General
I just configured my event perfectly with the wizard, how can I share it with someone else or move it to another computer?
All of your event configuration information is stored in the Tournament Data File. This file can be copied to a different computer and opened with the Tournament Manager on that machine. To copy the Data File safely, use the File menu in the Main Window and select Save Copy of Tournament . This will save a copy of the current tournament information in a file that can be moved to a different computer and opened in the Tournament Manager there. You can move the file by emailing it, copying it to a USB thumb drive, or other method.
Once the Data File is located on the new computer, start up the Tournament Manager and when the Start or Connect to the Tournament Server window appears, use the Browse button to select the copied Data File.
Use the Save Copy of Tournament menu option to save a backup copy of the tournament data at key times during the event (before lunch, at the end of the day, before alliance selection, etc) to a USB memory stick or external hard drive. This way, if the scoring computer fails, you can restart the tournament on another machine to finish the event.
I accidentally overwrote my tournament settings. Is there any way I can recover them?
The Tournament Manager periodically saves backup copies of the Tournament Data File. You can access the folder where these backups are saved by selecting Automatic Backup Folder from the Tournament Manager folder in your Start menu. Make sure to look at the time listed on each file and select the one from a time when you know the settings were valid. Copy this file to somewhere else on your computer, restart the Tournament Manager, and select this file to open instead of the Tournament Data File you had initially created. The backup files contain the date and time when the backup was made in their filename to make it easy to find the correct backup file to use.
The computer that I'm running the Tournament Manager on failed during an event and won't restart. Is there any way to recover my event information and settings?
If you used the Save Copy of Tournament option described above to save a copy to a USB memory stick or external hard drive, then you can start the Tournament Manager on another computer with that file to recover. Also, if you have any additional computers connected to the Tournament Manager (such as a Pit Display computer), then backups of the Tournament Data File will be saved remotely on those computers as well and can be accessed using the Automatic Backup Folder on that machine as described in the previous question. In this case, find the correct backup file and copy it to a spare computer that you can use to replace the failed machine.
Why don't I hear any of the game sounds when I start and stop a match?
The game sounds are played from the Audience Display program. Make sure there is an Audience Display running for the field set that is being controlled and that the volume on the computer is turned up sufficiently loud.
I adjusted the time zone on my computer and now all the match times are off by an hour. How do I fix this?
Matches are scheduled relative to the time zone set on the computer when the setup wizard is run. If you create matches with your computer set to one time zone and then subsequently adjust the time zone of the computer, your match times will be off. If you need to adjust the time on your computer after creating matches, do not adjust the time zone. Instead, just adjust the clock time to match the current local time while leaving the time zone configured as it was when the matches were created.
The match timer on the Audience Display sometimes freezes and then catches up, or sometimes the Pit Display disconnects. How can I fix this?
The network that you use to connect the various computers running the Tournament Manager together should be a hard-wired network. Wireless networks introduce delays which can interfere with the Tournament Manager connection, and therefore are not supported. Make sure to use a wired network between the computers running the Tournament Manager software whenever possible.
My event is running behind schedule and I don't have enough time to run all of my qualification matches. Do I have to play all of them?
In order for the rankings to be calculated properly, you need to reduce the number of matches that count towards the rankings. Select Tools > Options in the menu bar and select the Qual. Matches option from the list on the left. Choose the appropriate number of qualification matches and click the OK button. If you do not change the number of qualification matches that count parameter and leave some matches unplayed, the rankings will be incorrect.
How do I run a VURC scrimmage match during the down time of my High School / Middle School event?
Since the autonomous and driver control periods of a VURC match are different from those of HS/MS matches, you cannot just run a regular match. Instead, queue up the Field Test Match and click the "Set Time" button in the Field Control window. Input the desired autonomous and driver control times, click the "OK" button, and start the match.
Alliance Selection
Can I change the number of elimination alliances or the number of teams per elimination alliance after qualification matches have started?
Yes, the settings for the number of elimination alliances and the number of teams per elimination alliance can be changed in the Options window under the Eliminations category any time up until alliance selection has started. To see the Options window, click on Tools > Options in the menu bar.
Is there a way to indicate that a team declined an invitation to join an alliance, allowing them to still be an alliance captain?
Yes, select the team as you normally would by double clicking the team or by clicking the Add Team button. When the dialog pops up, click the Decline button instead of the Accept button. The team will not be added to the alliance, will be ineligible to be selected by another alliance, but will retain its right to be an alliance captain.
Can I make a team ineligible to participate in alliance selection?
Yes, if there is a team that for some reason should not participate in alliance selection, you can mark them as ineligible. A team might be made ineligible because they left the competition early or have been disqualified by the referees. After clicking the Start Alliance Selection button, in the popup window, check the box next to Mark teams ineligible before #1 captain is assigned . Now, in the team list on the left, highlight an ineligible team and click Make Team Ineligible . The team will appear in a lighter color in the team list. Continue this until all ineligible teams have been marked, and then click Continue alliance selection . Ineligible teams will not become alliance captains and are not allowed to be selected by other captains. You can also make a team ineligible as long as they have not yet been assigned to an elimination alliance after you have started Alliance Selection. To do so, highlight the ineligible team on the left and click Make Team Ineligible . Again, the team will appear in a lighter color to indicate that they are not eligible.
Audience, Pit, and Field Displays
How do I display Skills Challenge rankings all the time on a dedicated screen?
Add an additional Pit Display in the Pit Display Setup window which can be found in the Setup Wizard or Options window. Start the Pit Display program on the computer that will be used for the Skills Challenge rankings and select the name of the new Pit Display that you just created in the Setup window. Finally, choose Pit Displays > (name of new display) from the menu bar to show the Pit Display Control window, and select SC Rankings in the control window.
Reports
Can I view reports without a printer installed?
Windows requires at least one printer to be set up (but not necessarily connected) on the computer that you wish to see reports. If you have a computer on which no printers have been installed, you can install a free software package called PDFCreator instead. PDFCreator provides a fake printer that allows you to print to a PDF file instead of a real printer. PDFCreator is available from http://www.pdfforge.org. An additional advantage of PDFCreator is that you can print reports to a PDF file and take them to a different computer to print, email them, or post them online.
Web Server
I tried to start the Tournament Web Server, but I got an error saying that the port is already in use. What should I do?
If another application is using the port that the Tournament Web Server needs to use, that application will need to be closed before the Tournament Web server can be used. Skype is known to use port 80, and exiting it will allow the Tournament Web Server to start properly.