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v2.0 of E-Trac spreadsheet is available thanks to The Beep Goes On:thumbup:

R

Ray-Mo.

Active member
http://www.thebeepgoeson.com/display.asp?page=E-Trac_Settings
The most notable addition is full import capabilities (.ptrn, .mode, .glb). There are 10 import/export options including a native file format (.xml) for exchanging comrehensive pattern/settings/site data...and, of course, you can export Emulator patterns. Other changes and refinements were made as well. This app is overkill for it's intended purpose, but that is a matter of perspective. If you do end up checking it out, please let me know if you find any stupidly obvious or seemingly insignificant errors or issues.
HH!
Beep
 
Thanks Ray!

I used Jim upstate NY's excellent TID data posted below and entered the coordinates into three different patterns (US Coins, Relics, Junk Targets). Combining them in different ways using the pattern mixer gave patterns with varying rejection rates...it could go either way depending on which targets you accept/reject last. I guess it would depend on how much trash you wanted to dig that day. Keep in mind that these are pure primitives with no padding, so whatever pattern is created from them would have to be "fleshed out" a bit.

Jim's data (in XML format) is available in the link in the OP under Native Files. A link to the Findmall topic and the approriate list of targets are included in the description in each file.

HH!
Beep
 
This was in the OP, but was lost when the post was moved. I'm posting it because of questions I've received about the files.

This article is not about bashing Minelab in anyway; as a matter of fact it provides an explanation in their defense.

Although the spreadsheet can be a serious tool, for most it is just a toy since we basically use only a few patterns once we find something we like. Because of this, and the file limitations, widespread use is not expected, but it does fill a niche that some may find useful.

------------------------------

The MINELAB E-Trac includes PC connectivity features allowing the creation and sharing of files containing E-Trac patterns and settings. These files come in three flavors; pattern files (.ptrn), mode files (.mode) and universal, or global, files (.glb). If you download information from your E-Trac to your PC using E-Trac Xchange you can save it as one of these file types and send it to a friend. If a friend sends you some files you can, using E-Trac Xchange, upload them to your E-Trac.

This sounds good, but there is something missing that some thought should be there. The promise of PC connectivity started thoughts of patterns whizzing through our heads and thinking about how the E-Trac Xchange application would let us program the E-Trac from the comfort of our PC, but that was not to be.

To understand why we have to look at how the E-Trac Xchange files and the E-Trac work together. I won
 
...with a slightly new twist. Andy's color-coded pattern (http://www.findmall.com/read.php?63,894336,894336#msg-894336) with the Fe/Ground "shadow" area highlighted and all coin and jewelry TID data that I have plotted (in light-blue) against the pattern (except Co 1-3).

e_sabisch.gif


v3.0 allows multiple accept and grid colors. Black is the one and only reject color. All other colors are accept colors. You can add data to your patterns with color without affecting the overall accept/reject pattern. The pattern above would actually show up as an AM pattern since there is no black.

HH!
Beep
 
Hello everyone. I am having problems with the spreadsheet. Every time that I export a pattern and then try to import it into ETrac Xchange, I get an error stating that it is corrupt. I am using Excel 2003 with the 2007 converter. Is this the problem or am it doing something wrong? I love the spreadsheet and I would really like to be able to export test patterns.

Thanks,
Leo
 
Great work, Beep.

Thanks for clearing all this up for me. As a new E-Trac user, I thought we'd be sharing patterns, progs and the like.... oh well, at least your fine work will help as an invaluable reference. I'm new to the Minelab numbering system. This will shorten the learning curve quite a bit.

Again, many thanks!

Regards, Ken
 
Hi beep. What a tremendous job. It's a heck of a tool for managing my mode and pattern files. Like a dictionary for the Etrac... or better yet.. a file card system. It really broadens the ability to do comparisons with the pattern and mode files. Thanks for sharing your hard work with us...
 
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