Re: [Tlf-devel] New tlf ideas

[Thomas Beierlein]

Hi Martin,

that discussion comes right in time. Thanks for bringing it up.

Am Sat, 08 Oct 2011 00:28:10 +0200
schrieb Martin Kratoska <address@hidden>:

> It seems that the real tlf bottleneck is in the predefined contest 
> templates, still hardwired in the program. Any attempt to define a 
> contest in 'CQWW like' style is definitely wrong. The 'core' tlf
> should be free from this debris code, the whole contest rules should
> be in an external ASCII definition file. All must be freely definable
> without the potential risk that the values entered into contest rules
> will be overwritten with program internal hardwired values.
> 
Well, that can be done. The real challenge is to find a good syntax to
allow as much flexibility as needed for specifying the scoring rules for
multipliers as well as for points.

> Another source of potential problems is the checking routine which 
> 'checks' if the entered received code has proper syntax and if not,
> it prevents the program from QSO logging progress, does not allow to
> send the exchange etc. This is the weak point of most contesting
> software, actually is only annoying part making useless any attempt
> to define user's own contest. 

Right. And that is one of TLF's darkest corners. I will be very glad if
I can drop or replace that section of code. A 'hint' about being right
with your exchange may be good for the operator, but it must not forbid
you to enter 'any' exchange you like.

> We should collect all types of the points distribution for a contact
> and all known types of multipliers. I analyzed >160 different contest
> rules so I should be able to create a basis of both above mentioned.
> Let me know if I should start this work, I assume I would need a week
> or two to provide a draft version.

I will greatly appreciate your contribution here as I miss a lot of
experience with different contests.

I would suggest to collect that knowledge base on the wiki
(tlf.wikispaces.com) so others can contribute. Another way may be the
wiki on our github repo, but it needs any contributor to sign up at
github.


73, de Tom DL1JBE



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"Do what is needful!"
Ursula LeGuin: Earthsea
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