TEXPACC - Computer Operator Instructions

Initialization

1. Turn on the computer, and connect the scanner to a USB port.
    
2. Start the rotation program by clicking the yellow icon shortcut on the desktop.
   
    
3. Open the hall rotation.
   For example, click the 'TEXPACC - A2 Hall' link shown below.
   

   Depending upon the computer configuration, the following prompts may appear:

   Press the 'On' button

   Press the 'Yes' button

   The Rotation List window should now be displayed, which shows a list of dancers for the hall.
   There are two display formats for the Rotation List window:
   1. The Standard Display (default) shows more details, but...
   2. The Condensed Display (recommended) only shows dancer names and their status, role and partners. The Condensed Display allows many more dancers to be viewed at once.
   Select the desired display format via the toolbar buttons shown below:
   
    
4. Be sure that both Remote Access and Scanner are 'On'.
   
   The lower right section of the Rotation List window should look like the image above. If not, the background color for the text is red instead of green. Click on a red section and select 'On' from the pop-up menu.
   
   • Remote Access On allows dancers to use their smartphones to change their status and retrieve their assigned square numbers.
   • Scanner On determines whether a barcode scanner is used.

Rotation Program Process Flow

1. At the beginning of a session, all dancers should be marked 'Absent'.
   From the Rotation List window menu, select 'Status | Set All To Absent'.
    
2. Dancers enter the hall and scan their barcode to set their status to 'Ready'.
   To manually mark a dancer as 'Ready', right-click on the dancer's name then press the 'Ready' button.
   If a dancer is not found in the Rotation List...
   • Dancers must be listed in the Dancer Table before they can be added to a rotation.
      
   • If the dancer is not in the Rotation list, press the 'Add Dancers to Rotation' button.
     This opens the 'Add Dancers to Rotation' window, which shows dancers in the Dancer Table who are not yet in the rotation.
     1. Search for, and select the dancer to add.
     2. Press the 'Add Selected Dancer(s) to Rotation' button.
     3. Close the 'Add Dancers to Rotation' window.
      
   • If the dancer is not found in the 'Add Dancers to Rotation' window:
     1. Select menu option 'Global Database | Update Global Database from Web'.
     2. Select menu option 'Edit | Add from Global Database'.
     3. Select the dancer, and press the 'Add to Dancer Table' button.
     4. The 'Add Dancers to Rotation' window is redisplayed, with the newly added dancer(s) selected. Press the 'Add Selected Dancer(s) to Rotation' button.
     5. Close the 'Add Dancers to Rotation' window.
      
   • If the dancer still can't be found:
     1. Select menu option 'Edit | Add Dancer'.
     2. Enter the dancer's First Name, Last Name, and Role.
        Other fields may also be entered if desired.
     3. Press the 'Save' button (lower right).
     4. Upon returning to the 'Add Dancers to Rotation' window, press the 'Add Selected Dancer(s) to Rotation' button.
     5. Close the 'Add Dancers to Rotation' window.
    
3. Ask for any changes before each tip
   Before each tip, inform dancers that a tip is about to be generated. Ask if there are any changes to be made prior to tip generation.
    
4. Generate a Tip
   From the rotation list, type <Ctrl+G> or press the 'Generate Next Tip' toolbar button.
   The tip will be generated and then displayed in the 'Tip Display' window.
    
5. If necessary, Undo the Generated Tip
   If a mistake is made, or dancers request changes at the last moment, the tip can be undone.
   Close the 'Tip Display' window via <Ctrl+Q> then press the 'Undo Last Tip' button or <Ctrl+U>.
   
   After prompting for confirmation, the tip is undone. Changes can then be made, and the tip can be regenerated.
   Do NOT click on 'Undo All Tips' - that will undo ALL previously generated tips and start everything from scratch.
    
6. Tip Display window
   The Tip Display window shows square assignments for the active dancers in the hall.
   There are two display formats for the Tip Display window:
   1. by Name
   2. by Square
   Use the 'NS' button (upper leftmost button) to toggle the display format.

   

   See Tip Display - Swapping Dancers (below) to manually adjust squares or change who is dancing with whom.

   See Tip Display - Readability (below) to get the best display for the size of your computer screen and hall.

   To return to the Rotation List, type <Ctrl+Q> or close the Tip Display window via the 'X' in the upper right portion of the window.
    
7. Showing an Open Tip
   1. In the Rotation List, press the 'Open Tip' toolbar button.
   2. Select the caption to be displayed (e.g., 'Open Tip').
   3. Press the 'OK' button.

   

    
8. At the end of each session, set all dancers to 'Absent'.
   From the Rotation List window menu, select 'Status | Set All To Absent'.

Changing Dancer Status [Rotation List]

Hopefully, dancers will use their barcodes or smartphones to do this themselves.

There are two ways to modify a dancer's status:

1. Left-click one or more dancer names (hold down the Ctrl key for multiple selections) and then press A for Absent, S for a one-tip Sitout, R for Ready, or M for Must Dance.
    
2. Right-click on a dancer's name to invoke the 'Dancer Info' pop-up dialog box.
   Multiple dancers can be selected by holding down the Ctrl key and doing left-clicks, then release the Ctrl key and right-click within the selected dancers to invoke the 'Dancer Info' box.
   In addition to Status, several other attributes that can be modified via the 'Dancer Info' box:
   1. Role: changes the dancer's role.
   2. Category: for TEXPACC, this field should always be 'Normal'.
   3. (Not) OK w/Single: indicates the dancer is or is not willing to be paired with a single when required. If Not OK w/Single, dancers will only be paired with their desired partner.
   4. Split Couple: separates a couple into two single dancers.
   5. Join Two Dancers: joins the selected dancer with another single as a permanent couple.
   

If the status of a dancer is changed and the dancer is part of a couple, a prompt asks if their partner should also be set to the same status. Unless those dancers instruct you otherwise, reply 'Yes'.

Tip Display - Readability

To get the most readable but complete display of the square assignments, font sizes and the number of columns may need to be adjusted.

The easiest thing is to press the Auto Resize toolbar button, which resizes text to the largest font that still displays all information.

Format controls are located in the upper right portion of the Tip Display window.

1. First, adjust the number of Columns. 3 or 4 columns is probably optimal.
2. Repeatedly click the button until all rows are displayed.
3. Repeatedly click the button until the display is as large as possible without pushing the bottom off.
4. Slightly more space can be obtained by clicking the button to remove a few header lines.

Tip Display - Swapping Dancers

Use the 'Swap' menu to swap two dancers, couples, or squares.

To fix a minor issue, you may want to just swap a few dancers. This can be easier than undoing the current tip, returning to the rotation window, making changes, and then regenerating the tip.

Dancer Sign In|Out

Dancers entering the hall should scan their barcode to set their status to 'Ready'.

Dancers leaving the hall or wishing to sit out one or more tips should scan their barcode to set their status to 'Absent'.

Dancers may also use their smartphones to change their status or get square assignments.

• Open web app via https://www.ceder.net/rotation/
  
• For additional information about the Web App, see Web App.