Run backhomePier to pier results software
This is here in both source code and a compiled executable suitable for running on a PC
Championship software
You may have seen the computer generated championship results elsewhere on this website, the BASICsource code is available here. The executable is not as I chose to write this with the runnerinformation built into the source so the compiled version would always give Stroller's results.
Winter handicap software
This is a modified version of the championship software which calculates start times for the next race basedon each runners previous 2 runs.
The main problem in 1999 was that the first 40 results (race number/time pairs) were typed in andprinted out within minutes but the next 100 results arrived so fast that I couldn't keep up and a discrepancy of 3 between the time sheets and the position sheets when 3 people passed the finishline but dodged out of the finishing funnel to throw up, caused a big delay in getting the results typedduring whichanother 100 runners had finished. Anyone using this system I would advise to have 1 person typing the results in and a second person reading them out and finding the next time/position sheet and doing the running between results table and computer.
For the 2000 race I thought I'd try somthing a little quicker. Since the biggest delay in 1999was the transfer of results from time/position sheets to the computer I tried to bypass that delayby barcoding all of the runners and scanning them as they finished.
The barcode scanners were originally built for a stock taking/invoicing system for Maxwells DIY. 20 scanners were built (Maxwell's is bigger than you might think, visit their web site at www.maxwellsdiy.co.uk) and I borrowed 3 of the sparesfor the pier to pier run.
The scanners normally store the 8000 item catalogue of Maxwells productsalong with costs and item codes and product barcode. The products are scanned in the shop and the required quantity of that item is typed in to give an invoice of upto 1500 items. This is thensent via an infared link to a specially modified modem down the 'phone to the warehouse where the invoice is processed.
For this race I just replaced the item code of the product with the runner's race number, the item description with the runners name and the item cost with the runners age sowhen scanned, the scanner would immediately identify the runner. I automatically recorded the time that the runner had been scanned.
This information was then zapped into the computer as an invoice, but instead of being item code/quantity pairs as it is in a shop invoice, it represented race number/time pairs as needed by the results software. i.e.I didn't need to type this information in.
I bet none of you realised you were being treated like boxes of nails and tins of paint as you passed the finish line!
One obvious consequence of this simple system is that the runners' finishing times were a few seconds out as they were scanned in the finishing funnel and not as they crossed the line. I did try to correct for this (it took an average of 7 seconds to reach the scanner after crossing the line so I adjusted all times automatically for this delay) but, when the big rush came in the middle of the race, the delay got a little bigger so even the corrected times of some runners are out by a few seconds. The first few results were all corrected by hand to match the official time sheet. I'll try to improve on things next year by possibly incorporating the system we used for the Redhouse Run in 1997 which, believe it or not, had real time results being printed as the runner finished and was never more than 1 second different from the official time sheets. Unfortunately, the photocopier broke down so I couldn't hand them out to anyone!
The barcodes on the numbers were not ideal. The plan was to print a long strip of barcode down the right edge of the number so it would be very easy to hit it with the scanner, but, due to the plastic content of the numbers we had bought, I couldn't put them in the laser printer to add the barcode as they would melt so we bought sticky barcode labels and stuckthem onto each number. I may try printing the entire number from scratch on a laser printer. This will require that we use card numbers but should allow unlimited flexibility in the design of the race number.
The above information on barcoded results is for interest only because to use the same system will require that you borrow the barcode scanners from Maxwell's DIY which Mr.Maxwell might not be too happy about. Of course, if anyone out there is actually interested in doing this for real in their race then I'll be happy to go into more details and talk about the possibilities. Just e-mail me.
The output is scaled for an A4 size PCL5 laser printer but is also produced as a text file which can be copied into your favourite word processor and be printed from there.