Docs/FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions and answers about Derby

Matching & Scheduling

Why are some teams not being matched?

Teams may not be matched for several reasons:

  • Weight tolerance too tight — If no cards are within your tolerance range, they can't be paired. Try increasing tolerance or use "Common Denominator" to auto-calculate the optimal value.
  • Insufficient teams — You need at least 2 more teams than cards per team (e.g., 5 teams for 4-card teams).
  • Exclusions (Omits) — Check if the team or its cards are excluded via the Omits panel.
  • Cards outside weight range — Cards must be within the phase's Min/Max weight limits.
  • Same owner — Teams from the same player (owner) never fight each other.
What's the difference between Round and Simple matching?

Round matching organizes fights into rounds where each team fights exactly once per round. This ensures balanced participation and is ideal for multi-round tournaments.

Simple matching creates a flat list of fights without round divisions. It optimizes purely for weight difference and is ideal for events without eliminations.

How do I force two specific entries to fight each other?

Use Pacts (forced pairings). Select the two cards you want to match, right-click, and choose "Create Pact". The matching engine will ensure these cards fight each other. Learn more about Pacts.

What does "Common Denominator" do?

Common Denominator automatically calculates the optimal weight tolerance that allows the maximum number of teams to participate. It analyzes all card weights and finds the smallest tolerance where everyone can be matched.

Can the same pair fight again in later rounds?

By default, no. Derby enables "Unique Matchups" which prevents the same pair from meeting again across rounds and phases. You can disable this in the phase settings if you want rematches.

Hardware

My weight scale isn't detecting weights

Troubleshooting steps:

  • Verify the scale is connected via USB (for HID scales) or serial port (for Torrey/Rhino)
  • Check Device Manager (Windows) or System Report (macOS) for the device
  • Try a different USB port
  • For serial scales, verify the correct COM port is selected and baud rate is 9600
  • Restart Derby after connecting the scale
  • Press F5 to read weight when a card is selected

See full scale setup guide

Which weight scales are compatible?

USB/HID (plug-and-play): Dymo, Mettler-Toledo, Stamps.com, Pitney Bowes, Fairbanks, Charder

Serial (9600 baud): Torrey, Rhino

Scale not listed? Contact us to verify compatibility.

How do I set up the thermal ticket printer?

Derby supports ESC/POS thermal printers (Epson, Star, Bixolon). Connect via USB, serial, or network. Go to Settings > Printer and configure your connection. See thermal printer setup.

Licensing

How do I activate my license?

After purchasing, you'll receive an email with activation instructions:

  • Open Derby and go to the License Gate window
  • Enter the email address used for purchase
  • Click "Activate License"
  • Your license will be downloaded and activated automatically

If you have issues, try clicking "Retrieve License" to download via your Microsoft account.

What's the difference between perpetual and lease licenses?

Perpetual licenses are a one-time purchase. You own the license forever and can use Derby indefinitely.

Lease licenses are monthly subscriptions with lower upfront cost. They require periodic server validation (every 5 days) with a 7-day grace period for offline use.

Can I use my license on multiple computers?

Each license allows activation on up to 2 computers. If you need more, contact us for enterprise licensing options.

What features are in each tier?

Basic: Simple matching, player/team management, weight scales, PDF reports

Advanced: Everything in Basic + Round matching, pacts, wildcards, brackets, match presenter, tagged mode

Add-ons: Multiple arenas, satellite stations, multiple events

See full comparison table

Reports & Printing

What reports can Derby generate?

Derby generates 4 PDF report types:

  • Teams Report — All registered teams with card details
  • Fights Report — Fight-by-fight listing with outcomes and deltas
  • Scores Report — Standings table with cumulative points
  • Stripes Report — Perforated referee scorecards

See sample reports

How do spectators view live scores?

Derby includes QR codes on PDF reports and in the Match Presenter. Spectators scan the QR code with their phone to view live rankings and fight results — no app install needed. Learn more about QR Live Tracking.

General

Does Derby work offline?

Yes! Derby works fully offline for perpetual licenses. Lease licenses require periodic validation (every 5 days) but have a 7-day grace period for offline use.

The only features requiring internet are: license activation, QR live tracking, and automatic updates.

What platforms does Derby support?

Derby runs on:

  • macOS — Apple Silicon (arm64)
  • Windows — 64-bit (x64)
  • Linux — 64-bit (x64, AppImage)
Is there a user guide?

Yes! Press F1 in Derby to open the built-in user guide. It's available in English and Spanish with 11 chapters covering all features.

How do I get support?

You can reach us at:

Response time is typically 24-48 hours.