MANUAL FOR CHIEF RECORDERS & TRAINEES

RUNNING SWIMMING COMPETITIONS
USING
 HY-TEK'S MEET MANAGER© SOFTWARE

Page Topics

PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS

Ensure that you have all of the necessary equipment to run a meet. You will require (1) a computer system with Hy-Tek's Meet Manager software installed and the swim meet database set-up on it; (2) two (2) printers: 1 for ribbon or award labels and 1 for event reports; (3) a printer switch-box (also known as an "A-B Switch") with the requisite parallel printer cables; (4) a serial interface cable connecting the timing device (e.g.: OSM-6, CTS5 or Daktronics) to the computer; (5) a box of letter-size paper (3-part pinfeed paper for dot-matrix printers) for printing event results; (6) a box of labels for printing ribbon or award labels; (7) scissors, to cut labels; (8) staple gun and staples, for stapling results, timing console print-outs, DQ slips, etc., and (9) a copy of the Meet Programme.

PRE-MEET SETUP

Locate computer system where you have an unobstructed view of the start/finish. Connect the interface cable from the timing system to the computer's serial port. Connect the parallel printer switch-box to the computer's parallel port. The reports printer should be connected to Port "A" on the switch-box and the labels printer to Port "B" on the switch-box. For dot-matrix printers, insert the pinfeed paper and the labels on each printer and assure that they are lined up properly. The printer for reports should be set to print in Draft or High Speed Density (HSD) mode. The printer for labels should be set to print in Near Letter Quality (NLQ) mode. Turn on the computer and the printers.

MEET PREPARATIONS

The software loads from MS-DOS. At the DOS prompt, type "MM" and wait for the software to boot up. When the Meet Manager screen appears, type in the name of the subdirectory where your meet is stored (e.g.: C:\MEETS\DSC1098). The Meet Manager Main Menu screen appears. At this stage, there may be a number of things that you want to do: print Lane/Timer Sheets; print a Meet Rosters Reports; scratch swimmers from the meet or specific events; or, enter time-only swimmers or relay teams into the meet.

GETTING READY FOR THE MEET

• Type R - Run Meet at the Main Menu.
  
• "Event:" Answer "A" for All; otherwise enter the range of event numbers (e.g.: 12-40);
  
• "Session" Answer Blank; otherwise enter the session number;
  
• "Start with Heat #:" Answer "1";
  
• "Display Swimmer Format:" Answer
  
• "Computer COM Port for TC:" Answer "1";
  
• "Touch Pads at Both Ends of Pool:" Answer "N" for 25 metre pools; "Y" for 50 metre pools.

RUNNING THE MEET

After you have selected those events which are going to be swum during your session, the software will display the scoreboard screen for the first heat of the first event. The swimmers seeded in the heat, their preliminary times and the event requested will display on the bottom half of the screen. Administrative information will be displayed on the top half of the screen, including the meet name and dates, event and heat numbers, and, record names and times (if you defined any). The cursor will be positioned opposite the first non-empty lane for you to enter swim times.

Each race starts when the Starter activates the starting horn. At the conclusion of each race, the Chief Finish Judge will press certain keys on the timing console which transmits the recorded times for each lane to the computer via the serial interface cable. After each race, press the F3 Key to cause the times for each lane to appear on the computer screen. Check the printed race results from the timing system to ensure that there are no light touches. If there are no light touches, press the Ctrl and Enter Keys or the Page Down Key. The software will indicate the place finishes for this heat. Press the F5 Key to go to the next heat.

LIGHT TOUCHES/MANUAL TIMES

If a swimmer's last touch is too light to register on the touch-pad, this will be reflected on the printed race results from the timing system. For the OSM-6, an "M" will appear next to the swimmer's time or a series of dashes instead of a time (e.g.: "3:14.52M" or "- - - -"). For the CTS5, the swimmer's time will be enclosed in brackets (e.g.: "<3:14.52>"). Position the cursor opposite the lane of the swimmer with the light touch. Use the Delete Key to remove the incorrect time and type in either the back-up time (if any) from the timing console's printed results, or, if none, then the average of the 2 watch times from the lane timers.

SCRATCHING SWIMMERS

If a swimmer fails to appear on the blocks at the start of a race, you will have to scratch him or her from the race. Position the cursor opposite the lane of the swimmer who is being scratched and press the F6 Key. A message will appear on-screen asking you to confirm the deletion. Press Y to confirm.

DECK SEEDING OF SWIMMERS/RELAY TEAMS

If a swimmer or relay team is entered into an event during the meet to swim for time-only, or, a swimmer or relay team is entered on the Meet Entry Forms but accidentally omitted from the meet programme, you will have to deck seed them. This is relatively easy if the swimmer or relay team is already entered in the meet programme but omitted from the event. They will have a Meet I.D. Number which you can obtain from the meet programme. Position the cursor opposite the empty lane assigned to the swimmer or relay team and press the F7 Key. You will be asked to enter the swimmer or relay team's Meet I.D. Number. You can also enter their seed time at the same time. If the swimmer or relay team is not already entered in the meet programme, you will have to exit the race and enter them into the meet at the Entries section of the Main Menu Screen. Select E from the Main Menu and then S to set up a swimmer or R to set up a relay team. Swimmers or relay teams entered in the meet for time-only are not eligible for points or awards. To ensure that they do not score or place, you must enter an X in front of his/her/their seed time (e.g.: "X3:14.52" or "XNT"). Remember to write down the swimmer's or relay team's Meet I.D. Number before exiting this screen back to the Main Menu. Select R from the Main Menu to Run Meet. You will be asked if you wish to return to the heat/event that was running when you exited. Press Y.

EDIT PREVIOUS HEAT OR EVENT

If you need to go back to a previous heat or event to make manual corrections to a swimmer's or relay team's time, or go forward to make corrections to a heat that has not yet swum, press the F2 Key. You will be asked to enter the Event and Heat Numbers that you wish to go to. When you have finished making your revisions, press the F5 Key and you will be returned to where you left off.

SCORING EVENT/PRINTING RESULTS

After the swim times for the last heat in an event have been recorded, the software will display a message: Completed Last Heat for Event. To print out the event results, ensure that the switch-box is set to Port "A" (the results printer) and simultaneously press the Alt and F5 Keys. While the report is printing, watch for a message to appear at the bottom of computer screen. When the message appears, flip the switch-box to Port "B" (the labels printer) and press the F8 Key to print award/ribbon labels. When the labels have finished printing, press the F5 Key to move to the next race.

FINAL MEET REPORTS

At the conclusion of the meet, there may be as many as four (4) reports that you will be asked to print out. Press the Esc Key and exit to the Main Menu. Select T for Reports from the Main Menu. You will be taken to the Reports Menu.

SWIMMER/TEAM SCORE

Select S from the Reports Menu to list swimmers or teams in order of their point totals.

"Event:" Answer "A" for All.

"Individual or Team Score:" Answer "T" for Team Scores or "I" for Individual High Point scores;

"Top How Many:" Answer Blank, otherwise enter a number ("8" for Top 8);

"Based on Division/Time STD:" Answer "N";

"Sex:" Answer "3 - Combined Men/Women" for team scores, otherwise "5 - Separate Men & Women" for Individual High Point scores;

"Include Swimmers by:" Answer "1 - All Events, No Age Criteria" for team scores, otherwise "3 - Swimmer's Age Group" for Individual High Point scores;

"Specify Age Range Criteria:" Answer Type in various individual age groups. Leave Lower column blank for 8 & Unders; leave Upper column blank for 15 & Overs.

EVENT RESULTS REPORT

Select E from the Reports Menu to print out the complete meet results.

"Event:" Answer "A - All";

"Session #:" Answer Blank, otherwise enter individual session number;

"Prelims or Finals:" Answer For Timed Finals meets enter "A - All" or "F - Finals";

"Order:" Answer "P - Publication order" to print results by sex, age group, stroke and distance (Girls/Women events will print before Boys/Men; 8 & Unders will print before 15 & Over; 25m/y events will print before 1500m/1650y events), otherwise "E - Event order" to print the events in the order they were swum, from first to last;

"Printing Format:" Answer "C - Compressed Double";

All other answers "N".

MEET SUMMARY REPORT

Select U from the Reports Menu to print Meet Summary Reports for each team.

"Swimmer Meet ID:" Answer Blank for all swimmers;

"Splits:" Answer "N";

"Team Abbrev or #:" Answer Blank for all teams;

"Session:" Answer "A - All Sessions";

"1 Swimmer per Page:" Answer "N";

"Count NT as Improvement:" Answer "Y";

"Content of Report:" Answer "5 - Complete Team Journal".

BSF SURCHARGES REPORT

Select F from the Reports Menu to calculate the BSF Surcharges due from each team. You may also calculate each team's entry fees, provided the entry fee for each event has been entered in the Event Setup screen.

"Team Abbrev or #:" Answer Blank for all teams;

"Surcharge Per Swimmer:" Answer "$2.00"

"Include Scratches:" Answer "Y".

SUMMARY OF MEET MANAGER COMMANDS

F2 Return/advance to a specific race

F3 Download last race results from timing console

Ctrl+Enter Save current race results and move to next race

or Page Down

F6 Scratch a swimmer/relay team (by lane)

F7 Deck enter a swimmer/relay team not entered in race (by meet I.D. number and lane assigned by Referee)

F8 Retrieve race results downloaded by timing console from memory (treats each heat swum as a race)

F9 Synchronizes time, date and meet data with timing console

COMPLETED LAST HEAT SUB-MENU

F5 Score event (on computer only)

Alt+F5 Score and print complete event results

F7 Create extra heat

F8 Print awards labels. (Press F5 when finished to move to first heat of next event)