Herman
My views are that it would be of great benefit if a database facility could be created to: -
1. Store fleet data so that entrants can be easily retrieved/entered into Sailwave
2. Store additional PY handicap data, which requires finishing times to be retained (irrespective of OCS, DSQ, etc.); this would save re-tabulated results for handicap assessment.
Regards
John Waters
Chairman - Bangor Week 2005
Sailing Committee - Ballyholme Yacht Club
Northern Ireland
···
From: Herman van Beek <hvanbeek@comcast.net>
Reply-To: sailwave@yahoogroups.com
To: sailwave@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [sailwave] Re: Database to collate competitors across series files
Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2004 08:14:31 -0600James,
Distributing mySQL would indeed be a nightmare for most users and the
stream of questions for support could/would overwhelm even the hardiest
of souls. This has nothing to do with the state of the program and
everything with the complexity (for the majority of users) of coping
with database software. Perhaps we should first try to describe what we
would want the scoring environment using Sailwave to look like once the
database is in full use (note that I didn't use the word 'complete'!).
Here is my take and I invite others to contribute:1. Race results from Sailwave can be stored (i.e., import function);
2. Database can be used to pre populate a Sailwave file (i.e., export
function);
3. Skipper and event data (e.g., pictures) can be stored and related to
regatta/race/series results;
4. A simple procedural language (oxymoron?) allows users to manipulate
stored data;
5. A simple but flexible publishing capability supports display on any
Web browser from where it can be printed;
6. Ability to leverage work from others in the Sailwave community via
knowledge base articles;
7. Cost commensurate with resources used;
8. Does not materially increase Colin's (or anyone else's) support burden.If there is general agreement on these points then there is only one
practical location for a database: on a server. You could even consider
providing this as a service (for a nominal fee) from sailwave.com. In
this environment, Colin could look at requests for new features as
either additions to Sailwave or suggest that the user use the procedural
language to accomplish the task.Just some thoughts.
Regards,
HermanJames Lavery wrote:
> HiHerman,
> Using Perl modules I can deliver a relational database frontend,
> with the underlying storage in CSV format - so that if necessary,
> users/administrators can use the raw data without exporting
> explicitly.
>
> I could use mySQL, but my main environment at home - and that of
> potential users, generally - is Windows, and I don't think mySQL is
> particularly easy to distribute/install. (Unless you know
> different?) However, I will look at mySQL - you've got me
> interested in this path...
>
> Once the data is in the database, I can publish/export in XML/HTML
> etc with ease (dangerous statement). I will probably use XML
> internally, and XSLT (XSL stylesheets) to format the export formats,
> to give flexibility on export formats, without having to recode the
> application.
>
> I know that Colin is intending to add XML publishing to Sailwave -
> one thing I could do now is to take a BLW file and produce an XML
> format file from it, if this would be of use to you. Of course, we
> need to come up with a schema, for which Colin should, I think, be
> involved.
>
> James
>
> --- In sailwave@yahoogroups.com, Herman van Beek <hvanbeek@c...>
> wrote:
> > Hi James,
> >
> > Sorry for the slow response - am busy getting ready for our
> Midwinters
> > regatta in Florida next week.
> >
> > A csv or tsv formatted file should work fine for interfacing to
> Word
> > and Excel. However, in rereading the thread, I think there may be
> an
> > expectation that much more would be delivered; i.e., a relational
> > database program. My next major push is to do just that - use
> MySQL
> > (free) to hold all results, write Perl or PHP utilities to
> manipulate
> > the data as needed, and then output to html templates for
> displaying
> > results on the Web. In that environment, I would like a more
> > intelligent output format from Sailwave with tags (like XML)
> because
> > over time I know I will be adding new parameters/criteria that
> > could/will obsolete the csv/tsv format and require reprogramming
> of the
> > interface.
> >
> > Would be interested to hear from others on this. It is
> conceivable to
> > design such a system to work with Access on a PC instead of on a
> Web
> > server running Unix or Linux.
> >
> > Herman
> >
> > James Lavery wrote:
> >
> > > Hi Herman,
> > > I'm currently looking at a simple csv or tsv (tab-separated
> format)
> > > for the actual data files - so that it's readable by Word/Excel
> etc.
> > > if people want to 'do other things' with the data.
> > >
> > > However, I'm also happy to use XML for the storage, and/or
> > > publish/import in a 'standard' XML format (I code in Perl and XML
> > > daily at work). I'd be interested in your ideas on this front,
> and
> > > would be happy to collaborate.
> > >
> > > James
> > >
> > > --- In sailwave@yahoogroups.com, "Herman van Beek"
> <hvanbeek@c...>
> > > wrote:
> > > > Hi Colin,
> > > >
> > > > Great discussion and am keenly interested in outcome. My
> interest
> > > is
> > > > from another perspective: the regatta organizers. I use Perl to
> > > create
> > > > about 20-30 on-line registrations per year for the MC scow
> sailing
> > > > class (http://www.mcscow.org) <http://www.mcscow.org%29>
> <http://www.mcscow.org%29> and
> use the
> > > information collected to
> > > > display a list of registrants, provide organizers with details
> of
> > > > meals and other items ordered, and drive the population of
> scoring
> > > > programs. I currently support four (4): Sailwave, St Pete
> Scorer,
> > > > JavaScore, and one I wrote myself in Excel VB (MC Score); see
> > > > http://www.mcscow.org/regatta/ for a brief description of the
> > > system.
> > > > The interface becomes real messy when you have multiple
> fleets. Of
> > > > the four, I've found JavaScore the simplest - it uses an XML
> > > format.
> > > >
> > > > Tracking the standings of competitors (I process about 50
> regattas
> > > per
> > > > year involving 500-600 participants) is best handled by a
> separate
> > > > database. And having, as others have already suggested,
> > > a "standard"
> > > > output format would make feeding that db a much more manageable
> > > task.
> > > > The XML approach offers the best of both worlds: the format is
> > > fixed
> > > > but the mark up language can be expanded to bring in new
> features -
> > > > and it is easy to create as well as parse!
> > > >
> > > > Regards,
> > > > Herman
> > > >
> > > > --- In sailwave@yahoogroups.com, "steven_atkinson"
> > > > <Steve.Atkinson@w...> wrote:
> > > > > --- In sailwave@yahoogroups.com, "James Lavery"
> <jlavery@b...>
> > > > wrote:
> > > > > > Hi Colin,
> > > > > > Thanks - I'm in danger of overloading as well, but this
> seems a
> > > > good
> > > > > > thing to do.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Notes on the file format would be useful - I can derive
> most
> > > by
> > > > > > inspection, though. If you want to send it outside the
> group
> > > > (i.e.
> > > > > > via email), that's fine.
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > I don't suppose you would consider making the file format
> > > > information
> > > > > public knowledge. I've toyed with the idea in the past of
> writing
> > > > some
> > > > > perl or php so that I can just drop the .blw files straight
> onto
> > > our
> > > > > club website and the cgi scripts display the information by
> > > parsing
> > > > > the file. I just quite fancy the idea of being able to do
> some
> > > > > interactive stuff like display all the results for a
> particular
> > > > boat,
> > > > > or display each race on a single page on it's own without
> having
> > > to
> > > > > publish each race individually and things like that. I've
> been a
> > > bit
> > > > > wary of doing the work in the past just in case the file
> format
> > > > > changes much between versions of sailwave and I have to keep
> > > > updating
> > > > > my scripts.
> > > > >
> > > > > Thanks
> > > > > Steve Atkinson
> > > > > Carrickfergus Sailing Club
> > >
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> >
> > --
> > ____________________________________________________
> > Herman van Beek email: hvanbeek@c...
> > 2816 Biscayne Drive phone: 972.596.9524
> > Plano, Texas 75075-7504 fax: 509.692.3503
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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____________________________________________________
Herman van Beek email: hvanbeek@comcast.net
2816 Biscayne Drive phone: 972.596.9524
Plano, Texas 75075-7504 fax: 509.692.3503[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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