CDSS  Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Back to Home Page
How do I learn to use the program, or how does it  work?
Will the software run on Macintosh or Linux?
Will the program handle special Dressage Events?
Is it FEI compliant?
How do I enter Minimum Times?
Can the program be used over a network?
When I enter Marathon Section Start or Finish Times they all have the 'PM' indicator?
How do I learn to use the program, or how does it  work?

An HTML file called manual.html is included witht he installation.  Read this document (using your favourite web browser) and it should give you a step by step guide.  No doubt some of it will be confusing, so then speak to some-one who has it installed or contact me (David Armstrong) via e-mail or phone.

Will the software run on Macintosh or Linux?

It will only run on Microsoft Windows (W95/98 for v1.4, 3.x, Windows9x for v1.3).  Some other operating systems have Windows emulators, so if have one of these emulators give it ago (I've never run it under an emulator) - it might work!

Will the program handle special Dressage Events?

The program has been designed for Combined Driving Events (CDEs). You may be able to fudge the set-up to cope with a special event, but it has not been designed for such special events.

Is it FEI compliant?

As from v1.4a it is FEI compliant.  Any earlier versions (1.3) are not.

How do I enter Minimum Times?

You don't.  You only enter the Allowed Time, which is otherwise known as the Maximum Time.  The program automatically calculates the Minimum Time - 2 minutes less for Section A, 1 minute less for Section C, and for FEI classes 3 minutes less for Section E.

Can the program be used over a network?

From v1.5 the program has been designed to operate over a network.   As the MS-Access database is used to store data, there are limitations on the number of users.  MS-Access is not designed as a client-server database, hence will start to grind when too many users are attempting to use it.  I'm not sure of the limit, but up to 5 users should be no problems, and even 10 depending on the workload.   The speed of the machines and the network will also be a factor in the reponse times.

When I enter Marathon Section Start or Finish Times they all have the 'PM' indicator?

This problem has been noted to occur on Windows 95/98.  This happens when the AM/PM indicators are not set to blank. You can find these indicators by clicking on Settings/Control Panel/Regional Settings/Time.  In the 'Time' panel you will see 2 text boxes with the labels 'AM symbol' and 'PM symbol'.  Make the values in the text boxes blank.  Do this by clicking on the drop-down list button and select the blank line.  When both have been cleared, click on the 'Apply' button, then the 'OK' button.  Any Marathon Start or Finish Times that were previously entered will have to be corrected - ie re-type as AM times.  With the AM/PM indicators set on, if you have have entered a Start Time before 12:00, and then enter a Finish time after 12:00, the program may abend.  The safest thing to do is to reset all previously entered times again once the AM/PM indicators have been turned off.  I have yet to determine the actual cause of the problem, but the above band-aid treatment should get you going. (Thanks to Lance Thomas for finding this problem - 16/03/99, and apologies to Elton Chapman for copping this at an event).   This problem is now rectified from version 1.3i, and I suspect it may be a bug with Windows 95/98 that is causing the problem.

Any questions you want answered, feel free to email me

Back to Home Page