TRPC & TRIEPC Questions & Answers
Once the installation process is complete, how do I actually start the programs? The programs will now be available among your choices in “Programs.” Select the Windows “Start” icon and then select the “Programs” link. You will see either TRPC or TRPC in the available program choices. Simply select the one you desire.
Where on my computer are the data files stored? For TRPC the default location is c:\Program Files\TRPC\TRPCData\ and for TRIEPC the default location is c:\Program Files\TRIEPC\IEData\.
When I update my program will I erase my data? No, your data files are unaffected by the updating process. The new program will use the same data.
What if errors are reported in the process of installation? The solution may be as simple as using the www.microsoft.com Web site to install the most recent update to your Windows operating system. Another common problem is that you are trying to install the software on a computer where you lack administrator privileges. If this is the case, check with your Information Technology department to ask for assistance in installation.
Are the TRPC and TRIEPC programs protected by copyright? No, both programs are in the public domain; you have permission to install them on computers of your choice.
How often are the programs updated? Often there are weekly updates during the debate season. The typical reason for updating is that a new feature has been added based upon the request of a tournament director.
Can I have multiple copies of the TRPC/TRIEPC programs running on the same computer? Yes, this can be done by creating new folders on your desktop (or another location of your choice). Place a copy of TRPC.exe or TRIEPC.exe inside the newly created folders. The program will always use the data folders (TRPCData or IEData inside of the folder in which it was started). Keep in mind that you will need to have an actual copy of the programs inside your folder, not merely a shortcut to the actual program).
What program is used to create TRPC/TRIEPC? These programs are created in Microsoft VisualBasic 6.0 and then compiled into machine code.
What happened to the Macintosh programs (TRM and TRM IE)? Unfortunately Microsoft stopped supporting the programming language for TRM and TRM IE in 1989. The programs continued to work in Macintosh systems before OS X. Since few Macintosh users now have a pre-OS X machine, I have removed TRM and TRM IE from my Web site. If you have an older Macintosh computer and you need access to these programs, please send me an email request.
Will TRPC and TRIEPC work on a network printer? Yes, both programs utilize Microsoft’s Windows printer interface. The programs will print to whichever printer is selected when the programs are launched. Note that in order to change default printers, you will need to shut down TRPC or TRIEPC and restart them.
Will TRPC and TRIEPC interface with the Joy of Tournaments Web Entry System? Yes, the Joy of Tournaments Web site offers an opportunity to download files in a format which can be directly uploaded into TRPC and TRIEPC. This includes all entries and judge preference information.
A complete problem and solution section will be found at the end of the TRIEPC Instruction Manual.
I have sectioned rounds in an event, but nothing will print and in ballot entry, no contestants show up. What happened? Time blocks have, most likely, not been entered properly. The entry of time blocks in TRIEPC is not optional. Even in the simplest of tournaments you must enter time blocks and then in “event entry” tell the program the time block in which each round will happen.
When I start TRIEPC it shuts down immediately and reports error 75 (path not found). What do I do? TRIEPC is checking for a printer and can’t find a default printer installed. Check to make sure you have selected a default printer.
In duo events, should both contestants be entered in TRIEPC or only one? Duo contestants should be entered only once. The matching partner code should be entered in the box furthest to the right of the entered contestant. You will then notice that TRIEPC will show the duo event entry in red for the second contestant.
What is the proper order for entering information at the beginning of a tournament? 1. Tournament information: name, date, etc.; 2. Time blocks: shows the tournament time schedule; 3. Events: Enter a code for each event at your tournament and indicate which rounds will happen in which time blocks; 4. Rooms: Enter room names and show an event that will be present in this room for each available time block. 5. Schools: Assign a two-capital-letter code for each school; 6. Contestants: Each contestant will have a code starting with the two letters identifying their school, followed by a number from 101 to 999. The contestant will have the same code in each event. Show the events entered by entering the event code in one of the four edit boxes to the right of the contestant name. If the event is a duo event, enter the code of contestant’s partner in the edit box at the far right; 7. Judges: Judges may be entered at the same time as the schools and contestants. Show the events that the judge will be targeted for in each time block. This targeting doesn’t actually assign the judge; instead it creates a pool of available judges for each event in each round.
When contestants drop out of an event, how do I prevent them from being sectioned? In contestant entry, find the contestant -- you can search by name or code. Then simply delete the code (OO, DI, HI, etc.) from the appropriate edit box to the right of the contestant. In any future sectioning, this contestant will not be sectioned.
In ballot entry, how should no-shows be recorded? Always record a no-show as a rank of 9 rather than leaving it blank (remember in a system where lowest ranks win, a rank of zero is better than a rank of one). If your tournament uses ratings as well as rankings, I recommend entering a rank of one (1) for a no-show. If you leave this rating as zero, the computer will continue to think that ballot information is missing.
Questions relating to both TRPC and TRIEPC:
TRIEPC Questions:
