CAT: Computer Assisted Tabulation

The new computer program to run collegiate debate tournamentsA project of Gary Larson, Rich Edwards, and Jon Bruschke


Beta version: An "beta" release is a version of the program that has been run successfully by the developers, and in their opinion is ready for general release, but has not been extensively tested.  On a first major useage, some glitches are expected, but none should be fatal to the completion of he tournament.  Instructional videos appear at the bottom of the page.

Note: Google Chrome

will not download updates correctly, but will instead continue to download existing versions.  Other browsers should be fine, and internet Explorer will be the most safe.

 

Quick start guide (includes basic processes and updates not yet incorporated in the full documentation): Quick Start Guide

 

The full manual with all documentation is available here (Word document): CAT manual

 

The program and several test datasets are in a zipped folder here: CAT download   Right-click the link to the left and select Save Link As" and save the file to your desktop.  The file is 6MB, so you probably want to be connected to a fairly quick connection.

 

If you only want the most recent CAT.exe file, click here: CAT.exe dowload

To install:

 

Download the zipped folder to your desktop:

 

1)     Create a directory called C:\Program Files\CAT .  You can best do this by clicking on “My computer” (or whatever you’ve named your computer) then “C:” then “Program Files.”  From the top bar, select “File-New-Folder”.  Re-name the new folder “CAT

 

2)     The “Cat Installation Folder” on the desktop is a zipped folder.  Double-click on it and a sub-folder of the same name appears.  Double-click on that folder and several files appear, Cat.exe and several tournament data files with a .mdb extension.  From the left-hand menu select “extract all files.”   Follow the wizard and the default will be to create the extracted folder on your desktop.  Open the extracted folder.  Again, there is a subdirectory of the same name, and again click on it.

 

3)     Load the Cat.exe file from the zipped folder on the desktop to the C:\program files\Cat folder.  To do this:  Right-click on the Cat.exe folder and select “copy.”  Minimize the folder and navigate back to the newly created “C:\program files\CAT ” folder.  Open the CAT folder, and select “Edit-Paste”.  The cat.exe program should appear in the new directory.

 

4)     Copy the TourneyData.mdb file from the zipped folder to the C: directory.  Return the to extracted “Cat Installation folder” folder on the desktop, and this time right-click on the “TourneyData.exe” file, and select “copy.”  Navigate back to the C: folder.  Select “Edit-Paste”.  The file will now be in the C: folder.  Make sure it is NOT in any folder or subdirectory, but just sitting on the C: drive.

 

Note: The program file can run from anywhere.  The data file is always c:\TourneyData.mdb.  You can use the various datasets included here by copying them to the c:\TourneyData.mdb location.

 

You will need to know the tournament number for your tournament.  It appears on the main menu screen just after the tournament name (see below).

 

To run: Click on the program c:\program files\cat\cat.exe.  It should launch and read “CSUF Winter tournament (Kathryn Klassic)  (187)”

INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS:

All videos are between 5 and 10 minutes.  When the web page opens, click on the arrow in the middle of the screen to start the video.  If the video is too small, click on the "full screen" button at the top of the video.  I may talk pretty fast.  Keep in mind you can always use the pause button and/or rewind.  Plus, you are a debater and used to people talking fast