5.3.1 Setting up: Oval Cut Direction = H in Settings

Setting up: Oval Cut Direction = H in Settings

5.3.1   CALC   oval method

Before using the Oval Calculator in horizontal-cut mode, Spectre Cloud needs to know that your shop measures and records ovals with the horizontal dimension listed first. The Oval Cut Direction setting controls this — setting it to H tells Spectre Cloud to display, calculate, and record all oval measurements as Horizontal × Vertical (H/V) throughout the app.

This page covers the H-first configuration specifically. If your shop uses V-first notation instead, see 5.2.1 — Setting up: Oval Cut Direction = V/H in Settings.

📐 What "H" Cut Direction Means

When Oval Cut Direction is set to H, Spectre Cloud places the horizontal measurement first in every oval pair displayed across the app — on the Oval Calculator, on spec sheets, in oval history, and on any printed output. The vertical measurement follows as the second value.

Both settings describe the same physical hole — only the order the two values appear on screen and on paper changes. Choosing H-first does not affect how the oval is drilled; it affects how it is communicated and documented.

🛠️ How to Set Oval Cut Direction to H

🖥️ Desktop

1. Click your Pro Shop name or profile icon in the top-right corner of the screen.
2. Select Settings from the dropdown menu.
3. Navigate to the Spec Sheet or Oval settings section.
4. Locate the Oval Cut Direction option.
5. Select H (or H/V, depending on how the option is labeled in your version).
6. Save your changes — or confirm the setting has been applied if Spectre Cloud saves automatically.

📱 Mobile / Tablet

1. Tap your avatar icon or shop name at the top of the screen.
2. Tap Settings.
3. Scroll to the Spec Sheet or Oval section.
4. Tap Oval Cut Direction and select H (or H/V).
5. The setting saves automatically — confirm the selection is highlighted before leaving Settings.

🏢 Who Typically Uses H-First Notation

H-first oval notation is the preferred convention in a number of regional drilling traditions and legacy pro shop workflows. You may already be working in H/V format if:

• ✅ Your shop was previously using Ebonite ProShop Coordinator or a similar legacy system that defaulted to H/V
• ✅ Your training or certification was completed in a region or program that teaches horizontal measurement first
• ✅ Your existing paper spec sheets or card files list the side-to-side dimension before the toe-to-heel dimension
• ✅ Your staff verbally calls out measurements as "horizontal by vertical" when communicating fits between drillers

If you are unsure which convention your shop uses, check an existing spec sheet or paper record — whichever dimension appears first is your shop's preferred format.

📌 Important Considerations Before Switching

• ✅ Set this before entering any oval data — the Oval Cut Direction setting determines how new measurements are labeled and displayed. Changing it after spec sheets have been created does not retroactively reformat saved records.
• ✅ The setting is account-wide — all staff members and all devices accessing your Spectre Cloud account will see ovals displayed in H/V order once this is saved.
• ❌ Do not switch mid-workflow — if you have already entered oval data for a bowler in one session using V/H, do not change the setting before completing and saving that spec sheet. Changing direction mid-entry will cause the labels on new entries to conflict with the labels on entries already saved.
• ❌ Switching does not convert existing records — saved spec sheets retain the dimensional values exactly as they were entered. If you switch from V/H to H/V after saving records, previously saved oval pairs will display with swapped labels unless you manually review and correct them.

✨ Tips for Shops Migrating to Spectre Cloud

• ✅ Match your existing format — if you are importing or manually re-entering historical spec data from paper cards or another system, set Oval Cut Direction to match your historical records before entering a single measurement. This ensures your Spectre Cloud history is consistent with your pre-digital records from day one.
• ✅ Document your convention — add a note to your shop's onboarding materials stating which oval direction format Spectre Cloud is configured to use. New staff should know the convention before they enter their first spec sheet.
• ✅ Test with a dummy bowler profile first — create a test bowler, enter a few oval measurements, and confirm the display order looks correct before entering live bowler data.

Related Sections

• 5.2.1 — Setting up: Oval Cut Direction = V/H in Settings
• 5.3.2 — Entering Starting Bit and Oval Width — Bit Size mode (H)
• 5.3.3 — Entering Starting Bit and Oval Width — Decimal mode (H)
• 5.3.4 — Reading the DIFF in H-first mode
• 2.x — Settings Overview

Tip: H-first and V-first notation describe the same physical holes — the choice is purely about how your shop communicates and documents. What matters most is that everyone in your shop uses the same setting consistently. A spec sheet where some holes are documented in V/H and others in H/V is ambiguous and can cause fit errors when re-drilling. Pick one, set it in Spectre Cloud, and don't change it without reviewing your existing records first. ⚠️ Verify the exact option label used for H-first notation in your version of Spectre Cloud — it may appear as H, H/V, or Horizontal first depending on the release. Contact the Spectre team if the Settings screen differs from the steps above.