Hi Dave,
I'd prefer not to publish the .blw syntax because I want to feel able to
change it in the future - and it wouldn't be good if folk were relying on
it. However, Sailwave can import competitor details from a CSV file
(File+Import) and this would seem the route to go. i.e. a Perl or PHP
script etc collects data over the web saving it as a CSV file; then later
you import it into a new series. This way the .blw syntax is irrelevant.
You may be interested to know that I have plans to turn Sailwave into a thin
client web app next year sometime. i.e. you will actually be able to use
Sailwave over the web (initially only on IIS windows servers) - it will look
exactly the same to the user.
Clearly some security controls will be required but it's an exciting way
forward. Competitors will be able to create themselves into the series and
pay entry by credit card... 
Having said that, Sailwave is a hobby and it's becoming more and more
time-consuming, so I can't actually guarantee anything...
If you do write a CSV collecting script I'm sure other users (including me)
would like to use it...
Regards,
Colin
ยทยทยท
-----Original Message-----
From: dave@fergusonsnw.com [mailto:dave@fergusonsnw.com]
Sent: 10 October 2001 17:07
To: sailwave@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [sailwave] Regatta registration automation
My yacht club is currently evaluating regatta management software
packages and to date SailWave is the frontrunner.
I'm looking to put together a proof of concept regatta registration
system by which participants can sign up via the internet. I
envision a simple form to gather contact and boat info, then using
ASP to squirt the info into a SailWave formatted text file (.blw)
which can be imported into a SailWave regatta after registration has
closed, thus removing the possibility of human error in transcribing
information from the web site into the software.
Colin, is the .blw format documented anywhere? Have you considered
XML for storage/sharing? I'd be happy to work up a schema with you
if one does not yet exist.
Of course after the regatta the results will be squirted back into
HTML format by SailWave and posted to the web site.
Eventually we will cache the boat and contact info in a database so
returning participants need not re-enter it.
My main question is does anyone have such a system up and running
today that I might use as a model. I'd like to minimize development
time on the proof of concept as well as discover what pitfalls
others have encountered.
Thanks for any pointers, code snippets, testimonials, flaming
arrows...
Dave Ferguson
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sailwave
http://www.sailwave.com/
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