How to score a competition?

This section of MaxPunkte does no longer comply with FAI-rules. Please use fs.fai.org

The scoring of a competition is done in in Race. MaxPunkte has been testet with Race Version 6.2.15. The scorer sets up a competition in Race as usual and adds all pilots to the Race database. Then the first task is defined in MaxPunkte and a connection to this Race database is defined. Task definition is very similar to task definition in CompeGPS. The task is then defined in the database and all pilots are set to NYP for this task. When task definition is completed, MaxPunkte has to be closed and then reopened (this is an error in the software, I'm searching...).

The task is then opened again. You have to click throught the task definition. Make sure, that the task definition is correct. Now you can download a track from a flight recorder and calculate the task performance of this pilot in the calculations menu. Then select the corresponding pilot from the drop-down list and send the data to the database using the "=> Race" button. Then click "next pilot" , download or open a new trackfile, calculate, send to database, ...

Remember: Every pilot is sent to the database individually, not all task results at once, which is normal in CompeGPS.

MaxPunkte is not the fastest tool to download tracks from flight recorders. You can use others like GPSdump, it's comfortable to have several instances of this software simultanouisly on you desktop to download from many devices in parallel. It's then ideal to name tracks Tn-mmm.igs, whre n is the task number and mmm is the pilot number. If you open such a file in MaxPunkte while a task is defined, the correct pilot is automatically selected from the drop-down list. I prefer to first download tracks from all instruments and then work througt the trackfiles.

You can open serveral instances of MaxPunkte and let them all send data to the database. But, as I already told, it's not so comfortable and fast. This will improve in the future.

Finally, you manually set ABS and DNF pilots in Race and then score the task in Race as usual.

Next day, next task a new task ist defined in MaxPunkte. Download trackfiles, evaluate and send data to database. Score task and competition with Race.

Differences MaxPunkte/Race to CompeGPS/Race scoring

Main differences are:

1. Pilot by pilot is sent to the Race database, not the complete task.
2. If you change a task, you have to load and recalculate every single track and send results to database. There is no possibility to recalculate all. So make shure your task definition is correct from the beginning.
3. You can calculate results in Race at any time.
4. MaxPunkte only calculates the values needed for GAP 2000 and PWC formula. GAP 2002 is not supported, because the "pilot leading bonus" is not calculated.
5. MaxPunkte only supports WGS84 map datum.
6. MaxPunkte only supports the new cylindrical sectors.
7. MaxPunkte always opens the waypoints -, airspaces-, map- and elevation data files which have been opened in the last session.

Task types in MaxPunkte

Tasktypes in MaxPunkte are:

1. Race to goal
2. Speedrun (multiple departure time windows not yet implemented)
3. Open distance, open distance with fixed turnpoints
4. Open distance with predefined heading, optionally with fixed turnpoints
5. Cats cradle
6. Out and return with an optimized turnpoint
7. Two optimized turnpoints
8. Three optimized turnpoints

1 and 2 are the standard tasks in most competitions. The others have been developed for the XC.Open World Series. These tasks are always open, so that pilots can maximize their flight and fully use the days flying possibilities. Optimized turnpoints, meaning that the pilot can turn his direction whenever and wherever he decides and the software finds this turn, allows further adaption to the days conditions. You can set a task like "Fly straight until you come into headwind and the turn and then fly in another direction as far as possible".

Don't make all errors yourself!

Here I will publish some errors, other people made, so you don't need to make the same error again:

1. MaxPunkte writes the task to the Race database, it doesn't read it from there. Task properties for MaxPunkte are stored in the *.tsk file. Turnpoints etc. are sent tor Race for reference only. Consequently, there is no chance to edit a task in Race, it will not go back to MaxPunkte.
2. The filename and path of the connected Race database is stored in the *.tsk file. So if you move or rename the database, the connection gets lost. You can select then the correct file in the task definition. But if you then select the wrong database, you will define a new task of the given name (or overwrite a task, if there is one with the same name) in this database. So be careful renaming or moving databases.

Known issues

There are some problems in the competition version, which are "under construction":

1. MaxPunkte allows only one time for start of speedsection. Multiple startgates are presently not supported.
2. Competition property OzGAP may lead to Runtime Error 3021 in Race, subsequently crashing, when editing a pilots properties in a task. For workaround, set competition property to something else (GAP 2000, PWC), save and then set back to OzGAP. The error may come again, when you define the next task. Do the same procedure again, i.e. once per task.