Welcome to HoF-Analyzer !
                                                     

                   HoF-Analyzer 1.3 by Christophe Macours
                            with Blitz Basic 2.1
                         © Copyright December 1997




    Introduction       What, How, Why ?

    Distribution       Please read !

    Requirements       What you need

    Installation       Very complicated...

    Getting Started    How to load ?

    Using              How to use ?

    Help me!           Problems, bugs...

    Thankyous          People I want to thank

    The Author...      All about me...

    History            Program history

    The future         Future changes

Introduction

This program allows you to dissect Alan Strang's HoF (Hall of Fame) files.
It is widely inspired by Michal Janak's HoFPoints. I appreciate much his
program but it doesn't allow a global vision of the standings and the
records encoding is rather boring. That's why I decided to start
programming, with Blitz Basic 2.1 (which is fantastic).

You will be able to view the classifications of each circuit, edit and save
your times. You will also set a position or another driver to reach and
HoF-Analyzer will show you the needed performance.
You can also see the track were you are the worst, in various ways.

Other features are in development but I'm waiting to see if the program is
appreciated. Suggestions and bugs reports are of course welcome !

Distribution

HoF-Analyzer is Moduleware. If you like it, I invite you to send me a music
module (mod. ...) of your own, to my E-Mail address.

You can copy HoF-Analyzer as many times as you want, as long as it is kept
with the following files:

    HoF-Analyzer.info            Standard 4 colours icon
    HoF-Analyzer_MWB.info        Magic-WB 8 colours icon
    HoF-Analyzer.guide           English documentation
    HoF-Analyzer_French.guide    French documentation

Of course, I cannot be held liable if this program causes any problems with
your system, even if nothing serious should happen. Have a look at the bugs
page.

For the rest, I don't advise you to cut this program into 36 pieces, or to
sell it at 30000 pounds. It's up to you...

Requirements

Any Amiga with OS 2.0 or higher should suit. However, HoF-Analyzer has only
been tested on a Amiga 1200 and 4000, both with Kickstart 3.0 and 4Mb Fast.

You also need a HoF AmigaGuide file. The only valid HoF files are those
published from October 1996; the others are obsolete since the (new) 107%
rule.

The reqtools.library and diskfont.library are also required.

I advise you to use the F.Giannici's CycleToMenu commodity (or any
equivalent) to make the circuits choice easier, as well as Magic Menu (by
Martin Korndörfer and Olaf `Olsen' Barthel) to have nice looking menus (they
are still ugly). You can find those tools in the appropriate directory on
Aminet.

Installation

Installation is very easy. Just copy the HoF-Analyzer executable file into
the desired directory.

Getting Started

From Workbench:

Just double-click over the HoF-Analyzer icon to open the window.
There are different TOOLTYPES (which are NOT case sensitive):

ID=your_HoF_ID             Ex: ID=CM

This allows HoF-Analyzer to identify you.
If the chosen ID doesn't appear in the HoF, you can still comapre your
perfomances with the HoF by encoding them manually.
If that Tooltype is not specified, the ID CM is used by default :-)


HOF=your_HoF_file          Ex: HOF=Work:Jeux/grandprix/HoF/HOF_APR.GUIDE

The HoF file to work on. The program won't run if it is not a correct file.
If that Tooltype is not specified, a file requester will appear.


REC=your_records_file      Ex: REC=Work:Jeux/HoF-Analyzer/CM_Records

The Records file to load, which contains the Manual Times. That file has
nothing to do with the Lap Records files from F1GP ! It is a file specific
to HoF-Analyzer.


SPLIT=SplitTime_file       Ex: SPLIT=Work:Jeux/SplitTime/CM_SplitTimes

The SplitTime file to load. It is a 840 bytes file containing the times
recorded by Rene Smit's SplitTime. HoF-Analyzer uses this file to compare
your times with the Virtual Times from SplitTime.


NEEDPOS=your_needed_pos    Ex: NEEDPOS=3

Determines the Global position you want to reach (i.e. the slider position).
If that Tooltype is not specified, the needed position is your Global
position minus one.


MODE=mode_id               Ex: MODE=1

This ToolType allows you to start with the NeedTime calculation Mode of your
choice.
        Equal:    mode_id = 0
        Janak's:  mode_id = 1
        Split:    mode_id = 2
If that Tooltype is not specified, the calculation Mode is Equal.


WORST=worst_id             Ex: WORST=2

This ToolType allows you to start with the Worst track detection mode of
your choice.
        Pos:    worst_id = 0
        Score:  worst_id = 1
        Diff.:  worst_id = 2
        Split:  worst_id = 3
If that Tooltype is not specified, the Worst button in on Pos.


FONTNAME=window_font_name  Ex: FONTNAME=helvetica

The Font to use in the window. This is useful if your screen font is not
cleanly proportional (i.e. the cyphers' width is not constant). If that
Tooltype is not specified, the screen font is used by default.


FONTSIZE=window_font_size  Ex: FONTSIZE=15

The size of the window font. If that Tooltype is not specified, the screen
font size is used by default.


WINX=X_pos_of_window       Ex: WINX=64

Determines the horizontal position of the window.


WINY=Y_pos_of_window       Ex: WINY=64

Determines the vertical position of the window.



From CLI:

Just type HoF-Analyzer after its path. There is no option because the config
is read from the file HoF-Analyzer.info.
So please refer the Tooltypes'descriptions above.

Using

HoF-Analyzer uses two types of commands:

  - The Gadgets

  - The Menus

Using of Gadgets

You will find below a description of the window of HoF-Analyzer. To know
more about a button, just click on it !


   Select Track: Get Times:  ID:        Time:
       Global    From HoF   ID     1m 17.338
                           
                                Score: 228.63

                            Need Global Pos:
                                     |     7

                            Need Time: Diff.:
           Standings        1m16.829 - 0.509

                                Mode: Janak's

                                    Enemy: OR

                               Diff.: + 0.364

                                  Worst Score

                                 Germany
                           

Select Track
This button allows you to choose the kind of classification you want to be
shown into the listview. There are two kinds of classification:

  Global:     Displays the general standings of HoF.

  Any Track:  Displays the time classification of the selected track.

Get Times
This button gives you two possibilities:

  From HoF:  HoF-Analyzer will pick your times directly from the HoF file,
             without any modification.

  Manually:  Your "official" times will be replaced by the Manual Times,
             manually encoded or preloaded.

Standings
In this listview, you will find either the general classification or the
selected track classification, according to the Track button.
If you appear in the classification, the line corresponding to your ID is
automatically selected.
An asterisc (*) is displayed after every updated records (as in the HoF).

If you select an entry in the listview, an Info Window will appear.

  If your are in Global mode, you will see:

    Global Score: the global score of the selected driver
    Score Delta: the score difference with the previous HoF
    Last HoF Pos: the global rank in the previous HoF
    Average Pos: the average track position in the current HoF
    Qualified Tracks: the number of tracks records submitted
    Highest/Lowest: your best and worst track positions

  If any track is selected :

    Time: the laptime made by the selected driver on the selected track
    Date: the date the record was made
    Options: the HoF options - see the HoF documentation for more details
    Setup: the setup used - see your F1GP documentation for more details

  This Info Window allows you to save the setup by clicking the Save Setup
  button. Then a requester appears asking you to select a setup file to
  save. The saved file is the standard 14 bytes F1GP car setup file format
  and can then be used by F1GP or F1GP-Ed.

Important Note: In Global mode, your score is the only to be updated, the
others don't change (for example when you become first at a track). This
inconvenient may be removed in the future.

ID
This gadget simply reminds you who you are :-). It has not really a defined
purpose - I sometimes wonder why I kept it...
The only way to change your ID is to edit the ID TOOLTYPE.

Time
This gadget is only active in Manually mode. It allows you to enter your
record for the selected circuit. Your rank will change automatically, as
well as your Total Score and the Need Time.

Score
Your total score is printed here. In From HoF mode, the score is the same
as in the HoF, whereas in Manually mode, your score is recalculated using
your Manual Times. Note that you always get a point for having times (see
HoF rules).

Need Global Pos
With this slider, you can specify the position you want to reach in the
general standings. HoF-Analyzer will show you a Need Time for each circuit,
using the method specified by the Mode button.

Need Time
Printed here is the time, for the selected track, you will need to reach
the position specified by the slider.
When you have no time at a circuit, the time to reach in mode Janak's
represents the best time to get zero point.
When you have not performed many records, the Need Time may seem strange.
This is because Janak's calculation needs all the track times.

In Split mode, the Virtual laptime from SplitTime is displayed.

Diff.
Shows the difference between your time and the Need Time. When your
time is better, the difference is negative, and vice-versa.

Mode
This button determines the calculation method to use for the Need Times.
There are two modes available:

  Equal:    The score to reach is the same for all circuits:

            need_score_circuit_x = need_total_score / 16.


  Janak's:  HoF-Analyzer uses Michal Janak's formula, which is explained in
            HoFPoints's documentation. Here is its principle:
            The closer your are from the best time, the less you need to
            improve it. So if you have the best time, you don't need to
            improve it. However, the more your time move away from the best,
            the more you have to improve it.

An additionnal mode (Split) allows you to see your SplitTime Virual times,
which must be pre-loaded, either using the SPLIT ToolType or with the
Change SplitTimes menu option.

Enemy
You can find here the ID of the driver who sits at the Needed Position.
He is your Enemy !

Diff.
Shows the difference between your time and your Enemy's time. When your time
is better, the difference is negative, and vice-versa.

Worst
This Cycle Button allows you to see the track(s) you are the worst. There
are three ways to do that:

  Pos:    Hof-Analyzer will look for the track where your rank is the worst
          (i.e. the biggest), and display its name in the Text Gadget below.
          Note that if your worst position appears twice (or more),
          HoF-Analyzer will return you the first worst track found (in the
          normal track order).

  Score:  The program will look for your worst track score.

  Diff.:  HoF-Analyzer will compare the time differences between you and
          your Enemy (not the Need Time). The biggest difference is kept.

  Split:  The track with the biggest difference between your track time
          and your Virtual time will be displayed.

Using of Menus

Please choose the Menu option you would like to know more about:


        Project               Edit              Settings
        Load Records         Clear Records     \/ Save Window State 
        Save Records         Paste from HoF    \/ Snapshot Window   
        Change HoF File                         Save Settings       
        Change SplitTimes 
        About...          
        Quit              

Load Records
Opens a file requester and asks you to choose a Records file containing
the Manual Times. Those Records files have nothing to do with the Lap
Records files from F1GP !
If the chosen file doesn't exist or is incorrect, there is no modification.
For people who are interested, the Records files are just text files,
easy to edit. When there is no time for a circuit, there is a - (dash)
instead.

Save Records
Opens a file requester and asks you to choose a Records file that will
contain the Manual Times currently into memory. You don't need to be in
Manually mode for this operation.

Change HoF File
Opens a file requester and asks you to choose a new HoF file to analyze.
If the operation is successful, the program will recalculate some data and
your Manual Times will be kept. If not, nothing will happen.
This operation allows you to see what your rank would have been if you had
made some records three months earlier...

Change SplitTimes
Opens a file requester and asks you to choose a new SplitTime file to load.
It must be a 840 bytes file generated by Rene Smit's SplitTime.
HoF-Analyzer needs it to work with Virtual times.

About...
No comments... See the Author page.

Quit
Exits HoF-Analyzer after confirmation. The close window gadget has the
same effect.

Clear Records
This option allows you to clear the  Manual Times currently in memory.
Your Total Score will thus be zero and you will only appear in the general
standings, with one point. This operation is NOT reversible !

Paste Records from HoF
Very useful when using HoF-Analyzer for the first time, this function allows
you to copy all the HoF times to the Manual Times, so you don't have to
type them in.

Save Window State
This option specifies if the Need Global Pos, Mode, and Worst gadget status
must be saved when choosing the Save Settings menu option.

Snapshot Window
This option specifies if the window position must be saved when choosing the
Save Settings menu option.

Save Settings
Saves the program configuration into the TOOLTYPES. Here is what is saved:

  - The HoF file name
  - The Records file name
  - The SplitTime file name
  - The ID
  - The Need Global Pos, Mode and Worst gadget status (if Save Need Pos is
    activated)
  - The window coordinates (if Snapshot Window is activated)

Help me!

As HoF-Analyzer is the first Intuition program I have created with Blitz
Basic, it is not impossible, despite everything, that bugs have resisted to
the tests. If so, please send me the bug description and your configuration.
Moreover, if you have Fonts problems (especially in the classifications),
feel free to inform me ! Finally, any suggestion is welcome !

Thankyous

A big thank to:

  Michal Janak for his HoFPoints, without which HoF-Analyzer wouldn't exist,
  and also for having noticed the (stupid) bug in the Need Times.

  Oliver Roberts for his critics and suggestions, his site, F1GP-Ed, etc...
  (I stop - there is really too much to write here :-)

  Alang Strang for the HoF (continue Alang !), his constructive suggestions,
  and for having also tested HoF-Analyzer.

The Author

I'm 21 years old and I'm studying computer engineering at the University of
Liège, Belgium. I'm fond of car racing, Amiga, athletics...

To contact me:

      Christophe Macours
      Rue des Azalées, 20
      B-5001 Belgrade
      BELGIQUE

      E-Mail: s952025@student.ulg.ac.be

If you are interested in engine sound samples (especially GTs), I suggest
you to have a look at my web page:

      http://www.stud.montefiore.ulg.ac.be/~macours/samples.html

That's all...

History

V1.3  - 14 December 1997 (139180 bytes)

  - Added the Split mode, which allows viewing Virtual times from SplitTime
  - Added the Split option in Worst button, to see your biggest Real-Virtual
    time difference
  - Added the Global Info Window
  - Added MODE, WORST and SPLIT ToolTypes (Thanks Alang!)
  - Added asterisc (*) after ID if record is updated (as in the HoF)

  - Menus are less ugly without MagicMenu
  - Now works if "Fonts:" drawer doesn't exist
  - Corrected some more bugs...


V1.2  - 26 October 1997 (126280 bytes)

  - Added the Record Info Window with the Save Setup button
  - Added the Worst button
  - Added the NEEDPOS Tooltype

  - The listview size depends now on the chosen Font size
  - Corrected the layout bug with Fontsizes < 9


V1.1  - 26 August 1997 (121380 bytes)

  - Added Enemy feature, which shows the time differences between you and
    the driver occupying the needed position
  - Added FONTNAME and FONTSIZE Tooltypes
  - A Bevel Box has been put around the window...

  - Fixed a bug: when your position is 1st in the general standings, your
    needed times are now correct


V1.0  - 17 August 1997 (118180 bytes)

  First public release.


V0.5ß - 22 July 1997 (120760 bytes)

  Beta version, for testing.

The Future

It is clear that the future of HoF-Analyzer depends on YOU ! I hope that
enough reactions and positive answers will occur, so I can continue the
delevopment.

I have some ideas:


  - Gadtools menus <- HELP: If someone knows how to do in Blitz ?

  - Fonts Requester

  - ???