Using the Timing Simulator for testing

The Timing app comes with a simulator for testing or practising using the timing app. It will be installed onto your PC at the same time the Timing App is installed. Search for Alpha Simulator from your Start bar. 

Make sure the Timing app is running before opening the Alpha Simulator app. When you open the app, it will find any PC that is running the Alpha Timing App. Select the big blue box to connect the simulator to that timing PC. 

When you connect successfully to a timing PC you will see the main screen of the simulator. Before you start timing there are three areas you can edit:

1. The Transponder list - Here you can create several lists of transponders. Give the list a name and enter the long number of a transponder. You may wish to enter your rental transponders here or a known list of competitors. 
2. Average Laptime - this is the approximate laptime to simulate for each competitor (+/- 0.5 seconds). You can only use a whole number and is required before using the simulator. 
3. This drop down allows you to add a whole list or select individual transponders to add at a time to the passings simulation. This is configured in section 1 as described above.
   

Alternatively, it is also possible to add competitor's transponders that are allocated in the Alpha Timing app (see below)

Adding Transponders from a list

Once you have added all your transponders, you can then click Start Formation or Start Race to start simulating passings for those transponder numbers.

The bar will fill from left to right for each competitor by the average laptime, and when full simulates a passing and displays the laptime, before restarting the process. 

This is then sent to the timing PC and the transponders will be shown in the timing app which can be allocated to competitors if required. 

Adding Transponders assigned to competitors from the Alpha Timing app

If you want to add the transponder numbers from competitors in the Alpha Timing app, make sure the session is loaded and ready to be timed on the timing PC (i.e. Competitors have been added to the session and the Time Session button has been clicked) and then click the "Load Competitors" button. 

This will load the transponders and the names of the competitors they're assigned to, into the simulator.

Again, clicking Start Formation or Start Race will start simulating passings for those transponder numbers. The bar fills from left to right for each competitor by the approximate laptime, and when full simulates a passing and displays the laptime, before restarting the process. 

This is then sent to the timing PC which will be reflected in the timing app for those competitors. 

Adding Transponders from a list with Competitors

You can also add individual transponders to the list as well as loading competitors. First, load the competitors into the Simulator using the Load Competitors button and then add any transponders using the dropdown and Add button as before. 

Note: You will need to stop the simulator to add competitors or transponders.

You will then see passings for both competitors and transponders in the Timing app. 

To remove a competitor or transponder, click the X at the end of the row. This will stop simulating passings for that competitor or transponder, without the need to stop the simulator (simulating a broken down vehicle or intermittent transponder). However, you cannot add a competitor or transponder while the simulator is running. Click the Stop button to stop simulating passings.