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- - - - ----
USER DOCUMENTATION
for
THE POOL MANAGER (tm)
Version 2.0
by Andy Kunz
A Sports Pool Organizer
and Database
Copyright 1985, 1988, 1990 by Andy Kunz
_______
Andy Kunz ____|__ | (tm)
American Systems --| | |-------------------
Post Office Box 604 | ____|__ | Association of
LaGrange, Illinois | | |_| Shareware
60525-0604 |__| o | Professionals
-----| | |---------------------
Compuserve: 72446,316 |___|___| MEMBER
THE POOL MANAGER (tm)
USER'S GUIDE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Contents .......................... i
Version 2.0 Compatibility ................. ii
Version 2.0 Enhancements ................... iii
Features .................................. 1
Hardware Requirements ..................... 2
File Descriptions ......................... 2
First Things First ........................ 3
Introduction .............................. 4
How the Pool Works ........................ 5
SECTION I Setting Up a Pool
Data Directory & Pool Filename .......... 6
Group Association ....................... 6
The Major Options ....................... 7
Preliminary Information ................. 8
SECTION II Running the Pool - The Main Menu
Print Picksheet ......................... 11
Enter Names and Picks ................... 12
Print Individual Picks .................. 14
Enter Point Spread ...................... 14
Enter Prizes and Spreadsheet Note ....... 15
Custom Notes and Color Preferences ...... 15
Group Statistics ........................ 16
Back up Current Pool Data Files ......... 18
Print Pick Summary Spreadsheet .......... 19
Update Actual Results ................... 19
Print Results of Games Completed ........ 20
Current Standings ....................... 21
Calculate `What If' Scenario ............ 21
Switch to Another Pool .................. 22
Exit this Program ....................... 22
SECTION III Shareware
Definition of Shareware ................. 22
Disclaimer; Copying Restrictions ........ 23
Registration Benefits & Procedure ....... 24
The ASP Ombudsman ....................... 25
Registration Form ....................... 26
-i-
THE POOL MANAGER (tm)
USER'S GUIDE
VERSION 2.0 COMPATIBILITY
Version 2.0 cannot use data files created with previous versions of
The Pool Manager. If you want to keep pools created with these
versions, copy them onto other disks and delete them from your hard
disk. Depending on your path, the program may attempt to load
them. If you're using a floppy system, start your use of version
2.0 with a clean working disk.
Version 2.0 is not compatible with the PCjr. American Systems will
continue to support Version 1.2 and offer schedules for 1.2 for
PCjr users and those who choose not to upgrade to Version 2.0
UPGRADES
Registered users of earlier versions of The Pool Manager may
upgrade to version 2.0 For the upgrade cost of $8.00, you will
receive:
- Version 2.0 of The Pool Manager with complete documentation
- The SQRPool print utility used to run a variety of square
pools for all sports
- A complete NFL season of pools set up on disk for each week
of the current NFL season
-ii-
THE POOL MANAGER (tm)
USER'S GUIDE
VERSION 2.0 ENHANCEMENTS
NEW POOLS
- Option to score without confidence points (wins and losses only)
- Option to determine winning teams by applying the point spread
- Option to apply a tiebreaker to any type of pool
UTILITY
- Main Menu shows complete information on and status of current pool
- Ability to specify the drive and directory for data files
- Pool and group files resident on the data directory are displayed
when starting the program
- Easy correction of errors on picks, results, and other data
without reentering
- Extensive use of pop-up message and dialog boxes for help
information and description of errors
- On line help screen for interpretation of point spreads
- The ESC key is used instead of Funct.5, Enter to back up or exit
- Back up current pool (and group) files directly from the Main Menu
GROUP PERFORMANCE
- Compilation of seasonal performance statistics for each participant
in your group or organization. Stats maintained:
> Number of Pools played > Total Games Won
> Total Points Scored > Total Games Lost
> Average Points per pool > Overall Winning percentage
- Print statistics/standings for the organization at any time
- Export Group Statistics to a comma delimited ASCII file
- Select group participants for entering picks from a menu after
the completion of the first pool
PRINTING
- Today's date added to each report and titles to subsequent pages
- Print a spreadsheet at any time
- Standings report indicates the number of complete games in the pool
- The number of games won, lost, and winning percentage is listed as
part of the standings
- Six vs four character team abbreviations for the Spreadsheet
- Prize data is a single line, printed under the spreadsheet note.
- If used, each person's tiebreaker is included on the Spreadsheet
and on the Standings Report
- Instructions on Picksheet specific to the type of pool being run
- Option to print the pointspread (if used) on the Picksheet
- Results report lists point spread and indicates whether or not
each team covered (if point spread was applied)
MISCELLANEOUS
- Capacity increased to 120 people per pool with 140 max in a group
- "What If" Scenario able to cover any number of games up to the
number remaining to be played.
- NFL Preload feature can be used for any number of NFL games
- Expanded use of color and complete color control
- Convenient operation from a single Main Menu
- Option to sort standings by most points won or best possible score
-iii-
THE POOL MANAGER (tm)
USER'S GUIDE
FEATURES
+ Accommodates up to 120 participants and 18 games.
+ Generates and prints a Picksheet, complete with pool directions
for entrants to mark their picks for winners.
+ All NFL teams are stored in the program, eliminating the need
to type them in each week. Just indicate the opponents for
this week's games. Use of this module is optional; you can
define any 18 games for a pool.
+ Full error protection prevents inadvertent input mistakes on
all information entered into the program.
+ Maintains season long statistics for a regular group of people.
+ Generates and prints a report of any individual's picks. This
can be given to an entrant in confirmation of his/her picks.
+ Generates and prints a spreadsheet that shows all the teams
and each individual's picks for all the games.
+ Has the capability to customize display colors to any desired
combination.
+ Calculates each individual's score and winning percentage.
Also, the number of points lost and the number of points still
pending are calculated to give an indication of potential in
the remaining games.
+ Maintains and prints results of games played.
+ Prints the standings or displays them on the screen.
+ Determines the standings IF a certain team or teams win.
+ Allows the customization of each pool. Provision is made for:
> Pool Title > Note to Appear on Spreadsheet
> Date of Event > Prizes information on the Spreadsheet
> Note for Picksheet > Group Title and Listing Note
+ Enables entering the fundamental information weeks in advance.
The ability to revise the custom information makes this feature
even more attractive.
-1-
THE POOL MANAGER (tm)
USER'S GUIDE
HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS
Computer: IBM PC, PC/XT, PC/AT or compatible with at least
384K RAM. Ver 2.0 is NOT compatible with the PCjr.
Operating Sys.: DOS 2.1 or later
Monitor: Color (preferred) or Monochrome.
Drives: One, double sided (360k).
Printer: Epson FX and MX series, Star Micronics 10X, IBM
Graphics printer or equivalent dot matrix printer.
FILE DESCRIPTIONS
The following files constitute The Pool Manager and should be on
your original disk:
README General Information and instructions for preparing
to use The Pool Manager and printing the User's
Guide.
POOLMGR.DOC Complete User's Guide for The Pool Manager.
NFLPOOL.EXE The Pool Manager Program.
REGFORM Registration Form to purchase the program.
The following Pool Data files are generated by the Program. [For a
pool with the filename XXXX and a Group with the filename ZZZZ]
XXXX.DAT Contains general information specific to this pool.
XXXX.TEM Contains data related to teams in the pool.
XXXX.PIK Contains data related to participants in the pool.
ZZZZ.GRP Contains all statistics for a Group.
ZZZZ.ASC Comma delimited ASCII file of group statistics.
DISCOLOR Contains the color/contrast setting for your monitor.
-2-
THE POOL MANAGER (tm)
USER'S GUIDE
FIRST THINGS FIRST
If you didn't read the file README, the procedure for preparing to
use The Pool Manager is repeated below.
1. Make a backup copy (using the DOS DISKCOPY command) of your
original Pool Manager disk. Put the original in a safe place.
2. Print out this documentation if you haven't already done so.
Follow these steps:
A. Put your Pool Manager backup disk into the A drive.
B. Set your printer to top of form.
C. Be sure you have enough paper ready. The documentation
is about 25 pages long.
D. In response to the A> enter the following:
COPY POOLMGR.DOC PRN
Margins have been set to enable you to bind this User's Guide
in a three ring binder or report folder.
3. Create a working disk:
FLOPPY SYSTEM
A. Format a new disk using the /S option.
B. Copy the NFLPOOL.EXE file onto this disk.
The README and POOLMGR.DOC files are not needed on your
working disk and will just occupy space needed for data.
There will only be room for approximately 14 full pools (18
games, 120 people, with a group) with the program on the same
360K disk. It is strongly recommended to use a separate data
disk in the "B" drive for your pool data files. Do not put a
write protect tab on your working disk.
HARD DISK
A. Create a subdirectory for The Pool Manager. In response
to the C> enter MD POOL
B. Put the backup disk in the A drive and enter the
following in response to the A> COPY *.* C:\POOL/V
4. To start the program: [Be sure to set the time and date for
your system because today's date will be printed on all the
reports]
A. Floppy System - Put your working disk in the A drive
Hard Disk - Change to the POOL subdirectory by
entering CD\POOL
B. Enter NFLPOOL and the program will load and run.
-3-
THE POOL MANAGER (tm)
USER'S GUIDE
INTRODUCTION
The Pool Manager is for anyone who wants to run a sports pool.
Though it was originally written for and is still customized for
football, the program has been proven to work well with any sport.
Whether it's the featured event at a private party or the regular
office pool, this program eliminates all the tedious work. All you
need to do is enter the basic information and results; The Pool
Manager handles everything else. From generating a worksheet for
participants to indicate their picks, to printing the final
standings, The Pool Manager has many features that ensure an
interesting and error free pool. The program has extensive error
protection to prevent inadvertent input mistakes as well as catch
an error made by a participant in the pool. It has complete
flexibility to handle any combination of college and/or pro games -
up to 18 games and 90 participants in a single pool. There is an
option to load all NFL Teams. Just select the opponents for each
game. The program has display color control in addition to several
other features that allow you a high degree of customization. There
are over 20 pages of clearly written documentation that describe
each feature of the program, complete with examples. Extensive
report capability includes:
A picksheet for participants to indicate their selections
The pointspread can be optionally included on the Picksheet
Listing of an individual's picks
A spreadsheet indicating everyone's picks on all the games
Current and final standings
Potential standings "IF" a certain team or teams win
Results of all games played
Group Standings reflecting all pools completed this season
Group Statistics can also be downloaded to an ASCII File
Since The Pool Manager is Shareware, you are afforded the unique
opportunity to influence its improvement. Please read Section III
on Shareware on page 22. As you evaluate The Pool Manager, note
any problems or inconveniences you encounter as well as
improvements that you would like to see made to the program.
Please include them on the Registration Form when you register.
Enhancements will be made based on the priorities established by
registered users.
Please take time to read this User's Guide and set up a complete dummy
pool to become familiar with the requirements and capabilities of this
program.
-4-
THE POOL MANAGER (tm)
USER'S GUIDE
HOW THE POOL WORKS
The games to be included in the pool should be arrived at by
general agreement. The Pool Manager can handle anywhere from 2
through 18 games. The pool operation is very simple. All you have
to do is pick the teams you think will win. Points are awarded as
described below under SCORING. The individual that accumulates the
most points wins the pool.
SCORING
Confidence Numbers
A confidence number, (ranging from 1 to the number of games in the
pool) is assigned to each team that was selected to win. Each
number can be used only once. If the selected team wins, the
participant is awarded the number of confidence points assigned.
If the selected team loses, no points are awarded. Your strategy
should be to assign the highest numbers to the teams that you are
the most confident will win.
Wins and Losses only
One point is awarded for each winning team selected.
Ties
If a game ends in a tie, no points are awarded for either team. It
is scored as if both teams lost. An exception is when the point
spread is applied. In a tie, it is possible that one team may have
covered the point spread, thus winning the game or "covering the
spread"
-5-
THE POOL MANAGER (tm)
USER'S GUIDE
SECTION I - SETTING UP A POOL
To start, follow the directions under item 4 of First Things First.
The first time the program is run, you will be asked whether or not
your monitor can display several colors. This information will be
stored in a file called DISCOLOR and loaded directly in subsequent
use of the program. You can change the colors if desired later
from the Main Menu.
DEFINING the DATA DIRECTORY
The current drive and directory for pool data files is displayed at
the top of the screen. If you want to use it for your pool data
files, press enter to accept. The filenames of any pools that
currently reside on this drive and directory are displayed in the
box at the bottom of the screen. If you are loading an existing
pool, the pool filename must be displayed in this box.
If you want to use another drive or directory, enter it at the
prompt. An error message will appear if there are any problems.
Once the drive and directory you want to use is displayed, press
enter to accept and you will be prompted for the pool filename.
POOL FILENAME
Each pool must have a unique filename. The filename should be a
valid DOS filename with a maximum of 8 characters and no extension.
Limit yourself to using letters and numbers. Punctuation, spaces
or other symbols may cause unpredictable results. The program
will catch serious errors and ask you to try again. To access this
pool again later, you will have to enter this same filename when
you restart the program.
Examples of pool filenames: WEEK2 COLLEGE NFL10
The purpose of the filename is to identify the data stored for this
pool and distinguish it from data stored for other pools on the same
disk, so use something descriptive.
GROUP ASSOCIATION
Use this feature if you want to maintain season long statistics for
a regular group of people. The statistics maintained for each
individual are:
> Total pools played > Winning percentage
> Total wins > Total points scored
> Total losses
-6-
THE POOL MANAGER (tm)
USER'S GUIDE
SETTING UP A POOL
You must also supply a filename for the group. Similar to the pool
filename, it must be a valid DOS filename. Group files residing on
the drive and directory you have selected will appear in a box at
the bottom of the screen. The pool and group data files must
reside on the same drive and directory. After specifying the
filename, you will be prompted for the group name. The name will
appear on the group printouts and may be changed later.
There are two guidelines for maintaining group statistics that must
be observed. (See page 17 under Group Statistics for complete
information)
1) You cannot run more than one pool at a time with the same group
of people. The final results of the current pool must be added to
this group's statistics before you can begin entering picks for the
next pool using this same group.
2) All pools run with a given group must use the same scoring
method. If the first pool run for the group used confidence points,
all subsequent pools run with this group must use the confidence
points scoring method. Pools run with a given group may or may not
utilize the tiebreaker, and may or may not have the point spread
applied. The only thing that has to be consistent between all
pools run with a group is the scoring method.
THE MAJOR OPTIONS
There are three major options that determine how the pool will
operate:
1) Scoring - You have the option to assign confidence points to
each game or to score on the basis of wins and losses only.
A. Wins and Losses Only - If you select wins and losses only, the
winner of the pool will be determined by the greatest number of
games picked correctly. One point is awarded for each correct
choice.
B. Confidence Points - If you select confidence points, a
confidence number (from one to the number of games in the pool)
must be assigned by the participant to each game in addition to
picking the winner. If the team selected wins, you receive the
number of confidence points assigned.
The winner of the pool is the person who gets the most points.
Regardless which method is selected, tie games lose.
-7-
THE POOL MANAGER (tm)
USER'S GUIDE
SETTING UP A POOL
2) Tiebreaker. The tiebreaker is used to break ties in total
points scored to determine the standings. A participant who's
tiebreaker pick is closest to the tiebreaker result (whether above
or below) will be placed ahead of other participants he's tied
with. Most commonly, people use the total points scored in the
Monday night game. It can also be total yards rushing for a given
team or even the number of penalty yards assessed. The only
restriction is that it be an integer from 0 to 999. At this point,
you only need to indicate whether or not a tiebreaker is to be used
in this pool. You will be prompted for a text description of what
the tiebreaker is when you furnish the Preliminary Information in
the next section.
3) Pointspread. Select Point Spread Applied if you want the
"winners" of each game to be determined by applying the pointspread
to the score. You will be prompted for the line on each team later
from the Main Menu. When the pool is scored this way, participants
will receive points for teams they select that cover the
pointspread, whether or not that team actually wins the game.
There is also the possibility that neither team in a game covers,
so all points are lost.
PRELIMINARY INFORMATION
1) Pool Title. A 39 character text description of the pool. It
will be printed on all the documentation (picksheet, spreadsheet,
and standings) to uniquely identify this pool. Don't confuse the
title with the pool filename.
Examples of XYZ Corp. Football Pool Week #4
Pool Titles: Kelly's Bar College Pool - Week 2
The 1988 College Bowl Season Pool
2) Date. Date that most games are played, most commonly Sunday for
NFL pools and Saturday for college pools. For a bowl season pool,
January 1 would probably be used. There is a limit of 18
characters for the date.
3) Number of games in the pool. There can be from 2 to 18 games in
a pool. Remember to enter the number of games to be played and not
the number of teams involved.
-8-
THE POOL MANAGER (tm)
USER'S GUIDE
SETTING UP A POOL
4) NFL Team Preload feature. This feature saves you from
repeatedly entering the NFL teams and their abbreviations for every
game in the pool each week. You will be prompted for the number of
NFL games to include. Beginning in 1990, each team has one open
date so there will be several weeks when less than 14 games are
played. The preload feature now enables you to load any number of
NFL games. Later you will be presented with a screen listing all
NFL teams. (See Defining the Games below) All you will have to do
is match up the opponents for each game. You may also include
college or high school games in addition to the NFL games up to a
maximum of 18.
5) Picksheet Note. This is an optional note that will appear on
the heading of the Picksheet which is distributed to participants
to indicate their selections for this week's pool. It is intended
to give information specific to this to this pool and can be up to
78 characters long. If you don't want to include a note, just
press enter. You can add or edit this note later under Custom
Notes and Color Preferences (see page 16).
Examples:
All sheets must be turned in to Jim by 12-11-88. Good Luck!
Picks due 9-21 @ noon. Congrats to last winner Sue Wille.
6) Tiebreaker Description. Enter a description of the tiebreaker.
This item will appear only if you previously decided to include a
tiebreaker in the pool under the major options selection.
Examples:
Total points, Bears vs Rams on Monday night.
Total rushing yards for San Francisco.
7) Defining the Games
A. With the NFL Team Preload Feature Selected
After the Preliminary Information has been entered, you will be
presented with a screen listing all NFL teams. All you have to do
is indicate who the home and visiting teams are for each game. Do
this by first entering the team number of the visiting team, then
the team number of its opponent. Continue this process until all
games for the week have been defined. Once all NFL games have been
defined, you will be presented with the Input Teams and
Abbreviations screen (described below). You may then edit any team
or abbreviation and, if there are more than the NFL games in the
pool, enter teams competing in the remaining games.
-9-
THE POOL MANAGER (tm)
USER'S GUIDE
SETTING UP A POOL
B. NFL Team Preload not used
After the Preliminary Information has been entered, the Input Teams
and Abbreviations screen will appear. On this screen, you will be
prompted for the teams in each game. You will also be asked for an
abbreviation of each team. The abbreviation is used for the team
heading on the spreadsheet and on the "What If" standings listing.
TEAMS The cursor is first positioned under the Visiting Team
column. Enter the name of the visiting team for the first game in
the pool. The team name may be up to 15 characters long.
ABBREVIATIONS Now the cursor is positioned under the left
abbreviation column. Enter up to a 6 letter abbreviation of the
Visiting Team.
Example: ILLINOIS ILLINI vs ALABAMA BAMA
MICHIGAN MICH vs OHIO STATE OHIOST
CHICAGO BEARS vs LOS ANGELES RAIDER
Press the backspace, left, up, or down arrow keys or ESC to make
corrections. Use Alt-C to clear a field. Once you have entered
the teams and abbreviations for the last game in the pool, you have
another opportunity to correct any mistakes. To correct a mistake,
enter N in response to the question: "Is this correct?" If
everything is correct, enter Y. All Major Option data and
Preliminary Information is written to disk and program control is
transferred to the Main Menu.
-10-
THE POOL MANAGER (tm)
USER'S GUIDE
SECTION II -- RUNNING THE POOL
THE MAIN MENU
PRINT PICKSHEET
The Picksheet is distributed to each participant for them to
indicate their picks for this week's pool. The Picksheet indicates
which teams are home and visiting, and contains short instructions
on how the pool works. The instructions are customized to the
type of pool being run as selected earlier under Major Options.
The Picksheet Note you entered with the other Preliminary
Information will be printed near the top. If you need to add or
modify this note, select "Custom Notes and Color Preferences" from
the Main Menu.
If you elected to score by confidence points, a blank is provided
to indicate the confidence points for each game. Be sure
participants don't confuse the team numbers with the confidence
number. The team number has been placed on the Picksheet to make
data entry easier.
If you elected to have the winners determined by applying the point
spread, you may optionally print the point spread for each team on
the Picksheet. You must first enter the line for each team. (See
page 14). If you need to distribute the Picksheets before the
pointspread has been published, you can print the picksheet without
it.
Before printing, be sure your printer is properly set up and on
line. Then enter the number of copies you want printed. To
interrupt printing, press Funct. 5 and you'll be returned to the
Main Menu.
NOTE: [THIS APPLIES TO ALL PRINTED REPORTS]
If your printer is off line or runs out of paper, the program will
pause for about 50 seconds for you to correct the problem. After
that, an error message will be displayed and you can try printing
the report again. While the program is waiting, the Funct. 5 key
will not interrupt and return control to the previous menu. This
key is only effective while the report is printing.
-11-
THE POOL MANAGER (tm)
USER'S GUIDE
THE MAIN MENU
ENTER NAMES and PICKS
Step 1. Enter the Name
A. Pools not associated with a group or the first pool with a group
Enter the participant's name as prompted near the middle of
the screen. Please limit the name length to 20 characters and
spaces. Proceed to Step 2, Enter the Tiebreaker.
B. Second or subsequent pools associated with a group
First, you have the option to enter picks for a person already in
the group or add a new person to this pool that hasn't been in a
pool with this group before. Use the arrow keys to highlight your
selection and press enter.
If you elect to enter picks for an individual who participated in
an earlier pool, you will be presented with a screen listing all
people in this group. Use the arrow keys to highlight your
selection and press enter. There will be up to 44 names displayed
on the first screen. If the individual you're looking for isn't on
the first screen, press END to highlight ++Display More Names++
then press enter and 44 more names will be displayed to select
from. Once you have entered this person's picks, his/her name will
be removed from the list. This prevents you from inadvertently
entering picks for the same person twice. It also serves to
indicate which group members have not had their picks entered into
this week's pool.
If you elect to add a new person, you will be prompted for his/her
name near the middle of the screen. The Pool Manager checks new
names against everyone in the group. A message will appear if you
try to enter a new participant with EXACTLY the same name as a
current group member. Capitalization and spaces must be exactly
the same for the program to catch this error. For example,
Bob jones is not the same as Bob Jones.
Step 2. Enter the Tiebreaker (if applicable)
If you decided to include a tiebreaker to break ties in the
standings, you will now be prompted to enter the participant's
tiebreaker pick. If the pool is not using a tiebreaker, this
prompt will not appear and you will be taken immediately to the
screen for entering picks on the games, Step 3.
-12-
THE POOL MANAGER (tm)
USER'S GUIDE
THE MAIN MENU
Step 3. Enter Picks on Games
This screen lists all games in the pool and the number that The
Pool Manager has assigned to each team. The team numbers are the
same as those listed on the picksheet to make data entry easier.
1. Enter the team number of the team selected to win the first
game. The team name will be printed for confirmation under the
TEAM heading.
2a. If the pool is scored with Confidence Points, the cursor should
now be under the CONFIDENCE # heading. Enter the confidence number
assigned to the team that you just entered.
2b. If you elected to score by Wins and Losses only, there will be
no CONFIDENCE # column and the cursor will be positioned under
the next TEAM # column. Enter the team number of the team chosen
to win the second game.
3. Repeat this process until the chosen winning teams and their
confidence numbers (if applicable) have been entered for all games
in the pool. The teams can be entered in any order and do not have
to be entered in the order printed on the picksheet.
EXAMPLE: (for Confidence Point pool)
TEAM # TEAM CONFIDENCE # TEAM # TEAM CONFIDENCE #
|
1 DePAUL 6 | 4 VALPARAISO 15
5 ROSARY 7 | 7 CONCORDIA 9
9 GEORGIA 4 | 12 PITT 2
If you attempt to enter the same team number twice, try to use the
same confidence number twice, or make other common mistakes, The
Pool Manager will catch your error. A message will describe the
problem, and you will be able to retry the entry. This feature is
helpful in finding errors that participants have made in their
choices. Better now than on Sunday afternoon! To make
corrections, press ESC and then ENTER until you reach the field
that needs to be revised.
After all picks have been entered, you will be asked "Is this
correct?" If you answer Y, the name and picks will be stored on the
disk and you have the opportunity to enter another participant's
name and picks. There is no facility for changing the picks after
they have been stored on the disk.
-13-
THE POOL MANAGER (tm)
USER'S GUIDE
THE MAIN MENU
PRINT INDIVIDUAL PICKS
This report lists the pool name, the date, the participant's name,
the teams selected to win, and their confidence numbers (if used).
Use the arrow keys to highlight the participant whose picks you
want to print. If the person you're interested in is not
displayed, press END to highlight ++Display More Names++ then
enter and another screen of names will be displayed to select from.
The first 44 persons entered are displayed on the first screen and
the remainder on following screens. After the report is printed,
control is returned to the Main Menu.
ENTER POINT SPREAD
If you elected to apply the pointspread to determine the winner of
the games, use this menu selection to enter the line. You must
enter the line for each team. The line must be entered prior to
printing the Picksheet if you want it to appear on the Picksheet.
Whichever team beats the opposition after adding that team's line
to its actual score (not the opponent's score) is considered the
winner. Online help is available from this screen by pressing F1
which summarizes the following information.
What you enter for each team depends on on how the line on the game
is expressed. Examples of the three basic methods are presented
below.
1) Favorite Points Underdog
Chicago 3 Green Bay
When the line is expressed this way, enter -3 for Chicago and +3
for Green Bay.
Scoring: For Chicago to cover, they must actually beat Green Bay
by 4 or more points. For Green Bay to cover, they must beat
Chicago or lose to them by 2 points or less. If Chicago wins by 3
neither team covers and all points on this game are lost.
2) Favorite Points Underdog
Cincinnati Pick 'em San Francisco
When the line is expressed this way, enter 0 for Cincinnati and 0
for San Francisco.
Scoring: Whichever team actually wins the game will cover. If the
game ends in a tie, neither team covers.
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THE POOL MANAGER (tm)
USER'S GUIDE
THE MAIN MENU
Enter Point Spread (Continued)
3) Seattle -7 New England +6
When the line is expressed this way, enter -7 for Seattle and +6
for New England. This is the usual format of the weekly parley
card.
Scoring: For Seattle to cover, they must beat New England by 8 or
more points. For New England to cover, they must beat Seattle or
lose by 5 points or less.
Remember, if the score is a tie after being adjusted by the
pointspread, that team does not cover.
ENTER PRIZES AND SPREADSHEET NOTE
There are two 78 character text fields that appear on the heading
of the spreadsheet. The prize field is printed immediately below
the spreadsheet note. These notes are intended for general and
prize information specific to this pool -- similar to the Picksheet
Note. This information will be stored and can be edited later.
Examples:
Party begins at noon Sunday - 405 Washington. Admission: 6-pack
First: $50.00 Second: $20.00 Third: $10.00 Last: $2.00
Picks due Wed. (Thu game) Include $1.00 to pay for this software
First: $35.00 Best Winning Percentage: $10.00
Both of these fields are optional. They will be left blank if no
information is entered.
CUSTOM NOTES AND COLOR PREFERENCES
You can modify four custom notes and the display colors with this
feature. Use the arrow keys to highlight your selection and press
ENTER. You can use INS, DEL, Backspace and the right & left arrow
keys for editing. Use ALT-C to clear a field completely.
1) Pool Title - The current title is displayed. You may edit it or
enter a new one. If you decide to leave the title unchanged, press
ESC.
2) Pool Date - The current date is displayed. You may edit it or
enter a new one. if you decide to leave the date unchanged, press
ESC.
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THE POOL MANAGER (tm)
USER'S GUIDE
THE MAIN MENU
3) Picksheet Note - The current Picksheet Note is displayed. You
may edit it or enter a new one. If you decide to leave the note
unchanged, press ESC.
4) Change Display Colors - You can specify different colors for the
foreground and the background for Primary and Highlight colors.
Primary colors are used for all screens. The emphasis foreground
color is used with the same background to emphasize specific data.
The foreground is the color of the characters. Highlight colors are
used for message boxes, data entry and menu selections. Highlight
colors should provide good contrast with Primary colors.
The color number currently in use is filled in. Select the color
you would like to use from the list on the right and enter its
number. The allowable values for each are indicated in the Range
column. The program will not allow you to specify the same color
for both the foreground and background. This would make the
character invisible.
The colors used by The Pool Manager are determined by the content
of a file called DISCOLOR. Once you have changed colors, this file
is rewritten, and the revised colors will be used until you change
them again.
5) Return to Main Menu
GROUP STATISTICS
The group statistics feature allows you to accumulate individual
performance results from each week's pool as the season progresses.
All you have to do to accomplish this is specify the same group
filename when setting up each subsequent pool, then add the results
of each pool to this group's statistics when the pool is complete.
Group standings can be printed any time after the results of the
first pool have been added. Participants are listed in the order
of most points scored. There is no tiebreaker applied to the
Group Standings even though it may have been applied in the pool.
Statistics maintained are the number of pools each person has
participated in, the person's overall won/lost record and winning
percentage. To provide maximum flexibility, this data can be
exported to a comma delimited ASCII file which can be imported into
your spreadsheet or database program for further manipulation.
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THE POOL MANAGER (tm)
USER'S GUIDE
THE MAIN MENU
Another advantage to maintaining group statistics is eliminating
the need to enter every participant's name each week. When
entering picks, just select the individual's name whose picks you
want to input from a list of people in the group.
Rules for maintaining group statistics:
1) Only one pool can be run at a time with a given group file.
The current pool must be completed and its results added to group
statistics before any picks can be entered on subsequent pools
using this group file. Several pools can be set up with Major
Options and Preliminary Information in advance, but individual's
picks cannot be entered until the results of the prior pool have
been added to group statistics.
2) All pools run with a given group file must use the same scoring
method.
If the first pool run with a particular group file utilizes
confidence points for scoring, all subsequent pools using that
group file must score with confidence points. If the first pool
run with a particular group file is scored by wins and losses only,
all subsequent pools using that group file must score with wins and
losses only.
3) There are no other limitations. Subsequent pools run with the
same group may have different numbers of games, may or may not
utilize the tiebreaker, and may or may not have the point spread
applied. These features can be used in any combination in pools
from week to week as long as the scoring method remains the same.
Selecting Group Statistics from the Main Menu presents you with the
following choices:
1) Group Listing Note - Similar to the Picksheet, Spreadsheet and
Prize Notes, this is an optional 78 character text field. It
appears in the heading of the Group Standings report.
Examples: Jaycees Football Pool Standings through Week #4
XYZ Corp. Baseball Pool standings through July 11
Unlike the other notes, however, the Group Listing Note is not
stored on disk. It remains in memory only as long as you're
working with this particular pool. The assumption is that group
statistics will be printed infrequently and the note will probably
be different each time the results are printed.
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THE POOL MANAGER (tm)
USER'S GUIDE
THE MAIN MENU
2) Print Group Standings - Prints the statistics on all participants
in the group sorted by most points scored. This selection will
not operate until the results of at least one pool has been added.
3) Edit Group Name - Use this selection to modify the group name
you assigned when initially setting up the group under Major
Options Selection. Press ESC if you change your mind and want the
group name to remain unchanged.
4) Add this Pool to Group Statistics - Use this selection when the
results of all games have been entered and the pool is complete.
Be sure all results entered are correct, because there is no
recovery if inaccurate data is added to group statistics.
Suggestion: First print the Results of Games Played and verify
that it's accurate. Once you have added this pool to group
statistics, you may enter names and picks in the next week's pool
using this same group file. This selection will not operate until
the results of all games in the pool have been entered.
5) Export Group Statistics to an ASCII File - This selection writes
the group standings information to a comma delimited ASCII file.
This enables you to import this data into a spreadsheet or database
to further arrange and sort to your specific needs. Also included
is each person's permanent ID number for the group. The ID numbers
begin with 3. The name of the file written will be the group
filename with an ASC extension. For example, if the group filename
is LEGION, the ASCII file will be LEGION.ASC It will be written to
the same drive and directory that the pool and group data files are
on. WARNING: Since the filename will always be the same for a
given group, be aware if you exported this group file earlier, it
will subsequently be overwritten.
6) Return to Main Menu
BACK UP CURRENT POOL DATA FILES
This selection will make backup copies of the current pool data
files. You need to assign a filename which can be any valid DOS
filename but should be something descriptive such as WK2BU You
cannot use the current pool filename for the backup. Optionally,
you may specify a path along with the filename if you want the data
backed up to a different drive or directory. If you don't specify
a path, the files will be backed up to the data drive and directory
currently in use. For Example:
WK2BU Data will be written to the current data drive & dir.
B:\WK2BU Data will be written to Drive B
C:\DATA\WK2BU Data will be written to the data subdirectory on Drive C
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THE POOL MANAGER (tm)
USER'S GUIDE
THE MAIN MENU
Back up Pool Data Files, continued
If the pool is associated with a group, the group data file will
also be backed up. Its filename will be changed to add a tilde (~)
as the last character in the filename. This is done to ensure that
a backed up pool has an up to date companion group file with it in
the event the backup is required.
If you attempt to use the filename of a pool that already exists,
you will be warned and given the opportunity to overwrite it or to
go back and change the filename you assigned.
PRINT PICK SUMMARY SPREADSHEET
The Spreadsheet lists abbreviations of all the teams across the top
of the page and the names of the participants down the left side.
Each participant's picks, including the tiebreaker if applicable,
are shown across from his/her name under the teams selected to win.
As soon as you enter the number of copies desired, printing will
begin. To interrupt printing, press FUNCT. 5 and you will be
returned to the Main Menu.
UPDATE ACTUAL RESULTS
Use this selection to enter the results of completed games and the
result of the pool tiebreaker, if applicable. If a tiebreaker is
included, you will be presented with the choice of entering the
tiebreaker result or the result of a game. Use the arrow keys to
highlight your selection and press enter. This menu will not
appear if the tiebreaker is not included.
Tiebreaker Result - Enter the number of the tiebreaker result when
prompted. (Total Points, total yards, etc.) If you make a mistake,
you may return and change it later.
Game Result - You will be prompted for the number of the winning
team. Once you enter the winning team number, the winning and
losing teams are displayed for confirmation. If the result was a
tie, enter either team number (It doesn't matter which one). The
Pool Manager's error detection routines will catch and allow you to
correct the following mistakes:
A) Entering the same winning team twice.
B) Entering the opponent of a team that was previously entered
as a winner.
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THE POOL MANAGER (tm)
USER'S GUIDE
THE MAIN MENU
Update Actual Results (Continued)
In either case, you can change the result of a game previously
entered if that's where the problem is. See the section below
entitled Changing Results of Games Previously Entered.
In response to the question Is this Correct? Y/N/Tie :
1) If you have selected the correct winning team number enter Y
2) If the team number you have selected is incorrect, enter N
3) If the game was tied, enter TIE.
If the pointspread is applied to determine winners for this pool,
you will now be prompted to enter each team's score. Be sure these
numbers are accurate because the calculations to determine which
team covers the spread will be determined by the number of points
scored by each, not by which team was indicated as the "winner."
To correct a mistake, press ESC at any point in this process. After
storing the data, you are offered the opportunity to enter the
results of another game. Answer Y if you have additional final
results to enter or N to be returned to the Main Menu.
CHANGING RESULTS of GAMES PREVIOUSLY ENTERED - If you already
entered the results of the Chicago-Minnesota game, for example, and
want to change those results, use the following procedure:
1) Select Update Actual Results from the Main Menu. When prompted
for the winning team number, enter either Chicago's or Minnesota's
number.
2) You will be notified that the result of this game has already
been entered. Answer Y in response to the prompt ""Do you want
to change the results of this game?"
3) Enter the correct outcome of the game.
PRINT RESULTS of GAMES COMPLETED
The winning and losing teams in each game will be indicated. Games
resulting in a tie will also be identified. If the pointspread is
applied to determine the winners, the pointspread and whether or
not each team covered will be indicated.
Before printing, be sure your printer is properly set and on line.
Then press any key to begin printing. To interrupt printing, press
Funct. 5 and you will be returned to the Main Menu. Similar to the
Print Current Standings selection, this feature will not operate
unless the result of at least one game has been entered.
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THE POOL MANAGER (tm)
USER'S GUIDE
THE MAIN MENU
CURRENT STANDINGS
You are offered the choice of printing the standings or displaying
them on the screen. Use the arrow keys to highlight your
selection, then press enter.
The standings can be sorted by the total points scored so far or by
the best possible score. Sorting by best possible score
essentially arranges participants from fewest points lost to most
points lost. This method of sorting is meaningful when less than
all the games in the pool have been completed. If all games have
been completed, both methods of sorting will yield the same
results.
The standings will reflect the results of all games entered so far.
The number of games completed will be shown in the heading, both on
the screen and printed output. Once all games in the pool have had
their results entered, the heading will indicate FINAL STANDINGS.
To interrupt printing, press FUNCT. 5 and you will be returned to
the Main Menu. Similar to the Print Results of Games Completed
selection this feature will not operate until the actual result of
at least one game has been entered.
CALCULATE "WHAT IF" SCENARIO
This feature enables you to determine what the standings would be
"IF" a certain team or teams were to win. All you have to do is
indicate the team number of the "winning" team. If the pointspread
is applied, you will need to guess at the final score. After
selecting the sorting method, indicate whether you want to see the
`what if' standings displayed on the screen or have them printed.
(See Current Standings for details on sorting) You can include as
many games in the scenario as you want up to the number remaining
in the pool. If you print (rather than display) the standings, the
teams you chose as "winners" in the scenario will be printed on the
heading.
This feature is very popular at parties because individuals can
anticipate what the standings would be if their team wins.
Calculation of theoretical results and standings has no effect on
the actual results and will not be stored on the disk. The Pool
Manager forgets the `what if' results as soon as they are printed
or displayed, so there is no limit to the number of times that this
feature can be used.
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THE POOL MANAGER (tm)
USER'S GUIDE
THE MAIN MENU
SWITCH to ANOTHER POOL
You are returned to the initial screen to specify the drive and
directory for pool data. The current pool is cleared from memory.
Confirm the drive and directory, then enter the filename of another
pool. This feature eliminates the need to reload the program if
you want to switch pools. It's especially useful when you are
loading the initial information for several pools at one session.
EXIT the PROGRAM
You are returned to DOS in the drive and directory from which you
began the program. All data is saved.
SECTION III -- SHAREWARE
DEFINITION OF SHAREWARE
Shareware distribution gives users a chance to try software before
buying it. If you try a Shareware program and continue using it,
you are expected to register. Shareware is a distribution method,
not a type of software. You should find software that suits your
needs and pocketbook, whether it's commercial or Shareware. The
Shareware system makes fitting your needs easier, because you can
try before you buy. Because the overhead is low, prices are low
also. Shareware has the ultimate money-back guarantee -- if you
don't use the product, you don't buy it. Individual programs
differ on details -- some request registration while others require
it, some specify a maximum trial period. With registration, you
get anything from the simple right to continue using the software
to an updated program with printed manual.
Copyright laws apply to both Shareware and commercial software, and
the copyright holder retains all rights, with a few specific
exceptions as stated below. Shareware authors are accomplished
programmers, just like commercial authors, and the programs are of
comparable quality. (In both cases, there are good programs and bad
ones!) The main difference is in the method of distribution. The
author specifically grants the right to copy and distribute the
software.
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THE POOL MANAGER (tm)
USER'S GUIDE
SHAREWARE
DISCLAIMER - AGREEMENT
Users of The Pool Manager must accept this disclaimer of warranty:
"The Pool Manager is supplied as is. The author disclaims all
warranties, expressed or implied, including, without limitation,
the warranties of merchantability and of fitness for any purpose.
The author assumes no liability for damages, direct or
consequential, which may result from the use of The Pool Manager."
The Pool Manager is a shareware program and is provided at no
charge to the user for evaluation. Feel free to share it with your
friends, but please do not give it away altered or as part of
another system. The essence of User Supported software is to
provide personal computer users with quality software without high
prices, and yet to provide incentive for programmers to continue to
develop new products. If you find that you are using The Pool
Manager, you must make a registration payment of $25 to American
Systems. The $25 registration fee will license one copy for use on
any one computer at any one time. Other benefits of registration
are described below. You must treat this software just like a
book. An example is that this software may be used by any number
of people and may be freely moved from one computer location to
another, so long as there is no possibility of it being used at one
location while it's being used at another.
Anyone distributing The Pool Manager for any kind of remuneration
must first contact American Systems at the address below for
authorization. This authorization will be automatically granted to
distributors recognized by the (ASP) as adhering to its guidelines
for shareware distributors, and such distributors may begin
offering The Pool Manager immediately (However American Systems
must still be advised so that the distributor can be kept up-to-
date with the latest version of The Pool Manager). Whether you
register or not, you are encouraged to copy this program within the
terms of the Restrictions described below.
RESTRICTIONS ON COPYING - Individuals are granted permission by the
author to copy The Pool Manager (tm) for their own use or for others
to evaluate as long as:
1. It is copied in its entirety. (All four files: README,
POOLMGR.DOC, NFLPOOL.EXE, and REGFORM)
2. The program and documentation are not altered in any way.
3. No price or other consideration is charged. The Pool Manager
may not be included as part of any "package" that is sold. The
distribution charge or media charge levied by computer clubs or
commercial disk vendors may not exceed $8.00.
4. The printed material may not be copied without express written
permission from the author.
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THE POOL MANAGER (tm)
USER'S GUIDE
SHAREWARE
REGISTRATION of THE POOL MANAGER
If you find this program to be useful, purchase it. The price is
$25. Registration is particularly easy if you split the cost among
the regular participants in the pool. Providing software would be
a considerate gesture to the individual who has volunteered
personal time to run the pool.
To print the registration form, place your backup disk in the A
drive and enter the following in response to the A>
COPY REGFORM PRN
Complete the Registration Form and mail it with $25 to American
Systems at the following address:
Andy Kunz
American Systems
Post Office Box 604
LaGrange, Illinois 60525-0604
Registration entitles you to the following benefits:
+ A disk with the latest version of the program and User's Guide.
+ A disk with the SQRPool print utility and the entire current
season's NFL schedule set up in weekly pools. (Schedules for
subsequent years are available to registered users only for $8.)
SQRPool is described on the next page.
+ A semi-annual newsletter (issued before and after the football
season) for three years to keep you informed of program
improvements, and tips from other users.
+ Ability to influence the development of this program. You may
voice your opinions when you register and anytime thereafter.
+ Availability of updates free or at nominal cost. Registered
users may obtain updates for free by sending American Systems a
blank, formatted diskette with a self addressed, prepaid mailer.
If you prefer, an update can be mailed to you for $8.
+ Direct user support via Compuserve or the mail for specific
problems that you encounter.
+ Immediate notification of any bugs discovered in the program with
recommended corrective action. It is important to complete the
information on your equipment (requested on the Registration Form)
in the event that any equipment specific bugs are discovered.
Evaluation copies of the program are available from American
Systems for $8, which will be credited toward contribution.
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THE POOL MANAGER (tm)
USER'S GUIDE
SHAREWARE
SQRPool - Provided only to registered users of The Pool Manager
SQRPool is a print utility that produces grids for running square
pools. If you are running a season-long pool, odds are you are
also called on to run a square pool for the conference playoffs in
basketball, baseball, and football as well as the World Series and
Super Bowl. SQRPool prints 10X10 grids with one, two, or four
score rows and 5X5 grids with two or four score rows. This offers
you the opportunity to introduce some new pools and saves the
hassle of making up a grid at the last minute.
SQRPool is an exclusive benefit to registered users of The Pool
Manager. You are specifically requested not to duplicate (except
for backup) or distribute it to anyone.
THE ASP OMBUDSMAN
This program is produced by a member of the Association of
Shareware Professionals (ASP). ASP wants to make sure that the
shareware principle works for you. If you are unable to resolve a
shareware-related problem with an ASP member by contacting the
member directly, ASP may be able to help. The ASP Ombudsman can
help you resolve a dispute or problem with an ASP member, but does
not provide technical support for members' products. Please write
to the ASP Ombudsman at P.O. Box 5786, Bellevue, WA 98006 or send a
Compuserve message via easyplex to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536.
REGISTRATION FORM
The Pool Manager(tm), Version 2.0 (Form D)
American Systems
Post Office Box 604
LaGrange, Illinois 60525-0604
Date__________________
Name ____________________________________
Do you want to receive
Address _________________________________ the Newsletter? _____
City, State _____________________________ Zip __________________
Enclosed is the $25 Registration Fee. Please send me the latest
version of The Pool Manager, the SQRPool print utility, and this
season's NFL schedule set up on disk.
Please complete the following information. It is needed to
continue to improve this program to better meet the user's needs. The
hardware information is important in the event any equipment specific
bugs are discovered in the program.
HARDWARE
Computer make/model:______________________________________ RAM:_______
Chip: __ 8086 __ 8088 __ 80286 __ 80386 __ 80386SX Speed:______Hz
Disk Drives/sizes _______________ Display Make/Model____________________
Display Type: __ MONO __ HERC __ CGA __ EGA __ VGA
PROGRAM
Check the major options for the type of pool you normally run:
Scoring Establishing Standings Determining Winners
------- ---------------------- -------------------
__ Confidence Points __ Without Tiebreaker __ Without Point Spread
__ Wins & Losses Only __ Tiebreaker Included __ Point Spread Applied
Average No. of people in a weekly pool ____ Total people in Group ____
How would you rate the overall performance of The Pool Manager?
Excellent __10 __9 __8 __7 __6 __5 __4 __3 __2 __1 Poor
What inconveniences or problems do you have with the program? __________
________________________________________________________________________
What improvements would you like to see? _______________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Where did you get your copy of The Pool Manager?
Source:_______________________ Address: _______________________________
If purchased on a Shareware disk, what was the cost? ________________