FAQ

How to add a field to the database

Only an Administrator can add a Playing Field to the database.

If you know of a field that is missing, please:

1. Determine the name(s) of the field. Both the 'official' name and common nicknames are needed.
2. Determine the street address of the field including zip code (this could be also the intersection of two roads.)
3. Determine anything special regarding the field. (For example Stadium Field in San Carlos is NOT visible from the street)
4. Determine if the field is grass or synthetic turf.
5. Include the GotSoccer Field Number if known. Note the same piece of grass may have more than one GotSoccer Field Number. See the FAQ regarding How to find the GotSoccer Field Number
6. Send all the information to the Webmaster.

Example: Location = College Preparatory High School Fields = Stadium Field, Practice Field Address = 123 Main Street, MyHomeTown, CA 90000 Surface = Stadium Field is Turf. Practice Field is Grass Notes = No food or non-water drinks allowed on the Stadium Field. No dogs allowed on the school campus. Please park in the student parking lot on the northeast corner of the campus. Field closure hotline is 888-555-1212

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Instructions to the Adminsitrator

• Field => Location
  There are two data tables involved in adding a Field. They are called 'Locations' and 'Fields'. The Locations Table contains the street address. It is usually the more complete name. An example is the 'Morgan Hill Complex'. A Location can have multiple Fields. Each Fields table entry includes the type of surface: Grass or Turf. (Turf refers to synthetic turf.) Use Administrator:Manage-Locations and Adminsitrato:Manage-Fields to add or edit field information. A Locations entry must be present before making a Fields entry for a field not currently in the database. Be careful when giving names to fields and locations. Avoid abbreviations. Repeat, avoid abbreviations. Users of the database will look for specific fields by inputting a 'fragment' of the name and clicking 'Show'. In our example, if you had named the fields at the Morgan Hill Complex, 'MH #1' this would NOT appear on a fragment search for fields where the User used 'Morgan' as the fragment. Much better to name the field 'Morgan Hill #1' or 'Morgan Hill #1 (MH #1)'.
• Locations & Fields
  Why have Locations and Fields? Primarily for the convenience of Referee scheduling. If a Referee is interested in working a Match at Sea Cloud Park, they can search for Matches with Location = 'Sea Cloud Park' and they will see all the Matches on Field= Sea Cloud #1, Sea Cloud #3, Sea Cloud #4, etc.
• Edits & Changes
  Administrators should be careful about making major changes to the Fields or Locations Tables. Matches and other data tables point to specific fields. If you edit a field, say change the field name, all the past references to the old field will now reference the new field. This could lead to massive confusion
• GeoCode
  Clicking on Geocode before Update will save the latitude and lognitude. This makes for faster and better and less errors when using the location to calculate distances.
• RidgeStar Field Number
  Storing the Location and Field in the RidgeStar database gives the field a RFN which is important for connecting the Pensra and [claSite} databases. Note the RFN when you enter the field in the RidgeStar.org database. Go to www.ridgestar.com/Locations to obtain the RFN. You will need to enter both the Location and the Field information at the RidgeStar website.
• GotSoccer Field ID
  In order to Load matches from GotSoccer, we need the Field number(s) in GotSoccer. These are mapped to the Pensra Field number via Setting = GotSoccer.Field . This is a "many-to-one" mapping meaning that the same pitch may have multiple GotSoccer numbers. Every pitch should have only one Pensra number.
• Field & SubField
  Fields can overlap. For example The Hoover complex in Redwood City has two full size fields or 4 8v8 fields. The 8v8 fields have different names and numbers than the full size field. Clearly we can't have a 8v8 match and a 11v11 match on the same pitch at the same time, even though the names of the fields are different. The 11v11 Field (Hoover North) has a subfield - the 8v8 Field (Hoover NW) and the 8v8 Field (Hoover NE). The system looks for scheduling conflicts.

Last Updated 6/2/2016