DeMONS Documentation
Version 1.24
Most recent NR3 Patch Covered - 1.2.0.4
Most recent NL Patch Covered - 1.2.0.4
Most recent CTS Patch Covered - 1.2.1.6
Copyright(c) 1999 and 2000, by Paddedwall Software, San Diego, CA. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.


Table Of Contents
-----------------
  1.0  Introduction
  2.0  General
  3.0  What DeMONS Won't Do
  4.0  What DeMONS Will Do
       4.1  Supported Operating Systems
       4.2  Simulator Installation
       4.3  Files Patched By DeMONS
       4.4  Files Generated By DeMONS
       4.5  Sim Results Files
  5.0  Installing DeMONS
  6.0  Using DeMONS
       6.1  Server Configuration
            6.1.1  Administrative Section
                   6.1.1.1  Host Name
                   6.1.1.2  Admin Password
                   6.1.1.3  WON Login Name
                   6.1.1.4  WON Password
                   6.1.1.5  Security Level
                   6.1.1.6  Turn on MULTI_LOG
            6.1.2  Connections
                   6.1.2.1  Max Connections
                   6.1.2.2  Field Size
                   6.1.2.3  Max Latency Of
                   6.1.2.4  Allowed Connection Types
            6.1.3  General            
                   6.1.3.1  Show Display
                   6.1.3.2  Arena
                   6.1.3.3  Convert Results To HTML
                            6.1.3.3.1  Plugging In Race Data
                            6.1.3.3.2  How DeMONS Calculates LPI
                   6.1.3.4  Welcome Message
                   6.1.3.5  Additional Parameters
                   6.1.3.6  More Configuration Buttons
       6.2  Timing Settings
            6.2.1  Timing Section
                   6.2.1.1  Continuous Loop
                   6.2.1.2  Daily Time
                   6.2.1.3  Specific Time
                   6.2.1.4  Clock Adjustment
            6.2.2  Start/Stop Section
                   6.2.2.1  Limit Schedule
                   6.2.2.2  Stop At End of Schedule
                   6.2.2.3  Terminate Program At End of Schedule
                   6.2.2.4  Remember Last Race Executed
                   6.2.2.5  Start Schedule At Program Start-up
       6.3  File Locations
       6.4  Default Race Configuration
            6.4.1  Simulator
            6.4.2  Weather
            6.4.3  Race Settings
            6.4.4  Toggles
            6.4.5  Consecutive Runs
       6.5  Creating a Schedule
			6.5.1  Use Restrictor Plate (Experimental)
       6.6  Starting The Schedule
  7.0  Other Items of Note
       7.0.1  Minimizing DeMONS
       7.0.2  Context-Sensitive Help
       7.0.3  Wierd Problems After New Version of DeMONS Installed
       7.0.4  Nascar Legends Info
       7.0.5  Dedicated Server Notes
  8.0  Problems Encountered When Running Online
       8.0.1  Cannot Find WON Server
       8.0.2  Problems With HTML Conversion
  9.0  The Future
  10.0  Contacting the Author
  11.0  Legal Stuff
  
  
1.0  Introduction
-----------------
My name is John Simmons, and I've been sim racing since the days of Indy Car 
Racing and Nascar Racing 1.  I prefer stockcar racing to open-wheel stuff, but 
I'm not beyond jumping into a 200mph coffin and running a few laps in Grand 
Prix Legends.  Beyond that, I've been a computer programmer for almost 20 years, 
and this is the first application I've written for the sim racing community.

I've strived to keep the interface simple, yet not so lacking in features that 
it wouldn't be useful (unlike Microsoft, who has managed to dumb-down Windows 
so much that power users are merely drones like the rest of us).

If you find anything that doesn't work as expected, by all means let me know 
immediately, and I'll fix the problem as soon as possible, and will make a 
new version available.  Keep in mind that this program is currently based on 
the moving target we all know and love as the NR3 beta patch, and that as 
Papyrus changes the way they do things, I often have to modify DeMONS to work 
with the latest patch.

Before we get started, I'd like to thank a few people that got me over some 
rough spots where N3 is involved.  In alphabetical order, they are:

	Bill Benedict, Jr
	Dan Epp
	Bob Geddes
	Charlie Heath (aka Server_Help)
	Charles LeBlanc
	Chris Lund
	Angel Medina
	Rob Robbins
	Bob Rowden
	Cornel Schuler, Jr.
	Karen White
	Jure Zagoricnik

A big THANKS! goes out to all of these people for helping make DeMONS a better 
program for the rest of us to use.


2.0  General
------------
"DeMONS" stands for Dedicated Manager for Online Nascar Simulations.  It's only 
purpose in life is to allow you to schedule and loop through a series of online 
races that you select for Nascar Racing 3 and Nascar Legends, both of which are 
produced by Papyrus. From this point on, I will refer to these sims as "N3" 
and "NL".


3.0  What DeMONS Won't Do
-------------------------
DeMONS will not dial your ISP.  I figure there won't be many people using DeMONS 
unless they have a large pipe to the internet - something you just can't get 
with  a standard analaog dial-up account.

DeMONS does not directly support remote access. Unless you come up with other 
ways to remotely control DeMONS, it's just not going to happen (in DeMONS anyway).

DeMONS does not allow support more than one machine at a time. In other words, 
having N3 or NL installed in more than one directory on a given machine (or on 
more than one machine) will not do you any good (within the scope of what DeMONS 
does).


4.0  What DeMONS Will Do
------------------------
The following is a complete list of significant features you'll find in DeMONS.

  - Three available timing loops
  - Limit schedules to a given range of time in a 24-hour period.
  - Auto-start schedule on program start-up
  - Specify races for BOTH N3 and NL sims in the same schedule
  - Repeat a scheduled event up to 10 times
  - Convert .STN and .WON files to HTML format
  - Support for EVERY commandline parameter available for the sims.
  - Multi-threaded timer for calculating countdown display
  - NO CPU CYCLES USED while sim is running.
  

4.1  Supported Operating Systems
-------------------------------
This program was written and tested on Windows 98.  It *should* run fine under 
Windows NT 4.0, but I haven't actually tried it.  Compatibility with Windows 
2000 is also an unknown at this time.  If you run DeMONS under NT4 or Win2k, 
please let me know one way or the other if it worked.

Preliminary reports are that DeMONS works fine on both NT4 and Win2K.


4.2  Simulator Installation
---------------------------
In order to run DeMONS, you need to have NL and or the patched N3 simulators 
installed correctly from their respective (and original) CDs.  Other than the 
sims being installed prior to running the app, nothing else is needed.  

I'm not sure about the association between the calendar file and the 
selected car list in the sim, but I recommend that you select the MULTI car 
list before trying to run as a server through DeMONS.

Once you've started using DeMONS, DO NOT CHANGE YOUR CALENDAR FILE (ALL.CAL).  
There is no checking currently being done to ensure that the track you 
selected in a schedule still exists in the calendar file.  If you add tracks 
to your calendar file, add them AT THE END.

Apparently, the N3 patch currently only allows Internet connections, so if you 
want to connect from another machine on your LAN, you must select both TCP/IP 
AND Internet connections on your client machine in order to join your race.  I 
don't know if this is also the case with NL.

NL REQUIRES that the CD be in the drive before it will run.  As of Patch #7, 
N3 does NOT have the same requirement.  However, we never know exactly what 
Papyrus will do until they do it.  In order to cover all of your bases, it might 
behove you to create a CD with BOTH sims on it to avoid having to disk-swap if 
you intend on mixing 
your schedule.

If you make a custom CD, you'll find the following two folders nn the original 
CD (for both sims), :

	\DirectX
	\WorldNet

These are not needed by the simulator to verify a legal copy, and can therefore 
be ignored when making a new CD.  You can also safely ignore the files in the 
root directory of the CD.  Remember, we're not making installable CD's, we're 
making a key CD that BOTH sims can use to start up.

On the Nascar Racing 3 CD, you want this folder:

        \NR3

And on the Nascar Legends CD, you want this folder:

        \NL

Copy these two folders to a single CD, and you don't have to worry about disk 
swapping any more, no matter what Papy does with the patch. Before you ask, 
no - I won't make the CD for you.


4.3  Files Patched By DeMONS
------------------------------
DeMONS patches OPTIONS.CFG and RACE.CFG.  No other files that are shipped with 
the sim are manipulated in any way, and this will NOT affect your ability to 
race with the sim in terms of cheat checks.


4.4  Files Generated By DeMONS
------------------------------
DeMONS creates three files.

  - DMONSdata.INI    This file contains both server configuration and the 
                     currently specified schedule.  This file is created and 
                     maintained in the DeMONS folder.
                     
  - EVTxxxxx.DMN     This file is created for each race, and contains 
                     commandline options that the sim accepts.  This file is 
                     created in the NR3 (or NL) folder, and it remains there 
                     until it's overwritten or manually deleted.
                     
  - xxxxxxxx.html    This is an html file that is created after a race is 
                     completed, and is based on the info from a WON or STN 
                     file of the same name.  This file appears in the 
                     NR3\EXPORTS folder.


4.5  Sim Results Files
----------------------
Up until version 1.13, DeMONS used the options filename (EVTxxxxx.DMN) as the 
basis for the results filenames.  While at first blush this seems to be a very 
valid filenaming convention, it turned out that it wasn't very bright of me.  
The reason is that when you start/stop DeMONS over and over, the results files 
are overwritten because the event counter is reset everytime the program is 
started. If you didn't archive off the old file (or rename it) before starting 
DeMONS again, the results will be lost.  For this reason, the file naming code 
was changed in version 1.13 as follows.

DeMONS tells the sims to generate files named with the following format:

    YYYYMMDD_hh_mm_XXXXXXXX.won

where:

    YYYY     is the four-digit year
    MM       is the month
    DD       is the day
    hh       is the hour (24-hour time format)
    mm       is the minute
    XXXXXXXX is the name of the track you raced at 
             (as it appears in the ALL.CAL file)
    
DeMONS will also base the html conversion filename on the one used for the 
results file.  One minor point of note is that the date/time is when the race 
STARTED.


5.0  Installing DeMONS
---------------------
Create a directory ANYWHERE on your system and place all of the DeMONS files in 
that directory. Simple!!


6.0  Using DeMONS
-----------------
When you start DeMONS, you will see a dialog box with a bitmap image background, 
and three buttons:

     Server...
   
     Start Schedule...
  
     Exit
  
If this is the very first time you have started DeMONS, or if there are 
currently no races scheduled, the "Start Schedule" button will be disabled.

When you click the "Server" button, the Server Configuration dialog will be 
displayed.


6.1  Server Configuration
-------------------------
The Server Configuration dialog box allows you to configure DeMONS settings 
as well as general settings for the N3/NL simulations.


6.1.1  Administrative Section
-----------------------------
On the left side of the dialog box, you'll see a group of controls under the 
heading "Administrative".  These settings are names and passwords that you 
can set.


6.1.1.1  Host Name
------------------
The host name field allows you to specify the name of your hosting session. 
This will not change from race to race because, afterall, you want people to 
recognize your server when they log-on to WON.


6.1.1.2  Admin Password
-----------------------
If you want to allow someone (yourself usually) to be a remote administrator, 
enter a password here.


6.1.1.3  WON Login Name
-----------------------
This field allows you specify which WON userID to use.


6.1.1.4  WON Password
---------------------
This field allows you to specify the WON password associated with the selected 
userID.

6.1.1.5  Security Level (1.08)
------------------------------
This feature was added in patch 1.1.0.4, and allows you to set the level of 
security used for your races.  By "secuirty", Papyrus is talking about cheat 
detection. The secuity level depends on how high this value is, and while the 
current "changes.txt" file that was released with the patch indicates values 
from 0 through 5, they only show what happens with 0 and 1.  Experiment if you 
want to, but I recommend using only 0 or 1 until papy releases more definitive 
documentation on this feature.


6.1.1.6  Turn on MULTI_LOG
--------------------------

When NR3 first came out, we could include the line "MULTI_LOG n" in the N3.INI 
file and this would cause the sim to generate a log file that helped the 
Papyrus support folks to diagnose problems we experienced while racing online.

Beginning with patch 1.1.0.4, they moved this feature to the NR3 commandline.
To use this feature, check this checkbox and enter the number of files you 
want created before the oldest ones start to get overwritten.  I don';t know 
if there's a limit to the number of files, but DeMONS imposes its own limit of 
10.


6.1.2  Connections
------------------
This section describes various connection parameters for the sims.


6.1.2.1  Max Connections
------------------------
Enter the maximum number of client connections you wish to allow, from 1 to 42.


6.1.2.2  Field Size
-------------------
Enter the number of cars that will be present in the race, from 1 to 43.  If you 
select "Allow AI cars" in a race configuration dialog, the sim will fill the 
race with AI cars and delete one for every human that enteres the race.


6.1.2.3  Max Latency Of
-----------------------
If you wish to restrict your race to allow only a certain level of latency in 
client conections, check this check box, and enter the latency value in the 
associated edit field.


6.1.2.4  Allowed Connection Types
---------------------------------
The sims allow any combination of three connection types - IPX, TCP/IP, 
and/or Internet.  DeMONS allows you to toggle these settings without 
pre-setting them in the sims themselves (although you may already have done 
so).  Just check the boxes of the protocols you wish to support in your 
server.

Beginning with patch 1.1.0.5, you have the option of *not* relying on the 
WON servers to be available if you're running a LAN race.  If you select IPX 
and/or TCP/IP connection typesand NOT select Internet, you can elect to use 
this feature of the sim.  If you select Internet, the "Use WON servers" 
checkbox will be checked but disabled.


6.1.3  General
--------------
This section is located onm the right side of the Server Configuration dialog 
box, and contains settings that cannot otherwise be grouped with the other two 
sections.


6.1.3.1  Show Display
-----------------------
This field allows you to show the race display that you normally see if you 
were a race client.  According to the documentation shipped with the N3 v1.0.04 
patch, this is a debug mode, and that statement hints that this feature may not 
be included in the final patch release.


6.1.3.2  Arena
--------------
There are two arena selections to be made - one for each sim. Simply click 
the little down-arrow button to drop down a list of avaiable arenas for the 
indicated sim.  Like the host name, these selections will not usually change 
from one race to another.


6.1.3.3  Convert Results To HTML
--------------------------------
This checkbox allows DeMONS to convert STN files (results files generated by the 
simulators) to HTML format for use on web pages.  This feature is primarily  
intended for use by league admins.  As with all other hastily implemented 
features, it's easy to use if you don't muck around with things, but I gave you 
the ability to muck around with things (am I a glutton for punishment or what?).

Before you go ANY further in this section, let DeMONS generate an HTML file 
for you, and have a look at it.  You might like the way it is done and decide 
to leave it alone.  Messing with the the way it looks requires a moderate 
amount of knowledge about how to write HTML files, so if you can live with it, 
by all means, let it lie.

DeMONS provides you with a file called DMONShtml.html. This file contains valid 
HTML compatible text (I hesitate to call HTML "code"), and can be viewed in any 
browser you might happen to have handy.

Beginning with DeMONS 1.1.3, the HTML template file is more free-form with only 
one requirement - you MUST include a specific comment pair around the HTML code 
that is used to format the drivers' info.  As long as you adhere to that simple 
rule, this should be a fairly painless feature to play with.  The following is 
the contents of this file where this requirement is implemented.


<!-- Be sure to put these comments on the OUTSIDE of the row tags, and on their own lines.
     While it's okay to put all of the cell definitions on a single line, ALWAYS put the 
     D_DRIVERS_START *and* D_DRIVERS_STOP data keys on their own lines EXACTLY as shown 
     below. 
     
     Also note that the DeMONS data keys must ALWAYS be all uppercase.-->

<!--D_DRIVERS_START-->
	<tr>	<td align="center"><font size="-1">D~FIN</font></td>
			<td align="center"><font size="-1">D~START</font></td>
			<td align="center"><font size="-1">D~CAR</font></td>
			<td align="center"><font size="-1">D~NAME</font></td>
			<td align="center"><font size="-1">D~COMPLETE</font></td>
			<td align="center"><font size="-1">D~LED</font></td>
			<td align="center"><font size="-1">D~PTS</font></td>
			<td align="center"><font size="-1">D~QUAL</font></td>
			<td align="center"><font size="-1">D~OUT</font></td></tr>
<!--D_DRIVERS_STOP-->


This is a CRITICAL requirement.  Like I said before, if you don't like manually 
putzing around with HTML, DO NOT modify this file.  Also keep in mind that the 
same template file is used for both NL and NR3, so if you're serving races from 
BOTH sims, make sure this file is generic enough to work for both sims.

    Epiphany - I realized today (02/09/00) that both NL and NR3 produce 
               the same type of data in their results files, but each 
               generates a results file with a different file extension. 
               Because of this realization, the DMONSsample.stn file is 
               no longer used to test your HTML template.


6.1.3.3.1  Plugging In Race Data
--------------------------------
DeMONS allows you to extract much of the data contained in a stn file. The 
mechanism for extracting data from a STN file and placing it in a HTML file is 
based on positioning "data keys" in your html code where you want the WON/STN 
data to be placed. The following data keys are available:

	Event Info
	-----------
	D~DATE				Todays date
	D~TRACK				Track Name
	D~LAPS				Number of laps scheduled
	D~PACE              Whether or not a pace lap was used
	D~DAMAGE            What type of damage setting was used
	D~CAUTIONS          Whether or not caution flags were used
	D~WEATHER			Weather (type, wind direction/speed, and temperature)
	D~TOTALINCIDENTS    Total incidents logged for all drivers
	D~INCPERDRIVER      Incidents Per Driver
	
	Driver Info
	-----------
	D~FIN				Finishing position
	D~START				Starting position
	D~CAR				Car number
	D~NAME				Driver name
	D~COMPLETE			Laps completed
	D~LED				Laps led
	D~PTS				Points earned
	D~QUAL				Qualifying speed (or time)
	D~OUT				Reason out
	D~QUALTIME			Qualifying time
	D~QUALSPD			Qualifying speed
	D~AVGTIME			Average time
	D~AVGSPD			Average speed
	D~BESTTIME			Best time
	D~BESTSPD			Best speed
	D~INCIDENTS			Incidents
	D~LPI               Laps per incident
	
As of N3 patch 1.1.0.2, N3 generates WON files that use a different format for 
saving race results.  I previously referred to this as an extended STN format, 
but that is no longer accurate.  This WON file omits some of the data we see 
in a typical STN file, yet includes info in addition to the typical STN file. 
In order to support this type of file, I have added new data keys (the third 
group shown above).

     Special Note: If you use D~QUAL when translating an extended STN 
     file, DeMONS will use the qualifying speed as the data item.

Since a browser would normally see the data keys shown above as text, you could 
easily test your html before letting the program have a whack at it during a 
schedule process. There's even a "Test HTML" button on the Server Configuration 
dialog that processes a sample stn file called DMONSsample.stn, and it will 
generate DMONSsample.html in the DeMONS folder.

Use the html file provided as an example of what to do.

    Obsolete Info
    -------------
	D~TIME				Race time
	D~SPD				Average speed
	D~MARGIN			Margin of victory
	D~FLAGS				Number of caution flags
	D~LEAD				Number of lead changes
    
The datakeys listed under "Obsolete Info" are not currently included in the new
WON results file.  However, you never know if Papyrus is going to put them back
in somewhere, so they're still valid keys, but they will return "No Data" in the 
converted html file.


6.1.3.3.2  How DeMONS Calculates LPI
-------------------------------------
DeMONS increases the number of incidents for each driver by 1, so that when the 
value is divided into the number of completed laps, an LPI is actually 
calculated.  For instance, if a driver earns 1 incident in a 25 lap race, DeMONS 
increases that by 1, and then divides the number of laps by 2.  The result is a 
12.50 value for the LPI.

The HTML file will still show the correct (un-adjusted) number of incidents.


6.1.3.4  Welcome Message
------------------------
The Welcome Message is displayed to each driver that logs onto your server.  If 
you have elected to NOT logon to the WON servers (running a private TCP/IP race 
without connecting to the internet), this parameter is not included on the 
commandline in order that DeMONS can work around a problem in the sim.


6.1.3.5  Additional Parameters (1.08)
-------------------------------------
This field allows you to enter additional parameters as the beta patch develops, 
and prevents you from having to wait for me to make changes to reflect the 
latest NR3 or NL patch.


6.1.3.6  More Configuration Buttons
-----------------------------------
There is a group of four buttons at the bottom of the Server Configuration 
dialog box. These buttons are described in the following sections.


6.2  Timing Settings (1.08)
---------------------------
This button is found on the Server Configuration dialog box.  This button 
displays the Timing Settings dialog box, which is where you specify timing 
considerations for your schedule.


6.2.1  Timing Section
---------------------
This section is located on the left side of the dialog box, and allows you 
to select one of three timing patterns for the scehdule.


6.2.1.1  Continuous Loop
------------------------
This radio button makes DeMONS run one race after another.  You can specify a 
delay between races of 1 to 60 minutes.  Selecting this timing option also 
allows you to use the Limit Schedule feature.


6.2.1.2  Daily Time
-------------------
This radio button makes DeMONS run each event once per day at the specified 
LOCAL time.  The time field uses a 12-hour clock, and you must check the "PM" 
checkbox if you wish to run the race in the evening. The Limit Schedule feature 
is NOT available when this timing option is selected.


6.2.1.3  Specific Time (1.08)
-----------------------------
This radio button allows you to specify a date and time for each race (when 
scheduling races).


6.2.1.4  Clock Adjustment (1.25)
--------------------------------
If you are NOT running the continuous loop timing method (refer to Section 
6.2.1.1), this value allows DeMONS to adjust its countdown timer ever x 
minutes, where "x" is a number from 0 to 60.  The default value is 5 minutes.


6.2.2  Start/Stop Section
-------------------------
This section allows you to specify certain start/stop criteria that affect the 
running schedule.


6.2.2.1  Limit Schedule (1.08)
------------------------------
This Checkbox allows you to specify a range of time that the schedule will run 
*everyday*.  The time and PM checkbox fields are used to enter start and stop 
times.  This feature is NOT available unless "continuous loop" timing is 
selected.


6.2.2.2  Stop At End of Schedule
--------------------------------
If you wish to stop running races at the end of the schedule, check this 
checkbox. Leaving it unchecked will allow DeMONS to cycle back to the top of 
the schedule if this checkbox is not checked.

If you check this dialog box, when the end of the schedule is reached, the 
program will return you to the main DeMONS dialog.

You can also change this setting while the schedule is running.

This feature is forced ON if "specific time" timing is selected.


6.2.2.3  Terminate Program At End of Schedule
---------------------------------------------
This checkbox can only be used if you checked the "Stop At End Of Schedule" 
checkbox.  Checking this checkbox will terminate DeMONS.


6.2.2.4  Remember Last Race Executed
------------------------------------
Checking this checkbox forces DeMONS to remember the last race that was run 
from the schedule.  When you re-start the schedule, the first race to be run 
wil be the same as it was when you interrupted the schedule.


6.2.2.5  Start Schedule At Program Start-up
-------------------------------------------
Marking this checkbox allows DeMONS to automatically start the schedule when 
you run the program (with no further human input).  A schedule must have at 
least one race for this feature to work.


6.3  File Locations
-------------------
This button shows the File Locatiuons dialog box which shows the locations of 
various files used by DeMONS.  

The ability to edit the paths where the sims live was added in v1.10, and 
while it may work, I haven't gone out of my way to test the feature much 
beyond making sure the app wouldn't GPF or some such nonsense.

Caveats: You are well-advised to use the browse button to find your NR3/NL 
folders.  DeMONS will *still* check to make sure you have a legal installation,
but beyond that, you can change the paths that it finds.

If you decide you want to go back to your original installation folders, 
simply click the "Restore From Registry" button(s).  If DeMONS can't find a 
valid installation of a sim, both the Browse ("...") and "Restore From 
Registry" buttons will be disabled.


6.4  Default Race Configuration
-------------------------------
This dialog allows you to specify default settings used for every race that 
is added to a schedule.  Since these settings are (or should be) pretty 
familiar to you, I won't go over them in detail.


6.4.1  Simulator
----------------
This radio button group allows you to specify which sim to use for a race.


6.4.2  Weather
--------------
These settings allow you to specify weather conditions for a race.  At this 
time, the weather settings in N3 are broken (as of Patch #7).


6.4.3  Race Settings
--------------------
This group of fields allows you to enter a race password and durations 
associated with a race.

Note: The "race over time" does not function as of version 1.0.05 
      of the N3 patch.  However, DeMONS allows you to enter this 
      value and you'll be ready when Papy fully implements the 
      feature in the sim.


6.4.4  Toggles (1.08)
---------------------
This group of checkboxes allows you to turn various toggles on and off.  Be 
sure to check the changes.txt file to see what new toggles may have been added.


6.4.5  Consecutive Runs
-----------------------
This checkbox allows you to tell DeMONS how many consecutive times it is to run 
an event.  This is quite handy for leagues that may want to set up their entire 
schedule and have each race run 7 times (6 daily practice races, ending with a 
final points race).  Quite cool.


6.5  Creating a Schedule...
---------------------------
To create a schedule, click the "Create/Edit Schedule" button in the Server 
Configuration dialog.  You will be presented with the "Current Schedule" dialog 
box.

This dialog box contains a list box showing the currently scheduled events, as 
well as a series of buttons allowing you to add, edit, or delete single events 
or *all* events. The buttons are pretty self-explanatory, so I won't bother going 
into their function individually, with the following exception.

When you click the "Add Event" button or the "Edit Event" button, another dialog 
is displayed that is almost identical tot he default Race Configuration dialog 
box.  The only difference is that you get to select a track at which to race.

The list box also shows the sim that will be used to run the event, and the 
vehicle type (for N3 events only) that will be used.

6.5.1  Use Restrictor Plate (Experimental)
------------------------------------------
This feature allows you to toggle the restrictor plate on and off for the tracks 
you specify.  DeMONS is already configured to allow this toggle to be used with 
Taladega, and the oft ill-gotten Daytona.  For all other tracks, this checkbox 
is not selectable.

To make a track enable and respond to this checkbox, you must manually edit the 
track dictionary file for the associate sim. Let's say we're going to add 
Martinsville to the N3 tracks that can be affected by this toggle. You would 
follow these steps:


  1) Open the TrackDictionaryN3.ini file
  
  2) Locate the desired track in the [TRACKS] section, and make a note of the 
     short name in all capital letters on the left side of the "=" sign. For 
     Martinsville, it's "MRTNSVIL".
  
  2) Locate the [USESPLATE] section within this file.
  
  3) At the end of the list of tracks, add this line:
  
          MRTNSVIL=1
          
  4) Save and close the file.
  
From this point on, you can toggle the restrictor plate on and off for all races 
at Martinsville, although I don't know what kind of an effect this will have on 
the race since Martinsville does not use restrictor plates in the first place.

Keep in mind that the trucks will be using the same track.TXT file as the cars 
do (in N3), and Taladega already has a line in its TXT file ("SPDWT 1 xx xx") 
that allows the same sort of setting.  *NONE* of the other tracks TXT files have 
this line.  DeMONS will skim right over this little bump by ignoring the toggle 
for truck races (unless you have the appropriate line in the track TXT file of 
course) in the road and you don't have to worry about it.


6.6 Starting the Schedule
-------------------------
At the main DeMONS dialog (the one with the pretty bitmap background), click 
the "Start Schedule" button.  This will cause DeMONS to display the "Schedule 
is Running" dialog box.

This dialog box shows the list of races you've selected for your schedule on 
the left side, and on the right side, you see the race configuration for the 
next race to be run.

Notice that the next race to be run has a ">>" to the left of the name in the 
list box.  If you'd like to selected a different race to be run next, you can 
either click the "Skip Event" button until the ">>" marker moves to the desired 
event, or double-click the event you wish to run next.

Clicking the "Start Now" button forces DeMONS to abort the countdown and run 
the (selected) next event immediately.

New in version 1.14, is the Error Messages button.  This button will be enabled 
if there are any pending error messages generated during the attempt to patch 
files, load WON files, or create HTML files.  In previous versions of DeMONS, a 
file error usually resulted in a halt of all processing in DeMONS while the 
program waited for human intervention.  Now, you are still made aware of the 
errors, but the schedule keeps running without intervention.

When you click the Error Messages button, you will see a dialog box listing all 
of the errors, along with a "Clear" button to empty the list.  

Error messages are saved between program sessions to a file called DeMONS.log, 
and this file is cumulative, so keep an eye on it's size.


7.0  Other Items of Note
------------------------
This section covers things you should know about, but that aren't critical for 
running the program.


7.0.1  Minimizing DeMONS
------------------------
You can minimize the program while the schedule is running. I had to eliminate 
the background bitmap, but I'm sure none of you will miss it.


7.0.2  Context-Sensitive Help
-----------------------------
When you hover the mouse pointer over a field, help text will be displayed as a 
pop-up tooltip window. Some tooltips are two-stage tips.  Whenever there is a 
black triangle on the right edge of the tooltip window, click the window to see 
the 2nd stage of the help text.


7.0.3  Wierd Problems After New Version of DeMONS Installed
-----------------------------------------------------------
Try deleting the DMONSdata.ini file in the DeMONS folder, and restarting DeMONS.  
Sometimes, this solves the problem.
			

7.0.4  Nascar Legends Info
--------------------------
If you're NOT using the patched version of NL, you have to manually add the 
following line to the DMONSdata.ini file under the section labeled "[SERVER]":

    LegendsPatched=0
    
When you start using the patched version, just delete the line shown above, or 
change the "0" to a "1".  This was done to accomodate those with Nascar Legends 
seasons underway that don't want/need to go to the patched version at this time. 

Keep in mind that if you want to make public races available, you MUST use the 
patched version of Nascar Legends after 3/31/2000 so that the race will show up 
on WON. This is Sierra's limitiation, not DeMONS.
			

7.0.5  Dedicated Server Notes
-----------------------------
If you run your system as a dedicated server, you CAN NOT DRIVE on the system at 
the same time.  I don't mind people asking me questions about DeMONS or the sim, 
but this is the single most annoying question I get.  All you have to do is look 
at the words "DEDICATED server".  That means that the system can ONLY be a 
server.  I don't know of any better way to say it.


8.0  Problems Encountered When Running Online
---------------------------------------------
The series of beta patches have presented the N3 sim racing community with a 
series of problems that cannot be directly attributed DeMONS, and therefore 
cannot be addressed through a "fix" to DeMONS. The following sub-sections briefly 
discusses each of these problems.


8.0.1  Cannot Find WON Server
-----------------------------
Nobody knows why this happens, but there are steps you can take to make sure that 
you have all of your bases covered.  The most important thing to remember is that 
connecting to a WON server *requires* that you are using at least Winsock2.  This 
should only be an issue for folks that are still running an early version of 
Windows 95.

Several people are running DeMONS on remote systems and cannot be there to "reset" 
things and respond to dialog boxes involving an inability to find one of the WON 
servers.  My advice is to NOT run public races if this is a problem.  The downside 
is that everyone that wants to run on your server MUST know it's IP address and 
must know when a race is scheduled.  Until Papyrus addresses these issues, this 
is the only solution if you're running the system remotely.  

I wonder how many people know that Sierra actually owns and operates the WON 
servers, so there's little reason for these kinds of things to be happening.  
Things that make you go "Hmmm...".


8.0.2  Problems With HTML Conversion
------------------------------------
Sometimes, the program can't find the results file (my_race.WON) and therefore 
can't convert the results to HTML.  I've found that everyone experiencing this 
problem is using the diagnostic log feature in the sim. Turning off the log 
seems to solve the problem.


9.0  The Future
---------------
Papyrus has stated that they will be releasing a Craftsman Truck patch for N3 
in Pril of 2000.  This will certainly force a new version of DeMONS.  If any 
other changes occur to either NL or N3, DeMONS will be updated to allow access 
to appropriate settings in both sims (from the viewpoint of a dedicated server).

As far as new features go, other than Papyrus changing the way things work, 
there's really nothing more to be done on this program that I can think of.


10.0  Contacting the Author (1.08)
---------------------------------
If you have any suggestions or want to report a bug...

  EMail:     jsimm@home.com
  Web Page:  http://www.paddedwall.org/nasroc1/utilities/demons.html

The About dialog box also contains hyperlinks to the addresses above, so you 
don't have to commit them to memory or anything. :-)

As for suggestions, I evaluate each suggestion for it's "scope-ness".  In 
other words, if I don't think it belongs in the program, I'll tell you why and 
give you a chance to make an argument in favor of including it.  Ask any of 
the current users, and they'll tell you that I'm fairly reasonable in this 
area, and most of the things suggested have already been implemented.


11.0  Legal Stuff
----------------
First, let me say that I don't want your money.  This program is absolutely 
free because I like programming.  However, I have been known to accept the 
occasional sacraficial virgin from my more loyal subjects - it makes them 
feel better, but more importantly, they don't follow me around as much if 
I just accept what they offer and let them get on with their lives.

Next, don't even think about making any money on this software.  You can't 
charge for it, and you can't put it ona web site or other source that does 
or will charge for access.  You can't even charge enough to recoup your cost 
of mailing it somewhere (including shipping charges, labor, or media).

However, if Papyrus would like to talk to me about buying the program from me,
I will be more than reasonable in my asking price (this is afterall, a minor 
program in the scheme of things).  I personally think that the user community 
has demonstrated a willingness to produce software to "fill in the gaps", and 
Papy should support this tendancy by providing any and all info the outside 
programmers might need (barring giving away of critical proprietary information, 
of course).  This would mean that they could pretty much forget about the 
non-sim side of the sim, and concentrate of improving the sim itself.

