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Zone4 Version 3.0 for 2004/2005
Release Date: Nov 21, 2004

This document highlights all the changes made from Zone4 version 2.4  to version 3.0 the main release for 2004/2005.

Electronic Interface

  • The electronic interface has undergone a major overhaul in order to add significant improvements and functionality.  Instead of just 3 channel inputs with one channel each for starts, laps, and finish, there are now backup channels for each main channel assignment.  Please read over the help documentation on this new system as it will dramatically affect and improve the timing of the race.  You will now need two backup plungers on the finish line as well a backup plunger to augment the start wand.  The new system will require training with timing personal and a full understanding of the new processes to reap the full benefits of the system.
  • Zone4 has added support for Summit System Timers which a very versatile new timing device developed in Salt Lake City, Utah.  These timers offer many advantages over the traditional Chronomix and Tag Heuer devices.
  • The Test Electronic Interface dialog is now available from the main Tools menu of Zone4 and it allows you to test your interface connections without even opening a race file.  The Test screen (when opened from within the Electronic Interface) now allows time blocking to be turned off so you can watch times come into the test dialog as well as the Timing Grids.
  • Whenever the Electronic Interface is active, Zone4 now displays an Interface Activity status bar at the bottom of the screen which indicates each time that come across the interface.
  • The Electronic Interface setup has now been moved to the Timer Setup screen and appears when you select the Use Electronic Interface Option.  This makes thing simpler and means one less window getting into the interface timing screens.

 

Race Info

  • The Race Info section has also undergone significant change.  The biggest change is that the Race File details can now be manually edited right in the visible list.  You can click and change any of the racer information displayed, as well as add new racers by simply adding them to the list.  This makes entering and editing racer information much easier and quicker.
  • The Racer Info screen also has new advanced grouping functions so that you can perform group and sub groupings allowing you to find and edit information quicker and easier.  In combination with the above functions it makes it very easy to say edit the seed number of a specific category or group of club racers.
  • The Racer Info screen is now resizeable and the divider between the Master File and the Race file can now be moved up and down so you can better view the grid you are using more often.  All of these setting are remembered and retrieved for future ease of use.

 

Online Registration

  • There have been several features added to the Online Registration system to allow most customized look and feel as well as some requested upgrade features. You now have options text blocks that you can add, one for an introduction, and one for category instructions.  These text blocks have the advanced ability to take information posted on your own server and display it right in the registration page, so if for example you wanted to have a more customized header with more sponsor logos, etc, you can create your own header, post it to your own server, and the online registration page extracts the contents of this page and displays it in the Online Registration page.
  • You can now set registration to close at a specific time and time-zone whereas before, all registrations closed at 23:59 PM.
  • You now have the option to not charge the Online Registration fee to registrants.  The Online Registration fee is the small charge added to each registration in order to cover Zone4's payment server and credit card charges.  By selecting this option, Zone4 simply deducts this fee from the amount remitted to your club.  This encourages the use of Online Registration as it will then cost the same as paper entries.
  • You now have the option to save downloaded registrants into the Master File as well as the race file. (There is also a new function in Options - Data Files that allows you to create new Master files, and automatically copies across all race file entries into the new Master File thereby achieving a similar solution.
  • Fixed a small issue where if you tried posting an online registration file without have saved it previously, then it would ask you to save it but didn't bring up the save as dialog box.

 

Biathlon

  • Biathlon races now have more customization as the Race Type (penalty laps vs time penalty) is now a property of each category and not the entire race file.  So now you could have one category racing a sprint type event using penalty laps, while another category is using an automatic time penalty for each missed shot.
  • The time penalty used is also now a property of each category so you could have one category with a 60sec penalty for missed shots, while another category (likely a younger age group) could have a 30sec penalty.

 

Miscellaneous features and bug fixes

  • Both the program and help documentation now use the CCC standard definition for "Race" and "Event".  Previously Zone4 referred to events as individual races in a Multi Event Series.  This terminology was confusing as it is opposite of the terminology used by CCC and officials manuals.  Zone4 now considers an Event to be the entire series of races.
  • Added system check and fix for the Microsoft problem where it would generate duplicate ID numbers in the race file.  This problem most often showed up in the Category Info section and gave strange errors about renaming a category when scrolling though them.  Zone4 now scans the file and fixes any occurrence of this problem.
  • FIS rules have changed slightly in the way times are calculated.  The new rules state that you must subtract the start time from the finish time to one extra decimal place and then truncate the result to the specific number of decimal places.  This is different than last year because you would perform the actual calculation on the set number of decimal places and the resulting time.  What this means is that in the Timing screens you will see times come in from the interface to an extra decimal place, but in the actual results and printouts, you will only see the specified number of decimal places.  Please note that this extra decimal place should not be made public information because in the event of a tie, this extra decimal does not indicate an actual winner.  The new FIS calculation will take the decimal place into account but the result may still be a tie to the specified decimal places.
  • The FIS Factors have changed for the calculation of race FIS points.  The new factors are 800 for individual start, 1200 for Pursuit and Sprint races and 1400 for Mass Starts.  Your FIS technical delegate will know all about this and take care of the calculations usually.
  • The program is now the exact same installation regardless of whether it's EI or Standard version.  Your club licence key activates the program according to your licensed version.  This has the advantage of easier deployment and easier upgrading for clubs as all that needs to change is your licence key.  This also means that the trial version is always in Electronic Interface version mode until activated by a valid licence.  It also means that the help documentation is includes the Electronic Interface information even for standard version clubs.
  • The Category Info - Add Remove Categories screen is now resizable which allows you to view all categories in your list making adding and moving categories easier.  It also remembers all your settings and loads them for future ease of use.
  • Fixed bug in Non-Random Draw by Custom Field where it would only do the draw to All Categories even if you specified an individual category.
  • Fixed bug where corrupt Master File would cause problem for the race file.  The program can now operate completely independently of the Master File, even if it is corrupt or missing.
  • The Sprint start brackets reports now orders racer in each heat by the order of lane choice which is based on qualifying times and results from the previous round.
Product History
VersionTitleReleased
1.5.0Sprint Module AddedFeb 1, 2003
2.0.0Zone4 Version 2 for 2003-2004 BETASep 1, 2003
2.1.0Zone4 Ver 2.1 BETA UpdateOct 6, 2003
2.2.0Zone4 2.2 Final Release 2003-2004Nov 1, 2003
2.3.0Zone4 Version 2.3 - Update fixes for 2.2Nov 24, 2003
2.4.0Zone4 Version 2.4 - bug fixes for 2.3 and some new features.Dec 30, 2003
3.0.0Zone4 Version 3.0 for 2004/2005Nov 21, 2004
3.2.0Zone4 Version 3.2 - Bug fixes for 3.0Nov 29, 2004
3.3.0Zone4 Version 3.3 - Minor bug fixes for 3.2Feb 14, 2005
4.0.0Zone4 Version 4.0 for 2005/2006Nov 11, 2005
4.1.0Zone4 Version 4.1 - Bug fixes for 4.0Nov 23, 2005
4.2.0Zone4 Version 4.2 - Bug fixes for 4.1Dec 1, 2005
4.3.0Zone4 Version 4.3 - Bug fixes for 4.0Dec 9, 2005
5.0.0Zone4 Version 5.0 BETA for 2006/2007Oct 21, 2006
5.2.0Zone4 Version 5.2 - Minor Upgrades for 5.0Nov 23, 2006
5.3.0Zone4 Version 5.3 - Minor Fixes for 5.2Dec 8, 2006
5.4.0Zone4 Version 5.4 - Bug fixes and Feature RequestsJan 25, 2007
5.5.0Zone4 Version 5.5 - Repost of 5.4 with EI fixJan 27, 2007
5.6.0Zone4 Version 5.6 - Some EI/Networking fixsFeb 7, 2007
5.7.0Zone4 Version 5.7 - Pursuit UpgradesMar 12, 2007
6.0.0Zone4 Version 6.0 BETASep 26, 2007
6.1.0Zone4 Version 6.1 - Bug fixes for 6.0Nov 3, 2007
6.3.0Zone4 Version 6.3 - Race Ready for 2008Dec 19, 2007
7.1.0Zone4 Version 7.1 - Main release for 2008/2009Dec 11, 2008
7.8.0Zone4 Version 7.8 - Main release for 2009/2010Oct 19, 2009
8.1.1Zone4 Version 8.1 - Main release for 2010/2011Oct 9, 2010
8.8.6Zone4 Version 8.8.6 - Fix for 8.8.5Jan 19, 2015

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