WriteLog
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Re: [WriteLog] Learning WriteLog

To: "'Randy Thompson'" <k5zd@outlook.com>
Subject: Re: [WriteLog] Learning WriteLog
From: <marsh@ka5m.net>
Date: Tue, 21 Feb 2023 19:11:36 -0600
List-post: <mailto:writelog@contesting.com>
"Some of us like it a lot and find it works very well." You can include me
in that group.

"The people here are very helpful." Yes, and you're one of the best!

I've taken a deep dive into other contest logging software, on more than one
occasion over the years, and I always come back to WriteLog.

73,
Marsh KA5M




-----Original Message-----
From: WriteLog <writelog-bounces@contesting.com> On Behalf Of Randy Thompson
Sent: Tuesday, February 21, 2023 5:47 PM
To: Bob Wolbert, K6XX <k6xx@k6xx.com>; writelog@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [WriteLog] Learning WriteLog

Bob,

Let's say someone moves into your neighborhood and the first 5 things they
talk about are how bad things are.  They haven't lived there very long but
all they can do is say how things should be different.

Maybe WL is not the software for you. Some of us like it a lot and find it
works very well.

With that out of the way...

WL has a keyboard macro editor.  You can map any keystroke you want to a
command.  Maybe pick something other than F12 for wipe.  Ctrl-w also does
the same.

I personally don't like the way N1MM+ puts a call in the entry field when
you tune by a spot.  Obviously you would prefer this.  Make an enhancement
request.

I use the Home and End keys all the time when editing a call in the entry
field.  Have never really had a problem with cursoring around a callsign,
but you are correct, if you keep hitting right arrow it will move to the
next field.

The "C" column is weird and annoying.  There is a way in the ini file to
turn that off.  I have had it off for so long I can't even remember what it
was for.

Good point on the multiplier windows.  I find mults by continent a bit of a
pain, but I don't really look at it that much.

You can turn on ESM in WL.

The SCP window has changed over time.  I miss the winnowing down as you get
more letters, but I have adjusted to the new way which always assumes there
are wildcards between every letter.

There is an ini file setting where you can tell WL what your own call is so
it won't select in RTTY when you hit Insert.

If you have questions, feel free to ask.  The people here are very helpful.

Randy K5ZD


-----Original Message-----
From: WriteLog <writelog-bounces@contesting.com> On Behalf Of Bob Wolbert,
K6XX
Sent: Tuesday, February 21, 2023 2:49 PM
To: writelog@contesting.com
Subject: [WriteLog] Learning WriteLog

I promised to learn WL for a contest this summer and have been struggling
with it since December. It is difficult for a new user to adopt WL. "Help"
is unhelpful--a prime example: writelog.ini is discussed throughout, but no
longer exists. Most of my recent Help searches have not answered my issues,
hence this post.

As background, I've entered 'a few' contests over the years, and started
confuzer logging with CT, progressed through TRLog, TR4Win, then to 
N1MM+. I've heard glowing reviews for WL over the years, but need expert
suggestions to optimize the experience. Bluntly, the way it runs seems
rather clunky.

I have mostly figured out running.

BUT... How to S&P in WL? The way I've been doing it is awkward.

Enter call, then Spacebar.

If Non Dupe, F4 to send my callsign, then "," or F2, which is programmed to
autolog without requiring a further ENTER.

If Dupe,  F12 to clear it from the callsign window, then turn the big knob.
Is there way to autoclear this dupe to eliminate second keystroke? 
F12 is in the middle of a row on craptop, so not as easily located as with a
full-size keyboard. While a key redefinition would work, I'd rather
eliminate this redundant keystroke and have it flash off a few ms after
pressing the spacebar (and still show up in the bandmap, of course). Is this
possible?

In both cases, there are extra keystrokes from various places around the
keyboard. Isn't there a more efficient technique? I'm used to TRLog/ESM
functionality where the ENTER key is my friend.

Bandmap:
When we tune back to same frequency, the callsign is not automatically
entered unless I mouse click on it (and the recorded bandmap frequency may
no longer be zero beat). Can this be automated? Any way to avoid using the
rodent?

General Functionality
Editing my frequent mistakes has been difficult. Why does the cursor key
move between fields?! If the cursor is in the middle of a callsign, I don't
want to have to watch and count the keystrokes to edit a prefix or suffix. I
just want to hit "lots" of arrows to guarantee the cursor is at the
beginning or end of a field, and then fix the call. For example,
5 keystrokes generally assure me that I'm at the correct spot in all of the
other logging programs. But in WL, I could be in a completely different part
of the exchange. Sometimes. It isn't consistent. Isn't there a better way?

Why does the default contest setup have fields for "Country" (full name,
spelled out) and "C" fields? These seem unnecessary and exacerbate my cursor
movement problem. What the heck is "C"? Any downside to eliminating them
from the entry window?


Nice Features Hiding or Missing?
The other loggers have features that I can't find in WL.

Multiplier Window. How do I:
   -DX contest-show the world, not just one continent.
   -Show both Zones and DX mults at the same time?

Partial check. In the contest I'm preparing WL for, SCP databases are
verboten, but we are allowed both full and partial calls from our own log.
How is this done? If the SCP window is the only way, how does one clear out
the SCP file? I really miss seeing possible callsign matches winnow down as
more letters are entered. Or watch the "duplicity" of a callsign that I've
tuned before typing the entire thing (and hitting the spacebar!).

Bandmap decay time. Is it adjustable?

I'll end on a minor nit: in WPX RTTY, INSert kept selecting my callsign and
I then called myself. This was addressed by logging myself on each band so
that I became a dupe.  How is this avoided?

Suggestions are appreciated. TU!

73 de Bob, K6XX

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