Propellant Database

The propellant database is an archive of all propellant powders available in GRT. The powder data can be extended and modified.

The propellant's database main window contains a menu bar, a search dialog, and two horizontally arranged areas:

• Menu “File”
• Form: “Search”
• Properties with Propellant brisance diagram and details
• List of propellants (powders) view / edit

This menu provides all functions which are also available in the window List of powders with a right click (New, New with copy, Export, Edit, Delete - see below). Additionally, the following functions are available:

• Save changes - this becomes available, after changes were made to the database, which have not been saved yet. If selected, all changes to the database will be saved.
• Import - import powder data from an XML file in GRT format

This can be used for searching for any text in the projectile database. Wildcards are “*” for any number of letters and “?” for single letters.

The powder burn-up characteristic in the simulation calculation is determined by so-called form functions. The GRT implements a three-level representation for this purpose. These three steps are colored in the vivacity diagram. The measured data of the powder manufacturers on the burning characteristics and vivacity of the respective powder form the basis.

If a closed bomb (manometric bomb, pressure bomb) measurement is available, an additional, dotted, monochrome diagram line of this measurement is displayed.

Note, that this is just a visual representation and not a mathematically usable diagram. The graphic powder diagram is not intended to derive exact measured values for licensing reasons, e.g. with regard to the closed bomb measurement data. The pressure bomb measured values (dotted line) are only schematically contained.

See also: Formalism, Sources & Powder Model

This contains a list of all available propellants (powders), sorted by their manufacturer’s names. Clicking on a manufacturer, reveals all powders, available by that specific manufacturer, sorted by their respective product designation/name and the following information in columns:

• Manufacturer - Name of manufacturer

• Product name - Trade name / designation of the powder

• data-state - the age of the record, should be as current as possible.

• calibration - Colored progress-bar of the underlying data-basis for the powder model development/calibration process.
  A powder model is mathematically created on the basis of the (pressure bomb) measurement and ballistics data. The model is then continuously further calibrated on the basis of new ballistics data. The more ballistics data there are, the more accurate the model will be.
  
  • [ red ] = data basis urgently requires real-life measurements of your loads to calibrate the powder-model,
  • [ yellow ] = the data basis requires further measurement data of your loads,
  • [ green ] = good to very good data basis and representation

• modified - Name and date of the last user modification

Files that have been modified or newly created by the user are marked with a color. They are also stored as a backup in the user directory of the system. When a newer GRT version is started, the data is automatically imported/restored.

The files are normal XML files that contain the data records changed or newly created by the user.

Depending on the system, the files are located in the following directory:

• Windows:
  “C:\Users\<your user name>\AppData\Roaming\GordonsReloadingTool\”
• Linux:
  “home/<your user name>/GordonsReloadingTool/”

By clicking on the “Cancel” or “Close” button, the propellant selection is canceled, and the database is closed. By clicking on the “OK” button, the associated values are returned to the main window of the simulation. Right-clicking the propellant offers the following functions:

• New - create new (local) propellant entry
• Neu with copy - create new (local) propellant entry, based on the selected caliber
• Export - export selected propellant data in an XML-file in GRT-format
• Edit - Edit any of the propellant values
• Delete - Delete the selected propellant from the (local) database. There will be a dialog requesting a confirmation, if this was really intended “OK” or not “Cancel”.