Tag Archives: Course Setting

Relay Variation Allocation 2025

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The relay variation allocation 2025 uses a new algorithm to assign the variants to the teams and each runner. The algorithm prefers variants with a larger number of different variations compared to the other teams (e.g. ABAB is preferred to ABAA if AAAA and BBBB are already used).

All new course setting files now use the relay variation allocation 2025.

If the course setting file was created with an OCAD version older than 2020.7.11 (February 2025) you can choose if you like to change to the new allocation algorithm by clicking the Switch to relay variation allocation 2025 button. Please note that there is no undo and that already printed maps or exported IOF xml files for the result software will become invalid!

The text Relay variation allocation 2025 used is shown after the switch or when a file was created with an OCAD version 2020.7.11 or later.

Apple Look Around Viewer added to OCAD

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With the Open Geoviewer function, you can click in the drawing area and specify a viewing direction. OCAD opens by default a web browser with Google Street View at the chosen position and direction.

The Apple Look Around Viewer now offers itself as a real alternative, as it can be more up-to-date and more comprehensive depending on the area, see example below.

Select the Open Geoviewer icon in the toolbar, click into the drawing area and drag a direction.
Google Street View is opened by default. Date of recording is 2014 (upper left in the picture).
However, Apples Look Around Viewer is more up-to-date and more comprehensive for this area. Date of recording is 2021.

How to access Apple Look Around Viewer in OCAD

  • Switch to the Apple Look Around Viewer in the OCAD Preferences
  • Select the Open Geoviewer icon in the toolbar
  • Click into the drawing area and drag a direction
  • OCAD opens the web browser with Apple Look Around Viewer at the chosen position and direction

The prerequisite for using Geoviewers is that the map is georeferenced and covered by the Geoviewer service.

Why you should use Geoviewer?

The use of Geoviewer can be very helpful for sprint maps, as many objects can already be drawn at home or a certain scene can be checked again afterwards. This reduces the amount of field work. It is advisable to test different Geoviewer services.

ISSkiOM Update

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The International Specifications for Ski Orienteering Maps have been modified and released as ISSkiOM 2019 Revision 3, which is valid from 1st December 2024.

The most important changes:

  • New symbols for tracks which must be stayed on
    Sometimes due to special considerations, competitors are required to stay on the track and are forbidden to leave the track to the side or join the track from the side. These tracks are shown on the map with orange color. (IOF ISSkiOM 2019 Revision 3, chapter 2.5)
  • For a better readability, a white mask (0.15 mm on each side) is used under all green and orange track symbols
  • New Symbol for Dangerous section

How to work with the new specifications?

To work with the updated symbol sets already now, you can download a so-called silent update in OCAD under the menu Help>Download Update. The next complete OCAD update is planned for November.

To update an existing ski orienteering map to the latest symbol set, use the Update Symbol Set function.


Canvas – Map Exchange and Map Flip now also supported

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The Canvas function now also supports Map Flip and Map Exchange.

If a Map Exchange (new map) or Map Flip (turn the map over) is inserted in a course, a different canvas can be assigned for each map extract in the canvas function.

Example

  • A Map Flip has been added to a course.
  • In the canvas function, two map extracts appear for this course (#1 and #2). The first map extract is assigned to Canvas East, the second to Canvas West.
  • When exporting, both map extracts are exported as PDF files.
  • PDF with first part of the course.
  • PDF with second part of the course after the Map Flip. Note that the map extract and map layout is different to the first part of the course.

The above example can be downloaded here as OCAD file together with other Canvas examples.

Route Analyzer: Show route length, climb and time per variant

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With the last OCAD update there was a small improvement of the OCAD Route Analyzer. The route length, climb and time for each variant is now displayed in the txt file for relay courses.

The txt file will be created in the same folder, where your course setting project is saved when you click on Analyze routes (current course) or Analyze routes (all courses). The txt file contains a summary of all routes, as well as a summary for each course and variant separately.

The values can be added to the Courses dialog, e.g. add Extra length for sprint courses or add Climb used.

Not yet tried the OCAD Route Analyzer?
Try it yourself with our demo data.