Using QuickLOAD - Tips & Tricks

[RiverRider]

I think there are more QuickLOAD users here than any other site I've seen. In fact, it was here that I first saw the results it can generate, thanks to Fotis (whose sale of a .350 Rem Mag in the Classifieds also planted the seed in my noggin that led to my .35 Whelen, and other stuff as well). When I saw what it can do I knew I had to have it! I bought the program a couple of years ago and immediately began to play with it and found it to be very interesting. I am sure everyone else using it likes it as much as I do.

I know that some folks have higher aptitude than others when it comes to making software do things. Some folks take to a new application like ducks to water, and some struggle with every step. I guess I fall somewhere in the upper middle since I work with PCs and software applications constantly...but I have to admit: I get stumped, and not infrequently. There are features in QL that I have yet to figure out and I'll bet there are capabilities I have yet to imagine. I'd bet a buck that I'm not the only passenger in this boat!

How about we start a QuickLOAD tips, tricks, and general help thread? Maybe it could be made into a sticky. And maybe it would be a good idea to prohibit, or at least discourage, QL requests in the thread so it does not morph into anything other than its original purpose. It would be easy if we all refrain from posting QL results in it---just post them in another thread.

Anyone else think this is a good idea?

 

[SJB358]

I am with you on the tips and tricks with QL, but I actually like to see the QL offered up in the threads when people as for it. Usually it is tailored to their specific request for bullet/powder/barrel length, case cap, ect, so it makes sense to me, to have it there. I do like the idea of a software area, kinda like the bullet test threads.. I am pretty sure Jim or Fotis could make it so, with a little finessing?

 

[RiverRider]

Scotty, when I saw your response to a QL request I thought of this because I don't recall your ever having done so (not that my memory's so great, haha). Did you get it very recently?

 

[DrMike]

RR, that sounds like an excellent idea. I always enjoy learning more to make my work more effective and more accurate.

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

Yes, excellent idea.

 

[SJB358]

Scotty, when I saw your response to a QL request I thought of this because I don't recall your ever having done so (not that my memory's so great, haha). Did you get it very recently?

Couple of months ago. Love it!

 

[RiverRider]

Okay then...I'll start out with a tweak I came up with on my own.

I was tired of seeing all these powders that I'll never see or use coming up in my results, like Vectan, Somchem and some others. So here's what I did:

I went into my Windows 7 directories following this path:

computer\windows 7 (C\users\public\public documents\QuickLOAD\data\powders

The powder file is "qloadfw.pro." It will open using Notepad. Open the file and edit out the powders you aren't interested in using. The data you delete will look something like this, for one powder:

"ADI AR 2208 ","4050","1.2225","1.600","0.6150","0.1132","0.438","1.3666","0.893","","","","","","","","","","","","15JAN04"

When you have finished deleting the undesired powders from the file, go the the File menu and click "Save as" and add a digit like "1" to the file name and then click save. My new powder file is named "qloadfw1.pro"

The next time you open QuickLOAD, go to "Data: Add Change, Load, Save" then mouse over "Propellant Data" and then click on "Load a powder file." A new window will appear and you will be able to select "qloadfw1.pro" as your powder file in use. Click "ok" and proceed to use the program. The next time you generate the tables that list the results for all the different powders, the ones you are not interested in will not appear in the list.

 

[RiverRider]

Here is another tweak if you don't like to have to wade through endless options you'll never use when loading a bullet file...

Go to computer\windows 7 (C\users\public\public documents\QuickLOAD\data\

You should see a number of folders, including one named "bullets." Create another directory and name it "Unused bullets." Now open the "bullets" directory and note the file names. If you don't want to see Sierra bullets in your options when running the software, the cut the file "sierra.bul" and paste it into the Unsused bullets directory you just created. If you change your mind you can move the file right back into the "bullets" directory and it will once again appear in your drop-down lists.

I have done this for quite a few bullets I know I will never use and it makes navigating the drop-down list a little quicker without all the unwanted clutter in there.

 

[FOTIS]

tag

 

[jetsurgeon]

tag

Good tips so far, keep em coming.

 

[DrMike]

Welcome aboard, jetsurgeon. Give us an introduction and let us know what you are loading for. Pictures are always helpful for us, as we are technological neanderthals around here. :mrgreen:

 

[RiverRider]

Good to see that someone is interested and benefiting. That's all I have for now, hopefully one of the other guys has something up his sleeve.

Come on now DrMike, don't hold out on us!!
:mrgreen:

 

[DrMike]

I'm so pragmatic and utilitarian and it isn't funny. I just push it full throttle until I can add more HP to the system. :twisted:

 

[RiverRider]

Here's one that just occurred to me a while ago, so I gave it a whirl. What this will do is give you a custom file to load in the "Selected Cartridge" drop-down list. I wanted to be able to load a list of only the cartridges I reload, and it was pretty easy to do.

Here's what I did:

1. Find the directory where the caliber files are located. On my system the path is Computer\Windows7(C\Users\Public\Public Documents\QuickLOAD\data\calibers.

2. Create a .txt file and save it in this directory, and then name it mycalibers.vol. Open it using Wordpad and leave it open.

3. Open the file "qloadfw.vol" using Wordpad. Copy the following information from the top of the document:

; Cartridge case file only for QuickLOAD© ballistics program. Rev.9-FEB-2012.
; Any other use without expressed written consent is prohibited. Using of this data
; is your own responsibilty. Data may be changed without any notice.
; (c) Copyright 1995-2011, H.G.Broemel, all rights reserved
" 1297 [patronen]"

Paste this to the top of the mycalibers.vol document you are creating. I do not know why, but it seems this is necessary. I tried without this information in the file and I had a few problems with error messages when opening QL.

4. Copy the data for the cartridges from qloadfw.vol you want in your custom list. Be sure to copy all the pertinent data. The data for a single cartridge should look something like this, as an example:

".220 Swift","47","2.205",".224",".4","25.03","430","PiezoCIP","2.68","","","","","","","","","","","","220SWIFT.jpg"

Notice the name of the cartridge is always at the beginning of this line and the cartridge's .jpg filename is at the end.

5. Paste this into the new file you are creating. The text file you are creating should closely resemble the one you are copying from, except it will be abbreviated.

6. After you have copied all the desired cartridge data you want in your custom cartridge file, be sure and save it.

The next time you open QuickLOAD, click on "Data: Add, Change, Load, Save" and then mouse to "Case / Caliber data" and select "Load a case / caliber file." You can then select mycalibers.vol from the drop-down and click OK to open it. The list of cartridges should be only the ones you selected and placed into your new file.


I think some of you guys who try this will start coming up with more ideas.

 

[RiverRider]

Step 3 in the post above has been edited. I ran into some problems that caused error messages and the additional action I have added in step 3 seems to have addressed the problem.

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

RR, nice tip.
Thanks.