Tired of switching track maps during a race weekend? Using the new $U message to identify the control lines from the data feed (available only since Detroit), RaceTools can now use a single track map to display both the race and alternate track configurations.
Check Control Line to automatically adjust for Alternate SF line(s):
To automatically adjust for different SF/SFP timelines, enable the ‘Check Control Line’ option found in the main program Options menu.
Validate Trackmap to manually check and adjust for Alternate SF line(s):
To manually force the software to adjust the SF line, select the Validate Trackmap menu item from the Track Map popup menu (right click track map). This will prompt for the SF and SFP timelines to use and compare it with the current configuration and track map. If the SF/SFP lines are different and found in the track configuration, the software will automatically offset the track map to match the specified timelines. Note that you can only execute this once the track configuration is available (ie. when the session has gone warm).
How it works:
- On a new session or when the program launches, only the SF line is displayed. There are no sections defined.
- After the track message is received (after the session has gone warm), the sections and location of timelines are available. If this is a PQ session and the track map loaded is the race map, the track map does not match the actual location of the SF line for this session.
- If the Check Control Line option is enabled, as soon as the $U message is received, RaceTools will compare the SF and SFP lines defined by the $U message with the current track configuration. If it does not match, RaceTools will adjust the track to the SF/SFP lines defined by the $U message.
If the Check Control Line option is disabled, you can force RaceTools to validate the track map by executing the ‘Validate Trackmap’ option in the track map popup menu. You can use this if the $U message is missing or incorrect. If the $U message is incorrect, you should disable the ‘Check Control Line’ option to prevent it from automatically adjusting the track map.
Remember that the track definition must be available before you can execute the Validate Trackmap function and the SF and SFP lines must be defined in the track definition. To see the track definition, open the Track Editor (CTRL+T).
The map below is after the Validate Trackmap has been executed (either manually or automatically) for a PQ session.
