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Control description software

fraser Posted: 23 September 2015, 1:20 PM   Does anyone know of software for making IOF control description sheets that will work on Linux? OCAD, Condes and Purple Pen all seem to be Windows only. I have managed to install the orienteering descriptions font and have started manually drawing up a sheet. However the font does not include the new symbols, paved area, canopy, distinctive tree etc. If anyone knows of a newer font set that would be helpful. Otherwise it may just be easier to buy Windows and run it in a VM. I assume that would work no problem but it would be good to hear from anyone who has actually done this before. Thanks for any comments or feedback.   Greig Posted: 24 September 2015, 4:06 AM   Have you tried running any of the programs with Wine on Linux?   fraser Posted: 24 September 2015, 12:30 PM   I managed to install Condes and run it but when I started drawing the course the lines were big blobs and looked the same when printed and so it was unusable. With Purple Pen I got stuck when it needed to install .NET using winetricks. That is when I decided to draw it up manually. It is just for single course training maps and is proving the easiest method so far. Cheers   magnus Posted: 30 September 2015, 1:12 PM   https://dev.modern.ie/tools/vms/windows/ has test images for IE browser testing. Will most likely work to install Condes on. I think each image works for a month.   fraser Posted: 6 October 2015, 3:10 AM   Hey magnus, thanks very much. I got this working and seems like a great solution. It says the image lasts for 90 days which is fine. It will be useful for work too. I tried out Purple Pen, which is the first time I have used it, and it seems to work great and easy to use. Thanks again.   fraser Posted: 13 November 2015, 4:30 AM   Purple Pen has worked out great to quickly do up some descriptions for training. I haven't worked out how to print them out in purple though, only black. Given the name of the software I though it would be possible. Does anyone know?   svendp Posted: 13 November 2015, 5:48 AM   Menu > Event > Customize Course Appearance. Here you can change from black to purple, put a white outline around numbers.   Paul I Posted: 14 November 2015, 3:43 AM   have been using ppen for ages as it's so user friendly and very visual for setting out courses. It is simple yet has a lot of clever tools and great for collaboration between controller and planner. It's also free to download and works great with ocad files for background map and creates new ones for final course files where you can also do final tweaking of appearance.   Greg Posted: 14 November 2015, 5:45 AM   There shouldn't be any collaboration between planner and controller!   fraser Posted: 15 November 2015, 9:11 AM   Thanks very much Svend. Got it sorted for my last two training maps of the year. I used the full course setting feature this time too and yes it is great and very user friendly. I will continue to use it. There is a slight problem though due to the required conversion from OpenOrienteering to ocad file format for the base map. Main problem being a large earthbank with added line extensions don't match up anymore. The overprint simulation looks good too. OCAD should be banned for course setting seems not many, if any, know how to do overprint simulation with it.   The Map Guy Posted: 15 November 2015, 2:19 PM   All the more reason to use Condes - everyone in the club can use it on the same licence.   mcroxford Posted: 17 November 2015, 2:53 AM   Hi Fraser, Prior to our club getting a club licence I've used the free download version of Condes for training before. Allows only 20 controls and 2 courses but still very flexible training and even running school sprint events.   svendp Posted: 17 November 2015, 4:34 AM   Yesterday I downloaded the latest version of Condes to see if it has improved since I last tested it - it hasn't. Without going into details, Purple Pen is far superior to Condes and you don't need a licence. Fraser, I suggest you try Condes (if you have a couple of hours to spare)and let us know what you think of it.   The Map Guy Posted: 17 November 2015, 5:36 AM   Svend if you have an issue with any feature of Condes report it to the software writer, Finn Arildsen. I have found he is most willing to fix any faults with Condes.   mcroxford Posted: 17 November 2015, 7:55 AM   Hi Svend. I agree regarding Purple Pen and we use it for most club events. We now have a Condes licence for major events. I was just recommending to Fraser to consider the Condes free download version to determine compatibility with OpenOrienteering map files.   fraser Posted: 18 November 2015, 12:48 AM   I used Condes for the Dunedin OY I set, just for the descriptions, and have just tried it again now. There are no issues with it per se, but Purple Pen does feel a lot more intuitive to use. Condes doesn't support OpenOrienteering files either but opening the same converted ocd file has the added earth bank lines lined up properly so that could be a small bug with Purple Pen there. One other question about Purple Pen, I have a pivot but can't work out how to put the numbers together so it is "8/13". You can add custom text but I can't get the same white framing that I am using for the other numbers. Anyone?