FT Builder and Match Director 2.03
For Windows 200X and Windows XP operating systems
FT Builder and Match Director is designed to be a complete Match Director Solution to the administrative difficulties faced in constructing and conducting a Field Target match. The program will allow you to quickly generate multiple course layouts that can be easily updated for any given conditions. The program is specifically designed to give the match director continuous feedback on such things as targets used, course difficulty levels, average shot distance so that courses can be easily balanced for difficulty and challenge to match participants. What follows are a series of screen captures that will give you an appreciation for all that FT Builder has to offer:
Note the following:
1. The program allows management of an unlimited number of FT course variations through the ADD/Delete and Copy buttons.
2. The buttons below the course selector allow you to actively manage the selected course, shooter registration and recording of scores, target inventory, and classes (which is a concern for anyone who has ever conducted an IHMSA pistol silhouette match)
3. Note the ability to automatically apply selected course difficulty and number of total shots to currently registered shooters. When this option is selected, if any last-minute changes in course layout are made, they will automatically be reflected in the registrations for all shooters.
4. The Target Name field accesses a dropdown list of your field target inventory and when a target is used, it is listed as PLACED in the target inventory list associated with the presently displayed course. As targets are selected, the KZ field automatically updates.
5. As Targets and ranges are changed, along with shooting position, elevation, windy conditions, and available target lighting, the difficulty level for that target as prescribed by AAFTA is automatically updated.
6. Each time a difficulty value is updated, it is translated into a target difficulty level that is rated easy (green), moderate (yellow), hard (orange), and difficult (red) and graphed at the bottom of the user interface. This difficulty graph can be sorted either by lane, target position or difficulty level to help you prepare a 'balanced' FT course of fire.
7. At any time during course preparation, the STATISTICS button will give feedback or course difficulty breakdown, average shooting distance, average difficulty etc.
8. Note the check boxes for Apply to all: WINDY and POOR LIGHT. These are important because in the case of inclement weather on match day, checking these boxes automatically updates the difficulty level of each target to better reflect shooting conditions.
9. The program is designed to allow a varying number of targets in each lane with an unlimited number of lanes. So if the match director wants to conduct a match with 3 targets in lane 1, 1 target in lane 2, and 2 targets in lane 3, the program will allow it and automatically generate scoresheets that reflect the varying number of shots per lane. As you develop a course, you can reassign lane numbers, targets, and kill zones to suit your needs, and with the REFRESH button immediately gain a new, ordered view of the updated course of fire.
DOWNLOAD THE COMPLETE FT BUILDER 2.03 INSTALL PROGRAM (50 MB)
A note on FTBuilder versions: Because version 2.03 required some significant changes to the database as well as some additional 'hleper' files, users of FT Builder versions prior to 2.03 will need to re-download and install the 50 MB complete installation. If you are using an earlier version of FT Builder and do not want to lose your inventory or any courses you have built, contact davidlday@yahoo.com before downloading and I will prepare a customized installation that allows you to maintain inventories and courses you may have entered into an earlier version of the program.