SlotTrak Manual

SlotTrak Documentation

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Last Update: 07/14/06 9:25 PM

System Requirements

Software Install

General Information

Computer Input / Output

Sensors & Wiring

Relay Output

Track Call

SlotTrak Menu Options

File

Settings

General Options Tab

Driver Database Tab

Car Classes Tab

Track Options Tab

Input Options Tab

Output Options Tab

Display Options Tab

Scoring and Reporting Tab

Sounds Tab

View/Print Qualify, Race, Dash, SSD Race Results

Scoring and Placing for Multiple Races

Exit

Session

Practice

Qualify

Race (Run in each Lane with Rotations)

Dash (Counted one segment Race - no Rotation)

Scalextric Sport Digital Race

Race-off (Match race between 2 drivers)

Help

About

The SlotTrak program functions as a lap counter and lap timer for any scale slotcar track, and is also used for RC racing.

It will operate on any 1 to 8 lane track. Input interfaces include sensor connected to the parallel port, serial ports, and

joystick ports, as well as complete input solutions TrakMate for Windows cards, Scalextric RMS, and Scalextric Sport

Digital racing system. In addition to simple counting and timing, it will run various types of races complete with lane

rotations and control of track power and optionally individual lane power control. The timing resolution is 1 millisecond.

Times are displayed in milliseconds or seconds. The time display option is set in SlotTrak configuration. All printing is

directed to the default printer. You must have a default printer defined to print out of SlotTrak.

All race, dash, and qualifying results are saved in files for future reference. SlotTrak creates sub-folders under the

application path (program install folder). Folders are created for track configuration files, race results files, reports

generated from race results, any pictures which may be displayed, and sound files. The sound files available for power

on and off, time remaining, car sounds, etc are saved in a folder named ‘Sounds’, and chosen in the SlotTrak

configuration.

Lap counting and timing is based on the minimum lap time defined in the program. It is important to specify a minimum

lap time that applies to the class of car that is in use. When a car crosses over the sensor in the track, SlotTrak computes

a lap time for that lane. If the computed lap time is less than the minimum lap time, the lap is NOT counted. This

technique is used so riders (cars that come out and go into a different lane) crossing the lap count sensor will not cause

an incorrect lap count. It is true that if a rider triggers a lap count and the computed lap time is greater than the minimum

lap time, the lap will count. But chances are that subsequently, when the car in the proper lane crosses the lap count

sensor, the lap time will be less than the minimum lap time because of the previous trigger caused by the rider. The lap

count will not be incremented and the lap count ends up being correct. Of course, there are some scenarios that could

happen that would cause lap count increments for both the rider and the car in the proper lane, but the probability of that

happening is very small. There is no foolproof method. You can get away with just leaving the minimum lap time at the

lowest setting and SlotTrak will count and time correctly, but it will not resolve other sensor triggers caused by riders

(incorrect triggers).

System Requirements Back to Table of Contents

The recommended minimum computer requirements are:

• Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, NT, or XP. See note on next bullet….

• USB port may be used for output control using Phidget relay cards, or USB to Serial adapters to communicate with

TrakMate card or Scalextric RMS or Digital systems. Windows 98SE, ME, 2000, NT or XP required for USB

support.

• 200 MHz processor minimum. Windows 2000, NT, or XP require 500 MHz processor minimum (1 gHz processor

speed recommended)

• DirectX (minimum version 8) is required to run the program. Windows 2000, NT and XP do a better job of

supporting DirectX.

• Minimum of 64 Mb RAM for Windows 95, 98, and ME – 256 Mb RAM if running 2000 or NT, 512 Mb for XP.

• Parallel Port, Joystick Port, Serial Port(s), Scalextric RMS or Digital System (SSD), or TrakMate card may be used

for lane trigger inputs.

• Minimum screen resolution 800 x 600 with small fonts.

Software Install Back to Table of Contents

Download the zip files from the website (http://www.slottrak.com). Create folder ‘temp’ on the install drive (ex. c:\temp)

and unzip the contents of the ZIP file(s) to this folder. Run setup.exe from the temp folder. Follow the instructions on

the screen. Accept all of the default settings. SlotTrak software will be installed under the Program Files Folder, and

added to the Start – Programs list. If you would like a shortcut icon on the desktop, go to Program Files – SlotTrak,

right click on SlotTrak.exe and choose ‘create shortcut’, and move the created shortcut to your desktop. You may then

delete the contents of the temp folder if you wish. Those files will no longer be required.

From SlotTrak CD – if autorun does not start automatically, run cdstarter.exe on CD. Choose from the available

options to install the software, install sounds, or use some of the utilities or other options on the CD.

There are two SlotTrak executables that may be installed. The executable ending with ‘C’ (for example,

SlotTrak700C.exe) is the commercial version. The commercial version includes the lane time sell feature and requires

a different registration code than the normal version and costs more. Each version is identical in all other functions.

General Information Back to Table of Contents

Computer Input / Output

Sensing: SlotTrak is designed to interface to any device that provides TTL level signals (0 or 5 volts) or switch

closures, such as photocell receivers, reed switches, deadstrip, etc. or RS232 level signals (-5 to -15 volts / 5 to 15

volts). It interfaces by Parallel port (recommended), Joystick port, or serial port(s). It also interfaces via serial or

USB port to the TrakMate hardware, Scalextric Race Management System hardware, or Scalextric Sport Digital

system hardware. The required cable to connect the Scalextric Sport Digital (SSD) can be purchased at:

[email protected]

Note: If deadstrip is used, make sure you isolate track power from the deadstrip so track power is not fed back into

the computer! Bad things happen when this occurs.

If using photocells, place them at a track position that ensures that the car will pass over and block the sensor.

There are two ways to mount the photocell receivers:

1. Vertically – receiver under the track surface. Holes drilled in the track allow light to reach the receiver. Light

sources are mounted above the track and supply the photo receiver with enough infrared to keep them in a

common state. When the car passes over the receiver, the light to the photocell is blocked. This causes a

change of state in the receiver. This method is more robust, it is not affected by guide flag depth, length,

composition, or color. NOTE: Florescent lights will NOT work as a light source!

2. Horizontally – across the slot. This option may be used for 1/24 and 1/32 cars only (cars with guide flags). A

photo emitter and receiver are mounted on each side of the slot (buried under track surface). The guide flag

passing through the slot blocks the emitter and causes a change of state in the receiver. No amplification of the

photo emitter is required because of the small distance between emitter and receiver. This is a very clean

install. There are no obstructions caused by overhead light sources.

Relay control: The Parallel port or serial port may be used to control relays. Also, Phidget USB cards models

0/0/4, 8/8/8, and 0/16/16 may be used to control multiple output relays, or the TrakMate card (serial or USB with an

adapter) can be used to control the track power relay ONLY.

Sensors & Wiring for Photocells Back to Table of Contents

For the do-it-yourselfers, Radio Shack part # 276-145 ($1.50 ea.) is recommended for the photocell receiver. You

may use emitter/receiver photocells for triggering also, if the distance between the emitter and receiver is less than

4 inches. The emitter Radio Shack part # is 276-143 ($2.00 ea.). Incandescent light bulb(s) work well for the

emitter source. NOTE: Florescent lights will NOT work as an emitter source!

The longer lead on the photocell emitter/receiver goes to ground. The suggested wiring for the receiver photocells

follows. Pin definitions are user-definable in SlotTrak. Parallel port: input pins 18-25 are ground, input pins are

1,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17. Pins 2-9 are reserved for outputs for relay control. Joystick port: pins 2,7,10,14 may be

used, pin 4 is ground. Substitute reed relays for the receivers in the diagram for wiring reed relays. For reed

relays, it does not matter which side of the relay is connected to each pin (there is no ‘longer’ lead).

Parallel port wiring (8 lanes max)

Joystick Port wiring (4 lanes max)

100K Ohm resistors are required between pins 1 and 3, and pins 1 and 6, so the computer is fooled into thinking it

has functional joystick(s) on the joystick port.

Emitter Wiring

The schematic shown above is a starting point for the ‘across the slot’ emitter/receiver setup. By limiting the current

to a very low value (approx. 4.4 milliamps above), the emitter signal will not penetrate the guide flag as it passes by

and a valid trigger will be generated. This circuit works well on our tracks. Some guide flags do not block the emitter

as well as others due to material, color, etc. so some experimentation may be required. If the emitter is at a greater

distance from the receiver (above the track method), then additional current in the emitter (a lower resistance value)

may be required. Measure the voltage between the appropriate port pin and port ground. Different computers will

have different port characteristics so some fine-tuning of the resistance value may be required. A voltage of at least

2.4 Volts is required for TTL high, and a voltage of .8 volts or less is required for TTL low. Measure both blocked

receiver and unblocked receiver states to verify the voltage values. Try different guide flags when measuring each

state also. Limit the current through the emitter to 30 milliamps or less. Calculate the resistor wattage rating by:

(No load voltage ^ 2) / Resistance in Ohms

The computed wattage should be significantly less than the resistor power rating, ideally 50% of rated wattage.

Serial Port Pin Assignments Back to Table of Contents

The serial port(s) may be used for output control, lane trigger input and track call input. Two outputs may be defined

per serial port. The female 9-pin definition is shown.

The pin numbers are stamped on the connector. Pin 4 (DTR) and Pin 7 (RTS) are the two output pins that may be

used to control a relay. Pin 5 is ground. The output of the serial port is RS232. The voltage specification on RS232

is –5 to –15 volts for a false condition, 5 to 15 volts for a true condition. The output of these pins do not go to zero

volts, so make sure the polarity is correct when connecting to a solid state relay.

Track call input or lane trigger input can be defined on pins 1 (Carrier Detect), 6 (Data Set Ready), 8 (Clear To

Send), or 9 (Ring). Other pins may be used, but produce triggers that are not distinguishable in the computer.

Therefore, certain combinations of pins cannot be used together. SlotTrak will inform you if you use an improper

combination.

Port Pin Assignments Table (Suggested only)

Description

Parallel Port Pin Assignment Serial Port Pin

Assignment

Joystick Port Pins

Lane 1 Trigger 15 1 (port 1) 2

Lane 2 13 6 (port 1) 7

Lane 3 12 8 (port 1) 10

Lane 4 10 9 (port 1) 14

Lane 5 11 1 (port 2) NA

Lane 6 1 6 (port 2) NA

Lane 7 14 8 (port 2) NA

Lane 8 16 9 (port 2) NA

Power Indicator 3 (use the power relay to eliminate

the need for an additional relay here)

7 (Port 1) NA

Power Relay 4 4 (port 1) NA

20 Second light 5 NA NA

10 Second light 6 NA NA

5 Second light 7 NA NA

Power on warning 8 NA NA

Track Call 11 – tracks that are 4 lanes or less

17 – tracks that are 5 or more lanes

For less than 8 lanes,

use available pins 1,6,8,

or 9

Zero-Port function

Some users may want to use additional resistors to protect the port circuitry on the computer. When resistors are

incorporated, polarity may be reversed at the port pins depending on where in the circuit the leads to the port pins

are located. For this reason, a ‘Zero Port’ function is required when configuring SlotTrak for use of the Parallel port

or Joystick port only. Zeroing the port defines the no-trigger state of each lane pin input and track call input. As a

result, it makes no difference if the polarity is reversed when wiring. SlotTrak will handle the lane triggers and track

call properly. The zero port function is only required once, the results are permanently saved in a configuration file.

You do not have to perform the Zero Port function every time SlotTrak is executed.

Relay Output Control Back to Table of Contents

Track power control is required. Optionally, individual lane power, start sequence lights or time remaining lights,

power on indicator, and power on warning outputs are also available. If individual lane power is implemented, a

master track power relay is not required.

Parallel port or serial port control: A solid state relay (SSR) may be used as a pilot relay to control an electro-

mechanical power relay to the track power supply. I recommend the Crydom series DC60, model DC60S7. Make

sure the relay has a ~3 Volt minimum actuation level if using with the parallel port, serial ports run from –5 to –15

VDC to 5 to 15 VDC. Some parallel ports only provide slightly over 3 volts at the pin, even though in theory it

should be 5 volts. SSR’s require minimum amperage across the load side of the relay to close completely. Make

sure the load meets those requirements. A relay coil on an electro-mechanical relay will certainly meet those

requirements. Again, make certain the current draw on the load side of the power relay meets the minimum

requirement specified by the relay manufacturer. Independent lane power will use the same output pins that are

available from the Parallel and serial port(s). You can drive either DC or AC load-side Voltage with a relay. If

controlling DC voltage loadside, the FSMRA website has information on the relay selection and part number.

Relay wiring pin requirements are specified in Settings – Computer I/O Settings Tab. Ground is any of pins

18-25 on the parallel port, and pin 5 on the 9-pin serial port. Pin outs are user definable.

Phidget USB card controller: Use the 0/0/4 card (5 amps max) to directly switch loads under 5 amps or as pilot

relays to control higher load amperage relays. Both the 8/8/8 and 0/16/16 have TTL level outputs to be used to

control solid state relays which in turn can be used as pilot relays to control power relays (see above for some

specs on the SSR’s). All three of these cards can be plugged into the USB port, and require Windows 98SE and up

(2000, NT or XP recommended). The SlotTrak install includes the drivers for all three of these cards. Plug the

card(s) (any combination, up to a max of 4) into the USB port before running SlotTrak and it will auto-recognize the

cards. This is only done once at startup. If you make a change to the Phidget card configuration, restart SlotTrak.

Phidget Card Wiring Example Photos

TrakMate Card: Specify the com port number used to connect the TrakMate card to the computer. The card can

be connected by using a standard 9 pin serial cable, or a USB to serial adapter can be used. If the standard 9 pin

cable is used, normally com port 1 or 2 is required. If USB, a virtual driver is installed with the USB adapter and the

com port number will normally be 3 or 4. You can use the TrakMate card for master track power control only. The

card outputs 0 or 12 VDC for relay actuation control. If individual lane control or any of the other SlotTrak outputs

are selected, either the parallel port, serial port, or Phidget cards may be used in conjunction with the TrakMate

card to provide the additional control outputs. Initialization of the TrakMate card is done when SlotTrak is started,

and is also done each time the settings screen is visited in case a TrakMate setting option has been changed.

Track Call Back to Table of Contents

Track call provides remote program control capability. Momentary push buttons may be used to provide a trigger to

SlotTrak. The minimum closure time of the track call switch is 100 mSec. Function keys F8, F9, F10, F11, and F12

and the spacebar are also mapped to the Track call interrupt. The resulting action will depend on the current

function of the program. After a track call trigger is received, there is a 4-second lockout before another track call

trigger is acknowledged. Track call stations for corner workers are handy – they can pause the race if required. For

example, if racing and power is currently on, a track call trigger will cause the power to be turned off. A subsequent

track call trigger would turn the power back on. The required pin settings are defined in the Settings – Computer I/O

Settings Tab. Run one side of the switch to the specified pin, the other side of the switch to ground. Parallel port

grounds are pins 18-25, Serial port ground is pin 5. The track call pin is also user-definable. Track call inputs are

also available on the TrakMate card and the Scalextric RMS system. If using the TrakMate track call switch input,

an additional option is selectable in SlotTrak to define the switch sense (Normally open vs. normally closed). Track

call is not available on the Scalextric Sport Digital system because SlotTrak cannot turn the power off on the SSD

for possibility of missing a lap count when a car coasts over the sensor after power is turned off. The serial

connection to the SSD is listen only, commands cannot be issued to the SSD.

Note on Parallel port pin selections (if applicable): The parallel port is actually divided into 3 ports, the Data (output

control) (pins 2-9), Status (input) (pins 15, 13, 12, 11, 10), and Control Port (input or output) (pins 1, 14, 16, 17).

The previous section on parallel port wiring shows the parallel port pin locations. If you’re track is 4 lanes or less, it

is more efficient to keep all of the lane and track call inputs on the status port, which is the default for 4 lanes.

Therefore, if you are using the parallel port input for track call on a track of 4 lanes or less, it is best to use pins 10,

11, 12, 13, or 15. The default settings define pin 11 as the track call input for a track with 4 or less lanes.

Notes on Windows navigation

Some comments on navigating through the various SlotTrak screens:

1. If you hold the cursor/pointer over a command button or data entry/selection field, there may be a tool tip

displayed which may help explain more about the option. You do NOT have to click on the option for the

tool tip to display.

2. When command buttons have a letter underlined in their caption, pushing the ‘Alt’ key and the underlined

key character will execute the command option just like clicking on it with the mouse.

3. You may resize windows by clicking and dragging the corner of the window. Some restrictions apply. For

example, SlotTrak will not resize the contents of the display form for any session window where the power

is ON. You must have the power OFF to resize a session window (Practice, Race, Qualify, etc.) properly.

4. For the configuration and setup screens, SlotTrak will save the size and location of the screen when the

screen is unloaded. The next time you come back to that screen, it is resized to the saved settings.

SlotTrak Menu Options Back to Table of Contents

File Menu

Under the File main menu, are the Settings, Results, Picture Show, and Exit functions.

Settings Menu Back to Table of Contents

Set track configuration and options, specify a driver master list, determine port addressing and pin requirements,

and specify appearance. The settings are saved in file TrakConfig.cfg in the Configuration sub-folder.

General Options Tab Back to Table of Contents

1. Set the default minimum lap time. If a car class is not specified, this is the minimum lap time that will be initially

defined in the session setups. The min. lap time can still be redefined on the fly in each session setup.

2. Set the default Coast time. This is the time period after power is turned OFF to continue to monitor for lane

triggers (cars coasting across the lane sensors after power is turned off).

3. Set the default qualify segment length in both seconds and laps. Each time a qualify session is setup the

segment length in seconds and laps will be initially set to this default value.

4. Choose to default to qualifying by time or laps. This can be defined in the qualifying setup screen also.

5. Set default race segment length. Each time a race session is setup the segment lengths will be initially set to this

default value.

6. Set default time between race segments. Each time a race session is setup the off time between segments will

be initially set to this default value. Minimum value is 20 seconds.

7. Set default number of laps for Dash, Counted Race, or SSD Race.

8. Set the Race Display Toggle Delay. This is the time that SlotTrak will wait before switching to the field summary

display screen when a race segment ends.

9. Choose the format for displaying time values, either in milliseconds or seconds.

10. Choose the default lane rotation. More on rotation in the race setup section of this manual.

11. Optionally run in Demo mode. You can simulate lane triggers by using number keys 1 to # Lanes. If you choose

to run in demo mode and you are using the parallel port for input sensors, SlotTrak will not force you to zero the

ports. You should do this anyway because you may get random triggers from the parallel port when in demo

mode that may affect track call.

12. Save lap times, when checked, will instruct SlotTrak to save all lap times from Race, Dash, SSD Race, Qualify,

and Race-off sessions in a file for future review.

Driver Database Tab Back to Table of Contents

This is the master list of available drivers on this track. The drivers may then be selected from this list for any of

the sessions where driver names are specified. Click Import Driver List to add drivers from a text file which may

contain a list of drivers (one driver per line in the file). The maximum number of drivers is 200.

Class Definitions Back to Table of Contents

Car Classes may be optionally created for each class of car that runs on the track. A maximum of 60 classes can

be created. With each class, a unique minimum lap time and coast time are specified.

Track Options Tab Back to Table of Contents

1. Choose the scale, T-Jet (1/72), HO (1/64), 1/32, or 1/24.

2. Choose to optionally display scale speed (mph or kph) in Practice and Qualify sessions. Race sessions do not

display scale speed.

3. Define the number of lanes on the track.

4. Define the number of track sections. This is used to compute a virtual track position at the end of each race

segment (in case a driver forgets where they ended the previous segment that they participated in). The

calculation is based on the ratio of the elapsed time between the power off and the last lane trigger for each driver

and the average lap time computed at the end of the segment for that driver.

5. Choose the color for each lane.

6. Define the lane length in feet or meters for each lane. This is used to compute scale speed, and is also used to

determine segment winners when there is more than one car with the same number of laps. The segment win

tiebreaker goes to the car on the longest lane.

7. The seed defines what lane is the #1 seed and so on. When setting up a race, you will have the option of

importing saved qualifying sessions, and the driver-lane pairing is done based on the seed values defined here.

The top qualifier would be automatically placed in the lane with the #1 seed and so on.

8. Define lane labeling. If ‘Use Lane Number’ is checked, the lanes will be referred to by their lane number. If

unchecked, lanes will be referred to by color name.

9. Choose English or metric units. If metric, speeds will be displayed in kph instead of mph.

10. Enter a location to make it easier to identify the facility used when reporting race information.

11. Individual lanes may be disabled by checking the boxes to the left of each lane number. If the lane is disabled, it

will not be available for any SlotTrak sessions.

Input Options Tab Back to Table of Contents

1. Enable/Disable Track call and define track call input. This can be defined as Keyboard only.

2. Select the sensor input port. 4 lanes Maximum when using the joystick port. 4 lanes maximum per serial port.

USB adapters will NOT work for input sensing. They do not offer individual pin control/sensing.

Parallel Port Configuration Tab

1. Parallel Port pin assignments: Specifies which pin is used for which lane and control output. Reference your

settings when wiring your sensors and relays!

2. Parallel Port Address: Entered in Hex, the default value originally appears in this entry and applies to most

systems. If your system uses a different address for the parallel port, change this value. You can view the

current defined address either by going into your computer BIOS at startup, or using the Windows device

manager.

3. Zero Port: clicking this button will ‘calibrate’ your system to the no trigger state on the track for each lane. Make

sure to follow the instructions that appear when this function is executed – sensors must be active! If you run

SlotTrak and continuous triggers occur, it’s a good bet that you did not perform the zero port properly. The zero

port values are stored in file ‘IOPortconfig.cfg’ in the Configuration sub-folder.

Joystick Port Configuration Tab

1. Joystick Port pin assignments: Specifies which pin is used for which lane. Reference this list when wiring your

sensors!

2. Joystick Port Address: Entered in Hex, the default value originally appears in this entry and applies to most

systems. If your system uses a different address for the joystick port, change this value.

3. Zero Port: Refer to the Parallel port Zero port definition.

Serial Port Configuration Tab

Define the Serial Port Pins to use for each lane. Four unique pins are available on each serial port.

Scalextric RMS Configuration

Define the Serial port to be used for the Scalextric RMS connection.

Scalextric Sport Digital Configuration

1. Choose the Lane grouping (power base unit) to be edited by sliding the Lanes scroll bar. 6 car ID settings

are available for each power base. A maximum of 4 power base units can be used for a total of 24

cars per race.

2. Double-click each Text ID box to define a color for the car ID. Enter text into the box to change the car

identifier text. The text color is set to the Foreground color. Double-click the Foreground color box to

change the text color of the car identifier.

3. Enter an Average Lane length – required for computing scale speed.

4. Choose the Serial Port Number for this lane grouping. In this example, com port 1 is used to interface to

the SSD power base that has been designated as lanes 1-2.

5. The option buttons define how power will be controlled in a race and how the race will be started.

6. Optionally prompt user with instructions on power base setup when any session is initiated.

7. If No SSD Power control is selected, you may optionally enable the SlotTrak output control functions.

These would include the Parallel or serial port, Phidget cards, or the TrakMate card to control relays.

8. If the Power Base is used to control power, there are two ways to start a race:

1. If ‘Use SlotTrak Start Button to start race’ (not shown above because the ‘Use Power Base Race

Mode’ option is not selected) is NOT checked, the start button on the power base is used to start a

race. Start buttons on ALL power bases should be pressed simultaneously, but it is not critical. As

soon as SlotTrak receives a start command from a power base, it starts counting and timing laps for

that power base. If the start tree option is enabled in Output settings, an on-screen indicator displays

the start red/yellow/green lights. The lights turn yellow when the power base has sent a start

command packet. All lights turn green when the power base turns power on which is 4 seconds after

the power base start button is pressed.

2. If ‘Use SlotTrak Start Button to start race’ IS checked, the SlotTrak on-screen start button and

optional start tree can be used to start a race. In this scenario, the race must first be started by

pressing the start button on the SSD power base(s). SlotTrak waits for the start command from all

power bases and when all are received, makes the ‘Start Race’ button visible on the screen. The

drivers must not start when the power comes on after the power base goes through its start

sequence! Laps will not be acknowledged until after the ‘Start Race’ button on the SlotTrak display

screen is pressed and the program completes its countdown to start. If there is a false start, the

number of laps that SlotTrak counts and the number of laps that the power base counts will not be

equal. The power base is unaware of a false start and therefore counts all of the laps, whereas

SlotTrak is aware of the false start and does not count the first lap. The race will have to be manually

terminated by pressing the ‘Terminate Race’ button on the SlotTrak race screen.

TrakMate Configuration

1. Define the com port ID. This will normally be port 1 or 2 if using a standard 9 pin serial cable, and will be

port 3 or 4 (normally, but not always if other virtual com port devices have been installed) if using a USB to

serial adapter. You will have to check the device manager to see what port was assigned to the USB

device if an adapter is used.

2. The pin numbers initially default to the standard TrakMate wiring requirements. TrakMate uses a standard

parallel port 25 pin connector for the sensor inputs to the card. If you choose to wire differently than the

standard or purchased sensor cable, a different pin sequence can be assigned. Keep in mind that the pins

available to be used are fixed, and cannot be changed. For example, if using a 4 lane track, pins 10, 11,

12, and 13 are the only pins that can be used for lane sensor hookup. Standard wiring requires lane 1 on

pin 10, and so on.

3. The Sensor type setting sets the bias on the TrakMate Card. The card needs to know this to properly

sense a lane trigger. Infrared are normally high and Reed relays are normally low. Refer to your TrakMate

manual for the proper setting.

4. Debounce is defined from values of 0 to 10. It does not apply to reed relays, only infrared sensors. Refer

to your TrakMate manual for the proper setting.

Output Options Tab Back to Table of Contents

Parallel and/or Serial Ports

1. The Power Relay may be controlled from the parallel or serial port, or the TrakMate card if in use. All other

control outputs may only use the parallel or serial port for this Output option. If TrakMate card id chosen, you

must select the relay wiring Normally Open or Normally Closed, and define the com port to be used to

communicate with the TrakMate card.

2. Enable/Disable Power On Indicator (R2). If a separate output is required when power is on, enable this. May be

required if a bypass switch is used on the power control to the track, making it unable to use the power relay

output for a power status indicator.

3. Enable/Disable Power ON Sequencing Outputs. These are a series of 3 outputs that can be used to indicate the

track power is going to be turned on by counting down like the christmas tree on a drag race start. R3 blinks the

count set in the dropdown list; followed by a 1-second wait followed by R4 turning on, followed by another 1-

second wait, then R5 is finally turned on. There are also ‘Sound Only’ options for sequencing. In this case, there

will be an on-screen indicator and a sound played. Sounds are also played if the relay outputs are enabled. If

sequencing is enabled, the following options are made available:

a) Choose the number of times to blink output R3 when start sequencing is enabled.

b) Choose the ‘Hot Start’ option to have the power turned on to the track before the start sequencing is

complete. Power is turned on at the beginning of the start sequence. This makes it possible for driver(s) to

jump the start. This could take place at the start of a Dash session, Race segments where all drivers start

from the start line and Race-off session start. When this option is enabled, the start line should be located

immediately before the track sensors.

c) If ‘Display On-screen start lights’ is checked, the start ‘Traffic light’ sequence is displayed on the computer

screen when power is turned on.

4. Enable/Disable Time Remaining sequence lights. The 3 outputs used for the Power ON Sequence may also be

used to indicate remaining time in a qualify, race, or race-off segment. Sequence Out 1 (R3) comes on when

there is 20 seconds left, Sequence Out 2 (R4) comes on with 10 seconds left, and Sequence Out 3 (R5) comes

on with 5 seconds left in the segment. If ‘Sound Only’ is defined, no relay outputs will be done. A sound will be

played, such as ’20 seconds left’, ‘5 seconds left’, etc.

5. Enable/Disable Power On warning. Activates this output pin (R7) for the length of time to perform the power on

sequence (depends on options selected) before power is turned on to the track. You can use a buzzer, flashing

light, etc. to make sure everyone is aware that power is coming on.

6. Each lane’s power can be controlled individually if the ‘Enable Individual Lane Power Control’ option is enabled.

The output to be used for each lane must then be defined in the same manner as above. This may be used for

dash or race segment finish options where the power is required to be turned off in an individual lane when the

car crosses the sensor area.

Phidget I/O cards

If Phidget cards are plugged into the USB ports (each card requires a USB port), SlotTrak will auto-detect the

cards and gather necessary information from each card such as serial number and number of outputs available

on the card. The card ID dropdown lists will list each card by serial number and card type (0/0/4, 8/8/8, 0/16/16).

When the card ID is defined, the Relay # dropdown list is filled with the appropriate number of outputs for the user

to choose from. Unfortunately, Phidget does not outwardly ID their cards. The serial number is read through

software only. If there is confusion on what card is what serial number, plug only one card in at a time before

running SlotTrak and note the serial number from the Card ID dropdown lists and mark the card with a label. You

must restart SlotTrak before switching plugged in cards. The auto-detect of Phidget cards is only done once

each time SlotTrak is started.

The 8/8/8 and 0/16/16 outputs are TTL level outputs, designed to drive SSR’s. The 0/0/4 card contains 5 amp

relays. Again, you can mix and match any of these cards, but may only have a maximum of four total cards.

If a TrakMate card is in use, the power relay may optionally be controlled by using the TrakMate card output. All

other outputs must be assigned to a Phidget card and relay number. If TrakMate card id chosen, you must select

the relay wiring Normally Open or Normally Closed, and define the com port to be used to communicate with the

TrakMate card.

TrakMate Board Relay Only

With the TrakMate Board Relay ONLY option, only main track power can be controlled by SlotTrak. All output

options that are NOT available with the TrakMate Only option are disabled. If additional outputs are required, use

the Parallel/Serial port option or the Phidget I/O card option in conjunction with the TrakMate board if you still

would like to use the TrakMate board to control the master track power relay.

Display Options Back to Table of Contents

1. Change the appearance, sizing, and screen position of the session displays. The Description / Example column

in the grid displays a sample of what it will look like. Clicking on a box in the Background or Foreground columns

brings up a color picker (if color is user settable). The sample will be updated when a color is chosen. Click on

one of the five Preview buttons to view a sample of the display. While the preview display is active, size and

position the display to your preferences.

2. Background Picture File: Specify a graphic that may be optionally displayed on the SlotTrak main screen. If

‘Picture Show’ is enabled, this setting is ignored. Suggested use would be a picture of your track. The image is

shown in the sample display box under the Browse button.

SSD Race Session uses the same sizing parameters and color selections as set for the Dash Display.

Scoring and Reporting Back to Table of Contents

1. Define the points structure for race, dash, and SSD race results.

2. If the Auto Print at end of race option is checked, the results are printed at the end of the race automatically.

All printing in SlotTrak is done to the default printer. You must have a default printer defined!

3. Check the Print at end of EACH segment to automatically print the race segment results.

4. If Auto Save is checked, the team competition points are saved in a file without prompting.

5. If section number input is checked, SlotTrak will prompt for race section number as each driver completes

the segment rotation (only if the segments are not terminated at the finish line – more on this later in race

setup). Depending on the number of drivers and lanes, this may be before the race is actually complete, as

some drivers may finish earlier than others. The section number is then used to break any ties in final

placings. If not enabled, the virtual section number is used to break ties, but the operator will have the option

to resolve any ties manually.

6. Set the default printer font name and font size. If the printed fields exceed the paper width, the printer font

size and font name will be adjusted to fit automatically by SlotTrak.

Sounds Back to Table of Contents

SlotTrak sound files are saved in the Sounds sub-folder under the application path. PCM wave files are used for

sounds. Many sound files are provided by the SlotTrak install. Users can also provide their own sound files.

Various sounds may be customized for different events in SlotTrak, which include lane triggers and fast lap

indicators, and the start sequence. Enable/Disable the sound options by checking/unchecking the check boxes

under Enable. Browse/locate any PCM .wav file by clicking the Browse buttons. The sound level may be adjusted

(decreased) for all of the Lane Trigger Sounds by moving the vertical scroll bar. This allows the ‘priority sounds’ to

be heard above the ‘lane trigger sounds’ when both sounds are playing simultaneously. On all sound selection

tabs, double-clicking the ‘Enable’ label will toggle the selection status for all sounds on that tab.

View/Print Qualify, Race, Dash, and SSD Race Results Back to Table of Contents

This menu function allows the operator to recall saved Qualify, Race, Dash, and SSD Race results, and also display

a recap of all races that have been run. Qualify, Race, Dash, and SSD race results and Laptime reports can be

printed to report files by clicking the ‘Make Report File’ function. There are two files that are created for each report.

File one is a simple text file that is created in the ‘Reports’ sub-folder with the same filename as the source session

filename, and has a file extension of ‘.doc’, so it can be opened in Word or WordPad. Use a true-type font such as

Courier so the text file displays properly. The second file is an HTML file that is created in the ‘Reports/HTML files’

sub-folder. It is named the same, but uses an HTML extension. This file can be viewed in any web browser and is

much more robust in the formatting since it does not rely on particular fonts for correct spacing. It is recommended

to use the HTML file to share results via e-mail or websites.

Scoring and Placing for Multiple Races Back to Table of Contents

This menu function provides the ability to compute total laps, place, and points values for a series of races. The

races to be scored are selected in a listbox. A resulting table is generated with the drivers that participated in at

least one of the races selected with the total laps, place, and the total points earned in the series of races selected.

The table can then be saved to both a comma delimited file (.csv) and a HTML file if desired. Both file formats are

always created. Double-click the multiplier in column 4 in the summary table on the top half of the screen to change

the multiplier value for that race.

Exit

Exit the program.

Session Menu

This is where the operator chooses the Session type to initiate. It should be noted that for ALL sessions (Practice,

Race, Qualify, Race-off, Dash, SSD Race, Team Comp), when the power is ON, the auto-resize feature of the

display form is turned off. Do not resize a form when the power is ON. Only the borders of the form will

change. None of the display controls will be resized to fit the form when power is ON!

Practice Session Back to Table of Contents

A Practice session is just that – designed for turning practice laps. Here’s a screen shot for a 4 lane track:

1. Current Lap times as well as fast laps are always displayed. If the display scale speed option is enabled in setup,

current scale speeds and fast scale speeds are also displayed. If scale speed is not enabled, the actual speed is

displayed. The scrolling list boxes display all of the lap times accumulated for each lane. The most current lap

time is always placed on the TOP of the list. The list will hold up to 200 lap times. After 200 lap times, the least

current (bottom of the list) time is removed from the list and the new lap time is added to the top of the list.

2. Lap counts for each lane are displayed directly above the Clear buttons.

3. The ‘Clear’ buttons under each lane’s lap count reset the fast time, clear the lap times listbox for that lane, and

reset the lap count to zero. F1-F8 designates the function key on the keyboard that will also perform this task if

you prefer not to use the mouse. ‘Clear ALL’ resets all lanes at once.

4. Minimum lap time is set at the specified default lap time defined in settings when Practice is entered, but may be

changed during the Practice session.

5. The power for all lanes may be toggled on/off by clicking the ‘Toggle Power’ button.

6. Track call, if enabled, will also toggle track power on/off.

7. Practice data is not saved in a file, but you can print the list of times by clicking the Print list button(s).

8. The boxes at the top default to the lane color text, but can be used to enter driver names for display and inclusion

into the printed stats report.

9. The SWAP button switches to an alternate practice screen:

Both practice displays are always active whether they currently show or not, and may be displayed at the

same time by resizing and repositioning each display on one CRT or displaying each individual display on

individual CRT’s if the computer is configured for multiple monitors.

Qualify Session Back to Table of Contents

A Qualifying session provides a method to time trial the cars one at a time to see who can turn the fastest lap.

Drivers may run in the lane of their choice, or a particular lane can be decided on before the qualifying session

is started. SlotTrak will automatically detect what lane is being used. Each driver turns laps for the defined

qualifying time, and the fastest lap time achieved is recorded for each driver.

Qualify Setup

1. When selecting drivers from the list, hold the Ctrl key or mouse button down while clicking to select multiple

drivers, or click while holding down the shift key to select a range of drivers from the list.

2. The listbox on the right is the order of qualifying for the drivers selected. Select a driver in this list and use the up

and down arrow buttons on the right hand side to define the qualifying order. Click Randomize Order to

randomize the qualifying order.

3. Qualify by elapsed time or define number of laps to be run.

4. Qualify Session Description is optional. When entered, the qualify results file will contain this description.

5. The car class is also optional. Again, this information is saved in the results file for future reference.

6. Optionally change the minimum lap time.

7. The ‘Load Last Configuration’ button will appear if there is a configuration file available. Every time a session is

started, the configuration is saved in a file. By clicking this button, the last settings, including driver selections, are

retrieved and set.

8. ‘Load Defaults’ will set the default settings for all items that apply.

9. Print Qualify Order prints the current defined qualify order to the default printer.

Qualify Display and Operation

Ties in qualifying are broken by the second fastest lap time for the tied drivers.

1. All Lap times are recorded in the list box on the right of the display, with most current lap time at the bottom of

the list.

2. The Pole lap time (upper right hand corner) is the current fast lap time for all drivers that have qualified. This

is the lap time that everyone is trying to beat.

3. Clicking Start or pressing the F8 function key will turn power ON (if power control is enabled). The session

can then be paused by clicking the Pause button, or pressing F8. Clicking the Continue button or pressing F8

will continue the segment.

4. Track Call, if enabled, will initiate the Start function when starting a segment and will Pause/Continue during a

segment.

5. Qualify results are saved in the Results sub-folder in a file. Each filename may be user defined and has a

‘.qua’ file extension. If the save lap times option is set, all lap times are written to a file of the same name, but

with a LapData_.csv filename extension.

6. Colors on this display are defined in the Settings function of SlotTrak. The display above uses the default

settings.

7. Click ADD Driver button (enabled between qualifying attempts) to add a driver on the fly to the qualify

session.

8. Click Delete Driver (enabled between qualifying attempts) to remove a driver from the qualify session

9. Click Skip Driver (enabled between qualifying attempts) to skip the current scheduled driver in the qualify

session. The skipped driver is re-scheduled to qualify at the end of the list.

10. Click Repeat Driver (enabled between qualifying attempts) to allow a ‘do over’ for the current driver.

11. Click Terminate to set the time to zero or laps remaining to zero if the driver wishes to end their qualify

attempt prematurely.

Race Session Back to Table of Contents

The Race session runs a segmented race. All drivers race in every lane for a designated amount of time or

designated lap count. SlotTrak keeps track of lane positions, lap counts, etc. as the drivers rotate through the lanes.

There are two segment options - timed or counted. Power is turned on and off by SlotTrak When a segment is

completed, drivers move their car to the next lane in the rotation (which is displayed on the race information screen) at

the track position where the car stopped, or brought back to the starting line if the terminate segment option is

enabled.

If individual lane power is enabled, and the terminate segment option is enabled in either the Counted or Timed

segment type, the power for each lane is turned OFF when the car in that lane completes their current lap after the

winner has been decided. If individual lane power is not enabled, the lap count will stop counting when the car

completes their current lap. Power remains on until each car completes their current lap. A ‘Terminate Segment’

button will appear on-screen to allow the operator to end the segment in case a car has malfunctioned and will not

complete its current lap.

Race Setup

Settings Tab

1. The race description and car class are optional. If defined, these values will be included in the results file.

Car class, if specified, will redefine the Minimum lap time and Coast time as defined for that class.

2. Select Lane Rotation Style (only available if 4 or more lanes). This defines how the cars are moved through

the lanes during a race. European rotation (recommended) mixes the lanes so drivers have different drivers

next to them in each segment. Custom allows you to enter your own rotation order. In the example shown,

the driver will sit out after running in lane 1 and lane 3. This allows you to eliminate lanes also if you choose

to do so. If ‘142’ is specified for example, lane 3 will not be used. One use for custom rotation is it allows a

rotation to be defined that will not fill all lanes, making extra corner workers available. Click the Rotation Tab

to display the entire race rotation if you are not sure what the order will be.

3. Choose Timed Segments or Counted Segments. Each type will define additional options pertinent only to

that race type.

For Timed Segments:

a) Segment length defines the length of each segment, in seconds. Maximum of 32000 seconds.

b) Off time between segments defines the amount of time between each segment. SlotTrak counts down

between segments based on this setting. When zero is reached, the power is turned back on and the

next segment is started. It is the responsibility of drivers to get their cars in position and be ready to race

before the segment is started.

c) If Disable Off Time Timer is checked, the timer countdown between segments in a timed race will be

disabled. The next segment will be started by the race director or track call.

d) The Termination method defines how each segment is ended:

¾ If Normal, the cars stop at the location on the track where they were when the segment time

decremented to zero and rotate from that location.

¾ If ‘Race to Line – at end of EVERY segment’ is selected, the cars continue to the start/finish

(sensor location). When the car crosses the lane sensor, if individual lane power is enabled

(Recommended!), the power is shut off for that lane. If individual lane power is not enabled, no

further laps are counted while the car continues to run. SlotTrak saves the time that it took the car

to reach the sensor from the time the segment counted down to zero time remaining. It then uses

these ‘time extensions’ to break any ties in finish order. All cars start at the start line at the

beginning of every segment using this method.

¾ If ‘End of Race - Race to line on Last Segment only’ is selected (option only available if

individual lane power control is enabled) the cars remain at their track location when the timer

counts down to zero for all segments except the last segment that they are on the track. The cars

start at their finish position on the track for the next segment. For each driver’s last on the track

segment, the power remains on until the car crosses the lane sensor. The time extension is again

saved and used to break any ties.

¾ If either ‘Race to line’ options are used, section number entry is disabled.

For Counted Segments:

a) Define the number of laps to be run before the segment is completed.

b) The Termination method defines how each segment is ended:

¾ If Normal, power is shut off when a car reaches the designated lap count and all other cars stop at

the location on the track and rotate from there.

¾ If ‘Race to Line – at end of EVERY segment’ is selected, all cars continue to the start/finish

(sensor location). When the car crosses the lane sensor, if individual lane power is enabled

(Recommended!), the power is shut off for that lane. If not enabled, no further laps are counted

while the car continues to run. SlotTrak saves the time that it took the car to reach the sensor from

the time the segment winner completed the designated number of laps. It then uses these ‘time

extensions’ to break any ties in finish order. All cars start at the start line at the beginning of every

segment using this method.

4. Define how many times in a row each rotation position is run. If 3 is chosen for example, each lane position

would be repeated 3 times in a row.

5. The Number of complete lane rotations defines how many times the complete lane rotation is run.

6. Minimum lap time and Coast time can be adjusted here, always in seconds.

7. The ‘Load Last Configuration’ button will appear if there is a configuration file available. Every time a race

session is started, the configuration is saved in a file. By clicking this button, all previous settings, including

driver selections, are retrieved and set.

8. The ‘Load Defaults’ button will load and define all of the default values that were specified in the configuration

settings.

9. The Points multiplier is used to ‘weight’ the race. The final point values for each driver are multiplied by this

value to determine a final point value.

There is a maximum of 32000 laps per segment in SlotTrak. Total Laps maximum is 2,147,483,647, but the

display is setup for a maximum of 5 digits or 99999. You can exceed 5 digits, but they might not all show. One

way to modify the number of digits shown is to resize the screen. By resizing, font size changes are made and

this may allow more characters to be displayed in the session display screens.

Drivers Tab

1. Define the drivers that will be participating in the race, and what lane they will be starting in. The quickest

way to accomplish driver selection is to use a qualify session results file. If none is available, a qualify file

can be created by clicking the Auto Qualify button or drivers can be selected from the master driver list by

clicking either Add Driver(s) to Race or Add/Replace Entrants from master Driver list buttons. When more

drivers than track lanes are selected, the driver(s) sit out before running lane #1 if using standard rotations,

or user specified if using Custom rotation. To manually place a driver into a lane or Sitout, the lane or Sitout

must be blank. Highlight the driver in the staging listbox and click the button next to the lane or sitout label

to move the driver into that position. Click the button next to the lane or sitout when a driver is defined to

remove the driver and place them back into the staging listbox.

2. Click the Rotate Lane Assignments to rotate the lane positions according to the rotation option selected

previously in the Settings tab.

3. Re-Stage ALL removes all drivers from the assigned lanes and sitouts and lists them in the staging listbox

so the operator can redefine each drivers start position to something other than the default.

4. The Sitout order determines when the driver comes on to the track with respect to other drivers that are also

out. Sitout 1 will come on the track first.

5. ‘By Qual Rank’ puts ALL drivers in the staging listbox into Sitouts by order of qualifying position.

6. ‘Random’ puts ALL drivers in the staging listbox into Sitouts in a random order.

7. ‘Clear All Sitouts’ removes all drivers from the sitout order and places them back into the staging listbox.

8. ‘Add River(s) to Race’ brings up the master driver list and allows the operator to add additional driver(s) to

the heat without changing the current order and placings of the already selected drivers. Driver removal is

not possible with this option.

9. ‘Add/Replace Entrants from master Driver list’ allows the operator to choose drivers from the master driver

list to define which drivers are going to be in the race, and not have to use Qualify or Auto-qualify results.

The driver order is randomized when this option is used.

10. If ‘Add Drivers to Race Staging ONLY’ is checked, all drivers added to the Race Entrants listbox will be

placed into the Race Staging listbox only, and will not be placed into Lanes or Sitouts. The operator would

then be required to place the drivers manually into the proper lane or sitout.

11. Optionally, select the driver that is the top qualifier for this race.

12. Saved Qualify sessions listbox contains the qualifier sessions that are currently saved on the computer in

the results folder. They are sorted when listed with the most current file at the top. Double-click to select a

saved qualify session and load the results. The drivers that participated in the qualify session will be placed

in inverted order in the race entrants list. You can then select drivers from the race entrants listbox and

they will be selected and seeded according to qualifying order.

13. The Auto Qualify option creates a ‘fake’ Qualify results file with the drivers chosen from the master driver

list. This allows the race setup features that use the Qualify results to be used even if there was no Qualify.

If there is not enough time to run a Qualify session, use this option to speed race setup. The driver order is

randomized when using this option.

14. By default, when multiple heats are required based on the lane count and number of drivers, SlotTrak will

attempt to setup heats from slowest to quickest. SlotTrak will force the fast heats to contain the same

number of drivers as lanes, and the slowest heat will contain all of the ‘extra’ or ‘odd’ drivers. For example,

if there are 19 drivers and 4 heats with 4 lanes, heat 1 will contain 7 drivers and the rest of the heats will

contain 4 drivers. If the ‘Force Number of Drivers’ option is checked, SlotTrak will instead try to create heat

definitions that have an equal number of drivers, or as close as possible to equal.

15. If a qualify session it selected, you can set up number of heats, heat number, and bracket. Bracket allows

some flexibility when setting up heats. Experiment with it to see what effect it has. Using the Qualify

results makes setting up a race much easier and quicker – use this feature!!

16. The Add Name button allows driver(s) to be added to the master driver list without having to go back to the

Settings/Configuration screen.

Setup note: If you define a heat or heats that are different than the SlotTrak determined heat configurations,

make sure you store the heat configurations. If you don’t, the next heat when chosen from the heat number drop

down list will be configured as SlotTrak would want to configure that heat without knowledge of the previous

heat’s configuration. For example, if you would define a 2 heat race with 12 drivers in heat 1 and 6 drivers in

heat 2 for a 4 lane track, that’s fine but when heat 2 is selected, SlotTrak has no knowledge of the fact that you

defined 12 drivers in the first heat and will create heat 2 with either 4 drivers [number of lanes] if Force is not

selected, or 9 [total drivers (18) / number of heats (2)] drivers if ‘Force…’ is selected. Bottom line – save your

custom heat configurations in files by clicking on the Store Current Heat button!!

Rotation Tab

This table shows the complete lane rotation sequence and may be printed.

Resume Race Tab

If required, this option allows a race to be restarted at a specific segment number. A list of available race files is

displayed. The list is sorted with the most current race file on top. Double-click the desired race file. The number

of segments completed will be displayed. Choose the Segment number to begin Race Resume. This is the

segment number that the race will be started at. Any previous segment’s results will be retained in the race

results.

Team Competition Tab

This option allows the setup of a race between two teams. The teams may consist of 2 to 10 drivers. An equal

number of drivers from each team must compete. Drivers from the same team are never next to each other on the

track. A straight rotation is always used for team competition. Click ‘Define Teams and Members’ to define Team

names and the drivers on each team, along with the default starting position for each driver. The defined teams are

listed in the dropdown lists and are chosen from the lists. When all selections and definitions are complete, click the

‘Enter Teams In Race’ button to enter the team drivers into a race. When entered, items such as rotation style

(straight) and Counted race (with terminated segments) are set. The team race is a points race and points must be

enabled and defined to run a team race. Use the Load and Save Team Race Config buttons to Load or Save this

race configuration. This saves every defined parameter required to setup and run a race, just as the Race

configuration or Store Heat functions will do, but allows the operator to name the saved configuration file.

Race Display and Operation

There are two displays associated with the Race Display. The Segment display:

1. The race segment display is in order of current segment standing. The leader (red lane) is on top so a

quick glance at the display indicates red in the lead for the segment.

2. Click on the column header to change the display option for that column. Total pts or Total laps may be

displayed in column 3. Fast Lap, Median lap time, or Lag behind Leader or Trail behind position may be

displayed in column 4. Lag is the time or # laps behind the current segment leader. Trail behind

position is the time or # laps behind the car in the next highest position. Median is NOT an average, it is

the lap time that half of the laps run for that driver are above that time and half are below that time.

3. These settings are saved so the next time a race is run, the display options start out as how they were

last defined.

4. Right-click the lap time display label to display a list all lap times for that lane.

5. Double-click the name or lap count to adjust the number of laps. This can only be done when the power

is OFF (paused).

The field summary display that is available during pauses or between segments:

The counted session displays are very similar, without the time remaining indicators in the display.

1. Colors on this display are defined in the Settings function of SlotTrak. The display above uses default settings.

2. The scroll bar under Display allows the user to scroll back to different segment numbers as the race progresses.

This is enabled during the countdown/pause between segments. Don’t worry about setting it back to the proper

segment. That will be done automatically when the segment starts. When the race is complete, the scroll bar is

enabled again to allow review of all of the race segments.

3. Command button text shows the function key that will perform the same task as clicking that button if you prefer

not to use the mouse.

4. The Start Race button will begin the race. Power will be turned on.

5. The Pause button will turn the power off and stop the timer from counting down. SlotTrak continues to count

laps for the specified Coast Time (in seconds) after EVERY Race, Dash, Race-off, Practice or Qualify

power shutdown, so cars coasting across the detection sensors will still get credited for their lap and lap time.

A paused state is indicated by the blinking ‘TIME REMAINING’ caption during a timed race.

6. Continue button will continue the race after a Pause and power will be turned back on.

7. Pause Countdown button will pause the countdown that is counting to the beginning of the next segment. Again,

the ‘TIME REMAINING’ caption will blink during a paused countdown (timed race only).

8. Continue Countdown button will re-enable the countdown to the next segment (timed race only)

9. Skip Countdown will cause the next segment to be started immediately.

10. Abort race will stop everything – the race up to the time it is aborted is saved in the race results file for possible

resumption. SlotTrak returns to the race setup screen when this option is executed.

11. The race results file is saved in the Results sub-folder. The filename will have a ‘.rac’ file extension, and are

named by the user.

12. Double-click the Driver Name label or the lap count display to adjust the number of laps for any active driver.

This may be done during a paused segment or between segments.

13. The Lap Times button brings up a display of every lap time for every driver in the race. From this screen, you

have the option to print or save the information in a file.

14. Double-click the lane label between segments to display the last computed virtual track position for the driver

selected.

15. Track Call, when enabled, will perform the following functions:

¾ With Start Race button displayed, track call will start the race.

¾ With Pause button displayed, track call will perform the Pause function.

¾ With Continue button displayed, track call will perform the Continue function.

¾ During countdown between segments, track call will perform the Skip function.

When the race is complete, additional option buttons will appear to allow printing of the race results and if team

competition is enabled, print and save of the team points information.

The Toggle Display buttons switch between the field summary display and the race segment display. Switching

between the two displays never alters any of the countdown timing.

The Print Lap Times button allows the operator to display all lap times for every lane run for every segment. From

that display, the options to print and save are available.

If the ‘Prompt to enter section numbers’ option is checked in settings, as each driver finishes the segment rotation, the

section number on the track is prompted for and entered into SlotTrak. Depending on the rotation/number of drivers,

this may occur before the end of the race. This section number is then used as a tie-breaker. Of course, if the

segments are terminated, the section number is meaningless because all cars cross the finish line.

Dash Session Back to Table of Contents

The Dash session performs a lap counted race (as opposed to a timed race) where each driver runs in a defined lane

for the entire race. The amount of Dash laps is specified in setup. The first driver to reach the defined number of laps

is the winner.

If Individual Lane Power is enabled, the power for each lane is turned OFF when the car in that lane completes the

current lap it is on when the winner is decided. If Individual lane power is not enabled, the lap count will stop counting

when the car completes the lap it is on when the winner is decided and track power is left ON until all cars finish. A

‘Terminate Segment’ button will appear to allow the operator to manually end the dash in case a car has

malfunctioned and will not finish.

Dash Setup

1. Dash description and car classes are again optional.

2. Define the total number of dash laps.

3. Minimum lap time is initially set at the default value in settings. Choosing a car class may change this value.

Otherwise, a new value can be typed in the input box.

4. Coast time is initially set at the default value in settings. Choosing a car class may change this value.

Otherwise, a new value can be typed in the input box.

5. Driver selection is completed in the same manner as race setup. Refer to race setup for a description of driver

selection. The maximum number of drivers in a dash is equal to the number of lanes on the track.

6. The ‘Load Last Configuration’ button will appear if there is a configuration file available. Every time a session

is started, the configuration is saved in a file. By clicking this button, all previous settings, including driver

selections, are retrieved and set.

7. Saved Qualify sessions listbox contains the qualifier sessions that are currently saved on the computer in the

results folder. They are sorted when listed with the most current file at the top. Double-click to select a saved

qualify session and display the results. The results are displayed in the Qualify Results listbox. You can also

select drivers from the results listbox and they will be selected and seeded according to qualifying order.

8. Refer to the Auto Qualify reference in race setup for an explanation of this function.

9. The Points multiplier is used to ‘weight’ the race. The final point values for each driver are multiplied by this

value to determine a final point value.

Dash Display and Operation

1. Start Dash button starts the dash and power is turned on to the track.

2. Abort Dash button stops the dash and returns to the main SlotTrak screen.

3. Pause button turns the power off. Again, SlotTrak counts for Coast time seconds (user defined) after the power is

turned off to make sure cars coasting across the counters will be credited with their lap.

4. Continue button turns the power back on.

5. The Dash results are saved in a file in the Results sub-folder. The filename will have a ‘dsh’ extension, and is

named by the user.

6. Double-click the Laps or driver display labels during a paused dash to adjust the number of laps for any driver.

Lap adjustments must be done before the Dash is complete.

7. Colors on this display are defined in the Settings function of SlotTrak. The display above uses the default

settings.

8. The lap count display on the right indicates the current placing in the race by order of lane color. The leader (red

lane) is on top so a quick glance at the display indicates red in the lead.

9. Right-click the lap time display label to display a list all lap times for that lane. Power must be off for this function

to be enabled.

The Dash finish does not turn the power off to the entire track when the winning driver accumulates the defined

number of laps. SlotTrak leaves the power on for all lanes that have not crossed the finish line in an attempt to

determine all other driver/car placings. If individual power control is enabled, power will be turned off for each lane

when the car crosses the line on their current lap. When all drivers have crossed the finish line, the track power is

turned off. A ‘Terminate Segment’ command button will appear while SlotTrak is waiting for all cars to finish. If a car

has malfunctioned and will not cross the line, click the ‘Terminate Segment’ button to end the Dash. There are never

ties using this method.

When the dash is complete, the field summary display will appear:

Scalextric Sport Digital (SSD) Race Session Back to Table of Contents

The SSD session is similar in many ways to the Dash session. It is possible to run up to 8 lanes (4 power bases)

using this option for a total of 24 cars maximum. There are two different finish options with SSD. The tool tip that is

displayed when the cursor is placed over the End Lap options explains the two different finish options and how they

operate.

The major difference between a SSD session and all others is the lack of ability to remotely program or command the

power base unit. The power base transmits only, and will not act on any received characters (commands sent from the

computer). Therefore, it is the responsibility of the operator to correctly setup the parameters in both SlotTrak and the

SSD power base unit(s) to run a race properly. The number of race laps designated on the SSD setup screen in

SlotTrak must be equal to the programmed number of laps on the power base if the SSD power control option

is enabled in settings (only applicable for two lane – single power base setups).

Scalextric SSD end race options:

End at SAME Lap - when the leading car passes the Sport Digital power base Finish Line at the end of the final

lap, the race finishes for this car and all other cars as they complete their CURRENT lap.

End at LAST Lap - the race finishes for each car as it completes its final lap. The race finishes when all cars have

completed their FULL number of laps.

Auto Qualify – when using Auto Qualify in SSD mode, SlotTrak will only allow the maximum number of digital entries

(for example 12 drivers for a 4 lane/2 Power base setup) to be selected. In other words, only one heat may be defined.

If you select more than the maximum, the driver selection is truncated. You will be prompted to enter the digital ID for

each of the drivers selected. Whenever this qualify file is loaded in the SSD race setup, the digital ID that was defined

in the auto qualify settings screen will be assigned to the associated driver.

Note: the above applies to auto qualify only. If you run a normal qualify session and import that file in SSD setup, all

drivers are imported into a possible multiple heat race and you will be required to assign the proper digital ID 1 to ?.

The above screenshot illustrates this. The saved qualify file for 15 drivers was imported (actually this file is an auto

qualify file from a non-SSD race) and multiple heats are configured.

Refer to the Dash setup instructions for clarification on all of the other settings.

There are two different ways that a SSD race can be implemented.

1. Leave all power base units in power-up state and let SlotTrak do most of the work. This is definitely the

easiest way to run a race. There is no programming or setup required on the power base. All power bases

are left in practice (power-up state) mode. SlotTrak will determine who won the race and finish order. The

only drawback to this method is the power may be left on at the end of the race (unless you enable the

external power control in SlotTrak). Counting and timing for each individual car will stop when that car has

been determined to have finished the race, but the cars may continue to operate, depending on the power

control options specified.

2. The power base can be used to turn the power on at the start of a race, and optionally turn the power off for

each car as it finishes or turn power off at end of race. There are two ways to start a race in this mode (see

input settings for Scalextric Sport Digital for further explanation):

• Use the start button on the power base to start a race. SlotTrak waits for the start command to be issued

by the power base(s) and begins to count and time after the start command is received. If the start tree is

enabled, it is displayed with red lights initially. The lights turn yellow when the start command(s) are

received from the power base(s). When the power is actually turned on (after the power base

countdown), the lights turn green.

• Use the ‘SlotTrak Start Button to start race’ option to start a race. The start button is pressed on the

power base to initiate the start sequence, but the race does not actually start until the start button on the

SlotTrak display screen is clicked (or F8 is pressed) and, if the start tree is enabled, the countdown from

the on-screen start tree completes. The power base turns the power on, the start command is received

by SlotTrak through the interface, and the ‘Start Race’ button on the SlotTrak screen display becomes

visible. Power is now turned on to the track, but if a driver leaves before the ‘Start Race’ button is

pressed and the on-screen countdown finishes, lap triggers are ignored and the driver(s) are basically

penalized a lap for jumping the start because the lap did not count. Make sure to line the cars up right

before the sensors when this option is enabled. You must check ‘Use SlotTrak Start button to start race’

option in Scalextric SSD input settings to enable this start option.

SlotTrak still counts and times laps and displays the running order in the race as always, but also synchs itself

to the race by interpreting the power base ‘race over’ command. SlotTrak also displays any false start

indicators if they are enabled on the power base for this option.

In either case, SlotTrak NEVER counts laps for cars that it has determined to have completed the designated number

of laps, or depending on the end option selected, have completed their current lap after a race winner has been

established. The cars may remain running depending on the power control option used, but no additional laps or lap

times will be recorded for those car(s).

The SSD race display is the same as the Dash session, with the addition of the optional false start indicator.

Race-Off Session Back to Table of Contents

Race-Off is a two-segment match race between two drivers. Each driver selects a lane to start in. The first

segment is started and runs for the specified segment length. At the end of the first segment, the drivers swap

lanes, putting their cars in the other’s lane at the track position that their own car stopped at. The second segment

is then completed. One use for Race-off is to resolve ties in races. Any match race can be setup using Race-off.

Race-Off Setup

Setup is self-explanatory. Two drivers and what lanes they will start in are specified in the dropdown lists, along

with a segment length and minimum lap time. There is no timer countdown between segments in a race-off.

Results are not saved for a Race-off.

Race-Off Display and Operation

1. The same functionality described in the Timed Race session applies to the Race-off session. Race-off results are

not saved in a file.

2. Double-click the Segment Laps display label or driver name label during a segment pause to adjust the number of

laps for one of the two drivers.

3. Right-click the lap time display label to display a list all lap times for that lane.

Help Menu Back to Table of Contents

About Menu

The About Menu selection will display the splash screen that popped up when SlotTrak was started. The

revision number of the program and assorted computer hardware parameters are displayed.

SlotTrak is Trialware. Registration cost is $99 for the regular version, and $149 for the commercial version which

includes the time sell feature. When not registered, the program is fully functional, but the following restrictions

are implemented:

• Race segment length is limited to 20 seconds

• Counted segments are limited to 3 laps

• Practice sessions display a message after 3 minutes

• Qualify is limited to 15 seconds

36 days from the software install date, SlotTrak becomes unusable if not properly registered. After 36 days of

unregistered use, the only enabled function is software registration. The ‘Evaluate SlotTrak’ button disappears

and all session types are disabled.

SlotTrak is keyed to the particular computer it is installed on, and requires a unique registration key for each

individual computer. The software code is required to generate a valid key, which will register the program.

Follow the instructions on the registration screen. To pay, use PayPal with the e-mail address

SlotTrak@fsmra.com. Send the software code to the same e-mail address (displayed on the registration

screen). When you receive the key, you have two options to register the program:

1. Enter the registration key in the Registration key text input box and then click the ‘Register SlotTrak’

button. It is best to cut-and-paste the key to ensure the key is not mistyped.

2. Place the entire key file that you receive into the SlotTrak application folder (the folder/directory where

SlotTrakXXX.exe resides – normally c:/Program Files/SlotTrakXXX) and run SlotTrak. The program will

Don’t lose the key – something may happen on your computer (hardware failure, virus, etc.) that will require a

software re-install and re-registration. The key is entirely numeric, so case sensitivity is not an issue.

If you have SlotTrak questions, confused about content of this manual, or have suggestions, e-mail me at:

[email protected]