Loft matching

[jasonb]

Hello Everyone,

Once all the clubs start uploading their races, it is possible that there could be differences in Loft names ..

Example..

BREAKAWAY LOFTS .. Has been listed as :

BREAKAWAY LOFT
BREAKAWAY LOF
BREAKAWAY LO
BREAKAWAY L

.... I've created some automatic matching stuff to try and correct the problem automatically, in addition I have also created a program to manually correct these.. If you notice a loft which is not correct, let me know and we can apply a fix..

The good news, is once a fix is in place .. EVERY race that is uploaded with an incorrect loft, would be corrected when the awards system runs ..

For example:

A club uploads a race with "BREAKAWAY LO" as the loft name. When the awards system runs at the top of the hour , it will check its corrections database and actually CHANGE the name to BREAKAWAY LOFTS.

Keeps things nice and pretty.


So just keep me updated if you guys notice anything weird .. will defiantly help keep things clean.

That being said, when it comes down to awards actually being awarded when we are in full swing there will be a once over to ensure visually that the names are good.

Clear as mud?

[connie]

Hi Jason,
Sorry but I see myself creating a problem, when race season starts. If I understand this correctly.
It sounds like what happened in our National race last year, with my results and my husbands' results.
As you get to know me better, you will find it is likely 10- 1, me misunderstanding things. lol.
But I would rather chat about it now than after the season starts.

My husband and myself, both fly as 'Steacy Family Lofts'. But in 2 different Clubs and 2 different Combines.
Since we paid and registered the loft name with the CU, Both of us can fly any of our birds in our races.
Which is good as 99% of our birds are registered to myself only as per CU instructions that come with the bands.
Up to now, the programs use our CU ID # to decide if it is my or Chris' race and to keep our results separate for the 2 clubs.

Will your auto correct change that? Or is that how the Database will work to keep us separate?
(I was talking about this on another string but so far can't find the string. I will get better at finding where I was as time goes on.)

[jasonb]

I belieave I understand what your saying .. just to confirm ..

You are asking if you race under the exact same loft name, if the system would know which pigeon belongs to who ?

[connie]

Hi Jason,

In a way Yes...
That the pigeons flown under 'Steacy Family Lofts' belong to BOTH Chris and Connie Steacy.
They should not get booted out, no matter which one of us sends any of our birds, to any one of our races.
Even though other than a few AUTO bands in my husband's name, our birds are all registered to myself, as per CU instructions that come with the bands each year.

But at the same time...
Keep our 2 Clubs and 2 Combines results separate from each others'.

We had a problem like this with last years' National so I tried to get in on your database trials last year.

[B Shannon]

Jason, it's my understanding that the database is supposed to work on the member codes we are assigned when we joined the CU.

When clubs do their results, they are supposed to use the member codes, at least in Winbird this is what the field is called,
so that when results are loaded to the database everything for one flyer is kept together and band ownership can be verified?

A question for Connie, what member codes are being used when you are flying vs Chris?

Jason, can you assign a Loft Name to the member codes, or can Monic? This way when your matching is done, you can use the member code rather than having multiple versions of a loft name being possible.

Just a thought.

Bruce Shannon

[connie]

Hi Bruce,
The way our bands are done now is :

1. Steacy Family Lofts was registered with the CU, Chris and Connie owners/ partners.

2. The bands can only be registered in one name, so it was easiest to use mine (as I do all our paperwork, signing band cards for transfers, etc. anyway.) The few Auto Bands Chris gets each year, I assume get put in his name. But are linked to both names through the Loft Registration.

3. Then all our bands are linked to Steacy Family Lofts } re: Chris and/ or Connie Steacy.


Then to keep our races separated in the 2 Clubs & 2 Combines:

Both ID#s are linked to the bands and so linked to the CU Registration for Steacy Family Lofts.

Then Chris' Club & Combine use his CU ID#.

My Club & Combine use my CU ID#.

To keep our birds sorted out at home; his Tipes uses red or black ebands and my Benzing Express uses shades of blue ebands. We both have separate Lofts but have been know to fly each others birds, getting an eband for each clock to test them on both Trucks.

Thanks for the question,
Connie

[B Shannon]

Unfortunately, I can see that their might be a problem on those birds you both race, as the results will be loaded into the database under each member code, so the bird would actually appear twice, but probably would not combine the points earned.

Jason, not sure if you can anwer this, it may be too soon to know, but what would the implications be if the same member code was used for both sets of results?

There could be more challenges with the open races. If everyone is using the same race software, ie: Winbird, then it is conceivable that each club race secretary can email the file from Winbird so they can be uploaded. Some work may need to be done to remove the birds that were not eligible for that open, but it can work and member codes will stay with the files.

Is it too much to ask the race secretaries to create a separate result just for the open birds? I can't answer that, but that would make it easier when combining everything together.

As soon as 1 club submits a paper copy of their results, then the race secretary would need the member codes of each of those flyers to keep everything in line for the database.

I know there are rules surrounding which races are eligible for each award category, but some leave it open for the best result can count, be it club, combine or open. At least I think my memory is correct on this one, but you never know.

We might just have to wait and see.

[jasonb]

I think I need a heavy drink before I answer this one

I'm sure in the end we will get this factored in, and the first step to that is knowing about this. So thank you for that Connie.

The system currently checks a number of items, one which is not complete yet (Checking to make sure they are a member) but which would most likely solve this problem. There will also be a level or administrative manipulation that will be possible if some weird things happen or if a result is reported as incorrect.

We hope to also allow normal users of the site to Flag a result as a possible error for Administrative review.

[connie]

Hi Bruce,
It's never mattered if the bird appears twice as long as the points earned in each Club/ Combine don't get mixed together.
And so far the CU ID keeps that from happening. It's like the races are connected to the CU IDs to each person (to keep races/ award
points separate), but then everything is registered to the Loft Name (to insure both ownerships).
Only the races in each Club could be used with each other for the Awards. You couldn't blend the 2 together.

if the same member code was used for both sets of results?

.
That is what happened with the National last year or the year before.
I had been flying the OVC and Chris the EOC. When we switched around the EOC changed their program to use my CU ID for my races.
Then when the National race came and Chris' races were submitted with the OVC's, the program automatically kept changing his stuff to me. Took
quite a while to figure out what was going wrong but it turned out the OVC was still using my ID there also. The problem went away after
Chris' ID was used in the OVC and mine in the EOC. Up until when we found out what was happening- when my races took over-
the person in the OVC's 1st position dropped to 6th or 8th because my birds came in first.

The bird itself can qualify for points/ awards in both our races, if it's good enough and it races enough races in both club sets.
Doesn't happen often but it can. The OVC went down to only 1 race a week, starting this year, so it likely can't happen now.

[connie]

Hi Jason,

Your Welcome and Good Luck with it.
I tried to get our races submitted to your trials last year, figuring with hands- on it would be easier for you to figure out
but the other directors felt there were enough in the trials at that time. That didn't work but I can give you a bit of a reprieve
for when it's needed (by us but maybe still by others?) as Chris is not flying old birds this year. Well he is but for a friend who is going for an operation.
So his old birds will likely only be showing up in my races for this old bird year.
But in Young birds we should both be back in action, racing with 2 Clubs & 2 Combines.