TLT Training Lap Timer for Scalextric RMS
=========================================

Program written in Python using the wxPython GUI toolkit.
Released under the same terms as wxPython itself.

Tired of clicking my way through the Scalextrix RMS application just to do a few training laps, I decided to write a small wxPython application focusing on the essentials (from my point of view) of a lap timer:
- No fiddling around to start a training session:
        The lap timer starts its job as soon as the application is launched
        The settings/logfiles are restored on startup as when you quit the application. 
- Big fonts, goods readability even from distance
- No need to use a mouse or keyboard to reset the best lap: Pressing the blue button on the RMS resets all (you can use F1...F6 to reset individual tracks though)
- Some cool features:
        Suppress listing/logging of deslotted laps
        'Best laps' are in a list too. This way you can compare one car right after another, pressing 'Reset' in between them
        Logfiles open in a spreadsheet allowing you to get the stats (min/max/avg) per track / per car (I have one logfile per car, so I can track the statistics of every car over track & time)

Directory logs/ is intended to store your log files. You can choose a logfile per track, per car or even a single one for all tracks!
Directory sounds/ contains some (poorly chosen) sound files for startup & best lap. Substitute them with the sounds of your choice as you like! If you own the RMS software, you can drop those sound files in this directory since TLT uses the same file names. 

On startup TLT scans all serial ports for a Scalextric RMS, so it's important that the RMS is connected at that time.
TLT is tested to run on Windows 2000/XP and Mandriva Linux but there is no reason why it should not run on other Windows or UNIX Platforms, provided that there is a wxPython and pySerial port available.

I'm open for suggestions on improving TLT. But as its name implies the scope of TLT is training (and trainig races) only! I don't intend to add race modes with pre-start lights, checkered flags or the like. Maybe I'll implement an 'intermediate time' mode for 2-lane tracks using additional RMSes.
My mail: pinkpanther@swissonline.ch Use Subject: TLT

Important note:
On Linux while the log file selection dialog is open, no lap events can be received. This must be a bug in the serial port routines (TERMIOS) of Linux. So please choose the logfiles BEFORE you start a training race! 

Windows Install:
===============
Extract TLT.exe to your program files directory
Double-click the .exe in the newly created TLT-x.x directory

Linux Install:
===============
Extract TLT.zip into a directory:
cd /usr/local
mkdir TLT
cd TLT
unzip /path/to/zipfile/TLT.zip
ln -s TLT.py ../bin/

Type 'TLT.py' in the console or double-click 'TLT.py' to start the program.

Required Linux Packages:
========================
(recommended to install using the package manager of your distro)
wxPythonGTK (with all its dependecies, probably libwxPythonGTK2.6, wxGTK2.6)
python-serial

OS-X Install
============
this is not tested:

Extract TLT.zip into a directory
Double-click 'TLT.py' to start the program.

Required OS-X Packages:
========================
wxPython
    http://www.wxpython.org/download.php
pySerial
    http://pyserial.sourceforge.net/
    http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=46487