Renaming controls

Hello!

When setting a course, I start by putting down controls on the map. They are put in no particular order. Usually I start with the controls for a specific course (maybe the easiest or the hardest), and then add controls as I need them.

After the work is finished, or at least after the work is satisfactory, the number of the controls is completely spread around the map, and some numbers will most probably be missing from the 'natural order'. To facilitate the task of setting the controls in the terrain, they have to be renumbered in a logical way.

As I see it there is no easy way to do this. The problem is that since I cannot have duplicate controls, I cannot renumber them sequencialy (conflicts will always arise). One way is to start giving numbers starting at say 500, and at the end start numbering them from 100 (in my case). But this only solves the problem partially. If later on (after they are renumbered from 100) I decide to drop a control, or change control locations, or make a mistake, the problem surfaces again.

Unfortunately I do not have an ideia on how this problem could be solved. Can you offer a solution?


thanks in advance,

Rui Botão
CPOC (Portugal) 2377 - H35A

No, you are right, it is a bit complex to renumber the entire set of controls.

Personally, I would advise against renumbering controls. I think it's safer to leave controls with their original numbers all the way through the process, just to avoid any mistakes that would arise from having for example printouts before and after any renumbering of controls. The same goes for the control site markings in the woods. If these markings have an id number on them, it would be error prone to change it.

Well, this is my personal position, but I know it is advice that is commonly agreed.

To ensure consistency, Condes does not allow duplicate control numbers. Do you think this restriction should be lifted?

However, Condes DOES allow you to rename a control, and my immediate suggestion to achieve an even distribution of control numbers over the area would be the same as yours -- namely to start by numbering the controls temporarily in a different range, and then order them back into the final range at a late stage. That would to some extent also alleviate the above concern, because no new control would inherit another control's number.

Alternatively, if you have the controls in the final range, but need to rearrange, you could rename one control to a number out of range, then rename the control that is to take its number, etc.

Sorry, no silver bullet...

regards,
Finn

Hello!

Thank you. It is not a major issue.

But please do not lift the restriction against duplicated control numbers. That would be really a much bigger problem.


regards,

Rui Botão
CPOC (Portugal) 2377 - H35A