Setup Guide

 

Installation

 

The Autonomous Race Management System© is automatically installed when the software installation process is executed. If the User has a track layout that is included in one of Carrera Digital 1/32 car sets and the User has no intention of modifying this layout, then additional software is not required. If the User has a track layout that deviates from one of these standard sets or has a more elaborate track layout, then it will be necessary to purchase and install a copy of the Autorennbahnplaner© software - the ultimate Carrera track planner. This must be purchased separately for a small cost and can be found at https://autorennbahnplaner.de/en/ 

 

The CU Microprocessor which connects to the Carrera CU must also be installed.

This CU microprocessor has 4 connections:

  1. Connection 1 connects the Microprocessor to the track rails.
  2. Connection 2 connects the Microprocessor to the Carrera CU Port 1 or Port 2.
  3. Connection 3 connects the Microprocessor to the S-Video DIN Socket input on the Carrera CU.
  4. Connection 4 (first version of the Microprocessor) connects the Microprocessor to the computer COM port via a USB-C connection. The Buyer is responsible for supplying the USB-C wire which MUST be capable of transporting both power and data. The second version of the Microprocessor will use WiFi to connect to the computer and will require no wire connection.

 

Once the above setups are completed the RaceManagement.ini file has to be updated. This file can be found in the directory where the programs where installed. Open this program with any text editor. The fields that require modification are the TRACKDIR and FILEDIR fields, which need to be updated with the directories that were entered during the installation process.

TRACKDIR='C:\...\AutorennbahnplanerNG\Digital 132\'

FILEDIR='C:\...\Programs\Car Racing\'

The directory full path names need to replace the above and then the .ini needs to be saved.

Other fields in the .ini file do not require changing at this point.

Initial Setup

 

The below steps take time if the User wishes to maintain a professional looking system. But once setup it will only require a minimal amount of updating time if further changes of additional Tracks, Series, Teams, Drivers and Cars are required. This allows more time to go racing.

 

Once the above is completed the system is ready for setup and execution. The System caters to real world racing by utilizing programs that setup Race Series, Race Teams, Race Drivers, Race Cars and Race Tracks. The next set of steps caters to setting up the data for the real world racing. 

If the User is building a track layout using the Autorennbahnplaner program then the following 2 steps must be completed.

  1. Execute the Autorennbahnplaner program and setup your track layout. It is important to place the ‘Power Add In’  feature onto the track locations where you intend to place Gates. These Gates can be either new IR Gate tracks specifically made for this system or Carrera Check Lane tracks. A Check Lane track without a Power Add In feature added in this step is NOT a Gate track. 
  2. Execute the ‘Capture Race Track Image’ module in this program to import an image of the track from the Autorennbahnplaner program. It is very important to note that the size of the track determined by the room planning % needs to be one of 80, 90, 120, 140, 160, 180 or 200. Any other sizes will distort the Simulation program output. This should be a clean image with no background interference. Execute the Race Management program and go to Track Setup / Capture. Place the transparent box over the track image and select Capture and Save. The angle of the track should be noted for later use in the system.

Note:

Although the system can cater to any number of track layouts, this is not necessary. If the User wishes to maintain only one layout the system will allow the User to assign multiple races in a Series to this one track layout and still maintain a Championship environment. 

  • The next step is to use the ‘Image Capture’ program to import image for the Series, Teams, Cars and Drivers that will be used by the system. There are already some examples of these in the installed system. The choice of each image is up to the User as the system does not utilize these in any other way except to display them in various programs. The Driver images can be helmets, popular driver’s faces or the User’s private faces.

  • The next step is to setup the Series, Teams Cars and Drivers database records under the ‘Racing Setup’ tab.

  • The next step is to setup the Track database record under the ‘Track Setup' tab. 

 

At this point the User can go racing by executing the ‘Qualifying’, ‘Analysis’, ‘Starting Grid’, ‘Race Preparation’ and ‘Race Day’ programs in sequence. If the User wishes to utilize the Autonomous / Computer mode of the system, then further setup will be required.

 

Autonomous / Computer Mode Setup

  • The initial step is to assign Gates to the track along with appropriate functions for each Gate. This can be done utilizing the 'Track Controls' module under the 'Track Setup' tab.

At this point the User can go racing by executing the ‘Qualifying’, ‘Analysis’, ‘Starting Grid’ programs in sequence.

  • The next step (which is optional) is to run a simulation for each car using the ‘Simulation’ program under the ‘Automation’ tab. This allows the User to be able to examine each cars qualification fastest lap performance and compare it to a hypothetical high performance lap. The User then has the option to modify the qualification time / speed entries to improve the performance.

  • The next Step is to select the COM port where the computer connection is made to the microprocessor. Any COM port can be selected but must be connected to the microprocessor in order to not receive an error. This can be performed at any time during the running of the system, BUT the COM port connection must be in place before executing the system.

  • The next step is to run the actual Autonomous / Computer mode via the ‘Race Day’ program under the ‘Automation’ tab.

  

Optional Functionality

  • The system caters to Users who wish to record a Calendar and Championship race results. This is completely optional and all functions supporting this can be found under the ‘Results’ tab. 

  • Additional Optional functionality exists in using the ‘Performance’ programs that can be found under either the ‘Competition’ tab or ‘Automation’ tab.