FrogTools/en

Introduction

Frogtools is a virtual sailing toolkit to be used on the Virtual Loup de Mer website. This software's concept stemms on two ideas. It should first make your interacting with the VLM interface the most intuitive possible, it should also enable you to operate all elementary tasks in a very limited number of mouse moves, particularly when you're in a hurry. What would be my position in two hours from now? What is the wind's rotation? Can I safely go on errands while my boat is sailing through reefs?

Using Frogtools implies your previous knowledge of VLM's rules and practices. For more information on those, refer to the orignal VLM Wiki.

You should previously be a VLM member and already have created a boat on VLM.

Installation

Warning: Frogtools is fully operational on PCs (Windows 7, Vista and XP) with Internet Explorer 8 or Firefox 4 and on Mac (OS X, 10.6 and 10.7) with Safari.

Upon your first entering Frogtools on a PC, the system might request you to automatically download an updated version of Silverlight. On a Mac, you need to previously download Silverlight.

Silverlight is the operating language in Frogtools. It is a kind of 'Flash' equivalent with a much more powerful engine. It implies that a number of functions and computing operations will occur on your machine rather than on the VLM mainframe.

For more information:

• Standard Installation: http://www.silverlight.net/
• Mac Installation: http://www.microsoft.com/getsilverlight/get-started/install/default.aspx
• Linux Installation: Moonlight (Presently not operational)

How to access Frogtools: http://silverlight.virtual-loup-de-mer.org/frogtools.html

Home page

When entering the Frogtools homepage, you need only connect on your VLM account. The 'Connexion' button is at the upper right hand on the page.

Connexion

A window opens up for you to enter your VLM ID (an email address) and your VLM password. These two can be memorized on your browser for a rolling seven days by ticking the appropriate checkbox. Click OK to start.

Fleet (flotte)

A new window opens up which lists your VLM boats, together with a Frogtools bonus: last line is for a spectator boat which would allow you gooking at a race even without entering it or following up your opponents when you have already arrived and are enjoying your beer.

If a boat is not enrolled in a race, it is not clickable. It would appear as "mooring" (au ponton) in the "race" (course) column.Dans la colonne « course », il est indiqué « au ponton ». Il faut donc tout d'abord choisir une course. Cliquez pour cela sur le bouton "Les courses à l'affiche".

Une nouvelle fenêtre s'ouvre avec les courses en cours et les courses prévues. Cliquez sur les affiches pour les faire défiler. Les informations relatives à chaque course sont affichées sous la carte. Vous pouvez opter à ce moment pour 2 modes. "Spectateur" si vous souhaitez simplement voir la course en cours. Si la course est déjà fermée, ce sera le seul bouton qui vous sera proposé. Ou "Participer" si vous souhaitez vous engager. Un menu déroulant apparait alors pour choisir dans votre flotte le bateau qui participera. Seuls les bateaux non encore engagés dans une course vous seront proposés.

Si votre bateau est inscrit à une course, elle est indiquée dans cette colonne et vous pouvez cliquer sur sa ligne, à n’importe quel endroit.

Cette action vous ouvre la page principale des Frogtools, dédiée au bateau que vous avez sélectionné.