheive

[djberriman]

Ken has updated Simply Slalom to make it easier for me to produce the results screen so I've done some work, hopefully in time for the event at Lee Valley at his request.

There is now a current class screen, plus a screen for each division in the event. Paddlers can select which screen to display using a mouse if one is provided. After showing all the results for the selected class the screen will revert back to the current class.

There is also a finishline screen which will display results in the order they are entered into simply slalom with the latest results at the top so even if paddlers are running out of order they will appear on this screen and can see their result. If you are running two screens you may want to display the current class screen on one and the finishline on another - indeed you can have as many screens as you want, simply connect them to your network share and click on the file you want displayed.

For the techies amongst you the current class file is index.html, the others are obvious by their name. This means you could easily set up a live results page on the internet by simply periodically ftp'ing the files up to a folder on your website.

Once Ken has fully tested it will be released in due course.

Duncan