StartLine RC How-To
This page documents every part of /starter using the same production components inline. Change settings here to learn exactly how the live start console behaves.
1. Status Bar
Use this to confirm time-lock health, audio readiness, and timezone before starting a sequence.
Time Lock: `unlocked`, `locking`, `locked`, or `stale`.
Offset: estimated difference between device and server clock in milliseconds.
Confidence: uncertainty window for the offset estimate (smaller is better).
Audio: `blocked`, `suspended`, or `armed` from browser audio context state.
TZ: timezone string used for display and absolute-time resolution.
2. Control Panel
Set mode, rule set, prep flag, template, and audio settings. Start controls build the timeline and quick-start buttons schedule the warning at the next minute boundary.
Controls
Mode Options
Immediate
Builds a sequence from now. If "Align warning to top of next minute" is enabled, warning waits for the next minute boundary.
Specific Time
Uses "Start At" in the configured timezone. If Start At is empty/invalid, falls back to now + template lead time.
Rolling
Builds repeated 5-minute starts for each class name, spaced by "Rolling Interval (seconds)".
Every Input Explained
Rule Set (Select)
Chooses ruleset-specific warning copy. Current timeline timing is the same for US Sailing and World Sailing in this implementation.
Prep Flag (Select)
Flag used for preparatory up/down events at -4/-1 (5-minute) or -2/-1 (3-minute): P, I, U, Black.
Template (Select)
Five-minute and three-minute control lead time. In immediate mode, non-three-minute values normalize to five-minute. In rolling mode it uses rolling sequence generation.
Timezone (Text)
IANA timezone used for display and absolute-time parsing, e.g. America/New_York. Invalid zone can make absolute parsing fail and trigger fallback behavior.
Start At (Datetime-local)
Only visible in Specific Time mode. Parsed in selected timezone, then converted to epoch. Invalid/missing value falls back to now + lead time.
Rolling Classes (Text (CSV))
Only visible in Rolling mode. Comma-separated names. Empty entries are removed. If final list is empty, default classes are used internally.
Rolling Interval (seconds) (Number)
Only visible in Rolling mode. Time between class starts. UI min/step are 30 seconds.
30s cue (Checkbox)
Adds a thirty-second sound cue at start-30s.
Align warning to top of next minute (Checkbox)
Immediate mode only. Forces warning to the next minute boundary and shifts start by template lead.
Final ticks (Checkbox)
Enables per-second tick cues from "Final Tick From" down to 1.
Final Tick From (Number)
Start second for final countdown ticks. UI range is 1..15. Values below 1 disable generated ticks.
Audio Volume (Range (0..1))
Sets cue playback gain in the browser audio engine.
Every Button Explained
Start Sequence
Builds timeline from current config and starts playback progression.
Start @ Top Of Next Minute
Immediate-start helper. Warning is fixed to next minute boundary, then start is warning + lead time.
Reset
Clears current timeline and running state. Does not reset config values.
Sync Clock
Calls /api/time calibration, estimates clock offset and confidence, and enables monotonic locked timing when successful.
Arm Audio
Attempts to unlock browser audio context for cue playback.
Start In ~1m/~3m/~5m
Schedules warning at the next minute boundary after N minutes and computes start from template lead.
Test cue buttons
Plays individual cues (warning/prep/1m/30s/start/tick) immediately.
Save Local Preset
Persists current config/volume in localStorage.
Share Preset URL
Encodes current preset into URL query, updates address bar, and copies URL if clipboard is available.
3. Countdown + Signal Stack
The clock shows time to start and current time. Signal cards show active flags and the next expected signal from the computed engine state.
Race Start Countdown
--:--
01:14:24
Next signal: No active sequence
Active Signals
No active signal flags.
Next Up
No signal flags currently displayed
Next Flag Change
No upcoming flag transition
--:--
Next Horn
No horn scheduled
--:--
Upcoming Horn Queue
Required Horns
No required horn cues.
Optional Horns
No optional horn cues.
4. Action Pad
Use race actions (AP, recall, and abandon) while running. Each action transforms the remaining timeline starting at the current timestamp.
Action Pad
Action Semantics
Postpone (AP)
Adds AP up event at now. Sequence remains visible but AP is active.
Resume From AP
Adds AP down now and resume marker +60s, then appends a fresh standard start with warning at +60s.
Individual Recall (X)
Adds X up now and X down at +240s.
General Recall (First Sub)
Adds First Substitute up now, down at +60s, new warning marker at +120s, and appends a fresh standard start from that restart point.
Abandon (N)
Adds N up now.
Abandon (N over H)
Adds N and H up now.
Abandon (N over A)
Adds N and A up now.
Resume After N
Adds N down now and resume marker +60s, then appends a fresh standard start with warning at +60s.
5. Timeline
This is the authoritative sequence list generated from your configuration. It shows recent events plus upcoming cues and signal changes.
Timeline
6. Operational Flow
1. Press Sync Clock until the status bar shows a locked or stale lock state.
2. Press Arm Audio, then test critical cues (warning, prep, one-minute, start).
3. Configure the sequence, then start immediately or with quick-start scheduling.
4. Monitor active flags and timeline; apply AP/recall/abandon actions as needed.
5. Save/share preset once verified for repeat races.