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Re: [WriteLog] Learning WriteLog

To: "Bob Wolbert, K6XX" <k6xx@k6xx.com>, "writelog@contesting.com" <writelog@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [WriteLog] Learning WriteLog
From: Randy Thompson <k5zd@outlook.com>
Date: Tue, 21 Feb 2023 23:46:52 +0000
List-post: <mailto:writelog@contesting.com>
Bob,

Let's say someone moves into your neighborhood and the first 5 things they talk 
about are how bad things are.  They haven't lived there very long but all they 
can do is say how things should be different.

Maybe WL is not the software for you. Some of us like it a lot and find it 
works very well.

With that out of the way...

WL has a keyboard macro editor.  You can map any keystroke you want to a 
command.  Maybe pick something other than F12 for wipe.  Ctrl-w also does the 
same.

I personally don't like the way N1MM+ puts a call in the entry field when you 
tune by a spot.  Obviously you would prefer this.  Make an enhancement request.

I use the Home and End keys all the time when editing a call in the entry 
field.  Have never really had a problem with cursoring around a callsign, but 
you are correct, if you keep hitting right arrow it will move to the next field.

The "C" column is weird and annoying.  There is a way in the ini file to turn 
that off.  I have had it off for so long I can't even remember what it was for.

Good point on the multiplier windows.  I find mults by continent a bit of a 
pain, but I don't really look at it that much.

You can turn on ESM in WL.

The SCP window has changed over time.  I miss the winnowing down as you get 
more letters, but I have adjusted to the new way which always assumes there are 
wildcards between every letter.

There is an ini file setting where you can tell WL what your own call is so it 
won't select in RTTY when you hit Insert.

If you have questions, feel free to ask.  The people here are very helpful.

Randy K5ZD

-----Original Message-----
From: WriteLog <writelog-bounces@contesting.com> On Behalf Of Bob Wolbert, K6XX
Sent: Tuesday, February 21, 2023 2:49 PM
To: writelog@contesting.com
Subject: [WriteLog] Learning WriteLog

I promised to learn WL for a contest this summer and have been struggling with 
it since December. It is difficult for a new user to adopt WL. "Help" is 
unhelpful--a prime example: writelog.ini is discussed throughout, but no longer 
exists. Most of my recent Help searches have not answered my issues, hence this 
post.

As background, I've entered 'a few' contests over the years, and started 
confuzer logging with CT, progressed through TRLog, TR4Win, then to 
N1MM+. I've heard glowing reviews for WL over the years, but need expert
suggestions to optimize the experience. Bluntly, the way it runs seems rather 
clunky.

I have mostly figured out running.

BUT... How to S&P in WL? The way I've been doing it is awkward.

Enter call, then Spacebar.

If Non Dupe, F4 to send my callsign, then "," or F2, which is programmed to 
autolog without requiring a further ENTER.

If Dupe,  F12 to clear it from the callsign window, then turn the big knob. Is 
there way to autoclear this dupe to eliminate second keystroke? 
F12 is in the middle of a row on craptop, so not as easily located as with a 
full-size keyboard. While a key redefinition would work, I'd rather eliminate 
this redundant keystroke and have it flash off a few ms after pressing the 
spacebar (and still show up in the bandmap, of course). Is this possible?

In both cases, there are extra keystrokes from various places around the 
keyboard. Isn't there a more efficient technique? I'm used to TRLog/ESM 
functionality where the ENTER key is my friend.

Bandmap:
When we tune back to same frequency, the callsign is not automatically entered 
unless I mouse click on it (and the recorded bandmap frequency may no longer be 
zero beat). Can this be automated? Any way to avoid using the rodent?

General Functionality
Editing my frequent mistakes has been difficult. Why does the cursor key move 
between fields?! If the cursor is in the middle of a callsign, I don't want to 
have to watch and count the keystrokes to edit a prefix or suffix. I just want 
to hit "lots" of arrows to guarantee the cursor is at the beginning or end of a 
field, and then fix the call. For example,
5 keystrokes generally assure me that I'm at the correct spot in all of the 
other logging programs. But in WL, I could be in a completely different part of 
the exchange. Sometimes. It isn't consistent. Isn't there a better way?

Why does the default contest setup have fields for "Country" (full name, 
spelled out) and "C" fields? These seem unnecessary and exacerbate my cursor 
movement problem. What the heck is "C"? Any downside to eliminating them from 
the entry window?


Nice Features Hiding or Missing?
The other loggers have features that I can't find in WL.

Multiplier Window. How do I:
   -DX contest-show the world, not just one continent.
   -Show both Zones and DX mults at the same time?

Partial check. In the contest I'm preparing WL for, SCP databases are verboten, 
but we are allowed both full and partial calls from our own log. How is this 
done? If the SCP window is the only way, how does one clear out the SCP file? I 
really miss seeing possible callsign matches winnow down as more letters are 
entered. Or watch the "duplicity" of a callsign that I've tuned before typing 
the entire thing (and hitting the spacebar!).

Bandmap decay time. Is it adjustable?

I'll end on a minor nit: in WPX RTTY, INSert kept selecting my callsign and I 
then called myself. This was addressed by logging myself on each band so that I 
became a dupe.  How is this avoided?

Suggestions are appreciated. TU!

73 de Bob, K6XX

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