Know This First:
Getting Started with Launch (Windows)
Getting Started with Launch (Mac)
Introduction
Launch provides dynamic packet pickup and announcer display functionality for your ChronoTrack Live event, whether your computer is online or offline. Within Launch, there are three distinct Kiosk displays you can use. These are:
- Volunteer Kiosk - used for packet pickup and bib assignment
- Athlete Kiosk - self-service kiosk used for information look-up
- Announcer Kiosk - uses locally-streamed data to provide dynamic announcer data
This article will focus on how to use the Volunteer and Athlete Kiosks and how to configure their settings. For an overview of using the Announcer screen and its settings, click HERE.
Click HERE to jump to the FAQ section at the end of this article.
Kiosk Settings
The Kiosks tab in Launch contains settings for each Kiosk type including display fields and passwords. You can also launch Kiosk displays on the Host computer from this tab.
The Volunteer Kiosk can be configured with the following options:
- Passphrase - This passphrase must be entered before any of the Kiosk types can be accessed from a device other than the Host computer. You can also just use the default Passphrase.
- Check-in Method - Bib assignment allows bib numbers to be assigned and edited, while Volunteer check-in will simply mark each athlete who uses the Kiosk as "checked-in". Bib assignment will not be allowed in Volunteer check-in mode.
- Allow Check-in By Friend - Enables a check box in the upper right corner of the kiosk screen that notes that the selected athlete is being checked in by someone else. If you check the Require friend's name field, a pop-up will appear after the box is checked prompting the user to enter a name. Check-in/bib assignment cannot be completed until a name is supplied in this case. Athletes who were checked in with this method will be noted as such in the Athlete list, in the upload queue, and in the CSV backup file.
- Waivers - allows you to select one Waiver from your CT Live event that must be signed before an athlete can receive a bib assignment or be marked as checked-in. Only one waiver can be displayed at once. You can also choose not to display a waiver.
Waivers are pulled from the CT Live event, so if you need to add or update a waiver, you must do so from your CT Live event and then re-pull the event in Launch. - Show Athlete Tag - If you check this box, you'll be able to assign different bib and tag numbers which can be very useful for dynamic assignment with Active tags or reusable Tri tags.
- Set Tag Prefix - This feature is useful for assigning Active tags since they usually have a leading letter before the actual number. Applying the prefix that's encoded on your tags will allow you to assign Active tag numbers freely. This is the only scenario where this feature is useful, so we do not recommend that you use the Tag Prefix option with any tags except Active tags.
- Bib Validation Settings - this option allows you to limit the bib numbers that can be assigned on the kiosk to a specific range for all races, only certain Races, or only certain Reg Choices. This helps to prevent user error when bibs are being keyed in manually. To use this feature, simply select your preferred option, then enter a minimum number and a maximum number.
- Dead Tag Validator - this feature allows you to upload a .ATI file so that only Active Tags above a certain voltage can be assigned to athletes. For more on this, click HERE.
Lastly, the Volunteer and Athlete Kiosks can be configured with an unlimited number of information Fields for athletes to view. These fields are useful for verifying correct information. You can add as many Fields as you like by clicking the +Add button and then selecting the desired field from the list.
Custom Question answers will be available to display. Aside from the Passphrase option, this is the only other setting available in the Athlete Kiosk settings.
Once you've applied all settings and Fields you need, click Save Settings at the bottom of the page. A message will display in a green bar near the top of the screen.
Finally, you can launch the various Kiosk pages by clicking the blue box with the arrow next to each Kiosk header.
Using the Kiosks
If a Kiosk is launched on the Host computer, staff will not be required to enter the Passphrase, but any other device accessing a Kiosk through the router will be required to enter the Passphrase.
Please note that we do not recommend using the Host computer as one of the Athlete Kiosks. It's best to keep the Host computer as a device for monitoring PPU progress and making any necessary manual adjustments to tag assignments.
To log into one of the Kiosks from a device connected through the router, staff should enter 172.20.23.11:9004/eventAccess and then enter the Passphrase for whichever Kiosk they need to access.
As athletes come up to the Kiosk computers, they can type in their name and select the correct entry card. If the athletes bring a print-out of their confirmation e-mail containing their registration barcode, this can also be scanned to pull up the athlete entry. If you have the correct type of barcode scanner, you can also scan barcodes directly from athletes' mobile devices.
We currently recommend the Kercan KR-230-EIO model barcode scanner found HERE. If you decide to shop around for a different scanner model, please remember to find a scanner that can scan from a phone screen.
If you've enabled a Waiver for the Kiosk, the athlete will immediately be shown the Waiver which will have a panel at the bottom where they can sign their name. As noted in the 'Getting Started' articles for Launch, the Kiosks are optimized for touch, which is most important for the signature portion since attempting a signature with a mouse or track pad is very difficult.
After signing the waiver and pressing Save, the athlete will be directed to the Bib Assignment screen. On this screen, they will see each of the Fields you selected to display when you defined the settings for the Kiosk. It's a good idea to have staff verify the information before assigning a bib. If you're using the Volunteer kiosk, the bib and tag fields will be displayed, but will not be editable.
When there is internet available, a PDF file containing the waiver text and image of the signature submitted is pushed to the cloud for each entry that has submitted a signature. The PDF file of a submitted signature can be downloaded from the athlete's Registration Info tab in the CT Live Event. A copy of the PDF is also saved locally on the Host computer in the Backup Location.
Once information is verified as correct, staff can either scan a bib/tag with a barcode scanner, or type in the Bib number for the athlete. If bibs and tags have different numbers, the cursor will automatically be placed in the tag field, so the tag should be scanned/entered first, followed by bib.
We highly recommend printing barcodes on bibs and tags to be used with USB barcode scanners. This drastically reduces mistakes due to human error and greatly expedites the check-in process.
If you enabled the 'Check-In by Friend' option and selected 'Require Friend's Name' in the settings, you'll see a small window appear when the box is checked. The user must supply a name, then click Add Friend.
Now, the user can click Save. A green success message should appear for a couple seconds, and the screen will return to the athlete search.
As athletes come up to the Kiosk computers, they can type in their name and select the correct entry card. If the athletes bring a print-out of their confirmation e-mail containing their registration barcode, this can also be scanned to pull up the athlete entry. If you have the correct type of barcode scanner, you can also scan barcodes directly from athletes' mobile devices. See our make/model recommendation in the Introduction section of this guide.
When the athlete clicks their entry card, they'll be able to view any information Fields you selected when you configured the Kiosk as well as their Bib number. No changes can be made to athlete information on this Kiosk type.
Making Bib Assignment Corrections
If a bib/tag is ever assigned incorrectly, you can update the number from the Dashboard via the athlete list.
Simply enter the athlete's name or current Bib into the search field to locate them, then click on their name.
On the next screen, you can click inside the Bib or Tag fields and enter the new number. When finished, click Save at the bottom of the screen.
At this time, ONLY bib and tag numbers may be edited in the Athlete Overview page.
You can download this FAQ as a PDF to distribute to your volunteer Kiosk operators. See the Downloads section at the bottom of this article.
What do I do if I scan the entry's Confirmation E-mail barcode and no athlete shows up?
This often means that the athlete has provided you a barcode that is associated with a registration under a different event. You can always search with the athlete's name as well.
What do I do if I scan the athletes information wrong and it auto navigated away from the athletes page?
You can always enter the athletes page again by scanning the barcode or searching for their name to re-enter the correct information.
What do I do if I'm returned to the search screen after scanning an entry's barcode?
Refresh the kiosk page and try again.
What do I do if the scanner stops working?
Unplug it and plug it back in.
What do I do if the scanner doesn't automatically scan?
Scan this barcode with the scanner that isn't working to configure the auto scan option.
