Easy Steps to Installing and Using CCComp

Installing and using CCComp (and, indeed, most other similar packages) comes down to the following simple steps. Install software and edit Club and Competition data, set up a competition, add entries, check/associate entries, preview and show, print certificates and results.

Install and Set up Standing Files

1. Remove any previously installed versions of CCComp via the Control Panel/Add/Remove programs.
2. Download CCComp Software from web site.
3. Save in a temporary directory (e.g. C:\Temp). Unzip files into a temporary directory and run setup.exe.
4. If setup asks to overwrite a more recent files, say No.
5. If setup says a file is unavailable, ask it to simply ignore it.
6. Run CCComp and select either My Documents or your own folder for the control and standing files.
7. CCComp will then set up a control and several standing files including an initial Competition type/Entry Class files and an Award Files..
8. Repeat 1 and 2 for CCEntry (if you wish).
9. E-mail me to get a key to suppress Evaluation messages.
10. Donate if, after trying it, you like the product!!

Set up a Competition

1. Ensure that the class file has been edited to include required competition data including valid entry classes. This is done via the Edit/Select Standing Files button on the Set-up Form.
2. Also, make sure that the available awards for this competition are in the Awards file.
3. Click “Add Competition” on the Setup Form and follow the instructions.
4. Enter the year, competition number, specific competition name and the name of the Judge in the Competition Edit form.

Add Entries

1. Copy all entries that have been sent into a folder set up to hold the initial submissions. It is recommended that the original submission is retained in the e-mail or on the CD on which it was originally supplied as a back up.
2. This can be repeated as much as necessary.
3. Add them to the competition using the Add Entries facility.
4. Run the Check Entries routine as and when appropriate. Normally, it should be run as each set of entries is copied into the folder.
5. Periodically sight check the manage entries screen.
6. Note that CCComp requires all file names to contain the Entrant, Class and Title and (optionally) the Author (which is likely to be the same as the entrant in internal competitions). It will not allow you to Judge or even preview the entries unless the names are all to the correct format. The Check Entry process includes tools to easily correct errors in the file names. (See FAQs for why fixed format filenames are used).
7. When all the entries are in and seem OK, Sort and Lock the competition.

Preview and Judge

1. Prior to competition day, you may want to print out a score sheet. Clearly, this should only be done if all entries have been received and the competition has been sorted and locked.
2. When competition day comes, you will want to preview and judge the entries. there are fully controllable ways to do this in CCComp, so,
3. Set up your show requirements e.g. display order, preview interval time, display size (or automatic), maximum score, single/dual screen, etc.
4. After the judging you can “Review” the awards and top scorers.
5. Finally, flag the competition as Complete. When you do this, CCComp will (if necessary) create a Results file and then it will not allow the scores or awards to be changed. You cannot “uncomplete” a competition.

Print Certificates and Results

Certificates can be printed from the print Certificate screen or the Show Scores or Results screens.

Setting up and Adding Images to the Club Image Library

1. To add images the club library simply select any competition and hit the “Add to Club Image Library” button.
2. CCComp will then talk you through copying the images that score above a level that you can specify (even 0).
3. If no library exists, CCComp will set one up for you.
4. Note that CCComp does NOT check for duplicate images. You can delete them manually when required.
5. Alternatively, you can treat the Library as an ordinary competition and use the standard “Add Entries” button.

Using the Club Image Library

1. When you hit “Manage Club Library” (or select the club library under Select Competition) CCComp will display the “first” 25 images of the library.
2. You can then change the number of images displayed per screen and move backwards and forwards in the library.
3. You can also change the order of the images.
4. If you left click an image it will be alternatively selected and de-selected. If you right like, you can rate the image or delete it. (Note that Unclassified means the image has not yet been assessed whilst No Star is used for those images that you never expect to be used in external competition -as an alternative to deleting them).
5. To re-sequence the images after classifying or selecting just press Refresh.
6. Hovering the cursor over the bottom left hand corner of the image will display the competitions for which that image has been selected from the Library.
7. Hit close to leave the Library. CCComp will ask if you want to write hte selected images to a separate folder for submission to an External COmpetition.
8. CCComp then allows you to select a filename format from a series of standard names or by customization for a selection of fields such as Title and Author and Club.
9. It then lets you build and/or select a folder and copies the files into it
10. Finally, CCComp displays a report that you caan print or export to a csv to help with the Competition’s documentation.

Copyright - Ian Hooker 2007