Event Setup

Event setup is where you describe your event to Competition Control before teams arrive: what it is called, which program it runs, which fields you have, who is competing, what the day looks like, and which awards you plan to give out. Everything you enter here feeds the pages your volunteers use on event day.

This page covers the General step and explains how the setup steps fit together. Each of the other steps has its own page. Only the Admin role can open Event Setup, and it is the first page you see after starting or opening an event on the host computer.

[Screenshot: The General step of Event Setup with an event name entered and a program selected]

The Setup Steps

Event setup is a series of steps. A bar at the top of every step shows a Back button on the left and a Next button on the right, each labeled with the step it leads to (for example Next: Fields). You can also open any step directly from the Event Setup section of the sidebar.

1. General: Name the event, choose the program, and mark it as a league if needed. This page.
2. Fields: Add each competition field and say whether it hosts alliance matches or solo matches. See Fields.
3. League: Add and choose league sessions. Only shown when League is checked on the General step. See Leagues.
4. Teams: Import, add, or generate the team list. See Teams.
5. Awards: Choose which awards your event gives out. See Awards.
6. Schedule: Lay out the day in match blocks and other blocks, and set cycle times. See Schedule.
7. Matches: Create the practice and qualification match list and review elimination settings. See Creating Matches.
8. Sponsors: Upload sponsor logos for the audience displays. See Sponsors.

Later steps depend on earlier ones. When the next step is not ready, the Next button is disabled and a short message beside it tells you what is missing:

• Save an event name and program to continue. The Fields, League, Teams, and Awards steps need an event name of at least 2 characters and a program.
• Requires event to be configured as a league. The League step needs the League box checked.
• Import teams to continue. The Schedule and Matches steps need at least one team.
• Add a schedule block to continue. The Matches step needs at least one schedule block in the active session.

Filling In the General Step

1. Leave Event ID as it is. It is assigned automatically, cannot be changed, and names the folder where backups are kept.
2. In Event Name, type the name of your event. Use at least 2 characters. The name saves when you click or tab out of the field, and shorter names show Name must be at least 2 characters without saving. Use the official name from your RECF event listing so displays and reports match what teams registered for.
3. If this event is played across several sessions, check League. Leave it unchecked for a one day tournament. The box saves immediately. Unchecking it hides the League step but does not delete any sessions.
4. Under Event Program, click the tile for your program. The choice saves as soon as you click it.
5. Click Next: Fields to continue.

The event name appears on displays, reports, and the launcher on the host computer. It is also the name other computers see when they look for this host computer on the network.

Programs

The program sets the competition format, match timers, scoring rules, elimination format, inspection checklist, solo match names, and the default award list.

Every program has an inspection checklist for the Inspection page. For Aerial Drone Competition it is the Flight Clearance questionnaire; the robotics programs and Aerial Drone Competition Pro use inspector-verified checklists. See Team Check In and Inspection.

The program also decides what the two solo match types are called: Piloting and Autonomous Flight for the drone programs, Driving and Coding for the robotics programs. See Solo Matches. The match timer sets the shortest cycle time the Schedule step will accept, and the elimination format decides which settings appear on the Creating Matches step.

Important

Choose the program before you add teams. Once any team exists, changing the program is refused with Event Program cannot be changed once teams have been added. Remove all teams first. under the heading Could Not Save Event Configuration.

Remarks

Decide whether the event is a league before you import teams. It is easier to set up sessions first than to rearrange the schedule later.

If you are practicing before your event, create a separate event file. The event name and program are the only things you need before the Teams step will let you generate placeholder teams.