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Install ROLLER Karting

This article walks you through getting ROLLER Karting up and running at your venue. You'll download and install the software on your dedicated Windows machine, activate your license, complete first-time setup (location, admin account), and integrate ROLLER Karting with your ROLLER instance so bookings flow through automatically.

About ROLLER Karting

ROLLER Karting is software for venues that run karting experiences and use ROLLER. It runs on a dedicated Windows machine at your venue and connects to your ROLLER instance to turn bookings into races.

Once installed, ROLLER Karting handles the karting-specific parts of your day:

  • The race schedule, fed in real time from your ROLLER bookings.
  • Your timing system connection.
  • Your karts and the drivers assigned to them for each race.
  • Race control: green flag start, lap counting, and checkered flag finish.
  • Display screens for participants and spectators.
  • Results delivered to drivers by email or print after each session.

Before you begin

Make sure the following are in place before install day.

If your venue has an IT team, share this checklist with them ahead of time so they can prepare the machine. The ROLLER support team does not complete hardware installations.
  • A dedicated Windows machine for ROLLER Karting that is fully up to date.
  • Google Chrome set as the default browser.
  • A static IP address assigned to the machine so other devices on your local network can reach ROLLER Karting reliably.
  • Two ports open on the machine: 8000 (HTTP) and 8443 (SSL).
  • Firewall and antivirus access approved. You'll be prompted to allow Volare during install. Some antivirus tools also need to be told to allow this service.
  • Your ROLLER Venue Manager login with permission to create API keys, if you plan to link Karting to ROLLER on install day. You can also add this connection later.
  • Your timing system details (network or USB connection), if you have hardware on site. Not required to complete the install.
Some installation screens and the install URL show the name "Volare". Volare and ROLLER Karting are the same software.

Step 1: Download the installer

Download the ROLLER Karting installer onto your dedicated Windows machine. Follow the steps below:

  1. Request the installer download link from your ROLLER implementation team, customer success manager or the support team.
  2. Save the installer file to the dedicated Windows machine.

Step 2: Run the installer

  1. Open the folder where you saved the installer and double-click the file. If you're having trouble opening it, right-click the file and choose Run as administrator.
  2. If Windows shows a Windows protected your PC message, select More info, then select Run anyway.
  3. Read the license agreement. If you accept the terms, select I Agree to continue.
  4. Choose who can use ROLLER Karting on this machine. We recommend selecting Only for me.
  5. Select Next.
  6. Choose where to store the database files. We recommend keeping the default location (the signed-in user's directory).
  7. Select Install.
  8. When the installer finishes, leave the Run Volare checkbox selected and select Finish.
  9. If Windows Firewall prompts you, select Allow. This is important. Selecting No here blocks other machines on the network from connecting to ROLLER Karting and is one of the most common reasons venues need to reinstall.

Step 3: Activate your license

In ROLLER Karting, follow the steps below:

  1. On first launch, ROLLER Karting opens a registration screen showing a License key.
  2. Copy the license key and send it to your ROLLER implementation team, customer success manager or the support team, so they can activate it. ROLLER Karting connects to ROLLER's license server in real time, so the screen updates automatically as soon as activation is complete.
  3. When the screen changes to show Launch ROLLER Karting, select that button.

ROLLER Karting opens in Google Chrome. If you're prompted to set Chrome as the default browser, accept the prompt.

Step 4: Set your location

  1. Enter your venue name in the Location name field.
  2. Select your time zone from the Timezone dropdown.
  3. Select your locale from the Locale dropdown.
  4. Select Save Location Settings.

Step 5: Choose your simulated race option

ROLLER Karting can create a simulated timing loop and a set of demo karts so you have something to test with before your hardware is connected.

  • Leave Yes, please create a simulated timing loop and karts selected. This is the recommended option while you finish setup. These can be deleted later.
  • Select Next.

Step 6: Create your admin account

This is the master account you'll use to sign in to ROLLER Karting.

  1. Enter a username and password.
  2. (Optional) Enter an email address.
  3. Select Create a Master Account.
  4. On the confirmation screen, select Go to Login.
  5. Sign in with the username and password you just created.

At this point, ROLLER Karting is installed and ready to use.

Step 7: Verify the installation

You'll know everything is working when:

  • You signed in successfully with your admin account.
  • The ROLLER Karting dashboard loads in Chrome.
  • The simulated timing loop and demo karts are visible in Settings > Vehicles (if you kept that option selected in Step 5).

If ROLLER Karting doesn't open in Chrome, check that Chrome is your default browser, then close and relaunch ROLLER Karting from the Start menu.

Step 8: Link ROLLER Karting to ROLLER

This step lets ROLLER send bookings to ROLLER Karting in real time. The link uses an API key. You'll create the key in your Venue Manager, then paste it into ROLLER Karting.

Create an API key in ROLLER

  1. In ROLLER Venue Manager, go to Settings > Integrations > API Keys.
  2. Select Create Client Key.
  3. Give the key a clear name so it's easy to identify later.
  4. Copy both the Client ID and Client Secret to a notepad. You'll need both in the next section.

Add the integration in ROLLER Karting

  1. In ROLLER Karting, go to Settings > Integrations.
  2. Select New Integration.
  3. From the dropdown, select ROLLER.
  4. Paste your Client Secret into the Client Secret field.
  5. Paste your Client ID into the Client ID field.
  6. Leave API Base URL blank. ROLLER Karting connects to the production ROLLER environment by default.
  7. Select Merge Similar Tickets into the Same Run. This combines multiple bookings for the same time slot into a single race session, which is what you want for walk-up and arrive-and-drive bookings.
  8. Set Sync Every to 5 minutes. This is a fallback poll that catches any bookings missed by the real-time connection (for example, if your internet drops briefly).
  9. Select Skip ROLLER Customer API Lookups. Turning this off creates a lot of extra API calls and is rarely needed.
  10. Select Save.

ROLLER Karting verifies the credentials, then pulls in the list of resources and products from your ROLLER instance, ready to be mapped in the next stage of setup.

Your install is complete.

What's next

Once ROLLER Karting is installed on an initial Windows machine, subsequent devices can access it via Chrome using the ROLLER Karting URL. No additional software installation is required, provided all devices remain on the same local network.

ROLLER Karting is installed, set up, and connected to ROLLER. From here, you'll configure the venue-specific pieces:

  • Map your ROLLER resources and products to ROLLER Karting calendars and run templates.
  • Connect your timing hardware (decoder).
  • Add your karts.
  • Create run templates that define how each race runs.
  • Run a test booking end-to-end to confirm the schedule flow.

Learn more

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