RDSS MAJOR problems (resolved pending update)

[Ted Craven]

Folks, thanks to several of you who reported aspects of how this problem presented to you and several ideas to follow up on - here is the answer to the problem and both the Short Term temporary solution and the Final full solution.

The Problem - is caused because ever since RDSS 2.06 (May 2014) and all the way up to the current RDSS 2.1.045 - even if you did not choose to connect to SuperTote to get tote info, for CURRENT DAY (today) cards, RDSS was reaching out anyway to a Brisnet.com address to see if tote info was available for a given track. It should NOT have done this (and I blame the programmer ) if you didn't login to Supertote first. It appears that this morning Feb 19, 2018, that old Brisnet Supertote address was finally decomissioned, since they have moved to a NEW version of tote and race day info. Before today, when RDSS hit that old address, it failed gracefully. Today, it failed HARD, and the RDSS internet access component simply ended up waiting 45 - 60 seconds to learn that there was no such address anymore. And then tried again, and again ... That's why it was taking forever to do anything.

The Short-term Solution. (Please see this post below for a possibly improved workaround).

1. Set your computer date to a Future date where you have no cards downloaded but where you can still download the actual cards you want. For example, to download tomorrow Tuesday Feb 20, set your computer Date to Feb 21. Restart RDSS and download the cards for Yesterday (because when RDSS thinks Today is Feb 21, cards for Feb 20 will be Yesterday).

2. Handicap the races with the computer date still set to a future date where you have no cards (important, because if you work on a card which RDSS thinks is TODAY - even if that TODAY is in the actual Future - it will try unsuccessfully forever to get tote data for it). OR --

3. Once you have the cards Downloaded (and Converted), you can disconnect from the Internet and set the date back to today's correct date. If you are disconnected from the Internet , you can use RDSS normally to handicap Today's races.

4. If you have 2 computers, you can have one disconnected from the Internet to do your current day RDSS handicapping, and the other to watch odds and place wagers with your ADW.

5. If you have 1 computer, disconnect from the Internet and do your current day RDSS handicapping, then close RDSS, reconnect to the Internet and place your wagers with your ADW.

I know - that's a terrible workaround , but it seems to BE a workaround until ...

The Final Solution. I was getting close to releasing an update to RDSS 2.1 within a few days anyway which has solved the above described problem (that's why I was not experiencing the problem on 2 of my 4 computers - they had a newer testing version ).

Within the next 48 hours maximum, I will polish that RDSS 2.1 update sufficiently that I can release it in general - and also release the entire RDSS 2.1 to the general user base (the remaining ~30% or so who are not already using RDSS 2.1). That's because the old RDSS 2.06 is now 'toast' because it can't (won't) be updated to fix today's bug.

I will report here and by general email to all current RDSS users when the next release of V2.1 is available, which fixes today's bug AND reinstates tote access. That update should be BEFORE Thursday Feb 22.

I am sorry that this has happened today - my apologies to everyone affected. I really think folks will like the tote module renovation - and those of you who have NOT tried RDSS 2.1 - you'll like that too, better than the previous version.

Thanks,

Ted

[SCSAYS]

Ted, NO apologies needed.Your dedication and continuance to the Sartin Methodology is a gift to all members. We owe you a debt of gratitude.

[ignacio todoberto bernal]

Originally Posted by Ted Craven

And ... do you have any problems?

Ted

yes same

[ginag2]

Thanks for burning the midnight oil Ted - very much appreciated. - Gary

[ram]

Hi Ted, am having the same problem reported here, ie: "program not responding" message, interminable loading time from one race to the other, or from one screen to the other, freezing up, and having to use ctrl alt del to get out of the program. Am using win 8.1. I initially thought it was a problem with the computer, and uninstalled RDSS a couple of times, 2nd. time shut off the firewall, ran as administrator etc., did some program to try to restore to an earlier date, (just succeeded in wiping out a few other programs including printer driver} no luck. Will try to reinstall RDSS, and use it off the internet and see what happens. Let you know, Rich

[ram]

hi ted, had downloaded a card for today at TuP, tried working it while on the internet, same problems pretty much, as yesterday. Exited RDSS, shut off internet connection, went back into RDSS, worked TuP, and the program seems to run fine. Hope this helps. Rich

[Ted Craven]

Originally Posted by ram

hi ted, had downloaded a card for today at TuP, tried working it while on the internet, same problems pretty much, as yesterday. Exited RDSS, shut off internet connection, went back into RDSS, worked TuP, and the program seems to run fine. Hope this helps. Rich

Rich, glad that worked for you! Thanks for reporting in.

Ted

[Bill Lyster]

Changing the date worked for me. It took a while to change the date, but now my computer is two days ahead.

After changing the date I was able to work yesterday's cards while on the internet last night and again this morning.

When I opened RDSS all I did was go back to 2/20 races and the assembly and handicapping went off witout a hitch.

[Ted Craven]

Folks, despite what I wrote above regarding a short-term workaround solution (change dates, disconnect from internet) - it seems there may be a simpler way for the time being:

When connected to the Internet, load RDSS and immediately go to the Data Centre and download/convert the tracks you're interested in: today, tomorrow, yesterday, whatever. Do NOT open any card for Today before you at least Download what you need.

Then disconnect from the Internet.

Then proceed to do whatever handicapping you need to in RDSS.

The important nuance for this 'improved' (?) workaround is to NOT open a card BEFORE you Download data from TrackMaster. Once you open a card, you will (may) experience the lengthy slow-downs and non-responsiveness which has been described.

So Download first, disconnect from the Internet, then proceed to handicap races. I have tested this using RDSS V2.1.045 (the latest available in the Testing Forum).

That said - for whatever reason this morning - I am NOT experiencing any slow downs using RDSS 2.1.045 when connected to the Internet (i.e. the opposite of what has been the entire fiasco yesterday ). Your mileage may vary. If you DO experience repeated slow-downs today using RDSS, follow the guidelines in this post.

More to come ...!

Ted

[Ted Craven]

Ongoing saga ...

The problem seems to have gone away today. It seems you can use RDSS as normal!

It appears that Brisnet (TwinSpires) made a change since yesterday such that the out-dated Supertote weblink RDSS was mistakenly hitting - and failing poorly such that it tied up processing forever - now fails more gracefully today and DOES NOT tie up RDSS forever.

Please everyone test this by simply ignoring all workaround advice given above and using RDSS as normal. Stay connected to the internet as you normally would while using RDSS.

That said - I will still proceed with an update in the next few days, as this could change again with no notice.

Feedback is appreciated!

Ted