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<h1>Getting Started:<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>A Step-by-Step Walk
<span class=GramE>Through</span> Using LC</h1>

<p class=MsoBodyText>It can be pretty intimidating to try out new software, and
the LC is no exception to that rule.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
</span>Rather than explaining each and every function, I’m going to walk you
through how to use the LC.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>You’ll set up
your first file, parse your schedule information, generate recruit rankings,
calculate power rankings, and so on.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
</span>This tutorial is updated through LC v0.9.4.</p>

<h2>Creating <span class=GramE>A</span> Stats Database (.<span class=SpellE>xdb</span>)
File</h2>

<p class=MsoBodyText>The first thing you do is fire up LC.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Find the “Commish.exe” icon and double click
on it.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>This will get you going.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>To track stats for a league, you must create
a database file in which to store all of the information from that league.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Go to File<span style='font-family:Wingdings;
mso-ascii-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-hansi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-char-type:symbol;mso-symbol-font-family:Wingdings'><span style='mso-char-type:
symbol;mso-symbol-font-family:Wingdings'>à</span></span>New Database (or just
hit Control-N).<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>This will prompt you for
a location in which to save your .<span class=SpellE>xdb</span> file.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Choose a location and name it (usually,
something like L-27.xdb works quite well if you’re in League 27, for example).</p>

<p class=MsoBodyText>After creating the database, LC then prompts you to enter
in the league number and the season number.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
</span>Go ahead and type this in, then click “Submit.”<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span></p>

<p class=MsoBodyText><span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>There you have
it!<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>You’ve created your first .<span
class=SpellE>xdb</span> file!</p>

<h2>Downloading the Game Information</h2>

<p class=MsoBodyText>The next thing you want to do is download information from
all the games.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Look at the top left corner.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>You’ll see a label that says “Games,” with
up/down arrows next to it.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Find the
number of games that have been played in your league.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>For this example, L-27 has played 8
games.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span></p>

<p class=MsoBodyText>Next, click on “<span class=SpellE>Upd</span> Teams.”<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>You <i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>must</i>
have an internet connection active right now.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
</span>LC will now download and parse all of the game information for your
league.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>As you can probably imagine,
this takes a lot of time, a healthy internet connection, and lots of processing
power.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Now might be a good time to go
get a cup of coffee and take a quick break.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
</span>Depending on the speed of your computer, this step takes somewhere
between 5 and 25 minutes.</p>

<p class=MsoBodyText>NOTE:<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>If you run
into errors later on, this step is the most likely culprit.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Often, the connection <span class=GramE>gets</span>
interrupted and you don't download all the games correctly.</p>

<h2>Updating Recruit Information (Optional)</h2>

<p class=MsoBodyText>At this time, you can also import recruit
information.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Simply click on “<span
class=SpellE>Upd</span> Recruits.”<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>You
will be prompted to locate the recruiting spreadsheet (.<span class=SpellE>csv</span>)
file.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Go ahead and import it.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>It will take a minute or two to parse all the
statistics, and then you’re ready to go.</p>

<p class=MsoBodyText>You don’t have to import recruit information.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>If you’re not a UTT team and can’t get access
to the recruiting spreadsheets, you can still enjoy the rest of the benefits of
LC.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>You just can’t use any of the
recruiting functions without importing the information about the recruits.</p>

<h2>Power Rankings</h2>

<p class=MsoBodyText>With our files ready, where do we go now?<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>One nice thing to do is to load up the power
ratings.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Click on “<span class=SpellE>PRCalc</span>”
on the menu.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>This will bring up the
following screen:</p>

<p class=MsoBodyText>Here, every team <span class=GramE>is listed</span>, along
with its record, Power Rating, RPI, <span class=SpellE>ELORating</span>, and
Pts/<span class=SpellE>aPts</span> per 100 possessions.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Clicking on “View Team” will take you to that
team’s <span class=SpellE>SimSports</span> page.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>“Conf View” will load up conference
information.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>“Predict” lets you choose
two teams and have LC predict how they will match up with each other.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span></p>

<p class=MsoBodyText>Click “Export.”<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
</span>This takes all of the information in the <span class=SpellE>listbox</span>
and moves it the main text window.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>You
can copy all of this (by clicking “Copy to Clipboard”) and then paste it into a
web editor.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Presto!<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Instant <span class=SpellE>SimSports</span>
webpage! If you’d like to preview what the HTML will look like on a web page,
switch the “Text View” drop box to “HTML View.”<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
</span>This lets you preview the HTML.</p>

<p class=MsoBodyText>Alternatively, you can use the button on the bottom left
of the “Text View” page to put your data in CSV, Text, or <span class=SpellE>MessageBoard</span>
format.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Unfortunately, the current <span
class=SpellE>SimSports</span> message boards do not support tables, so the
formatting looks terrible.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>If that changes
in the future, I’ll be sure to update it here so you can paste these directly
to the forums.</p>

<p class=MsoBodyText>You can also generate High School Top 25 if you have the <span
class=SpellE>Recruiting.csv</span> file loaded by going to the Top 25<span
style='font-family:Wingdings;mso-ascii-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-hansi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-char-type:symbol;mso-symbol-font-family:
Wingdings'><span style='mso-char-type:symbol;mso-symbol-font-family:Wingdings'>à</span></span>High
School Power Ranking option.</p>

<h2>Game of the Week (GOTW)</h2>

<p class=MsoBodyText>Another feature of LC is that it enables you to select a
game for the GOTW and do a write-up about it.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
</span>Go ahead and click the “GOTW” icon.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
</span>This presents you with two options: you can have the computer select the
GOTW, or you can manually select your own.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
</span>If you allow the computer to select it<span class=GramE>,<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>LC</span> now parses through the upcoming
games and picks one that is most likely to be interesting and contested.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>The algorithm basically tries to find two
good teams that <span class=GramE>are fairly evenly matched</span>.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>If you are in the regular season, LC scans
the next three games.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>If you’re in the
postseason, LC scans the next game only.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
</span>(Important:<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>the schedule <span
class=GramE>must be updated</span> before you run LC).<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>It takes a few minutes to work through all of
those game files.</p>

<p class=MsoBodyText>After running, LC will generate more HTML-formatted text
for you about the game.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>It generates all
of the basic info about the <span class=GramE>teams,</span> include a match-up
comparison.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>You can also type your own
comments in the “Why X will win:” space.</p>

<p class=MsoBodyText>After the game has finished and the box scores are loaded,
go to Preferences-->Generate Game Recap.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
</span>Select the teams and the game number, <span class=GramE>then</span> hit
“Submit.”<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span><span class=GramE>This will</span>
HTML-format a quick wrap-up of the game.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
</span>This is still a little rough, so you should be prepared to edit
extensively.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Still, it will take care of
some of the formatting work for you.</p>

<h2>Recruiting Functions</h2>

<p class=MsoBodyText>If you have parsed the recruiting information, go to HS
Recruiting-->25 Can’t Miss Prospects.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
</span>It generates HTML-formatted text of 25 top prospects in your
league.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>You can copy/paste this text
directly into a web page.</p>

<p class=MsoBodyText>Along with the 25 Can’t-Miss Prospects is a button for <span
class=SpellE>OverRated/UnderRated</span> recruits.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Once the top 75 most recruited lists are out,
it will generate a ranking of recruits who <span class=GramE>are pursued</span>
more heavily than merited or not pursued enough.</p>

<p class=MsoBodyText>If you want to generate an HTML version of the top 75 most
recruited (to post to the message board or to save elsewhere for reference),
click on the top 75 and it will generate.</p>

<p class=MsoBodyText>If you want to do more advanced work with High School
Game-by-Game statistics, you need to select the correct preference under the
preferences menu.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Then you must update
the high school <span class=SpellE>recruiting.csv</span> chart after each
game.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>The corrected stats will show up
under HS Recruiting-->Game by Game.</p>

<h2>All-America Teams</h2>

<p class=MsoBodyText>Near the end of the season, LC can generate
position-specific All-Conference and All-America teams.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Go ahead and click on <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">All-America</st1:PlaceName><span
style='font-family:Wingdings;mso-ascii-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-hansi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-char-type:symbol;mso-symbol-font-family:
Wingdings'><span style='mso-char-type:symbol;mso-symbol-font-family:Wingdings'>à</span></span><st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">College</st1:PlaceType> or <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">All-America</st1:PlaceName><span
style='font-family:Wingdings;mso-ascii-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-hansi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-char-type:symbol;mso-symbol-font-family:
Wingdings'><span style='mso-char-type:symbol;mso-symbol-font-family:Wingdings'>à</span></span><st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">High School</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> to generate the
HTML-formatted text for those teams.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>For
All-Conference, just select the All-Conf<span style='font-family:Wingdings;
mso-ascii-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-hansi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-char-type:symbol;mso-symbol-font-family:Wingdings'><span style='mso-char-type:
symbol;mso-symbol-font-family:Wingdings'>à</span></span>Conference
(Number).<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span></p>

<h2>Season Wrap-Up</h2>

<p class=MsoBodyText>At any point during the season, you can click the
“Wrap-up” icon.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>It will create lots of
information about all the teams in your league.</p>

<p class=MsoBodyText>If you’d like to add these to a web page, just click
“Format HTML.”<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>The text will be sent
over to the main window, ready to be pasted into your web page.</p>

<h2>Preview</h2>

<p class=MsoBodyText>Before the season starts, you can generate a preseason top
25 list.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>You can also do conference
previews and tournament previews (after game 18 but before game 19).<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Again, this will pump out HTML text, which
you can then format for whatever medium you would like.</p>

<h2>Conclusion</h2>

<p class=MsoBodyText>There you have it:<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
</span>an intro to using LC to generate information for your league.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>It’s very easy to use this tool to create a
web site for your league or your conference, tracking all sorts of
information.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>If you have any questions,
check at the LC website at http://sourceforge.net/projects/simsportsutils.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>This gives you an opportunity to report bugs,
request new features, or just ask questions and get support.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Your feedback is essential to improving the
LC.</p>

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