[FAQ] Problems with VBO export

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Harry
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[FAQ] Problems with VBO export

Post by Harry »

[THIS TOPIC IS PROBABLY OUTDATED STARTING WITH LAPTIMER 18.3. WE FOUND A WAY TO KEEP LINE ENDING CONVENTIONS]

Latest with version 17, LapTimer generates a fully compatible VBO file suitable for Racelogic's free Circuit Tools. Both the old and the current version 2 of Circuit Tools were tested successfully.

Two issues you may run into:
  1. Racelogic's Tools expect raw data, while LapTimer changes raw data recordings to lap boundaries (using triggers) during recording. To allow recognition of lap boundaries in CT, LapTimer is able to export multi lap sessions and adds some extrapolated data to the beginning and the end of the recording. In addition, LapTimer triggers are exported too. Now, when opening a VBO file, CT will break down laps using its own algorithm (which can produce slightly different lap times). Keep that in mind, as LapTimer and CT use different concepts, things may vary a bit.
  2. [THIS ITEM OUTDATED STARTING WITH LAPTIMER 18.3. WE FOUND A WAY TO KEEP LINE ENDING CONVENTIONS!] The iPhone is a Unix platform, while CT works on Windows only. Both platforms feature different formats for line ends. As VBO files are practically always used on Windows, LapTimer uses the Windows conventions for VBO export. But: it seems that certain configurations of mail tools and OSes think they are smart and start changing the format during transfer again, leading to unreadable VBO files (CT is particularly picky with its format). Here is a workaround you may use in case you get an error message during VBO opening: download the free Windows text editor Notepad++; open the VBO file in Notepad++; select Edit ‣ Line Operations ‣ Remove Empty Lines; select Edit ‣ EOL Conversions ‣ Windows; save the VBO and open in CT. As an alternative, use the replace function: select Search ‣ Replace; select "Extended…" from "Search Mode", enter "\r\r\n" in "Find what" and "\r\n" in "Replace with"; run "Replace All"
Hope that helps,

- Harry

P.S. There is a know bug in CT2 that crashes the tool when using the open dialog with (LapTimer) VBO files. Please double click the VBO instead - to work around the dialog. RL will have that fixed with the next release.
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Re: [FAQ] Problems with VBO export

Post by Harry »

In case CT detects different sector numbers (see #1 above - i.e. does not catch all sectors), here is a hint that may help:
bulls23 wrote: Open your VBO, click on the "CT" button on the top left, select Start/Finish wizard, click on "Gate width" until you get the right amount of splits / laps (the number is previewed under the track layout in the pop up windows of the wizard).
- Harry
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shabid
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Re: [FAQ] Problems with VBO export

Post by shabid »

Hi

I am having an issue with the VBO exports. I did four sessions during testing last week. I have exported the data in the vbo format and loaded it into CT ok. The first three sessions are fine. The last one has some very strange lap times (much longer). In the app itself, the laptimes show up ok.

What could the issue be?

If you PM me your email then I'll happily send you the VBO file I have and a screen image from my iPhone showing the situation.

Thanks
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Harry
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Re: [FAQ] Problems with VBO export

Post by Harry »

CT makes its own judgement on lap times achieved. Either the triggers exported cannot be used by CT, or the data CT receives is not recognized correctly. LapTimer adds extra data before and after laps so CT is able to detect line crossing. CT's and LapTimer's concepts are completely different here. While LapTimer processes data to laps during recording, CT's origins are back to logger data that is post processed. Both approaches have pros and cons, during VBO export this is becoming pretty obvious.

- Harry
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Re: [FAQ] Problems with VBO export

Post by shabid »

Hi Harry,

Thanks for the reply. The issue isn't with the start-finish line. I think this is correct as the speed profiles look about right. The issue is with the time / distance. It looks to me like there is some issue with the rate of data logging. I was using the Dual X150 at 5hz. The laptimes seem about double, as do the distances.

Would you be happy to take a look - as I think I did my best laps in this section?

Thanks
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Re: [FAQ] Problems with VBO export

Post by Harry »

Ok, please send both a lap's .vbo and .hlptrl export to Harry@gps-laptimer.de

Vbo exports are always interpolated to 10hz, that is ok

Harry
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Re: [FAQ] Problems with VBO export

Post by shabid »

Email sent just now.

Thanks
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Re: [FAQ] Problems with VBO export

Post by Harry »

Hi Samir,

I found indeed an issue in fix interpolation, thanks for sending the sample. I will add the fix to the next bugfix release (will be available in 1 week). It did not run tests with CT, but I assume the named problems are caused by the issue.

- Harry
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Re: [FAQ] Problems with VBO export

Post by shabid »

Hi Harry

Thanks for the quick turn around. Yes the file loads fine into CT now. A slight difference is that before it worked out the start/finish and sectors without my input. Now, when I load the file from a cleared CT session, the first thing it asks is for me to give the start/finish and sectors. I saved a set from before so was able to load these in.

It was worth it as my idealised time has now dropped a couple of tenths :) plus I found I actually made up 2 seconds =) in one part of the lap (a high speed section that took a while to build up to!) so it is really great to have the complete picture now.

Appreciate the great support Harry.

Regards
Samir
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Re: [FAQ] Problems with VBO export

Post by skyphab »

Thanks for adding the Circuit Tools support!
I just did a search for external tools I can use and found out, that the support is already there :)

Will try that at Imola tomorrow :D
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