[Dx4win] ADIF Conversions

[Jim Reisert AD1C]

Brian, I can see your point, but I think the problem here is not with DX4WIN.

There are two approaches, both viable:

1.  Writelog exports a generic QTH field.  This field is supported
    in the ADIF specification ( http://www.hosenose.com/adif/adif.html )
    but is not described.  A program importing the ADIF file could
    translate this "QTH" to a valid state, province or country.
    From Wayne's point of view, if Writelog can export an ADIF file
    and import it, and recover the log, then his work is done.

2.  Another approach is for the contest software to translate a
    QTH into another ADIF field, like STATE, VE_PROV etc.  This is
    the approach I have taken with the CT to ADIF conversion I
    wrote.  Depending on the contest type, it will export CQ Zone,
    ITU Zone, state, province, county or age.  This is obviously
    extra work on the logging software developer's part.  However,
    I found the benefit outweighs the cost, since I use both CT
    and DX4WIN.

Note that you can NOT make up data that isn't there.  For example, in CQ WPX,
how do you assign the state field?  You can't without using an external data
source (callbook).  This is where Paul has a choice.  He could fill in the
state field from a previous QSO with the same station.  However, this is risky
since people tend to move around a lot, or calls get assigned to other people.
I like the way it works now.

In short, I don't believe that anyone is being too lazy to adhere to the
standard.  They're just not going the extra step to improve the end-user
experience.

73 - Jim AD1C


--- Brian Boerner <bmb@adelphia.net> wrote:

> Don't you just love it when a standard is defined and developers are just to
> lazy to implement it. 
> > 
> > From: "Garry Shapiro" <garry@ni6t.com>
> > Date: 2004/02/25 Wed PM 02:12:49 EST
> > To: "DX4WIN Reflector" <dx4win@mailman.qth.net>
> > Subject: [Dx4win] ADIF Conversions
> > 
> > I have been converting Writelog contest logs to ADIF within Writelog, and
> > then importing them into DX4WIN. A current thread on the WL reflector
> > discloses that State info is listed in the WL ADIF under <QTH:2> and that
> > DX4WIN does not import that information.
> > 
> > DX4WIN's HELP file states:
> > 
> > ADIF is a specification of a file exchange format between various logging
> > programs. A number of fields are missing from the ADIF standard, most
> > notably fields related to the tracking of various awards.
> > 
> > The only option for this filter is the inclusion of the frequency field;
> > when the filter frequency is disabled, the frequency field will be added to
> > the 'notes for this QSO'.
> > 
> > ---------
> > 
> > It would be useful to import State data from such contests as SS, NA
> > Sprint etc. Short of entering each QSO's State manually, is there a
> > viable method--such as renaming a column in the ADIF---in DX4WIN to
> > accomplish this?
> > 
> > Garry, NI6T



=====
Jim Reisert AD1C, 7 Charlemont Court, North Chelmsford, MA 01863
USA +978-251-9933, <jjreisert@alum.mit.edu>, http://www.ad1c.com
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