Another RDSS 2.2 Update (fix TS Ratings/Mutuels problems)
 

For the past several days, RDSS has had problems retrieving various kinds of data from TwinSpires:

1. Prime Power and ProfitLine Ratings
2. Scratches
3. Tote data
4. Mutuel Results

This is an intermittent problem, arising from a new behaviour of TwinSpires servers in delivering data when queried. In that - some people experience it and some don't, some of the time missing and some of the time normal as expected. (Our favourite kind of problem :eek:).

Even with the appropriate boxes checked on the Config Screen, sometimes PP/PL ratings are blank, Tote absent, Scratches missing, Results & Mutuels not appearing when prompted.

This is being tested by several people at the moment with a view to suggesting a workaround strategy hopefully within the next 24 hours, which will be posted here. I may expedite the planned RDSS update just to provide a fix to this - if I can program one.

Meanwhile, feel free to try these strategies and report if they work (sometimes they have!):

1. if TS Ratings are missing, click the Clear Cache button on the Card Summary screen then re-assemble the race/s - several times if you have to/want to - until you choose to give up!

2. Re missing TS Ratings, try UNCHECKing the Get Tote box on Config, Save then restart RDSS. Then reassemble races. If the TS Ratings/Scratches appear now and if you want to get live Tote data, now re-CHECK 'Get Tote' on the Config Screen, Save and restart RDSS. Now load a race or click Assemble ALL. This might preserve the TS Ratings from Step 1 and reactivate Tote.

The above advice is merely interim advice until I understand more clearly what is happening. In some cases, some races, TS has changed the way it delivers Mutuel Results when asked by software (i.e. an API query). No rhyme or reason that I can see (unless they are randomly f@cking with users of its API).

Feel free to post any reliable methods found to produce expected results.

This has happened in past years (random/unannounced changes to TwinSpires/BRIS data servers). Sometimes it was temporary, sometimes I had to reprogram everything. As users of this free public domain data, we must roll with the punches.

Stay tuned!

Ted

Looking forward to figuring this out and fixing. Thanks Ted for all you do to keep us rolling :)

the Track gods hate me.....
 

One of the biggest weekend for 3 year olds and it hit me.
im downloading the second time on the convert is taking more time .


thanks for the work around idea.

Storm

Waiting to hear back from a small group of testers of a potential fix I made in RDSS.

Storm - check your email.

Ted

Issue
 

Maybe its a time based issue. I downloaded the races on Thursday for 3 different tracks, assembled these races and did some preliminary handicapping. All 3 tracks have BPP and PL available this morning.

I downloaded Tam this morning and assembled the races. Tam doesn't have BPP and PL available. I tried your workarounds without any luck getting the info.

Bill

Downloaded LRL with your work around installed. Bris PP & PL were all there and correct for all races except for Race 1 ( which had an entry), both rankings were in wrong order
Darryl

I noticed this problem this morning. I loaded half of the races before getting on the site and seeing this thread. I then cleared the cache, 2 or 3 times before getting it to partially work. I can get the races I did NOT previously work, but the ones I already did, even with clearing the cache several times, I still can't. For me, that is going to work good enough for today. I'll keep my eyes peeled for a new update when it's ready though.


-Doug

Wanted to play GP today but couldn't get the ratings no matter what I did. So I bought the Bris Ultimate PP's and got the ratings there. (Prime Power).

Pook

I've seen a potential pattern, at least for me, if I download one track and finagle it to work using the above work arounds, do my thing, place my bets, then move on and download another track, if the ratings dont show up I simply clear cache on this newer downloaded track, restart RDSS, and assemble this latest download and it works. Here's the key: to save time, only assemble the first race, if it works then assemble all, if it doesn't clear cache, restart RDSS, and try again. This usually nails it for me :)

Hope this helps
-Jesse

RDSS Update - Version 2.2.2023.61 (March 3, 2023)
 

I have posted an update to RDSS in the usual software download location:

http://www.rdss2.com/how-to-obtain - or click on the RDSS Icon upper-right of the website.

This is an 'emergency' update to address this intermittent missing TS Ratings issue. Since it is intermittent (so far as I can tell), it means that for some people, everything works as before all the time, where for others it only works some of the time.

If the TS Ratings are not retrieved properly as normal, please try the workarounds described in the opening post, specifically (if needed) the part about turning OFF Tote access - then RESTARTING RDSS, then re-assembling races to try again to fetch the TS Ratings. After that, you can turn Tote ON and restart RDSS. This workaround has seemed to work for a majority of testers, when followed as suggested.

That said, I will update the RDSS Install package as required over the next short while as I get more understanding of the problem, so stay tuned!

Also -- this update, while pretty stable, is NOT the final update I have been working towards for the past year or more. There are things there which are not documented, and several items which are not included though nearly ready. Lots of fixes of annoying Bugs, though.

Please only post your experience of this missing TS Ratings issue (and missing Mutuels/Results and Tote) in the Thread. Any other oddities with this update, please post to the Bugs Thread.

Good luck!

Ted

I downloaded and installed the new version without any issues. I downloaded GP and assembled race 7 . The PP and BP ratings were not present. I restarted RDSS and they were now available. I assembled race 8 without an issue.

Jim

Mutuels at GP races 1-6 would not display
Race 7 imported correctly. Future, we'll see.

p.s.
Race 14 totally off the rails, blanks posts etc.etc. (for another days topic)

Jim, when you restarted RDSS and successfully got the TS Ratings, did you turn OFF Tote as suggested? Or left Tote ON and just tried again?


Ted

Results at GP showed for me for Races 1-6 , Not Race 7 , Race 8 was present as well.

Ted , I just restarted ( did not change any settings) Jim

RDSS Update - Version 2.2.2023.62 (March 4, 2023)
 

I just posted another update today which I have some reason to believe may work better in fetching TS Ratings - WITHOUT having to turn OFF Tote.

As usual this can be found in the RDSS Download area by clicking on the RDSS icon upper-right of the website.

I am not so sure this solves why Results/Mutuel prices are sometimes missing (even if you manually click the Get Mutuels button). First things first ...

Feedback appreciated!

Ted

Hi Ted,

Here is my feedback.. Cleared Cache before downloading Gulfstream. I am using the same version of RDSS that I started with. I assembled the first race and no PP & Pl ratings.
Then I just went to the 2nd race and to my surprise the PP and PL rating appeared. I am now playing the 2nd race so at this point this is all that I can tell you Ernie

Thanks Ernie for your feedbgack! The intent of the 2nd (latest/current) update is to do exactly what you did:

a) retry several times if unsuccessful ... PLUS

b) get the TS Ratings BEFORE Tote (the same effect as if you turned Tote OFF before fetching TS Ratings, then turned Tote ON).

Still working on Mutuels/Results problems.

Ted

Ted ....I downloaded the latest version. Got the FG card . The PP and BP ratings were missing. Shutdown RDSS and restarted without changing any configuration settings. The ratings were now populated. NET for me is exactly the same as yesterdays version .

Same results here as Viking. Still requiring a restart after first attempt fails. But moving in the right direction here! Thanks Ted

Results and Mutuels worked without issue.

I have updated the RDSS software again with code which tries to make Mutuel Results and prices more stable. I'm not sure if it does anything different at this point to make getting the TS Ratings more available at first ask -- but it has worked on every computer I have access to.

Please give it a go: any feedback welcomed!

The latest version is RdssInstall.22.2023.63.exe, available in the usual download location.

Just to reiterate: every test platform I have access to - reliably fetches TS Ratings, Mutuels & Results and Tote data - at first ask. The only source I have of problems with any of the above ... is in the hands of various RDSS users. So , thanks again for your feedback, and apologies for the recent spate of updates while trying to solve a problem.

Ted

A reminder - the normal behaviour for fetching quick Results & Mutuel prices is that -- if a race is open, then goes Official, you have to manually fetch the Results/Prices by clicking the Mutuel Prices button on the Entries or Rx screens.

RDSS does not keep looking for those results for previous races as it moves on to the next race.

IF you start RDSS and open a card then assemble/load races, and IF the race has run, RDSS will fetch the Mutuel/Results during the assembly/load process. These Results/Prices are available for up to a couple of weeks.

Ted

It is not getting the mutuels when I click on mutuel prices

What folder is your RDSS database located in? On the Data Centre, look in lower-right corner for database info; first line is Folder name, 2nd line is database file name.

New/recent RDSS installations will have the database in c:\Rdss22\Data\ folder.
Computers with older RDSS installs (even when upgraded to the latest RDSS2.2 version) might be in a folder like: c:\Rdss2.1\Data\ or older c:\Rdss\Data\.

I'm working on a lead that somehow databases being located in older version folders (and thus also the downloaded TS Ratings and Mutuels/Results files) might have an effect on the missing data for some people and not others ...

Thanks,

Ted

c:\Rdss22\Data\data.db

OK. Still working on it ...

Another RDSS Update
 

I have again updated RDSS to Version 2.2.2023.64, available in the usual download location.

I made a few changes to more reliably fetch Mutuel Results/Prices, and retry a few times if needed. To the best of my ability so far, and based on feedback from several users, this seems to be working. The only way I know how widely and consistently ... is from more feedback:)

One addition to the Card Summary Screen - are markups in red to indicate that TS Ratings and Mutuel Results have been successfully retrieved and can be displayed. Hover your mouse over these markings for a popup describing what it is.

Attachment 51107

Ted

Where is the usual download location?

Click the RDSS Icon upper-right corner of screen. Or here: http://www.rdss2.com/download-software

Ted

Working now Thank you for the link. Disregard my email. Something went haywire. Working now

:):thumb:

Mine still requires a restart after each card download before it'll fetch TS Ratings. Hmm. Anyone else with this particular symptom? I wonder if its somehow my anti-virus (Avast Business) blocking the connection...

Jesse it's not you I have to go through same procedure but it's only a minor inconvenience
Darryl

I also have to do that. I am getting the mutuel prices now.

iF YOU SIGN UP AT TWINSPIRES YOU CAN GET THE PP FOR FREE IF YOU MAKE
A BET ON THAT DAY....THAT IS WHAT I DO...ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS PLACE
AT LEAST A 1 DOLLAR BET.
DON

That's right Don! You don't have to import Prime Power or ProfitLine into RDSS at all. The figs are available for free online and all the rest of the PPs are available as you say.

(Some people like seeing them in RDSS ...)

Ted

I Zoomed with Darryl. Looks like RDSS V2.2.2023.64 (the latest) does everything we want it to. Darryl's problem was - he was not using that version ...

btas1234 and Jesse - or anyone using the latest version and having any problems with fetching TS Ratings or Mutuels or Tote - contact me by email to schedule a Zoom session to take a look. Every setup I have looked at so far using that version works as advertised - so, I need to see those that don't, or see more clearly how you are using RDSS (i.e. differently than me :)).

Thanks!

Ted

Feedback to latest RDSS Ver 2.2 2023.64
 

Hi Ted

Just loaded down GP for 3/12 and everything is good. When I assembled the
races and saw that red dash I knew the data would be there and that gave me
me a warm fuzzy feeling.
Have a Good One,
Ernie

The 64 version still requires a restart toggling the TS button. Same as 63 for me. That's okay for now. No big deal.

What do the 5a and 7a entry numbers etc.refer to?

Pook