1. Fill out the TOP PART.
2. Fill out a line for each competition, or use the "Load Schedule" feature (see below) [Added 8/30/14].
3. Hit the "Estimate Times" button.
After a time estimate has been produced, the user may change any field in the form and hit the "Estimate Times" button.
Feis field:
The name of the feis. Type any text you want. It will be copied into the text box at the bottom of the page. Ex.: "Inishfree Feis"
Stage field:
The name of the stage. Type any text you want. It will be copied into the text box at the bottom of the page (see "Summary Area"). Ex.: "Auditorium"
Start Time field:
This is a necessary field (but currently there is no error checking, so if you don't put in a valid stage start time, things will get messy).
The time the stage starts at the beginning of the day. This can be a time in the form "hh:mm", "h:mm", "hh", or just "h". Ex.: "09:00", "9:00", "9".
The top row in the table that has only "Competition Type" and "Dancing at a Time" radio buttons is there to allow you to select the default value for these options for the stage. You can change the selection for an individual competition if it does not match the default.
Conc. Box
"Concurrent" competition check box. Check this if the competition is being run concurrently with the competition(s) above it. Do not check the first competition in a group of concurrent competitions. For example, if 515, 516, and 517 are concurrent, fill in 3 forms (one line each for 515, 516, and 517 in order from top-down) and check the "Conc." boxes for 516 and 517.
Competition
The name of the competition. This can be whatever you want. Ex.: "503", "open girls under 13", "Lunch". It is not a required field, but it will be copied to the summary area at the bottom (see "Summary Area").
# of Comp'rs
The number of competitors. Unless the competition type is "Other," this is required. If the competition type is "other," any value you put here will not come into play.
Minutes Required
The estimated number of minutes needed to complete the competition. This field is computed automatically, so leave it blank, unless the competition type is "other," in which case this field is required, as you are providing the estimate yourself.
Competition Type
The generic competition description, as follows:
Grades [Added 8/27/14] Typical solo grade dances, 2 steps, down the line, in groups of 2 or 3. (Previously called "Solo")
3-Rnd Three round championship, hard shoe, soft shoe, set (3-round Open Championship in the ER)
SS/Set Two round championship, soft shoe and set (2-round Open Championship in the ER)
HS/SS Two round championship, hard shoe and soft shoe (normal Prelim in the ER)
Set Open set (non-traditional or contemporary set). Note that this type might not be good to use for traditional sets, which are sometimes danced in groups. In that case, use type "other" and use your own best judgment for a time estimate.
Other Anything else (treble reel, trad sets, lunch, etc). You must provide your own time estimate in the Minutes Required field.
Dancing At a Time
The number of dancers on stage at one time. Required if the competition type is 3-Rnd, SS/Set, or HS/SS. Ignored if the type is Set or Other.
[Updated 4/1/11]: If the competition dances 3 at a time for the hard shoe round and 2 at a time for soft shoe, click on "2/3".
Minutes Required
The estimated number of minutes needed to complete this competition. It is automatically filled in if the competition type is 3-Rnd, SS/Set, HS/SS, or Set. The user must enter a number in this field if the competition type is Other.
Start Time, End Time
These fields are read-only. They are computed automatically.
Summary Area
At the bottom of the page, there is a text box. When the time estimate is calculated, a summary of the estimated times is displayed here. The purpose of this area is to provide a way for the estimated times to be copied and pasted elsewhere (for example, if the user wants to print it).
As an alternative to typing in competition info row by row, a user may bring in an entire schedule, as text, and have it automatically placed in the rows.
To make this happen, do the following:
1. Copy multi-line text (as from a text file, or from EXCEL).
2. In the Display Area text box at the bottom of the Estimator, paste the copied text over the text, "Display Area," or any other text that happens to be there.
3. Hit the "Load Schedule" button next to the Display Area text box.
When you hit the button, the Estimator will look at each line of text in the display area and decide how to handle it, as follows:
1. If the line of text is of the form,
text (number)
or
text number
the Estimator puts the text in a row in the Competition column, and puts the number in the Number of Comp'rs column.
2. If the line contains the word "lunch" (case insensitive), then the Estimator puts "Lunch" in a row in the Competition column, puts the number "30" in the Minutes column, and sets the Competition Type to "Other".
3. If the line has any text, but does not match case 1 or 2 above, the Estimator puts the entire text into the Competition column.
4. Blank lines are ignored.
The estimator automatically adds or deletes rows to fit the loaded schedule. After the schedule is loaded, the user must check the Concurrent box, click the Competition Type, or set the values of any fields (such as "Feis" "Stage" and "Time") necessary to complete the schedule and then hit the "Estimate" button.
To try out this feature, copy the example stage schedule below and paste it over the text "Display Area" in the text box, then hit the "Load Schedule" button.
503 10
504 (8)
Lunch
506 12
Treble Reel Special 22
or
My Feis Stage 1 - Gym Estimated Schedule
Competition 503 Num Competitors: 10 Minutes: 72 Start: 8:30am End: 9:42am
*Competition 504 Num Competitors: 8 Minutes: 72 Start: 8:30am End: 9:42am
Competition Lunch Num Competitors: Minutes: 30 Start: 9:42am End: 10:12am
Competition 406 Num Competitors: 12 Minutes: 24 Start: 10:12am End: 10:36am
Competition Treble Reel Special Num Competitors: 22 Minutes: 17 Start: 10:36am End: 10:53am