Profiles
All of the data required to run a simulation are organized and stored in Race Analysis Profiles. When you first launch Race Analysis V2 you are presented with the Profile Screen shown below. Click the image for a full sized view.
The Profile screen is laid out in sections. Each of these sections will be described below. The Profile used for this discussion is a tack to tack comparison and consists of one dataset used five times each offset in time.
It was opened in Edit mode by selecting 'Edit' on the menu bar and browsing to the \Profiles Folder
Profile Name and Description
The Profile Name and Description is there for you to keep track of what each Profile is about.
When loading a Profile this data is read only. When editing or creating a new Profile these can be edited.
Global Weather
The Global Weather section allows you to assign global weather to a Profile. You can assign more than one global weather file to a Profile. Each set of weather data will be used in the weather based calculations (TWA, TWS etc) for boats that don't contain their own weather data. If multiple weather files are assigned they are applied based on both the timestamps of the weather reading and weighted based on the geographical location in relation to the boat at the given time. Details about global weather can be found here.
When loading a Profile this grid is read only. When editing or creating a new Profile you add a new Global Weather file by clicking in the empty box below 'WeatherPath'. Doing so opens a browse file dialog which allows you to select the file.
To remove a Global weather file from a profile select the row in the grid and press the delete key.
Race Entries
The Race Entries section contains all of the boat specific data. Click the image below to see a fill sized view.
When loading a Profile the grid is read only, when editing or creating a new Profile all fields can be modified.
To add a new Race Entry click the bottom (empty) row and fill in the information as described below.
Boat Name
This is the name that will be displayed in Simulation window.
Sail Number
This is the sail number for the boat.
Description
This is a description of the boat.
Delta T
This value acts and an offset in time. By entering a value less that 0 you 'shift' all of the boat data back in time by that many seconds. In this example the same set of data is used for each Race Entry with each boat offset in time by a greater value. The values were selected to align repeated leeward mark roundings to compare performance.
A value greater than 0 will shift data forward in time.
DeltaT offsets applied to boats without their own weather data will affect the application of any Global Weather data by aligning the weather data with the offset boat time.
Track File
The track file is the file that contains all of the GPS (and where applicable Vector and Weather) data for a given boat. The Track File format is specific to Race Analysis V2, tools are provided that will convert various formats to the required form. Detail about the file format can be found here.
Clicking the Track File box for a Race Entry will open a browse file dialog allowing you to select the desired file.
Mesh Path
The Mesh Path define the DirectX Model the simulation uses for each boat. Additional models can be created and used in the simulation. Boat models have some specific requirements described here.
Adding a new Mesh Path is done using the same method as adding a Track File. Click the Mesh Path box to open a browse file dialog.
LOA
Length Over All is used to calculate the appropriate 2 boat circle when rounding marks. The length is entered in meters, NOT feet!
Windward and Leeward Angles
These angles are used to approximate the values you'd get from polars for your best angle of point (windward) and your best angle while running (leeward). These angle are relative to the True Wind, not the Apparent Wind. When the option to show lay lines is active these are the angles used to calculate it.
Color
The color field defines the hull color that will be applied to the DirectX Mesh File assigned to the Boat. Any color in the DirectX Mesh Model that is define in the model as pure black (0x000000) will be replaced by the color defined here.
To assign a color click the color box to open a color dialog.
Saving the Profile
Once you've made changes to a Profile you can save it using the 'Save Profile' menu item. Clicking the 'Save Profile' menu will open a Save As dialog. You can either select an existing Profile to over write (you'll be prompted for confirmation) or type a new name.
Marks and Static Objects
The Marks and Static Objects section defines objects in the Simulation that aren't boats. Like Race Entries each Static Object has a DirectX Model associated with it. You can create and add your own models.
To add a new Object click the bottom (empty) row and fill in the information as described below.
When Loading a Profile the Marks and Static Object section is read only.
Name
The name of the Object. The name is displayed in the Simulation.
Type
This is the Object Type.
Description
This is the Object description.
Mesh Path
This is the Path to the Object DirectX model file. Clicking the Mesh Path field will open the browse file dialog so you can select the desired model.
Lat
This is the Latitude for the Object. The Latitude is entered in decimal degrees, for instance 44 degrees 24 Minutes and 30 Seconds North would be entered as 44.40833. Degrees North of the equator are positive degrees South are negative.
Long
This is the Longitude for the Object. The Longitude is entered in decimal degrees, for instance 123 degrees 18 minutes and 45 seconds East would be entered as -123.3125. Degrees West of Greenwich (0 degrees) are positive degrees East are negative.
Importing Marks and Objects
While you can enter each Static Object or Mark individually there is an easier way. If you have a GPS that can save a file in the industry standard GPX format you can import the stored waypoints directly to the Marks and Static Objects section. You will have to assign a model file for each Object manually.
To import GPX Waypoint Data select the 'Data Import Tools' Menu item and click the 'GPX Waypoints' option. This will open a browse file dialog that allows you to select a file to import.
Once imported the data appears in Marks and Static Objects section.
Route Data
The Route Data section defines the course for the Profile. Route points don't appear in the Simulation as physical objects instead they are used for the distance, bearing and VMG calculations.
Often a route mark will have a corresponding Static Object because you want to see the course in the simulation.
To manually add a Route Data point click the bottom row in the grid.
When loading a Profile the Route Data section is read only.
Index
The Index value sets the order the 'marks' are 'rounded'. When the Profile is saved the Route Data is automatically sorted based on the Index value. The Index values should begin with 0 and be integers but gaps are allowed. For instance {0 1 3 4 6 7} is acceptable.
Name
The Name identifies the Route Point in the Simulation and is displayed in the lower right.
Description
This is the description of the Route Data point.
Lat
This is the Latitude for the Route Data point. The Latitude is entered in decimal degrees, for instance 44 degrees 24 Minutes and 30 Seconds North would be entered as 44.40833. Degrees North of the equator are positive degrees South are negative.
Long
This is the Longitude for the Route Data point. The Longitude is entered in decimal degrees, for instance 123 degrees 18 minutes and 45 seconds East would be entered as -123.3125. Degrees West of Greenwich (0 degrees) are positive degrees East are negative.
Leave To Port
This check box indicates whether the Route Data point should be rounded with the Mark on the Port side of the boat. This box is checked by default.
Static Objects as a Route Data points
Located between the Marks and Static Objects section and the Route Data section is the button shown below.
If you select a data row in the Static Objects section and click this button a copy if that Objects Location, Name and description will be added to the bottom of the Route Data section.
Importing Route Data from GPX files
As with Static Objects there is the option to import Route Data defined in a GPX file. The method is similar to importing Static Objects and is done by selecting the 'Data Import Tools' menu item and choosing the GXP Route option. There is one additional requirement, the GPX file must only contain ONE route definition for this to work.
Creating New Profiles
To create a new empty Profile select the 'New Profile' menu item. You will be prompted to enter a Name and Description for your new Profile. When you click 'OK' you will be prompted to save the new Profile. Once saved the new empty Profile will be opened in Edit mode.
Simulating a Profile
Profiles in the Edit mode cannot be run directly, you must first save them (or not) and then load them. Profiles are loaded using the 'Load Profile' menu item.
Once loaded you can select the 'Run Sim' menu item to load all of the data, build the models and launch the simulation. Keep in mind that a typical Profile may encompass tens of megabytes of data, most of the calculations are done before the simulation begins and it may take several seconds to load all of the data. The load time depends on the number of Race Entries and the amount of data for each Entry. The calculations are done before the simulation starts to provide the maximum processor power for the rendering engine.