Different clubs have different goals. However, you can adjust the following main options and test them using simulations to find the best configuration for your club:
• "Encourage Match Variety" - This option controls the social aspect or match variety when arranging matches. If you want BC4E to create as many "good" matches as possible, set it to "Nope" to allow duplicates. If you prefer each match to have different players, set it to "Strongly" (default). Options include "Strongly," "Moderate," "Slightly," and "Nope."
• "Enforce Gender Options" - By default, this is set to "No." Set it to "Yes" to prioritize gender balance over skill level balance when arranging matches.
• "Mix High & Low Levels" - BC4E typically arranges matches with the smallest skill level difference. This option allows some matches with larger skill gaps after a certain number of normal matches. Set it to zero if you don't want BC4E to intentionally create "bad" matches. This is useful for clubs with a wide range of skill levels, from beginners to experts.
• "Policy of Two Divisions" - This option is for clubs that divide users into two divisions based on user type. Policies include "Compete," "Separate," and "Mix Up" (default). "Compete" arranges matches like a tournament between divisions, while "Separate" ensures players only play within their division.
• "Match Count Ratio" - This option allows you to favor higher-level players by setting the ratio of match counts between the highest and lowest-level players. The default is "8:8," ensuring equal chances for all players. You can adjust it to "8:7," "8:6," etc., to favor higher-level players.
BC4E integrates best practices from various clubs in the Badminton North Harbour association. It can meet diverse requirements by configuring options and testing with simulations. Simulations take only a few seconds and can save hours of club runtime. Check match reports to ensure they meet your goals.
Yes, BC4E allows you to pair 2–4 players together, ensuring they play together as much as possible. You can even specify the percentage of matches they play together.
Yes, you can create multiple schedules for different time periods with varying court allocations. BC4E will automatically use the appropriate schedule for each period without manual intervention.
Yes, BC4E has an option called "Match Count Ratio," which sets the ratio of match counts between the highest and lowest-level players. The default is "8:8," ensuring equal chances. You can adjust it to "8:7," "8:6," etc., to favor higher-level players.
You can either modify the predefined schedule for that day or create a "Casual Schedule," which is temporary and automatically disabled after the day ends.
Deleting a match removes it from match history and is typically used for newly arranged matches that haven't been played. Clearing a court keeps the match in history and is used to manually arrange new matches or move all players to the waiting list.
Auto Mode: All courts start and finish matches simultaneously. Matches are arranged, started, and stopped automatically.
Sync Mode: All courts start and finish matches simultaneously, but operators can manually adjust match start/end times or arrange matches.
Async Mode: Each court operates independently, with operators manually arranging, starting, and stopping matches.
You can switch between modes using the same menu item: Auto Mode → Sync Mode → Async Mode → Auto Mode.
Enable the hourly fee feature by choosing "Config -> Options" and setting "enable_hourly_fee" to "Yes." To register a player for hourly play, right-click their name in the Club User window and choose "Register - 1(h)." BC4E will automatically timeout players when their paid duration ends.
If a new version causes issues, follow these steps to roll back:
1. Export current registered players to a .CSV file using "Admin -> Export Player."
2. Close BC4E.
3. Rename the "C:\BC4E" folder to something like "C:\BC4E_yyyymmdd."
4. Restore the previous version by renaming the latest backup folder to "C:\BC4E."
5. Start BC4E and import the registered players using "Admin -> Import Player."
Note: If the new version doesn't change the data format, you can skip steps 1 and 6 by copying "players.tbl" and "matches.tbl" to the restored folder.
Set the "Enforce Gender Balance" option to "Yes." This prioritizes gender balance over skill level balance when arranging matches.
Note: BC4E typically prioritizes skill level balance. For example, if a high-level female player has no equivalent female peers, she may play with male players.
1. BC4E has built-in data protection. Activate it by setting a non-empty password for the default "admin" account.
2. By default, the "admin" account has an empty password for testing purposes.
3. To activate data protection:
• Choose "Config -> Administrator."
• Enter "admin" as the username and a non-empty password in the password fields.
• Click "Update" to save the changes.
1. By default, BC4E allocates courts randomly. The "Court Selection Scope" option controls the randomness.
2. To reduce randomness and avoid large movements, set "Court Selection Scope" to a smaller value (e.g., 25% for 10 courts allocates courts in groups of 3).
3. For sequential allocation, set the scope to 10% or less.
4. You can reverse the allocation sequence by adjusting court names in the Court Configuration form.