IDEA: Simple Race Brackets Program

[CaptainCowPie]

Our local Cub Scout Pack runs a Pinewood Derby contest every year. We have 5 different brackets that we use based on the Den each Cub Scout is in. Every year, we sign in the cars and then rush to make the brackets on poster board. Even with a lot of help, it takes a while to get it done and boys this age are not known for their patience 

I would be nice to have a program where we could input all of the names, and the brackets would automatically be created. Then, when someone won, we just check off their name and they continue on while the loser goes to a loser's bracket (double elimination). All of this could be done on a laptop with a projector showing it on a screen.

I know that Packs all around the nation are contending with this same issue every year.

Thanks for all the great programs you are making,
Vince

[tinjaw]

This sounds interesting, especially when you mention that other packs might find it useful as well. I have to confess to being a huge geek and not all that into sports. I don't pay attention to the basketball tournaments for example. So I had to read up on Double-elimination tournaments. 

Can you expand a little on what you need it to do. Maybe find some example screenshots from the Net to illustrate your ideas.

[Ruffnekk]

Are you going to take this one on Tinjaw? It sounds interesting

[tinjaw]

Doing my research:

GottaLuvGoogle

• http://www.derbytalk.com/index.php?sid=28eaa0d2f1f2663c2effbad2c7021a6a
• http://members.aol.com/stanDCmr/pwraces.html
• http://www.wtrfrd.com/pack339/

[tinjaw]

Are you going to take this one on Tinjaw? It sounds interesting

I think so. Maybe for my N.A.N.Y. entry.

[tonsofpcs]

Many collectable card game manufacturers (Wizards of the Coast, UpperDeck Entertainment, etc.) create programs that do this for the running of their sanctioned tournaments, maybe you could use one of these (most of them ask for a membership number of some sort for the players, but most will also work with a dummy number, like 0 or simple number sequences)?

[thesteve]

I've seen this type of program as an assignment for a couple of different classes, and what you're proposing sounds like the objective of a number of tournament organizers. I've done a cursory Google examination for you:
http://www.download.com/Tournament-Bracket-Builder/3000-2136_4-10444952.html
http://www.softplatz.com/Soft/Home-Hobby/Cataloging/Professional-Tournament-Organizer.html
http://www.allprosoftware.com/ts/ (trial version)
http://games.softpedia.com/get/Tools/Tourney-Master.shtml (trial version)

[tinjaw]

Good finds there thesteve. The first one you listed looks like it might fit the bill if all they need is a simple way to display the names. It is limited to 32 players. The second one seems to have disappeared off of the Net, but it seems to be available via the Internet Archive from back in 2004.

I don't want to reinvent the wheel if any of these meet your needs CaptainCowPie.