Cabrillo Evaluator Hints / FAQs

To find a topic on this page, use <F3>
Chrome and Edge browser users might have difficulty downloading software - the mouse pointer doesn't change to a hand pointer.
If so, try a different browser - Firefox or IE for example.
If you don't like Firefox, just use it for web downloads, don't set it to your default browser.
Or - right-click a link and select {Save Link As...} or {Save Target as...}.
Save the Install file to your HD, probably to the Downloads folder by default, then run it `As an Administrator`.

After installing v3.0 or higher, you can get the latest revision at any time.

The new version will upgrade your earlier software to the latest rev. CabEval is installed to the C:\CabEvaluator folder. When you get the update files and any Ini files, extract them to the same folder. You can have multiple folders for testing or other contest adjudication if you wish. Extract the update files to those folders as well. You can select the `Advanced Options Installation` button to install the software and updates to a different folder, as long as you change the folders when you get updates.

Important: When something doesn't work as before, your setup could have been changed by mistake. Always explicitly load the contest Ini file. If you check an option by mistake for example, that change is saved to the default Ini {CabEvaluator.ini} and propagated to the next instance of the software. It is a good idea to use test files and to save your setup (or the whole CabEvaluator folder) to USB stick for back-up.

Important: The Microsoft WinHelp32 Help file may not open in new OS. Select the use of the HTML version. Read this.

Q: Why does the new Windows installer use the c:\CabEvaluator folder by default?
A: The JGS DeployMaster software is set to install in the default folder used by CabEval for decades.
1) This prevents browsers from setting the install folder to the User`s desktop, which is a disaster.
2) Shortcuts are created by the installer which eliminates the confusion about `where the software is`.
3) All future CabEvaluator updates are set to the same folder by default.
4) Or - you can select the `Advanced Options Installation` button to install the software and updates to a different folder.

Contest support:
CabEvaluator supports most contests out there - some that went QRT long ago. Contests not supported are those with specific scoring as below.
° CabEval does not score QTC.
° Does not score HF and VHF frequencies at the same time where the scoring is completely different.
° Does not do locator distance scoring using different distances.
° Does not score contests where points come from information/data not exchanged.
° Does not reduce scores based on a percentage of errors, or reduce points per QSO based on errors.
° Does not score partial Q-points.
° As of Sept 2023, I may not be doing code changes for new contests.
   But as usual, if you have a new contest you want supported, send me the rules link and I will see if CE can be used as is, and send you the setup files.

Screen re-size:
Most screens can be re-sized to make them larger, make the text fit or change the font size (except for the menus). Drag the lower-right corner to get the size you want and the text like you want. Maximizing the screen is probably a bad idea, since you will have several windows open and need to be able to click them. Once set to your liking, upper-right X saves the settings. For several reasons, only the main screen closes with upper-right X.

****   When you write any summary file, it opens automatically in NotePad, if NotePad.exe or EditPad.exe resides in the C:\CabEvaluator folder.   ****

If you want to use EditPad, just re-name NotePad.exe (to NotePad-1.exe or something) and copy EditPad to the CabEvaluator folder.

Hints:
Sponsors:
° If you are a sponsor thinking about a multi-mode digital contest, please consider the potential issues and provide sufficient documentation in the rules. Stations will not always change the logger`s mode when they change the radio mode. The logging software may not always convert the digital modes to what you expect in Cabrillo - examples: RTTY=>RY and PSK=>PK. The incorrect modes will cause duping and scoring errors for the submission station and cross-check errors for the submission station and the other station as well.

° Get a text editor that has the features you need to check logs! EditPad is such an editor. Open all logs at once. Search all open logs. Cursor row/column position (for checking log format). Easy font change. It is free.

° Read the follow along text to learn the software.

To open the HELP file in newer OS:
Microsoft no longer ships WinHelp with newer OS - so my help file may not open from the Help menu.
1. You can get the WinHlp32.exe file from Microsoft`s WinHlp32 page. My older WinHelp looks nicer, but the internet links may not work in newer OS.

2. Or - select the HTML help format from the Help menu. The internet links will work from this help file. On newer OS, this .chm version may not open. This is a Microsoft security issue. Do right-mouse, Properties on the Cab_Eval.chm file and select `unblock`. Unfortunately, you may need to `unblock` the .chm file after downloading an updated version.

3. Or - read the HTML help file here and search for a topic using <Ctrl> + F.

Check-boxes:
The function of CabEval`s check-boxes is expanded to include changes in the check-box text as related to the check-mark On/Off status. Click the check box to view the 2 text selections and select the function you want - regardless of check-mark status. The check-mark On/Off status is saved to the appropriate Ini file.

Cross-checking:
If just checking NIL, you need a dummy setup in the multiplier section to initialize the cross-checking procedure. Use a setup that will be the same in all logs, ie: column 5, 1 character. The callsign field needs to be filled. Unselect the other check-box. See the `Cross check logs` section of the Help files.

Or - if just checking serial numbers, also select the `Multipliers` check-box to initialize the cross checking process. Use a multiplier setup that will be the same in all logs, ie: column 5, 1 character.

Q: What can be done to prevent mis-copied calls (busted calls) from penalizing the log being scored for NIL?
A: A new option is available in the Options Ini setup, bottom left. Accessed via the File Sponsor Setup Ini options menus. Read #16 in the Help "New Options Ini Setup" page.

Cabrillo log submissions:
Contesters should read their log before submission. Do not assume that the logging software does everything correctly! Read more.

Q: We get errors and the wrong score when scoring logs. Is it a log format issue?
A: CabEval was written when Cabrillo logs used specific column templates, but can use the `space delimited` format when re-formatting files. Some adjudication software might use `space parsing` before scoring. It would be impossible to use `space parsing` to score logs from all contests out there. Use the column re-formatter which is accessed in the Sponsor setup form. The re-format function must be run on all logs prior to scoring. The formatter also performs a dozen error checks to find out why many logs do not score correctly - if at all.

A re-format Ini file for many contests is included in this zipped file along with the profile Ini files for contests. Filenames are used that identify the contest. Select by `Name` in the WinZip archive. Extract the files you want to the CabEvaluator folder.

Contesters can re-format a single log file using the default application folder to store logs. Read this and the help file for more on re-formatting.

Also related to log scoring and re-formatting is the issue of {Tabs} in the log file. Contesters will edit (or even make their own Cabrillo logs) with some {Tabs} at times instead of {Spaces}. Opening the log (or the results file) in an editor doesn't always show the skewed columns, as in this results text file example. Try opening the log (or results file) in WordPad or MS Word, if this is the case. EditPad Pro has a `Convert Tabs to Spaces` function. Re-format the log after conversion.

Q: How do you alpha sort the lookup files and the outputs?
A: Lookup files are sorted using EditPad Lite or KM Alpha Sort. Output files written by the logger are bubble sorted in VB6.

Q: Why do I get a "Error in text file" or similar when I write a Table1 summary?
A: Some contests use the values in the [Work Only] setup, even if that function is not being used. The values just can`t be blank or 0. Use the 3 numerical values from the [Other lookup] setup just above [Work Only].

Q: When I re-format a log, the re-formatter says the file does not have EOL markers and length of the 1st QSO is xxxxx characters. Why is that and what do I do?
A: For whatever reason, the EOL characters (CRLF) are stripped off, missing, or replaced with ASCII(160) if the log was saved with MS WORD. Or mail servers may also cause this. If you open the log in NotePad, you will see the block characters where the next QSO: line should start.

Read the Help file about `Invalid Cabrillo formats`. Basically, all you need to do is open the log in WordPad and re-save it. WordPad writes the EOL markers when it saves the file. If you have many logs with this problem, they can be fixed using CabEvaluator`s `Log Tools` function.

The help file has an example of all the invalid Cabrillo logs that I have seen. If you wish, you can fix each one by following the examples.

Q: I get a [Run-time error '9': subscript out of range] error when I run the QSO Party Stats summary. Why?
A: The setup for this summary follows the exchange columns. Use Editpad or other editor that displays the column numbers. Set the column numbers for the exchange information to be displayed. Also set the number of characters to be displayed. If any of these settings are invalid, then the error occurs. Ex: if the last column in the log (QTH exchange) is at col 74 and you have col 80 set in the setup, this will be invalid. If you only have 1 exchange (County/State), then set the other 2 fields to 0 or blank.

Q: It appears that the loaded setup is not what I was using. Now CC doesn`t work. Why?
A: When you exit CabEvaluator, a copy of the setup is saved to the default Ini file {Cab_Evaluator.ini}. If you change the setup by mistake or turn off something while testing, those changes are loaded the next time you run the software.

When scoring logs or after testing CC On/Off or doing anything that might change the setup, always explicitly load the contest Ini file. Be sure that the contest Ini file also loads the correct CC Ini file, not the default CC Ini file named {CrossCheck.ini}. In the CC setup, do Load CC File and load the CC Ini that you saved. Verify the setup is correct. Click [Done Setup]. In the main form, do File Save contest profile.

Q: Some callsigns are blank in the summary or Cabrillo files list. Why?
A: If the callsign field is blank, maybe the CALLSIGN: tag is blank, or the tag is CALL:, or the tag is CALL-SIGN:. Open all logs in EditPad and search all logs for `CALL`. Edit the CALLSIGN: tag and callsign as necessary.

Q: The `home` log has the correct location identity in the LOCATION: or ARRL-SECTION: tag, but the `home` Ini file will not load. The auto load works OK on other `home` logs. Why?
A: It is possible there are 1 or more non-printable characters after the identifier text. Sometimes these characters are visible when viewed in NotePad. Although spaces are trimmed off this text variable, the extra characters are not. Delete any extra character(s) after the identifier text. If nothing is visible, move the cursor out past the text to `see` what`s there. In v3.2, a new function in the log re-formatter removes the TABs and other non-printable characters in the Cabrillo header.

The above non-printable characters problem can apply to scoring errors resulting in a CATEGORY: tag value not found. ie: CATEGORY: Single-Op B, where B is the required code for example.

Test logs: DX contest logs from the `home` DXCC country that are not named callsign.log (or .cbr, .txt) will not load the `home` Ini file, as the software determines DXCC country from the log filename.

Q: Some QSOs score a DXCC multiplier and a State/Province mult. Why?
A: This is resolved for state QSO parties. When the DXCC prefix and State/Province abbreviation was the same, Portugal=CT Conn=CT, a mult could be scored for both DXCC and State/Province. A new routine was added to separate the DXCC multiplier and State/Province multiplier scoring. The look-up datafile is {QSO-Party-List.dat} that turns ON this function.

Q: Our group wants to score only DXCC mulipliers from the ARRL DXCC list. What can we do?
A: DXCC multiplier scoring uses the {dxcc_pre.dat} lookup file. Some contests use only DX multipliers from the ARRL DXCC list, while others can use DX and WAE countries. If you are a sponsor that doesn`t want TA1, IT9 etc. scored as DXCC multipliers, you can remove those lines from the look-up file and do Save As, and rename your new file.

Q: If I score a log, then edit the log and re-score that log again, it looks like the old log is still the one being scored. Why?
A: In some cases Windows will use the original log data from memory, even though the CabEval code explicitly loads each log before scoring it. I guess Windows can deem the file unchanged (number of bytes are the same??) and does not reload it.
There are 2 ways around this:
1) Score a different log first, then score the edited log.
2) Exit the software and return when editing logs.

Q: I used one of the options in the new Options Ini setup form and the scoring was working correctly in my tests. Why doesn`t this option work the next time I use the software?
A: The new Options Ini setup is stored in the contest profile Ini. You must save the loaded contest Ini file after making changes. If your contest uses 2 Ini profiles (`home` and `non-home`) and you want the new option reflected in both `home` and `non-home` scoring, you must load each Ini file and save the changes to both.

Q: I setup the 2-ini files and it was working correctly and now I am getting errors - `File not found` or other error - why?
A: If you make changes to the setup and do not save the actual Ini file, when the auto-load function changes Ini files, the old Ini is loaded. Remember that when you exit the software, the current Ini is loaded the next time you run CE. Changes made by mistake before program exit are passed along to the next instance of the SW.

If you were changing the folder paths that point to the Cabrillo and `results` files, and the changes were not saved, then files and/or folders will not be found. After editing/saving setups, re-load the Ini file(s) and verify that everything is correct.

Q: Why don't some special multiplier functions work when different {Multipliers are:} checkboxes are selected?
A: I only coded special functions for contests that I have scored so far. Rather than add code for all senarios, it is possible for the needed special function to score correctly when other {Multipliers are:} checkboxes are selected. For example: even though a contest is only 1 band and 1 mode, the {Multipliers are:} checkbox for {By Band} can be selected if this allows the special multiplier function to score. The single band can be forced by using the {Check valid bands in the log} function of the Options Ini setup. Use a file that has the 1 band saved. All other bands will score 0 points.

Q: Even though I have the `Include`,`QSO points in Eval file` selected, how can I see the QSO points per contact in the results file?
A: If the QSO points are set to `All the same`, the points per QSO are not written to results files. However, when scoring test logs or testing the software for accuracy you may want to see this information. Temporarily select QSO points are: `by Mode` and set the mode points. <F9> toggles the results file `auto open function' - or you can select from the Include menu. Re-load your actual contest Ini file when done testing with mode points selected.

Also related to the above: Newer SW versions use the QPts: lines in the results files for special sponsor summary outputs. You may need to set QSO points `by mode` as well. Save the contest Ini file after editing.

Please ask me if you have any questions about my software.
Dave, W3KM. w3km at verizon dot net