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RDSS Racing Decision Support System – The Modern Sartin Methodology

 
 
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Old 05-06-2009, 02:01 PM   #1
Ted Craven
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Import Old Race Cards

If for any reason you have lost your RDSS database (e.g. uninstall/reinstall), you can import your previously downloaded TrackMaster RDSS race cards if you still have them (check your folders named \rdss\data\PP\2009\... or \2008\... downloaded cards are organized by year, then by track code).

A future version of RDSS will build this into the Data Centre, but right now there is a back-door to do this. Follow these steps. You'll need a text editor (e.g. Notepad) to edit your RDSS Configuration file, found on your RDSS folder, named RDSS.INI (file type shows as Configuration, in Windows Explorer).

Steps to Follow

1. RDSS should be closed.

2. Open RDSS.INI in your text editor, or in RDSS2 on the Configure Tab, open the Config file using the Edit Config.ini File button. Look for a line near the top of the file which reads:

[General]

3. Insert a line after that line (i.e. in the [General] section of the configuration file), which reads:

RDSSPPImport=RDSSPPImport.txt

4. Save the RDSS.INI file

5. Create a new text file using your text editor, name the file RDSSPPImport.txt and save it in your RDSS folder. Or, you can download the sample file attached to this post (RDSSPPImport.txt) to your RDSS folder. This file will contain a list of TrackMaster RDSS data file names, including full pathnames, which you want to import into your RDSS database.

For example, your RDSSPPImport.txt file could contain the following text:

c:\rdss\data\PP\2009\HOL\hol20090425rdss.zip
c:\rdss\data\PP\2009\CD\cd20090501rdss.zip
c:\rdss\data\PP\2009\CD\cd20090502rdss.zip

If you actually have these files, in the location you are describing, this is telling RDSS to import HOL 4/25/2009, CD 5/1/2009 and CD 5/2/2009 into your RDSS database. (If you don't actually have the files you list, or if you mis-type the full name and path, they will be ignored).

After entering the list of data files you want to import, save the RDSSPPImport.txt file.

6. Now open RDSS, then open the Data Centre. When RDSS loads and finds the RDSSPPImport=RDSSPPImport.txt instruction in the RDSS Configuration file (which you added in Step #3 above), it opens the Data Centre in Import Mode. The only thing you can do in Import Mode is import files listed in the RDSSPPImport.txt file - you can't download anything from TrackMaster.

Click on the Perform Selected Tasks button to begin Importing (Converting) the files you have chosen in Step #5 above. If any files are not found, they will be skipped.

7. When your import is complete and you have all the previous race cards you expected (check Race Cards by Date - the Past section), you should then exit RDSS and delete the line you added to your RDSS Configuration file in Step #3 (RDSSPPImport=RDSSPPImport.txt) - or disable it by placing a semi-colon character [;] at the beginning of the line (;RDSSPPImport=RDSSPPImport.txt). This turns Import Mode off, which you need to do before you can again Download and Convert normally in RDSS.


Unfortunately, the foregoing process will not retrieve any pacelines you may have selected when you originally worked races. You have to re-select pacelines yourself. Whenever you do an uninstall of RDSS, you will normally be prompted whether you want to remove a file named \rdss\data\data.db (the RDSS database file). If you intend to reinstall RDSS, always say NO to this question (no, don't delete my database file). A belt-and-suspenders approach to uninstalling/reinstalling RDSS is to always make a backup copy of your database first (and I recommend doing this anyway, even daily, if you value the data in it).

Also normally, if you simply install a new version of RDSS over top of an existing version (i.e. if you don't uninstall first), then any existing database file is never overwritten, so you don't need to worry.


Tips/Troubleshooting

1. If the Data Centre doesn't open up in Import Mode, check whether you entered the Import Mode instruction line exactly as specified in Step #3 (just cut and paste it from this post), AND that the line follows the [General] line (i.e. the line is found somewhere in the [General] section of the Configuration file).

2. If the Data Centre still doesn't open up in Import Mode, check that you have a file named RDSSPPImport.txt as described in Step #5, AND that it is found in your RDSS folder, AND that it contains a list of valid, existing files.

3. If your start the Import in the Data Centre and the Progress message box says files are not found, carefully check what you have typed in the RDSSPPImport.txt file to be sure you have not made any typos, and that those files actually do exist.

4. Don't forget to turn Import Mode off when you're done (Step #7)

Here is a sample RDSSPPImport.txt file which you can use as a template for your own: RDSSPPImport.txt

Good luck!



Ted
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Last edited by Ted Craven; 12-12-2012 at 10:44 AM.
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Old 05-07-2009, 08:25 AM   #2
Ted Craven
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Another use for Importing previous race cards which I make use of (I back up all my computers, a couple of times per day... ask me why), is if you have an unlimited download account and you like to have ALL the race cards (e.g. 'cause you're a collector), but you don't work EVERY card every day.

I download all cards every day, but work relatively few of them, so I normally only Download but do not Convert the cards I download. If I need to work a card, then I Convert just that one or ones I need. If the card(s) I wish to Convert are no longer currently available from the TrackMaster server, THEN I go back to my race card archive and Import the older ones I want. For example, that's how I got last year's Kentucky Derby card into the sample database distributed in the current RDSS version.

I really wish that the Data Centre race card display mechanism showed a merged view of BOTH what is currently available for download from TrackMaster AND what is available from my own archive. AND what Result Charts are available . And so it will...

Ted
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