[WriteLog] Learning WriteLog

[Bob Wolbert, K6XX]

Randy,

I was hoping you'd respond as I recall you describing your love of 
"shoveling" (your term?), and I simply could not see anyone efficiently 
doing that the way I have WL configured.

More below...

73 de Bob, K6XX

On 2/21/2023 3:46 PM, Randy Thompson wrote:
> 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.

I understand and tried composing this to avoid sounding that way. I'm 
really not here to gore your ox, but to get this program running 
smoothly before July. By the way, in my "neighborhood" most everyone is 
indeed from somewhere else and they seem to do an awful lot of 
complaining... Sure wish I could limit them to five complaints.

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

Well, don't think that I'm selling MM+. Paraphrasing some wise man, 
"It's the worst contest logger I know, except for all of the others." 
But that's not the point.

> 
> 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.

Better: I'm told there is an .ini command making this an option. Now 
that I can _find_ the .ini file, that complaint is likely handled.

> 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.

This is what I was looking for. Thanks for mentioning HOME and END. I 
tried ALT-A, but dislike key combinations (there I go complaining again).

> 
> 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.

Sorta! It works for running anyway.


> 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.

Excellent. In WPX I used an unusual callsign--which explains why this 
didn't happen in RTTY RU...

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

Absolutely true. I've received a dozen, mostly direct, messages already. 
The key was finding the .ini file, in the very first reply received, 
sent by Keith Regli. Then a very complete and helpful .ini file 
explanation from NS3T has me confident that most of my issues are 
manageable--with a few hours and a few hundred more Qs in the log. I 
appreciate all of the replies!

> 
> Randy K5ZD
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: WriteLog <writelog-bounces at contesting.com> On Behalf Of Bob Wolbert, K6XX
> Sent: Tuesday, February 21, 2023 2:49 PM
> To: writelog at 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
> 
> _______________________________________________
> WriteLog mailing list
> WriteLog at contesting.com
> https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Flists.contesting.com%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Fwritelog&data=05%7C01%7C%7Caa972cb10a244634202808db1444af6f%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638126057452882066%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=7LtNxgrjfCD7IwLMi1XjhAUFk3xeuC3A53g37GEK%2B%2Fc%3D&reserved=0
> WriteLog on the web:  https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.writelog.com%2F&data=05%7C01%7C%7Caa972cb10a244634202808db1444af6f%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638126057452882066%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=bBsVL2IbwHlUvz44w%2FdHmSIeGLofpqpFRWxXWfD9V6c%3D&reserved=0