HYTEC Help

RE: HYTEC Help

dorothyrde — Mon, 22 May 2006 11:42:14 GMT

Originally posted by osterber I've generally been pretty happy with Hy-Tek response... Charlie seems most experienced with Meet Manager things. And I know they're busy with a lot of development stuff. But they're usually pretty responsive to the bug reports. The thing I do continue to be disappointed with is the very closed-source nature of everything. The Access databases are now locked down (but I'm not claiming it's hard to crack). The Hy-Tek file formats are officially unpublished, especially the formulas to derive the checksum columns in the CL2 and HY3 formats. These are things that, if opened a bit, could foster all sorts of useful third-party applications that, in my opinion, would only bolster the use of Hy-Tek software. Regarding the original question -- is this a question of HTML export directly from Hy-Tek MM/TM, or are you creating the report, which pops up in a new window (Crystal Reports), and _then_ doing an export to HTML? It may go without saying that, wherever possible, use the HTML export from inside Hy-Tek MM/TM directly. THe HTML that you get from the Crystal export is really not very good. -Rick That is a good thought. In this case we are trying to export from the Crystal Reports pop-up and are not getting the HTML pull down. I have to try the generation of HTML directly from the software and see if that works. In TM manager, I don't think there is an export directly to HTML for the meet entry reports, which is where we need this most. However, now I need to go home and play around with it some more as I nabbed the laptop from the Y to run the meet and have not returned it yet. Hytek suggested that there is a conflict with Crystal Reports and to rename the Crystal Reports folder, delete and reinstall the software. I did that last night and still did not work. They really had no other suggestions. Since this problem did not occur until AFTER the Y put their stuff on, I am now going to go back to the Y and have them take their stuff off to see if we can't get it back the way it was. It does still provide an Excel export and I know our web guy can take spreadsheets and make them pretty on our website, so if I cannot get this resolved I think that will be our work around. This past weekend was my first time running a meet with 2.0, and it worked quite nicely. I had run a time trial, but not a real meet. It dumped a couple times for me, looked like indexing issues, but I am sure they are working on them. I really like the DQ log, no more creating that on my own for the meet ref! We also had over 25 state records broken, so the reporting on that was helpful in all the paperwork we have to fill out to make those official with ISI.

RE: HYTEC Help

osterber — Mon, 22 May 2006 11:16:39 GMT

I've generally been pretty happy with Hy-Tek response... Charlie seems most experienced with Meet Manager things. And I know they're busy with a lot of development stuff. But they're usually pretty responsive to the bug reports. The thing I do continue to be disappointed with is the very closed-source nature of everything. The Access databases are now locked down (but I'm not claiming it's hard to crack). The Hy-Tek file formats are officially unpublished, especially the formulas to derive the checksum columns in the CL2 and HY3 formats. These are things that, if opened a bit, could foster all sorts of useful third-party applications that, in my opinion, would only bolster the use of Hy-Tek software. Regarding the original question -- is this a question of HTML export directly from Hy-Tek MM/TM, or are you creating the report, which pops up in a new window (Crystal Reports), and _then_ doing an export to HTML? It may go without saying that, wherever possible, use the HTML export from inside Hy-Tek MM/TM directly. THe HTML that you get from the Crystal export is really not very good. -Rick

RE: HYTEC Help

Former Member — Mon, 22 May 2006 05:49:57 GMT

Many of the exports are disappointing as what they produce isn't faithful to original tabs, pagination, etc. I have Acrobat software and will make PDFs for some of the reports. The "Flat HTML" reporting options are good but as an old-timey webmaster I cringe at some of the "Export to HTML" options due to the huge files and horrible HTML that gets created. Can you export to Word and then generate HTML from Word ? You may have to adjust columns and the headings but otherwise it is a fairly decent export. For some other reports export to RTF generates much better results than exporting to Word -- we use that to export Sports Business Manager invoices. Nancy

RE: HYTEC Help

dorothyrde — Mon, 22 May 2006 02:31:23 GMT

I tried the export to Excel, and it is OK. I will play around with the Word export and see what kind of HTML I can come up with. The entries report has to be exported from Crystal Reports, there is no HTML flat file generation.

RE: HYTEC Help

Former Member — Fri, 19 May 2006 12:15:17 GMT

There should be a configuration file HYTEC sent you, either on the CD or a diskette. This file holds the keys to which functions you are 'licensed' for. If you are savy, you can find this file (I think it's *.cfg) and place it over the existing file on the C:\HYTEC\... directory. (which by the way, uses a relatively weak encryption algorithm locking down functions ;) ) Otherwise, you might just want to reinstall it. Use the backup function that exists to save your current database, uninstall the program, then install it fresh from the media. Why am I so bitter with HYTEC?, I had a text based 'database' with my teams' (mutiple) records, including NYS Masters Champs records. We purchased the full copy of Team Manager, and I simply wanted a way to import the text base records files into Team Manager. HYTEC offered no help, they use a proprietary database (cheap!). So I wrote my own code to transform my text file into a HYTEC import file. I had a question on how they stored one of their fields, and they quite upset I was attempting to decompile their database and were quick to tell me to cease and desist. I told them if they don't provide a way to import text files, even for a fee, I would. To my glee, I successfully imported something like 1000 records :p . To my demise, when I left IBM for another job, I also left my code.:(

RE: HYTEC Help

aquageek — Fri, 19 May 2006 09:56:43 GMT

No, what I meant was that if you have to be online to use their software you'd need a reliable connection, which may or may not be possible in a pool setting. You get what you pay for with free software support.

RE: HYTEC Help

dorothyrde — Fri, 19 May 2006 08:23:37 GMT

Originally posted by aquageek Have you tried reloading the software? On-line software is much more reliable, provided you can get a connection. Are there issues with Hytec's connection, or do you mean the Y may not have a good connection?

RE: HYTEC Help

dorothyrde — Fri, 19 May 2006 08:22:10 GMT

The software that is offered on-line is Team Manager. I have the same issue with Meet manager. I feel the issue is with whatever the YMCA installed conflicting with Hytec, because the only computers that have this issue are the ones that have the Y software, mine works fine. Something the Y did either has a conflict with the file that builds this list, or corrupted this list. When I have time, I may wipe out everything he did, reinstall and see where I am. Hytec's response after I pressed them more earlier this month was so bad, I just shook my head and laughed. Hopefully this time I will get someone else. Last night I removed Meet Manager and reinstalled it with no luck. I did not have time to do Team Manager, but it probably would be the same. With the new Meet Manager 2.0, I can no longer get into the data base files with Access, which annoys me. I was fixing errors coaches sent me by back dooring it. Now it is password protected and I have not taken the time to break it. Of course, 800 frees are a good time to mess around with things like that.

RE: HYTEC Help

aquageek — Fri, 19 May 2006 08:03:05 GMT

Have you tried reloading the software? On-line software is much more reliable, provided you can get a connection.

RE: HYTEC Help

dorothyrde — Fri, 19 May 2006 07:02:06 GMT

Thanks, after we realized there was an issue, we tried to go back and do a system restore. First we had to make the Y IT person unlock the thing because he had it all locked down to everyone but administrator.:mad: He did open it up, but XP only allowed the restore for 3 days, and it was 4 days since he had done it, so we could not recover prior to him messing with it. I have to run this meet this weekend, but I think I will hang on to the laptop and have more time to mess with it next week(yeah right with a kid graduation next week). If I can find out where the software builds that list, and what files it uses, I could probably recover it from my own laptop. I tried that angle with Hytec, and just got a sales pitch from Tom to buy the online version.

RE: HYTEC Help

Former Member — Fri, 19 May 2006 05:35:34 GMT

Dorothy, I swan at UIAC yesterday. I really like the way the meters set-up looks. How do they move the slide that goes into the diving well?

RE: HYTEC Help

dorothyrde — Fri, 19 May 2006 03:18:04 GMT

I am pleased with Hytec. They have responded to my email and are looking into the issue. If they can guide me to where the conflict is, I will be very happy!

RE: HYTEC Help

dorothyrde — Fri, 19 May 2006 02:03:04 GMT

We don't move the slide. Last year when preparing for this meet, we had our tallest Senior do starts off that block. He is around 6-6 a National level sprinter, and he did not hit the slide. The starter starts the heats at the slide side, we set the computer table up across the pool by the back door(which is nice because we get some air!). The other nice thing about that set up is we are facing the starter so if we have an issue with the timing system that we need the starter to stop, it is easier to get their attention. The yards set-up has us with the starters back to us, and in the noise of a meet, it is sometimes hard to get their attention. Too bad the scoreboard is still toast. There are 4 bad panels, and unless they fix the air exhaust system in there the panels will continue to fail. After a 3 day meet in there, my eyes feel like they are bleeding from all the chemicals in the air. We can no longer use the in deck connectors for the pads because those have corroded so bad they are useless. So much for good construction. Part of my meet tub equipment is cue tips, pipe cleaners, rubbing alcohol and lime away. Every session the conduits must be cleaned out, or by the end of the meet, connections are not made for the pads to work. Oh well, better than having no pool.

RE: HYTEC Help

Former Member — Thu, 18 May 2006 15:32:05 GMT

I don't know anything about your meet software but as a last ditch effort I sometimes use a system restore to get back to a good working point (Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools). If you are working with XP it should have created a restore point when the software was loaded. Restore to that point if possible. If it's not right you can undo the restore. Perhaps the software they loaded is not compatible with your meet software. Who knows. I wish you luck.