Powerlifting Live

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Contents

Introduction

Powerlifting Live is a system made to simplify and optimize the organizing of powerlifting competitions. It handles tasks like entering and display of results, timers, document creation and presenting other information to the audience, coaches and lifters.

Installation

System requirements

Powerlifting Live requires Windows XP or later, and 1 GB RAM or more. All major browsers are supported, but Chrome is recommended.

Downloading

Powerlifting Live can be downloaded from www.powerliftinglive.com. After running the installation program you might get prompted by the firewall asking for permission. If you want to enable the online functionality or sharing Powerlifting Live over a local network you need to confirm access at this point.

Starting/closing the system

The system is started from the start menu in the folder called Powerlifting Live. The default web browser will open the administration interface. In case you want to use a different web browser, just enter the following address: http://127.0.0.1:4001. If you accidentally close the administration window you can open it again from the start menu. To close the system you have to right click on the icon in the system tray down to the right Systray.png. Press the button "Close Powerlifting Live".

Network setup

Warning: A network setup consisting of multiple computers is recommended only for persons who are familiar with setting up local networks.

It is possible to connect multiple computers to the same Powerlifting Live installation by using a Local Area Network, using a wired or wireless router. By doing this you are able to set up more screens, or split up the work of entering data(so you could have a computer in the weigh in to enter data directly).

The main computer needs to run the actual Powerlifting Live software, and other computers can connect to this. To do this you need to know the IP address of the computer running the software. The IP address can be located by running the cmd command in the Start Menu, and then running the ipconfig command. This will list information about your network card. Look for the part stating IP Address or IPV4 address. This address will be in a format similar to this: 192.168.0.100. After locating the IP address you need to open the following address on the connected computer(s): http://<ip>:4001/ (for instance http://192.168.0.100:4001/ ). You also need to make sure your firewall is allowing incoming connections for this to work.

General advice

Never trust technology. Problems can occur with computers, software or electrical power. Always make sure you have a paper copy of results, either by using speaker cards or having manual results on paper.


Preparations, execution and post competition work

Also see the video demonstration to get a quick overview of how to set up and execute a small competition.

Preparations when the list of nominations is ready

Creating the competition

Press the New Competition button on the left side in the administration panel. Enter the name of the competititon, and the password which you later will use to log in to the competition. If you have a license key then you should enter this in the Settings menu to enable the online functionality.

Weigh ins

Weigh ins are created and edited in the menu Weighins. Click on the time field and select the correct date and time, and then click Create.

Groups

Lifter groups are created in the menu Groups. Enter a name for the group in the field Name and press Create. Note that when deciding the group order, the groups are sorted alphabetically. Due to this the best naming would be Group 1, Group 2 etc. After creating the group you need to connect it to the correct weigh in and then press Save.

Adding lifters

When adding lifters you have two options, either adding them manually or using one of the automatic import options (only for Pro License with integration).

Manual adding

First you need to add the teams. This is done in the Teams menu. After adding all teams you can proceed to adding lifters. Lifters are added in the menu Lifters. Enter the name of the lifter in the Name: field and press Create. You will then get a list of all the information and settings for the lifter. Before the competition you need to make sure the following fields are set correctly: Sex, raw, category, group, body weight and team. When entering the body weight before the weigh in you should enter the exact weight of the weight class, for instance 74.0 if the weight class is -74 kg. For 120+ and 84+ you can use 121 and 85.

Importing lifters

If you have a Pro License with integration you could have the option of importing nomination lists or searching for lifters.

Importing of lifters is done by opening the Lifters page and clicking Import nomination list. You will then be presented with a list of competitions. Select the correct competition and press Continue. Nominated lifters will be listed. By default all lifters are checked, but you can uncheck any lifters you do not want to import. Also select the correct group you want to put the lifters in. Finally press Import selected lifters on the bottom. The selected lifters will be imported, and teams will automatically be created.

You can also import lifters by searching using name or license number. This is done from the Lifters page. Enter your search term next to the field Name or license number. You will get a list of matches, and you can import the lifter by clicking on the name. The lifter will be imported and the lifters team will be created.

Distributing lot numbers

The system has built in support for distributing random lot numbers to all lifters. From the Lifters page press Random lot numbers to perform this. Random numbers will be distributed, with unusued lot numbers between the groups(in case of weight class/group changes).

Competition settings

The Settings page contains different settings for the competition. Here you can enable various rankings (e.g. IPF team points, or wilks points rankings), select language or adjust other configuration options. The Information field is used for displaying custom information on screens which are in standby mode. In case of a Pro License you are also able to select which record list to use.

In the Countdown section you are able to set a countdown which will be displayed on all screens. Here you can enter a time, e.g. 14:30, or a number of minutes. Enter 60 to countdown for one hour.

Importing records

Pro License users are able to import records. This is done in the Records page. Press Import records to perform the import. When this is done you should make sure the correct record list is selected in Settings. After this you will be able to see records in the lifter profiles, and in the weightclass header of the administration scoresheet and screens. When a weight which is over the current registered record is entered, the field will get a blue border to indicate that it could possibly be a record lift.

Generating and printing documents

In the Documents page it is possible to generate and print the following documents: Speaker cards(powerlifting or bench press only) and lists for weigh in, equipment check and rack heights. Just select one or more groups and press Generate document. Hold down the Ctrl key to select multiple groups. The generated document is a PDF file, and Adobe Acrobat Reader or a different PDF reader is required to view the document.

Setting up live online publishing of results

Live online publishing of results is done in the Live results page. This requires a Pro License or valid trial license. Press Start publishing to enable the publishing of results every minute. You will get an URL in return which will be the address for live updates for the current competititon. Note: It is crucial that this window stays open during the competition for updates to function properly.


Online backup

Pro License users are able to save an online backup of the competition from the Backup page. This backup can then be downloaded from other computers running Powerlifting Live. You should always save an online backup after setting up a competition.

Schedule

Powerlifting Live is able to calculate an approximate schedule for the competition based on the weigh in times, number of lifters and average time per lift. This is done from the Schedule page. Enter an average number of seconds per lift, and adjust the length of the break between disciplines(if applicable).

On competition day, before weigh in

Setting up screens

To set up screens, click the New screen button on the bottom of the left menu. You will be prompted to enter a name for the screen. Select an appropriate name, e.g. Results or Spotters. A blank window(standby mode) will appear. Drag this window to the correct screen/projector which you have connected and extended the desktop to. In the administration panel go to the Screens page to select which view to display on the screen, e.g. Results or Bar loading.

These are the available views:

Results: Shows the results for the current group, including lifter order and timers for lifters which need to report a new weight.

Lifter: Shows the current lifter.

Bar loading: Shows the distribution of weights on the bar in addition to the height of the squat or bench press rack.

Standby: This shows the standby screen with any information entered in the Info are of the competition settings.

After weigh in is done

Entering body weight, opening attempts and rack heights

Information about body weight and opening attempts is entered in the Lifters page. You can click on the correct lifter or search using name. However, the fastest method is using lot numbers. If you have speaker cards printed with correct lot numbers you can just type in the lot number and press enter to go directly to the correct lifter. Based on the selected Quick mode you will go directly to either the lifter body weight or rack heights. For optimal entering of data just enter the lot number and press enter in the Lifters page, then enter body weight and press tab to switch to the opening attempts fields. After entering all opening attempts press enter to save and go back to the lifters screen to repeat the process.

Start publishing of live results

See Setting up live online publishing of results

When competition has started

Go to the page called Results to open the page where you will be entering data during the competition. Make sure the correct discipline is selected for Current discipline.

Starting timer for bar loaded

Click the button called Bar loaded to start a countdown of 60 seconds. You can also press the shortcut key B to start this timer.

Entering lifts

If all attempts are entered correctly you should have two buttons below the Actions text: Good lift or No lift. Press the correct button according to the referee decision. The lift will be marked accordingly in the results table and updated on all screens. The next lifter will be marked in the table. After the lift you will get a text field on the bottom where you fill in the next attempt. By default this field will have the last attempt weight + 2.5 kg (if it was a good lift) or the same weight (if it was a no lift). Enter the correct reported attempt and press enter when the field is in focus.

From here you will be repeating the process of starting the Bar loaded timer, marking lifts as good or no lift and entering the next attempt. Lifter order is decided automatically based on entered weights and lot numbers.

If you do an error when entering data for lifts(or if there was an actual change) you need to update the table. Click directly on the attempt in question. If you need to change the weight, just enter the updated weight and press the Enter key. If you need to change the status of a lift, use the following keys: R: Reset the lift, so it will be marked as not completed G: Change the status to Good lift N: Change the status to No lift

Marking record attempts

Record attempts can be marked in the system from the Results page. To do this just click on the correct attempt from the scoresheet and press "A" to register record attempt. You will select the record type, category and discipline. Note that if you mark attempt 1 or 2 as a record, the following attempts will also automatically be marked as a record. Marking of record attempts can be deleted from the list below the scoresheet.

Changing the current group and discipline

If you have multiple groups which had the same weigh in you need to change the current group. Select the correct group from the group dropdown menu. Then press the Make this the current group button on the top. If you have just one group, or if all groups from the current weigh in finished their exercise, you need to change the current discipline. Select the correct discipline from the Current discipline dropdown.

Setting a countdown

If you have just one group you can enter the break between disciplines in the Settings page. Enter number of minutes break or set a specific time. This countdown will be displayed on all screens.


After the competition

Showing and printing results

Results including selected rankings are available from the Results - HTML menu. A simplified version is available in Results - Simple.

Printing diplomas

By using the Excel version of results you are able to use the Word mail merge functionality to fill in your own template for diplomas. The excel results are available in the menu Results - Excel.

Submitting results

Pro License users with an integration are able to submit results from the Submit results page. Fill in the appropriate values and press Save and submit to submit the results to your national federation.

Practical guidelines

During the competition you should run only Powerlifting Live. Other running programs might interfere and cause the system to slow down.

Cooperation between officials

Ideally the following officials should be present on a medium to large competition(they should be sitting in order from right to left or vice versa):

  • Speaker
  • Computer administrator, running the Powerlifting Live software and entering data
  • Recipient of attempt cards

Workflow

  1. The speaker will have the speaker cards in correct order in front of him. He will mark the current lift as good or no lift on the speaker card and pass it to the computer administrator.
  2. The computer administrator has already entered the good or no lift in the system, and will now just pass the speaker card to the person assigned to receiving attempt cards.
  3. The person receiving attempt cards will write the next attempt on the speaker card, and pass it to the computer administrator.
  4. The computer administrator will enter the next attempt in Powerlifting Live, and pass the speaker card back to the speaker.

This way we achieve the following:

  • Good or failed lifts are independently registered by the computer administrator and speaker, so any inconsistencies can be discovered.
  • Lifter order is maintaned independently by the speaker and Powerlifting Live.
  • The speaker card with the new attempt needs to pass through the computer administrator, so he will enter it in Powerlifting Live. This way we avoid that speaker cards are passed directly back to the speaker without being entered in the system.

In smaller competitions the computer administrator could also take over the role as the person responsible for receiving attempt cards.

Technical equipment

For the most basic setup of using Powerlifting Live you can suffice with just one computer running the software. If you want to display information on one external screen you also need a computer screen, TV or projector which you can connect to the computer. Most computers only have the possibility of connecting one external screen. If you want to connect additional screens you either need one or more USB display adapters(like the HIS Multi-View) or VGA splitters. VGA splitters can only forward the same screen view to multiple screens, an USB display adapter is able to show different views on the screens.

Setup 1: One external results screen

Equipment needed:

  • One computer for running the software
  • One external monitor/TV/projector

Setup 2: One screen for results and one for bar loading

Equipment needed:

  • One computer for running the software
  • Two external monitors/TVs/projectors
  • USB display adapter
  • Cables for connecting displays

Setup 3: One screen for bar loading and multiple screens for results

Equipment needed:

  • One computer for running the software
  • Three or more external monitors/TVs/projectors
  • Two USB display adapters OR one USB display adapter and a VGA splitter(which will send the results screen view to multiple displays)
  • Cables for connecting displays

Special cases

Guest lifter

If any of the lifters should not compete with the others, you will have to put them in a separate category. Create a new category which you can call Guest lifter from the Categories page. Then select this category in the lifter profile. This way the lifter wont be part of the rankings for other categories.

Second attempt of a lift due to errors

In case the jury/referee awards a second attempt for a lift(due to any errors) you will have to keep the lift marked good lift or no lift until it is the lifters turn(usually at the end of the round). Only then should you reset the lift so this lifter will be the current lifter. Resetting of the lift is done by marking the lift in the scoresheet and pressing the N button.

Passing lifts

If a lifter decides to pass on a lift, you should enter 0 as the weight and mark it as a no lift. This is done by clicking on the attempt in the Results page, replacing the weight by 0, and then pressing the N key.

Disqualification

A lifter can be set as disqualified from the lifter profile in the Lifters page. Check the Disqualified checkbox and save. This will remove him from the rankings.


Translation

Powerlifting Live can be translated to any language. To do this follow these steps:

  1. Open the htdocs\lang\ folder in the installation folder for Powerlifting Live.
  2. Make a copy of the file english.ini which you give the name of the language you want to translate to, e.g. spanish.ini
  3. Open the file in a regular text editor
  4. Replace the text on the right side of the equals sign(=) on each line with the correct translation.
  5. Save the file.
  6. You now have the choice of selecting this new language in the "Settings" page.
  7. Keep a backup of the new translation as it may be overriden when upgrading to a new version.
  8. E-mail the translation file to odsteen@gmail.com to have it included in future versions of Powerlifting Live.


Troubleshooting

Lifter order in the system is wrong

If the current lifter is not the same as the speakers current lifter, there is either wrong data entered in the system, or the speaker has a wrong order. Check that the data for the current lifter displayed by the system is correct according to the speaker card, also check that the data for the lifter which the speaker believes is next. In particular check that the lot number and weight for the current attempt is similar for the speaker card and the computer system.

The system is not responding

Try to close the web browser and open the administration panel again from the Start menu. If this does not help, close Powerlifting Live by right clicking on the icon in the system tray and pressing Close Powerlifting Live. Start the system again from the Start menu.

Other problems

Send an email to odsteen@gmail.com if you are experiencing other problems not mentioned above.