Re: [Tlf-devel] Problems noted during Sweepstakes

[Mark Bailey]

Hi Tom:

I would prefer having the serial number and precedence entered without a 
space between them.  Also check and section.  Entering a three digit 
number is hard to remember and inconvenient.  It DOES allow unambiguous 
sorting though.  The ONE extra character for the precedence on a serial 
number correction is better than the extra zeros on a serial number (IMHO).

Not using TLF YET!  :-)

73,

Mark, KD4D

 On 11/10/2011 11:44 AM, Thomas Beierlein wrote:
> Hi Ben,
>
> thanks for the report for the SS behaviour.
>
> Am Wed, 09 Nov 2011 15:56:36 -0500
> schrieb Ben Coleman NJ8J<address@hidden>:
>
> > The Sweepstakes input parsing has some problems.  I consistently
> > noted that a precedence of U would get dropped if the fields were not
> > entered in order (I often found myself entering in the order Prec
> > Check Section Serial, as I would fill in Prec Check Section while
> > listening to QSOs before I was answered, then fill in the serial when
> > I finally got the QSO).  Precs A and B wouldn't be dropped, prec U
> > was.  I suspect the prec code was incompletely updated when U was
> > added.
> I just looked into it. You are right. Prec U is not correctly handled.
>
> > I also had a couple or three QSOs where the serial and prec got
> > dropped. I'm not yet sure what lead to this.
> I had a look into the code. The automatic recognition rules are not
> waterproof. Especially Serial and check can be missinterpreted if not
> entered in a speial order. I would suggest to make that non-ambiguous
> by the following rules:
>
> - Precedent has exactly one letter
> - Section is any combination of 2 or three letters
> - Check has always two digits (04 for 2004)
> - Serial has at least three digits (QSO nr. 1 has to be entered as
>    001)
> - precedent and section has to be separated by check or serial or a
>    blank
> - similar goes for check and serial
>
> That would make definite rules for interpreting and allows nearly any
> order and an use of any number of blanks (>=0) between them:
>
> 74B024CT = 024B 74 CT = B 74 CT 024 = ...
>
> What do you think?
>
>
> 73, de Tom DL1JBE.