jcwren

Eugene, I've got 1.5.10 on my iPad, 1.2.8 on my Galaxy S4, and 1.2.7 on the NOOK. The router (a TP-LINK TL-MR3040) is handing out addresses 192.168.0.100 (iPad), .101 (S4), and .102 (NOOK). Here's the time it takes for them to be found by each other, iPad - ~2 seconds Galaxy S4 - ~5 seconds (~12 seconds to scan all 254 addresses, call it 21 addresses per second) NOOK - ~3 minutes, 22 seconds (~8 minutes, 12 seconds to scan all 254 addresses, call it 0.5 addresses per second) I'm not sure what this means, but it makes no sense. While a given router might be slower than another, we'd be talking multiple orders of magnitude, perhaps the equivalent of comparing the first wireless router ever built against the the latest top-of-the line router made today. Factually, that's just wrong. As for "bump up signal boost", it's more useful to know what the signal-to-noise ratio is (generally available from the router, rarely available from client devices). Given that in both mine and Bill's case the router is about 3 feet away from the devices we're using, changing the signal strength isn't going to make a damn bit of difference. In addition, most routers are already configured for the maximum *legal* output power for the country of operation. While it may be possible to increase it, it's not recommended. It's illegal. It can interference with other wireless networks. It can result in adjacent channel interference because of "splatter". In other words, unless one seriously knows what one is doing, one should not do that.

Since PractiScore is a "pull" system (the master devices pulls results from the scoring devices), it's relatively impervious. The only real risk is the master pulling scores from non-scoring devices accidently. For monthly matches, we don't worry about this, and all the scoring devices are on the range's unsecured LAN (the LAN has no internet access, but that's because we've got no DSL or other WiFi access down in the bays). As you're tapping device names to pull results, just make sure you're hitting the device you want. Since PS refreshes the device list fairly often, it's possible for another device to jump into the list just where you're about to touch, so just be careful (I'd *really* like if we could configure a list of "authorized" devices, and only those would show up in my list. Filtering by MAC address or something that's relatively difficult to spoof). For major matches (3 state matches to date), we've moved the NOOKs over to a LAN with WEP security. The only purpose in this was to keep from seeing 30 other devices in the list. Our intent was to sync a NOOK to the master periodically, then make that device available on the non-secured LAN for competitors to pull scores from. However, if you have internet access, the competitors can always download the match from PractiScore, assuming you're posting interim results fairly frequently. We can't really do that, because the ranges don't have internet access. I believe it's important to allow the competitors to pull scores in real-time. It doesn't create a problem (except for the number of devices in the device list), and I believe it adds something to the match. As I've said before, I've had to make comments about "Less scoring, more pasting!" to the shooters who are pulling scores and then comparing to their buddies. I think the ability to do that has added something to the sport, as it allows that real-time comparison (however unrealistic it is) between competitors.

If you can wait a couple more days, I should have a nice single-step no-fuss no-hassle solution for you Shoot me an email at jcwren@jcwren.com, and I'll help you get through it all.

1.1.11 is pretty archaic. Checking in 1.2.5 (which is not THE most current), a fixed time stage disables mikes and enables the NPMs for all the targets. You can go to https://practiscore.com/android-version to see what version is available, and the main screen displays the version beneath the "Change Match" button.

Steve, Sorry this went unanswered. My suggestion would be to disconnect the battery for about 15 minutes, and then reconnect and reboot. I've seen this happen, and I think it's a hardware issue with the real-time clock. A rooted NOOK does still use NTP to get the time. I've only ever had 1 out of about 30 do it, and only once. And, no, you can't set the time manually (thanks, B&N!)

Interesting that you've had to replace batteries. We have NOOKs that about 2 years old with regular weekly and monthly use that still have in excess of a 75% charge at the end of a six hour match. Nice that you found a supply of compatible batteries that will work, even if a little soldering is required. One thing to note, the battery gauge will likely be inaccurate for some number of charge cycles if the battery is replaced. The BQ27510 charger has to develop a profile of the battery to accurately report percentage charged, time remaining, etc. So just be aware that 100% charged may not be right for a while. I still *strongly* disagree with you about keeping the NOOK on the charger all the time, for several reasons. One is that it increases the susceptibility of the NOOKs to be killed by a lightning strike. Feel free to use all the power-protection strips you like, but when you have $900 (retail) worth of NOOKs plugged in, that protection still isn't worth it to me. It's easier to unplug it. The second is that yes, the battery charger *does* cycle on and off. Charging at any level generates heat, and heat is detrimental to the batteries. And the NOOKs can sit for *months* in a turned-off state without discharging the batteries below the point where it won't boot. Charge them a few hours or the evening before the match. On rare occasions, I've seen NOOKs get confused, where the screen behaves oddly, the real-time clock is off and a few other oddities (maybe 4 times out of 33 NOOKs over 18 months). For all of these, disconnecting the battery for about 10 minutes, and then re-installing it fixed the issues. Here's some light reading: http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/how_to_prolong_lithium_based_batteries According to /sys/devices/platform/i2c_omap.2/i2c-adapter/i2c-2/2-0055/power_supply/bq27510-0 (the interface in the Android system for the BQ27510 charger), the battery is charged to 4.18V at full charge. This is important in light of the statement from the above source, "Besides selecting the best-suited voltage thresholds for a given application, Li-ion should not remain at the high-voltage ceiling of 4.20V/cell for an extended time. When fully charged, remove the battery and allow to voltage to revert to a more natural level like relaxing after exercise. Although a properly functioning Li-ion charger will terminate charge when the battery is full, some chargers apply a topping charge if the battery terminal voltage drops to a given level."

Greg, we need a bit more detail about what you're using, what you're doing, and how you're doing it. Can the iPhones see and/or sync to the Android tablet? How about vice-versa? Does this happen if you're using only two devices, or do you have a number of devices on the network? What versions are you running? I'd assume 1.5.10 on the iOS devices, but can you verify that? And the specific version on the Android device is what? I'm pretty confident we can help you determine what's going on before you (rather drastically) revert to paper and pencil, but we need to know a lot more, first. And trust me, we WANT to get you up and running on Practiscore, and for you to have confidence in it.

Are you exporting from the Android or iOS version of PS?

JC, what address should I send the file to? Send it to jcwren@jcwren.com, please.

ctay, which version are you running? 1.0.2 is the most current, and fixed an issue related to that. pcarst, not familiar with anyone else running into that issue. If you want to zip and email me your ezws database, I can run it through and see if there's something unique there.

I can't believe you didn't know about these hardware scrolling buttons on Nooks. And while we are at it, in 1.2 android version there is a new and bigger "Back" button in the top left corner. Should help people with bigger fingers. Though I've been told it is hard to notice it. BTW, your target scoring idea could be useful for entering scores from the paper scoresheets (for those who can't or don't want to use devices at stages). Similar to what ezws has. I went back and examined this, and both on the NOOKs and on my Galaxy S4, I would have NEVER thought to tap the icon to move backwards. The little '<' is totally lost on both devices. Now, I'm not complaining, it's a great addition. But I promise that virtually no one will ever figure that out on their own. Now that its there, I'll start training our people to use it, instead of the little reverse fish-hook at the top-center of the NOOK screens. Subtle doesn't even BEGIN to describe that little button

I think Bill has scored every USPSA match South River Gun Club has had, excepting one or two. You rarely shoot the matches, but always scores them, right Bill?

Just saying. I see people entering scores from paper into PractiScore. Either for comparing their own scores at matches that scoring on paper or to do results without using ezws or winmss... Paper scoring at matches... That's the living in the dark ages. Probably black-powder/cap'n'ball matches... Seriously, if I had to go back to paper for scoring, I'd probably quit shooting matches. I am *so* over that.

JC, you could use it for entering results from paper score sheets... Paper what? I have no idea what you're talking about. I use Practiscore

Whenever I see people swiping the screen to scroll on a NOOK, I try to educate them about the buttons. I don't like swiping, as it's possible to introduce data errors. The other thing I try to teach them is you really don't *have* to wait for the screen to update. Tap 'A' twice, it'll increment twice. As long as you're checking as you go along, it's not a problem, and it's a lot faster.

I have to say I intensely dislike this idea. If you choose to support it, make it an option in the match configuration. I can assure you, I'd NEVER use it.

You're not doing anything, and there's nothing to fix Re-entries don't show up in the match results, because it's for the purpose of re-shooting classifiers. Only the main entry counts as a score. Now, if you're entering somebody twice, for instance, if they're shooting the match as two entries, say single stack for one division and revolver for another, you don't class them as a re-entry.

Correct. Entering the missing shots into the NPM will not give the benefit of a hit, but neither does it directly penalize them with a penalty value that a mike would. Ultimately, it does reduce their hit factor, but that's the price that's paid for the competitor not checking their scores

Peter, I've not run into this, and I'm using the same versions. When you were having problems with the NST/iPad, were you using the same access point as when you first didn't have trouble and when you synced the NST/Galaxy? This sounds a lot like an issue of the NST or iPad associating and disassociating from the network. --jc

That would be me, as far as final results are handled. The results were then posted to Practiscore. I'm not sure who took care of posting them to the 3-Gun Nation site. Feel free to contact me at jcwren@jcwren.com, and I'll see what I can do to help get that fixed.

I'm a big believer in keeping the NOOK on the stage. While we sync regularly during a match, should the catastrophic happen, I'd rather lose a stage than all of squad's worth of scores. While we run indoor weekly matches without paper back-up, I wouldn't dare run a larger match without it. Here's a link to the sheets we use: https://www.dropbox.com/s/x98l6fwrrj90g2x/PS%20Score%20Backup%20V2.pdf If you print these, you can either print them double-sided, and you'll have some "old school" score sheets for those people that feel they just *have* to re-shoot the classifier they just tanked or if you're late getting the NOOKs down to the stages. Alternatively, print only the front side, which is the back-up sheet. I realize this doesn't address the point you made in your note about perhaps having a feature that makes it more difficult to change to a different stage on the NOOK. Of course, on the old paper sheets, we had the same problem where a squad would score an entire stage in the wrong column, because bay 4 != stage 4.

I have a Perl script that I can take a Steel Challenge match from Practiscore and crank it through that zeros the worst strings. Basically, I defined a 'template' match with all the SC stages. When you run a match, you just delete the stages you're not using. Register your shooters, shoot the match, get the final results. Crank it through the script, and it produced a new Practiscore file that you import as a new match, then post the results to Practiscore.com The reason you get a "new" match back is because each match contains a unique identifier, or UUID. If you use the template's UUID and upload results, next time you run another match using the same template, you'd overwrite the results from the last match. So in addition to zeroing the worst strings, it sets a new UUID. I plan on webifying that utility in the very near future. In the mean time, if you'd like my template match and for me to crank the resulting match through the script and email you back the new match file, email me at jcwren@jcwren.com, and let me know. I'll also need your club name as you'd like it to appear and the SC club number.

Typically you just put in the /sdcard directory, which is the directory that shows up as the drive letter in Windoze. Then in PS, you go to the Sync tab, 'Import Match', navigate to the /sdcard directory (if you're not already there), select the match to import, and tap the 'OK' or 'Select' button.

I don't recall any operational issues, off-hand. The only think I can think to watch out for is to make SURE the score-keeper has the right shooter for the division gun s/he's shooting. Fortunately, PS puts the division out to the side of duplicate names (SS for Single-Stack, L10 for Limited-10, etc) on the screen where the competitor is selected for scoring. I *would*, however, create a bogus match with 2 or 3 competitors that are entered in several divisions, add several classifier stages, score them all, export them into EZWS and just make sure it works for you. Better now than after it's too late

In addition, if you're running pure Android (no IOS devices involved), sync all the NOOKs to a device with a real or virtual SD card (a "special" NOOK, your phone, a tablet), then export the registration and the stages and scores to the SD card. Then you can either remove the SD card from the device and install it in a reader on your PC, or just plug the device up via USB so that it appears as a disk drive. Copy the reg.txt file and the zip file over to the PC, unzip the zip, and you're off and running into EZWS. Or, as Bill said, export them to Dropbox. Personally, I think the Exporter app is more trouble that it's worth, and I don't completely understand the point of it, unless you don't have network access AND you don't have USB available.