W3KM Cabrillo Evaluator - Initial Use       
           Step-by-step to learn Cabrillo Evaluator

Software Description:
° This SW scores Cabrillo format logs for 475 contests, with auto load of the contest
profile Ini. For sponsors/log checkers: SW will automatically evaluate up to 1500 logs
with duping, claimed QSOs/mults, actual score, cross checking, N-QSO rule, 5-min QSO
rule and 2 profile Ini files support for `home` and `away/DX` log submissions.

° The column formatting of log files is easily handled by the re-format function. CabEval
was written in 2000 when contests used column templates, but can use the white spaces
between exchange fields to format logs.

Regardless, a function similar to the re-formatter is required to find out why logs do not
score correctly. Additionally, the formatter also checks for field at column 31, date,
contest name, invalid 3-character modes, non-US keyboard characters (diacritic combinations
like Â Ê É), slashed zeros(Ø), missing END-OF-LOG: tag (could mean an incomplete log),
missing/extra columns, missing EOL terminations and other quirks that cause scoring errors.
In v3.2 and later, TABs and other non-printable characters are removed at the end of header lines. 

A log column modifier adds columns (spaces or other), adds placeholder columns, deletes extra
non-compliant columns and fills blank placeholders in existing columns, which is used with the
column re-formatter.

The swap columns setup allows reversing 2 adjacent fields in Cabrillo - much easier
than doing it in Excel + NotePad!

Running the software:

° After installing Cabrillo Evaluator, run it from the Start | Programs menu.

Note:
Do not drag CabEvaluator.exe to the desktop to make shortcuts - use <Ctrl> + <Shift>
and drag. Or make one using the wizard.

° The list of contests supported in the combo-box up top does not open any files - it
just displays which contest Ini is loaded.

° Hundreds of sample Cabrillo files, plus the Ini files and datafiles are available
on my web page. Viewing the WinZip dialog window by `Name` shows the files for a
contest. View by `Modified` to show the new files added. Select the files you want to
use and unzip them to the CabEval folder. Verify scoring is per the rules.

° Contests use specific multiplier files that are normally named with the contest name as
part of the filename. Some contests use files not named by contest - they are shared by
multiple contests. Use {Summary}{Write this Contest Ini summary} to identify these files.

° Some contests use `extra` Ini setups for scoring not handled in the main setup. Under
the {File}{Extra setups} menu, a check-mark highlights the `extra` setup being used.
If the profile Ini files are re-saved with the `extra` setup files loaded, the extra
files will load the next time the main Ini file is loaded.

° Load an Ini profile automatically - hit <Ctrl> and click a log in the files list-box,
center screen. If two Ini files exist for that contest, the first one found is loaded.
Hit <F7> and click the log file again to load the next Ini.

Or load an Ini via standard Windows `File Open` dialog:
- by using the {File, Load} menu.
- by right-mouse clicking the Cabrillo files box.
When the dialog window is displayed, enter a few characters of the wanted contest to
display the files starting with those characters.

° When exiting the software, the contest profile in use (and other Ini files used) will
be re-loaded the next time the software is run. If you make changes to the setup, you must
re-save the contest Ini file so you have the correct setup when you re-load that Ini.
Otherwise CE may work with the current setup, but not when you re-load an Ini file that
was not updated. The default Ini file is Cab_Evaluator.ini that is saved at program exit
and re-loaded at program start-up.

Keep in mind that if you change the setup by mistake (uncheck a check-box for example), that
change will be propagated to the setup when you close the software and re-start it - since
the default Ini is loaded. If you have a problem and you think it`s related to the setup Ini,
re-load your actual contest Ini and check it. When you have a known good setup, make a back-up
copy of your Ini files and put them in a back-up folder. Put a copy of the look-up files in
that back-up folder as well.

This is especially true when you have 2 contest Ini files for scoring `home` and `away/DX`
logs. If you do not re-save both Ini files, when you run the batch file, an older Ini file
may be loaded, which can cause scoring errors and unexpected results.

° After the Ini file loads, click the Cabrillo file to score it. Turn on the auto
open of the results file in the {Include} menu - or use <F9> to toggle this function.
If you copy NOTEPAD.exe (or EditPad.exe) to the CabEvaluator folder, the results file
and other files written by the software will open in your editor. If you add EditPad
later, just re-name NotePad.exe to something else - NotePad1.exe for example.

° Cab Eval writes summaries of all logs evaluated. Generic summaries, plus 2 preferred
table formats are available in the {Summary} menu. The Table1 summary can be exported
to Excel to sort on Country or Continent for example. Sponsors can request a summary.
The cross check summary puts all log CC results in one file.

° <Esc> or <F3> stops the evaluation being run. <F1> opens the HELP file. If my WinHelp
file does not open, get the WinHlp32.exe file from Microsoft`s WinHlp32 page. The x64 file
is for 64-bit OS and x86 is for 32-bit (XP)OS. Or, select the HTML help format from the
{Help} menu. The WinHelp file is nicer and easier to navigate than the newer HTML format.

° Left-mouse click a {Set} button to set the datafile to be used. Right-mouse clicking
the {Set} button opens the file in your editor. If the selected file does not exist,
that file opens in a blank editor screen.

Sponsors evaluating log submissions:
° Optional folder paths are set for (1)Cabrillo logs and (2)`results` files, in the
{File}{Sponsor Setup}. This is a must for log checkers, but can be used by contesters.

° A Cabrillo template should be published with the contest rules. Even though log submissions
should follow the Cabrillo template for that contest, logs cannot be scored that are not in
proper column format. To handle this, a re-formatting function puts the log in proper columns,
assuming the log has the required properly formatted fields up to column 31 (the sent callsign),
as they should be since this is a Cabrillo specification.

The re-format function performs other functions during re-formatting. Logs are checked for
callsign field at column 31, date, contest name, 3-character modes, slashed zeros(Ø), non-US
keyboard characters (diacritic combinations like - Â Ã Ê É), missing/extra columns, missing
End-of-Line terminations and other quirks. If your contest just started receiving Cabrillo,
you will receive logs not in Cabrillo format.

° The 2-Ini option allows 2 different scoring Ini files to be used - {`Home` and DX or
`Home state` and `non-Home state`} - and are loaded automatically based on DXCC prefix
or ARRL section/State. The section or state is taken from the ARRL-SECTION: or LOCATION:
tag of the Cabrillo. Counties cannot be used to identify the QSO party `home` station
logs. Use the {Summary}{Write Cabrillo files list} to see that all `home` stations have
their state or section identified in the Cabrillo header. The Ini file used for scoring
is listed in the header of the results text file.

Use my Ini files or make 2 contest profile Ini`s - one for `Home` stations and another
for `Away` stations. Use descriptive filenames that contain the contest name and their
use. {NMQP_NM.ini and NMQP_nonNM.ini} are examples for the New Mexico QSO Party.

When 2 Ini files are used for a contest, you can initially load either Ini to score logs.
When you run the batch or single-score a log, the appropriate Ini will load.

State QSO Parties:
° Some QP`s have hard coded scoring (not selectable in setup) for bonus points added
for activating several counties.

° In `home state` station logs, 2 mults can be scored for the first `home state` QSO.
1 for the county and 1 for the state. The first VE QSO can be scored as 2 mults as well,
DXCC and province. These 2 scoring variations are selectable.

° In State QP (and others) the software separates the DXCC multiplier and State/Prov
mult scoring. The look-up datafile is {QSO-Party-List.dat} that turns this function ON.
When the DXCC prefix and State/Prov abbreviation is the same (Portugal=CT Connecticut=CT
is 1 of 8 abbreviations like this), 2 mults would otherwise be scored for DXCC and state.

° Since the DXCC prefix comes from the callsign, the exchange/QTH field can be either the
DXCC prefix or "DX".

° QSOs with the same mobile in different counties are not dupes. But, each county
exchanged must be a separate QSO.

See examples of the above in this partial State QSO party results file.

° Check-boxes:
Don`t assume that when you select the check-box `On` that the initial text is what is being
done. The check-mark changes the displayed text to show what is being done (or not being done).
Click the check box to view the 2 text selections and select the function you want - regardless
of check-mark On/Off status. The check-mark On/Off status is saved to the appropriate Ini file.

Batch run scoring:
° Select `Setup for Sponsor` in the {File}{Sponsor Setup} menu to activate the `Batch`
evaluation sequence.

° Turn off the `auto open` of the Results/CC files in the {Include} menu, otherwise all
these files will open in multiple instances of your editor while running the `batch`.

° If being used, create or load the CC Ini file for that contest and select the cross
check functions you want. Re-save the CC Ini file when changes are made. If you use
`Save As` to create a CC file for your contest, be sure to save the Ini for that contest
with the CC Ini file loaded, so CabEval loads that CC Ini. Select whether to re-score the
log based on CC results - error in received message = 0 points and 0 mults. In the Sponsor
setup you can also select the use of the N-QSO rule.

° Cross checking cannot be done in State QSO parties that require a log from each county
activated, or accept callsign entries related to the county - W3AAA/HUD for example.

° In QSO Parties, use the {File}{Tools}{Check Invalid DXCC/State mults} menu to write a
file of DXCC multipliers (and QSOs) to verify.

° Hit {Click to Run Batch} to run the log evaluation on all logs at one time. Use <Esc>
to cancel the batch run - taking note of the callsign. To continue later at that log, hit
<F8>, then click that log file.

Summary outputs:
° In the {Summary} menu, several summary files can be written to document and further
evaluate the log submissions, including 2 user defined Preferred Table outputs. The
Table1 summary can be exported to Excel to sort on Country or Continent for example.
Table2 is used to write sorted text files. Special summary outputs are available.

° A `State QSO Party` summary can be selected by adding the `State QSO Party` heading
at the bottom of your existing summary setup. If this heading is anywhere in the setup,
only the `State QSO Party` summary is written. This makes it easy to go back to the
previous summary by just removing the last heading. When using the `State QSO Party`
heading, a column ID is not needed.

° Writing the list of Cabrillo logs using {Summary}{Write Cabrillo Files list} is useful
to insure that all logs have a QTH identifier, required when using 2-Ini files, especially
in state QSO Parties. This summary is also useful to insure that logs have a special category
listed in the CATEGORY: tag, ie: Single-Op B, where B is the power level designator that
tells the scoring software the power multiplier (ARCI contests).

° A detailed UBN report is available after `batch` run - when cross check is selected.

° As mentioned above, copy NotePad.exe (or EditPad) to the CabEval folder to have files
auto-opened after being written. To have Excel exported files opened after write, find Excel.exe
in MyComputer/Explorer (normally at C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office) and copy the path
from the address bar. Paste the path into the Excel Path field in the `options Ini` setup,
accessed using the `File` `Sponsor setup` `Ini options` menus. Re-save the contest Ini after edit.

Contest adjudication:
° If you want a complete setup for a contest, let me know. I can send a zipped file with
the Ini files, sample logs and multiplier look-up files. But first, you need to install
CabEvaluator v3.0 using the Windows install program and have the software working. If you
read the above text, you already have most of the information about how the software works.

° There are a dozen reasons why logs will not score. Read the `Invalid Cabrillo formats` section
of the HELP file. If you cannot resolve the problem, you can send me the logs and I`ll find out why.


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° Disclaimer/Notice:
Use my software at your own risk. I write software for Amateur Radio as a fun hobby.