TCTemplate Help

Security/Running Offline

Security Statement

TCTemplate is secure, so it is very difficult for a hacker to steal your competition maps. Purple Pen (used for map and control description preparation) is third-party software that is not known to transfer your data across the internet. The TCTemplate web wizard is delivered over the internet using a secure connection and only the author is able to change the version of the software presented, so tampering of the code is very unlikely. Although you select your competition map files from your computer and the web page reads them, all of this is performed locally on your computer and no data is uploaded to the internet. The final step of compiling the LaTeX file is performed using third-party software, either on a secure website (recommended) or locally on your computer (advanced users), so should be secure.

Extra Security/Running Offline

For extra security, it is possible to download the software to your computer and prepare printed map cards locally with your computer disconnected from the internet. However, the online TempO template cannot be run offline, because it depends on pdf.js and jszip, which are downloaded at runtime from other servers. Running offline is also useful when assisting with software development. Instructions:

  1. Download the source code:
    • Software developers (and those who know about Git): Install Git, then open the terminal, use the cd command to navigate to the target folder and run git clone --recursive https://github.com/tdobra/tctemplate.git.
    • Others: Download and extract the main ZIP, then download and extract TeX Live into the texlive.js folder. Take care to avoid double subfolders. It is necessary to repeat these steps when installing updates.
  2. Download and save these scripts into the root folder:
    1. JSZip
    2. PDF.js source
    3. PDF.js worker
  3. Install Web Server for Chrome (if not using the Python option below):
    1. Install Google Chrome.
    2. In Chrome, navigate to https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/web-server-for-chrome/ofhbbkphhbklhfoeikjpcbhemlocgigb.
    3. Click on Add to Chrome.
  4. You may now disconnect your computer from the internet if extra security is required.
  5. Start the local web server:
    • Easier: Web Server for Chrome
      1. Open Web Server for Chrome. It is in the Start menu (Windows) or the list of apps (MacOS).
      2. Choose the top-level folder where the TCTemplate source code is saved.
      3. Click on the slider so that it turns blue and says Web Server: STARTED.
      4. Navigate to the URL shown.
    • Alternative: Python HTTP server
      1. Install Python version 3.
      2. Run Start.py.
        • Windows: Double click on Start in the TCTemplate source code (or use the command prompt as below).
        • MacOS, Linux and other Unix: Open the terminal, change to the correct directory and make Start.py executable using chmod u+x Start.py, then run using ./Start.py.
      3. TCTemplate appears automatically, or navigate to the URL shown.