2014 Encrypted Competition Manual

[Rick Wagner]

I've noticed that the 2014 encrypted competition manual is not yet up at http://frc-manual.usfirst.org/. I know it's probably a bit early to look a full 10 days before kickoff, but when is the encrypted manual expected to appear?

Thanks,

Rick
FRC 3008 mentor

[Joe Ross]

The last three years (at least), it's been posted on the Wednesday before kickoff. Since the Wednesday is a holiday this year, I would expect it sometime that week, probably no earlier then Monday the 30th and no later then Thursday the 2nd.

[Rick Wagner]

Originally Posted by Joe Ross

The last two years (at least), it's been posted on the Wednesday before kickoff.

Thank you! There's a lot of anticipation this year in Hawaii with my new team. I'll look for it then.

[yash101]

I think they might release it tomorrow, as a Christmas Present

[cgmv123]

Something tells me they're still making changes to the manual.

[PayneTrain]

Originally Posted by cgmv123

Something tells me they're still making changes to the manual.

They've had to adjust for everyone in the game hint thread figuring everything out...

[Ernst]

Originally Posted by PayneTrain

They've had to adjust for everyone in the game hint thread figuring everything out...

I thought the consensus was that they released a random hint and built a game around the funniest proposals in the game hint thread.

[yash101]

I can't wait till they give the manual and then the password on kickoff so I can unlock the file and find out about the game (on kickoff). By the way, is the file a locked PDF or a locked ZIP folder containing the files, or a zip folder containing the PDFs, each locked, maybe with their own passwords?!?

[Chris is me]

The file has always been one big PDF encrypted with a single password. This lets you put the PDF on a tablet, iPad, etc. in advance of Kickoff and punch in the password when you get there.

Expect it next week, not today.

[magnets]

Originally Posted by yash101

I can't wait till they give the manual and then the password on kickoff so I can unlock the file and find out about the game (on kickoff). By the way, is the file a locked PDF or a locked ZIP folder containing the files, or a zip folder containing the PDFs, each locked, maybe with their own passwords?!?

In previous years they gave out an encrypted PDF file. I always wonder why they bother with the test file before. It seems to me that most FRC people have a computer with adobe acrobat, and that the FIRST people are good enough to encrypt a PDF file.

[Chris is me]

Originally Posted by magnets

In previous years they gave out an encrypted PDF file. I always wonder why they bother with the test file before. It seems to me that most FRC people have a computer with adobe acrobat, and that the FIRST people are good enough to encrypt a PDF file.

There are way, way more devices and programs that read PDFs than computers running Windows with Adobe Acrobat installed. The decryption test lets you verify that your Linux or Mac computer, your Android tablet, your iPhone or iPad, or whatever you'll be using on Kickoff day definitely works. At least for me it's very much appreciated.

[magnets]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

There are way, way more devices and programs that read PDFs than computers running Windows with Adobe Acrobat installed. The decryption test lets you verify that your Linux or Mac computer, your Android tablet, your iPhone or iPad, or whatever you'll be using on Kickoff day definitely works. At least for me it's very much appreciated.

As a linux user without an iPhone/iPad/Android tablet, I never thought about it that way, and I now see how it's useful.

[runneals]

Originally Posted by yash101

I can't wait till they give the manual and then the password on kickoff so I can unlock the file and find out about the game (on kickoff). By the way, is the file a locked PDF or a locked ZIP folder containing the files, or a zip folder containing the PDFs, each locked, maybe with their own passwords?!?

It would be nice if they had the 'unlocked' pdfs in a locked zip folder, so teams (and people like me) don't have to enter in the password when they reopen the doc... just a thought though (although maybe zips are less secure than locked pdfs)

[Chris is me]

Originally Posted by runneals

It would be nice if they had the 'unlocked' pdfs in a locked zip folder, so teams (and people like me) don't have to enter in the password when they reopen the doc... just a thought though (although maybe zips are less secure than locked pdfs)

If you need a workaround just for the day of Kickoff before you can download the unencrypted version, try going to Print and Saving to PDF at that point.

[skimoose]

Originally Posted by Rick Wagner

I've noticed that the 2014 encrypted competition manual is not yet up at http://frc-manual.usfirst.org/. I know it's probably a bit early to look a full 10 days before kickoff, but when is the encrypted manual expected to appear?

Thanks,

Rick
FRC 3008 mentor

Usually, when the GDC is confident that the password can't be brute forced within the remaining time until kickoff.