Data Mixed Up?
 

Hi Ted,

Sometimes I like to go back into old races to practice. The attached race isn't one that I practiced, but there does appear to be a problem.
Apologies if this has already been raised.

Attachment one shows the Entries. The order of the horses in the tabs at the top is mixed up. The first horse shown #7 is called Queen Fantabulous on this screen.


When I click on the #7 It brings up a horse called Toll Guard. Also note the information in the lifetime record area. It shows that the horse has run 9 races, but when you look at the main PP original screen there are 10 lines.


Sorry if this has been put up before. If not, any pointers to correct? I've noticed this in other races, but this was the first one that I found for posting purposes today.


Thanks.

Yes.

I have suggested re-assembling races first assembled in a previous version, when moving to the current (emergency update) version 2.1.049.11. That has usually solved all such out-of-order, or missing data or whatever issues. But if not, please let me know by email.

I'll do my best to make the replacement update behave well with previously assembled races!

Ted

Thanks Ted, I thought so and just wanted to make sure.


Mitch44

Thanks Ted,

Sorry about that. All present and correct now!!

Unable to remove scratches, not yet known.
 

Scratches for tomorrows card cannot be removed by removing check marks. Have cleared cache, and reassembled, scratches still remail and RDSS needs to be restarted. Multiple races at Pimlico with same problem.

It looks like you are doing this in the early AM hours of Friday (at least early Eastern Time) and RDSS is accessing the scratches for Thursday (because they are still alive).

Try again Friday morning. Scratches should be pertinent to Friday.

When doing handicapping overnight, I recommend turning the tote off (or internet off if you must). See: http://paceandcap.com/forums/showpos...&postcount=227. Again, in the next version, there will be a setting in Configuration screen to enable/disable tote (including scratch) for whatever reasons.

Ted

I am receiving reports today that many races on the Pimlico Preakness day card fail to assemble properly - the Entries screen is missing lots of data.

I can confirm this from my own testing :( and I further notice that in races with Scratches, the current RDSS version appears to stall - gives the 'not responding' Windows message. RDSS works normally when assembling races which have no scratches regardless of the track.

This is the case even when the suggested setting in the Configure File to Disable Tote (Tote_enabled=0 - see http://paceandcap.com/forums/showpos...&postcount=219 ). That Disable Tote setting does not apply to periodic checking for Scratches. And disconenctin from the internet is also not a solution since RDSS currently requires a connection else you get various errors (also something I am changing).

Somehow, TwinSpires must be suddenly responding differently today to scratch requests, similarly to how it suddenly began responding differently to tote requests several weeks ago (which precipitated this current emergency version release). I will investigate further, re this scratch problem.

A (not very good) workaround is to check your ADW for upcoming race scratches (at Pimlico or elsewhere) and avoid races with scratches. I know, not a good solution at all.

My plan is - as soon as a testing version is stable - to make ALL access to TwinSpires' servers for everything - optional. That way, when something unexpected happens like this, we can still work around it. I am working on that as fast as I can.

Sorry for the (new) current problems ...

Ted

Another complication of the TwinSpires tote access problems of earlier this month (May 2019) not addressed by the emergency update V2.1.049.11 - is that the Download Mutuels button is not working on the Card Summary for the track today and on the MyRaces Card Summary for all or filtered races today, and on the Rx and Rx+ Analysis screens.

It is working still on the Entries screen for an individual race, though you must login to a valid TwinSpires account. After you fetch race Mutuels this way (from TwinSpires) they do appear on the Rx and Rx+ Analysis screens (just the Mutuels button to fetch them does not work on those screens).

Since that emergency update, I have corrected a bunch of RDSS code for another update (though not yet those fetch Mutuels buttons) but will have them not only working but also no longer requiring a TwinSpires login account (since they are available without an account). As before, you'll be able to download ALL Mutuel results and prices for the entire day in the MyRaces module, or for a single track via the track's Card Summary screen.

I would like to give a timeframe for this next update, but I will just say for the moment that it will be soon (June).

On the topic of Result Charts since it was asked today in another thread - for some time the RDSS Bundle data plan which includes downloaded complete Result Charts (in XML format) has been useful ONLY to permit looking up PAST complete Charts for any running line in a horse's Past Performances.

As of yet (and only due to underwhelming demand) RDSS does not import those downloaded Results for TODAY's races into the RDSS database. (FWIW, per the RDSS TrackMaster data plan page, here is the message about that: http://www.paceandcap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5339 ). If you have been downloading Result Charts, in due course all your saved Chart files will be able to be processed retrospectively. I do plan to get this finally done this year (2019).

Right now, the only way Results and prices show up in RDSS is - as described initially above - if you download them race by race from the Entries screen, though bulk downloads will be re-enabled in the next update.

Ted

I am having a horrible time using the program, unfortunately. Almost every mouse click will bring a blue circle and "not responding", sudden program crashes or something called Library error, with a dialog box with retry or cancel buttons.
I attempted to download the program again and that didn't help. it is very frustrating to spend the time to handicap the race and then because the program crashes, I don't have the time to get a bet in. When is the newer version that you mentioned would be out by the end of April going to be released?

Mark, you could try to disable the default access of the TwinSpires tote system by adding to the Config File, the [General] section, the line:


Tote_enabled=0


In the Configure Tab, click the Edit Configure File button to get access to that file.

This disables RDSS from fetching odds and prices data from the TS tote system, though it does not prevent checking periodically for scratches. TwinSpires appears to be blocking some computers running RDSS, so it must have to do with security settings and particular Windows versions on some computers.

I have one machine running Windows Server where I regularly still get that spinning wheel, 'not responding' message on V2.1.049.11 (current version), though I have 4 other computers running Windows 10 and Windows Vista (!) where I do not get that message at all.

Since no one has written me before to report the same as you, I thought the current version was handling things.

Please try the suggested Tote_enabled setting and let us know if that helps. If not, I will be happy to connect to your computer and attempt to troubleshoot your security settings if you like.

I ran into a number of snags trying to comprehensively update RDSS from the current version, that's why it is delayed. (That plus working on a few other things while no one was complaining ...). My current goal is to have a fairly comprehensive update by the time of the Saratoga Meetup mid-August (or before).


Moving this post to the Bugs Thread ...


Ted

Sorry to be late to the party but I have many problems with program not responding and not getting tote board to work. I'm running windows 8.1. As an aside I ran the program on my old windows 7 computer and it worked fine. Again sorry for the late report but I thought the problem was already reported.
Tim

Tim, the fact that the current version runs fine on your Windows 7 computer, but on Win 8.1 and (for Mark, and now apparently others) not on Windows 10 - indicates that the Windows Security settings named 'SmartScreen' might be responsible for interruption of web access to TwinSpires, and thus causing a 'stalling/not responding' effect.

I have long since disabled SmartScreen on my Win 10 computers, and my older Windows Vista (pre-Windows 7) never had it and also works fine.

I am gathering some info for folks on how to disable SmartScreen in their Windows Security/Firewall/Defender settings and will post them here as soon as I can.

Meanwhile, anyone afflicted with sluggish or intermittent performance in RDSS V2.1.049.11 (current version) is welcomed to research disabling SmartScreen via Google, or browse around in their Windows Security Settings.

Ted

FWIW, Mark has reported to me that adding the Tote_enabled=0 setting to the Config File (i.e. disabling tote access in RDSS) has significantly improved the 'not responding' and crashing effects. (At the price of no tote info ...)

Mark, if I got that wrong, kindly update us, thanks.

Ted

Fatal Disk Error
 

Hello Ted,


I get this error fairly often when running RDSS - latest version. I have to task manager out of RDSS. I have a SSD which checks out fine and this error only pops up when using RDSS.



Attached is a screen shot.



Terryhttps://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...psbqzovaw0.jpg

I also get this many times a day.

Dear Ted ....salutations to you! rdss is playing a game with me it turn very sluggish,spinning wheel and all of that you mention last,to my suprise.am using the old version beta-2.6-02.......i like it very much.............any help is very welcome!

ignacio

I spend a couple of hours yesterday connected to 2 different RDSS users' computers, one with an older version and one with the latest. BOTH experienced the same reported sluggishness, delay, 'not responding' message we saw a few months ago and apparently just recently.


The current version (V2.1.049.11) responded well, as did Mark's setup above, to disabling tote access (see http://paceandcap.com/forums/showpos...&postcount=251). The older version was still newer than Ignacio's V2.0.beta-2.6-02 and also responded well to disabling tote access.



Alas, V2.0.beta-2.6-02 will not be fixed by disabling tote access. It's problem is the same as the one a year and more ago which prompted the rewrite of the tote access system: The TwinSpires (old Supertote) link older versions of RDSS was checking was failing 'gracefully' up until recently (apparently) when now is it starting to fail 'hard' - the software hangs while waiting for a response from that old Supertote which now - never comes. And then it tries again in another 45 seconds.


Thus that old version is unusable (unless perhaps you unplug your modem or otherwise disconnect from the internet). That is only 1 of the reasons. Everyone should update to the current version.


But see the following post!


Ted

Tim, and Terry and Bill L -

Can I ask - did this stalling, or disk failing behaviour happen from the very beginning of using V2.1.049.11 (the current version) in mid-April. Or did it just start (or accelerate) the past week or so?

If the latter, it indicates something changed (again, since April) about one of the web links RDSS checks at Twinspires either for tote access or scratch updates. Or else, perhaps it indicates a change in default settings to Windows Security settings (Windows Defender, or SmartScreen) which is now imposing more strict access control over access to https://www.twinspires.com/...etc. I think this, because if the latest RDSS Version was working before, then it can only be this limited set of things which could change to cause the slowdown.

If it was ALWAYS the case with this current version, it does not explain why EVERYONE does not experience the same problem. I know that's not any of your concerns - but it is for the person troubleshooting and trying to solve it (me :confused:).

Could anyone recently (or always) experiencing slowness or 'not responding' problems with the current version please first try to disable the tote system (again, see http://paceandcap.com/forums/showpos...&postcount=251) and if necessary also disable Windows SmartScreen (google how).

Your responses will help me troubleshoot and correct things as soon as I can.

Thank you!

Ted

BTW, I am away until Monday for the Canada Day holiday weekend and will address all responses when I get back then.


Happy Canada Day to all who celebrate it!


Ted

Have a joyous Canada Day. Think I will enjoy it by watching the Queens Cup tomorrow and coffee at Tim Hortons on Monday. Best I can do in eastern Kentucky. Could pull out my Don Cherry bobblehead and sing "Oh Canada" but with my voice the doll might slap me.
Truly appreciate my neighbor to the north and the Fete du Canada.

Enjoy your holiday Ted.

I just started using it at the beginning of June but it has happened for at least 2 weeks. There are three other things I've noticed Ted. 1) When switching races it tends to crash (a lot). It will try to go to the next race then CTD (no BSOF or any other error, just back to the desktop). 2) If you leave RDSS sit without any key inputs, for 5-10 minutes, it is likely to crash when trying to use it again. 3) When using live during a race you have to re-assemble the next race to get the live tote working.



Can't speak for Smart Screen but I run Avast for AV so Defender is disabled.




I've never had any type of slowness with the program - just the problems mentioned above. FWIW - I run hard wire to the cable modem. Is there anyway to enable a bug trap to write to an error log Ted?

I'm new to this thread too. I've been experiencing the same problems, just the last few weeks. Before that the latest version worked well.

I downloaded yesterday and did a couple races with no problems. Today all I'm getting is a spinning wheel and whiteouts. With enough patience it'll display but trying to do a race and going from horse to horse or screen to screen was pure drudgery. I gave it up for the day.


HELP,
Mitch44

Go figure today everything works fine, even with the cards from yesterday. I did run my malware and defender last night. Perhaps something was fragmented yesterday.


Has this been a fix for anyone else?


Mitch44

I would say mid April would be the start, but moreso lately. Especially the 'not responding" issue. it occurs several times a day even with only one venue open.

Mine is once
 

I just got 1 spinner yesterday and it was with many windows open


My dad has a terrible time. He gets them very often, but I must add he is still running Windows 7
On a computer that sat for a few years so updates were missed

Just got it this sunday afternoon and wanted to see who won the last at LRC - it had run already so there should not have been a tote influence (hopefully). Opened the last race and it started spinning right away. Acdtually I started to log on to get the prices and THEN it started spinning, so I was trying to activate the twinspires browser

freezing while online again
 

so we have had this problem before and I knew what to do this time (turn of wifi and work them offline). I came in to see if we were working on an update, but sounds like were still troubleshooting. twinspires link doesn't work or something?

I disabled Smart Screen this morning and RDSS 2.1 is running great. Hasn't crashed once. The only thing that remains is having to reassemble or restart RDSS to get the live tote working on the next race.



Keeping fingers crossed.

I have to be off today, but the following seems to help most people resume using RDSS for the time being:

1. if you're using an old version of the software, update to the current one
2. if you need to, disable the tote system, as described above in my reply to Mark (Config file, General section, add Tote_enabled=0).
3. disable Windows SmartScreen.

Back at it tomorrow!

Ted

I have been having similar problem/s since windows update last week.

I have Smart Screen off on a Win8.1 pc, and my brother has it off on his Win10 pc. We're both using the latest RDSS version, and have Tote_enabled=0. However, we both have the slow, 'not responding' experience. We're not getting any crashing, just the 'not responding' message at the top of the RDSS window when making mouse clicks in the program.

RDSS 2.1.049.11 not installing.

Just got another fatal disk error popup. Other than that it has been running great.

Yikes! That's a lot of contradictory reporting about the symptoms and solutions (and failed solutions). I'm going to have to spend at least a day sorting it out and talking to and connecting to different people's computers to observe what's working and under what scenarios, and what's not.

RDSS has had a connection to the tote board since the beginning, first BRISnet Supertote then TwinSpires tote. At first it was just tote data, then a year+ ago I added fetching quick Mutuel results, TS Ratings like ProfitLine and Prime Power, live Scratch info and available tracks today and MTP. I also added the means (in the Config file currently, but I will put that in the Config Screen) to disable fetching tote data but NOT automatic periodic scratch and track info (and fetching TS Ratings and Mutuels prices has always been a user-initiated process).

I added this disabling tote to versions AFTER the old one some people are still using V2.0.Beta-2.06. If people are suddenly having slowness issues, they can try disabling tote access, though NOT for this older version. Hence the suggestion to update to the current version. Some of the comments above do not state which version is involved but I do know that info for each RDSS user.

The confusing part for me is that, from the above reports (and other private ones), the advice to run the current version, disable tote and Windows SmartScreen - seems to help some and not others. It is possible some people think they are following the foregoing advice but are not really, which makes the debugging more confusing.

One thing - since automatically fetching periodic Scratch info (initially, then each 5 minutes afterwards) is not suppressed in the current version by the tote disabling instructions, if you turn tote off you may still get a spinning wheel (slowness) because RDSS is trying to fetch scratch info every 5 minutes and failing (for still unknown reasons).

The bottom line re most of these issues is that a) TwinSpires has changed some web links RDSS uses to fetch live data (and sometimes has subsequently changed them back again so they resume working, temporarily), b) Windows Security updates may be newly enforcing a setting which prevents RDSS from doing its job even if TwinSpires access is OK.

I will contact those who have reported to me or posted here to see if I can observe reported problems in action. I will try to give more advice on how to deal with the new problems with existing software.

I'll try to get an update as soon as I can, to either correct the data access problems or make it easier to work around them.

To those (few) who have written me saying they are fed up with RDSS and hate the customer service and have given up, I apologize for these issues, thank you for your previous support and wish you well.

Ted

Sorry to hear that :( Please tell me more ...

When you open a current day card of races with tote enabled RDSS fetches tote data for the CURRENT race, or the FINAL race if the day's races are complete (since that final race tote info is the remaining current info).

Also, whatever TS web links have changed, it does not surprise me if the Mutuel results are among them (i.e. when you open a browser within RDSS to TwinSpires mutuel results for a race). I will validate this, but as of last week I was able to fetch Mutuel results in the current version on several of my setups.

Ted

Terry, this 'fatal disk error popup' has been know to happen but usually after running RDSS after several hours while fetching tote data all along. Does this match your scenario, or does it happen after just a short while.

Advice I have long given -- restart RDSS after every few races. This usually keeps things humming along nicely (at least in the past).

Ted