difficulty downloading files

[shrink1]

Ted,
Had some difficulty downloading from Trackmaster. Got a no files availble on first try. Then I reloaded and it worked on the second try. Just for your info.
Ira

[Ted Craven]

Ira,

Do you mean using the Data Center module to download the new PP files? Did you get a message in the Progress window, like, trouble at TrackMaster server or with you internet connection, or anything? Sometimes that happens, just like it can happen in your web browser when you try to log onto Pace and Cap, for instance ().

There are probably a few more conditions I can check for and give useful messages for when the unexpected happens. As you observed, often just retrying does the trick.

Thanks for the feedback.

Ted

[shrink1]

Ted,
I didin't get a message other than file could not be found please try again later. As I said I just retried and it worked.
Ira

[Bill Lyster]

Ted:

I accessed data center tonite and tried to download cards for today and tomorrow using the range of dates button. Tried to download FG, GG and SA, but SA was not shown as an active card. HOL was however.

Then I exited the data center and manually downloaded the info from the regular download section of the program. Then I went back to the data center and requested downloads for one day at a time, successfully downloading info for 12-28. However, when I attempted several times to get FG info I got the attached messages. Short of going back for the manual download, any suggestions to cure?

Thanks,
Bill

[Buzz]

Ted,

I read Bill Lyster's post regarding downloading difficulties and tried to download the same file using the Data Center.

I checked my internet connection

I cleared the All Tracks list and clicked on FG.

I clicked on the 29th for both calandars.

I clicked on the Display Available Cards button

A minute went by and I got this message in the Progress Window

"Connecting to TrackMaster-update list of available race cards...
Sorry, could not connect to TrackMaster. Please try again later, or check your internet connection, or check that your firewall permits RDSS to access the internet."
----------------------------------------------------------

I have downloaded RDSS files successfully before so I know that my firewall is not the problem.

I tried the same sequence again to download CT...same result.

I tried downloading FG with the "Get Past Performances" button and got the message "No files found for specified track list and date range.

I tried downloading the CT file using the "Get Past Performances" button and found 1 file.

I converted the CT file all OK.

I went back to the Data Center and tried downloading FG again.

In the Progress Window the text read:

"Connecting to TrackMaster-update list of available race cards...
Display available race cards for selected tracks and dates.
-------------------------------------------------------

I waited 3 minutes and got no response.

I clicked the "Display Available Cards button" again, waited 3 minutes, no response.

I started he downloading at approx 0227 PST.

I clicked on the RDSS Acct Registration link and the TM window opened.

I clicked on the TrackMaster Acct Details link and the TM window opened.

Hope this helps,
Buzz

[Ted Craven]

Originally Posted by Bill Lyster

Ted:

I accessed data center tonite and tried to download cards for today and tomorrow using the range of dates button. Tried to download FG, GG and SA, but SA was not shown as an active card. HOL was however.

Then I exited the data center and manually downloaded the info from the regular download section of the program. Then I went back to the data center and requested downloads for one day at a time, successfully downloading info for 12-28. However, when I attempted several times to get FG info I got the attached messages. Short of going back for the manual download, any suggestions to cure?

Bill,

The Data Center PP page is a representation of the following webpage at TrackMaster:

http://www.trackmaster.com/perl/client_list.cgi?rdp

If you cannot access that page directly in your web browser (e.g. due to intermittent internet connection, or due to server problems at TrackMaster's end), then the RDSS Data Center can also not access it and will display the message:

Sorry, could not connect to TrackMaster. Please try again later, or check your internet connection, or check that your firewall permits RDSS to access the internet.

For example, I experienced this message intermittently last night (12/28) between 5 and 7pm EST. The above TrackMaster server webpage was also unavailable. Retrying from time to time solved that particular problem.

That said, you said SA was shown as not active (i.e. no Active Track horse icon next the track name) but HOL was shown as active. Checking this morning, the reverse is true (as it should be). If you experience this particular observation again, could you please check the raw web page listing above and compare it to what you see represented in the Data Center and kindly report any discrepancies. As far as I can see, it should be impossible for any discrepancy to exist, but there must be something...

Re the FG 12/29 RDSS format card (fg20071229rdss.zip) which apparently eventually downloaded after a few attempts, but failed to convert - could you please locate this file in your race card file archive and send it to me for analysis (look in folder \rdss\data\PP\2007\FG\).

If you can't find it, that means I need to tune up the error checking routines for when downloaing fails and NOT proceed to try to Convert it if the file doesn't exist (and merely get a confusing error message like you got). If you can find it, perhaps it's not a real race card file and just an error message webpage text masquerading as a ZIP race card file (which I'll see, if you can sent it). If that's the case, I'll have to add some more error checking to trap that.

By the way, if you're not sure if you actually downloaded a given file, you can always check the TrackMaster log for your account (which indicates TrackMaster thinks you were successful and governs whether you get charged for it). Use the link to your TrackMaster Account Details on the Data Center, then click on the 'View My Downloads' button.

Bill, looking forward to your ZIP file by email, and any further info re above which you can share.

A reminder: the Get Past Performances module which downloads the old TMPP files disappears with the next update (tomorrow)...

Ted

[shrink1]

Ted,
I am trying to download a file for Calder for today. I got this message 2007/12/29 skipped sorry RDSS file does not exist. It also had only 7 tracks as available for today.
Ira

[Ted Craven]

Originally Posted by Buzz

Ted,

I read Bill Lyster's post regarding downloading difficulties and tried to download the same file using the Data Center.

Buzz,

It sounds to me like you got the same TrackMaster data server unavailable problem which I and Bill relate (both older TMPP files and new RDSS files).

It sounds like you say you could access the TrackMaster account info page or registration pages (and perhaps the general TrackMaster website) but not the data servers (or perhaps the data server connection went back up the moment you happened to hit the account info or registration webpages).

Again, if you should get download messages that there is no connection to TrackMaster data servers, try your web browser on the raw, underlying data page I mention in the message above, then immediately try refreshing the Data Center track listing - if you can get one, you should get the other (at least within a few seconds of each other).

There is little point in downloading files directly from that raw page. If you can do that, you can do it with the Data Center and it automatically files the downloads in the correct folders for subsequent use.

Let's hope this is all caused by a spate of server downtime (not that that's a good thing), and that I just have to beef up my error checking routines.

Ted

[Ted Craven]

Originally Posted by shrink1

Ted,
I am trying to download a file for Calder for today. I got this message 2007/12/29 skipped sorry RDSS file does not exist. It also had only 7 tracks as available for today.
Ira

Ira,

How many tracks displayed depends on which tracks you have selected. If you have all active tracks selected then all will be displayed (today, my display shows 17 tracks total).

Re CRC today, if you have the Download task unchecked, and the Convert Task checked and you ask to Convert CRC 12/29 before you have downloaded it, you would get the message you describe. If you just check CRC 12/29 alone, and check BOTH the Download and Convert Tasks, and uncheck the Don't Duplicate box (i.e. permit it to redownload), then it should work fine.

Please let us know...

Ted

[shrink1]

Ted,
I had all those boxes checked. I re tried a couple of more times and I get the cannot connect to trackmaster message.
Ira