Course Setting in OCAD8

[Andy K]

Hope someone can help, I'm a novice with course setting in OCAD8.
I've planned a Long O course using OCAD 8 that goes across 3 maps and have run into a couple of basic problems with the way OCAD works. I want to edit the pictorial control description list that is automatically generated to put in text instructions at the bottom along the lines of 'navigate to crossing point then follow tapes to next wood.'I'd also like to add some text at the top of the boxes but can only get the course title to appear.
Also I want to number the controls consecutively - 1 to 30 odd - but with a new start triangle on each map. As soon as I put the next part of the course onto maps 2 and 3 OCAD automatically starts numbering from 1 again. Although I can manually change the number on the map it won't save the changes.
I'm sure its easy when you know how......

[Guest]

i have only used it for one event so here goes.

not sure how to do the control descriptions bit. But if you want to write anything on the map, you need to EXPORT COURSES (file menu)- this should be done last once everything is finalised as once they are exported, as a change in the editing software will not change the exports. (so you can often end up having to export the courses a few times!).

Once the courses are exported, you can now add the new start triangle, change the numbers on the controls and add random text if you want.

When i planned two part maps for the NOC walesby event, for the second part I produced a whole different course in the planning software (ie only had controls 13-22 on the map). This meant I had to place a start triangle over a control site in the OBJECTS mode. This was then relatively easy to do as I only then had to change the numbers once i had exported them.

English was never my thing so I'm happy if this makes a little sense.

Andy L

[Guest]

As described, the 'export course' is the way to do this.

A couple of extra tips:

Prior to doing the export course, add in a marked route at the place you want to add the text in the control descriptions. This gives you an extra line in the control descriptions to edit, without affecting the rest of the controls.

Do the second & third maps as totally separate courses. Just repeat the first control the correct number of times. OCAD only displays the last control number on the map. i.e. if the first control on part 2 is control 9, repeat the control 9 times. After you've done the 'export course' you just need to delete the repeated controls from the control descriptions.

[freaky_phil]

Are there any documents out there on good practice on using OCAD ? Knowledge base ?. Anyone willing to put on an OCAD course (maybe BOF could host it). I am stuck at the moment with crossing points and joing the line from the one control to the crossing point and to the next control. I have used the crossing point symbol and the marked route symbol but this does not seem to work (as when I preview the course the line goes from control to control not control, crossing pt, control) even though I have added the crossing marked route in the list of controls for the course, also I am trying to bend the line between controls around an OOB area but the only time you see the line between controls is on the preview and you cannot change the line?. I am sure lots of people must have come across these problems (I also have 2 crossing pts on one leg for the competitor to choose from) so the truth must be out there. Any pointers to help files/pdf's etc much appreciated, I found the OCAD help a bit basic.

[Guest]

try putting crossing point in on the master control sheet & then cutting the lines on the course and adjusting the angle?

[rocky]

from the most recent SOA Newsletter:

"The EckO website has a new section http://www.ecko.org.uk/resources.html This contails a copy of the presentation Lynne Walker did on using OCAD for training. It also has a video tutorial about how to use the free version of OCAD 8 for course planning.

I also plan to produce more of these video tutorials for other software that is used by orienteers.

Paul Frost, EckO"

[freaky_phil]

Thanks Guest, think I have sussed it using the square box with a cross in it to bend the lines. Next question... how can I export the control descriptions (I have them showing on the map) so that I can edit them, add things like "use crossing point" and "follow tapes" (for junior courses). I can export the course and print the control descriptions but not just the descriptions into say a text file.

[mikey]

from the most recent SOA Newsletter:

"The EckO website has a new section http://www.ecko.org.uk/resources.html This contails a copy of the presentation Lynne Walker did on using OCAD for training. It also has a video tutorial about how to use the free version of OCAD 8 for course planning.

I also plan to produce more of these video tutorials for other software that is used by orienteers.

Paul Frost, EckO"

Thanks. That is really useful. I have bookmarked the page for future reference.

[Snail]

think I have sussed it using the square box with a cross in it to bend the lines

If the variation from the straight line is substantial you probably need to adjust the course length as well, since the automatically calculated distance will still use the straight-line route.

You can calculate the addition by temporarily inserting one or more dummy controls at all the crossing points, out of bounds corners etc and comparing the OCAD course-lengths with/without these dummy controls.

There is a field in the course details to store the additional length.

[Marco Polo]

A short length of marked route also works like a dummy control, and Ocad will include marked routes in distance calculations.
(By short, I mean a road width or less)

Mark

[David May]

A slightly different OCAD 8 question here ...

Does anyone know how to convert a course file which was created in an early version of OCAD 8 so that it opens in version 8.13, complete with the updated (IOF 2004) control description options?

It looks as if version 8.13 opens with the previous CD set if an old course file is used and with the new set if you set up a new course file from scratch - not very helpful if you want to use the current CD standards with a file which was inadvertently created in and older version!

David

[gross2007]

Can you not just open it i& then save it in your current version of OCAD (8.13). You might need to change descriptions but that's not too hard??

[Ed]

You could try doing an import symbols from... and then choose a file with the new symbol set in - it works for maps (bar one or two symbols), but I've never tried it for course-setting files.

[tendon]

Seems to work for course setting as well. Timely discussion!

[Marco Polo]

Freaky Phil,

Apologies - I misread your post and hadn't realised you were already using marked routes. As I understood your problem marked routes ought to work?, but you have a workable solution anyway.

MP