Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
 

Here is a new list of Frequently Asked Questions for RDSS. Some of these questions are actually (or may turn out to be) RDSS Bugs, in which case I will add them to the Bug List. Others are simply 'How do I do that' questions, or problems with Windows, etc

In honour of the most troublesome issue of the past 24 hours (4 separate queries :eek:), here is FAQ #1:


Q: I downloaded RDSS (to my Desktop or to another folder) but when I clicked on the file to install, Windows Vista (and XP) asks what kind of file it is and how to open it. The Install program does not run normally.

A: Just recently, some updates to Windows (or perhaps to your Internet Explorer or other browser) save the RDSS Download file (currently named RdssInstall0986.exe) without the .exe file extension (i.e. the name ends up being simply RdssInstall0986). Over-zealous security! This has the effect that Windows does not know the Install file is a program, and so will ask how to open it.

Solution: add back the .exe file extension by right-clicking on the file and choosing Rename, then rename the file to RdssInstall0986.exe (i.e. add the missing .exe extension to the end of whatever the Install program is currently named). Then run the program to install RDSS normally.

Q: RDSS says it has a problem loading ZIP routines: "Could not load the ZIP routines. Tip: if running Windows Vista, you need to be an Administrator, rather than a Standard User. Try Uninstalling then doing a full Re-install of RDSS (use your RDSS Install package to Uninstall.) RDSS is stopping now."

A: This is due (almost always) to a Windows update which occurred on your computer since the last time you used RDSS, and which de-registered the ZIP routine library which RDSS uses.

Solution: First try this - on your RDSS folder, find the file named REGDLL.BAT (a Windows Batch File). Double-click it to run it. This simply attempts to re-register the ZIP library which Windows de-registered in its update. If it succeeds, you’ll see a message as follows:

Attachment 16865

Now try RDSS again to see if the ZIP library works now. If not, then go ahead and uninstall then reinstall the software. As always when uninstalling, make a copy of your RDSS database (\rdss\data\data.db) and when prompted during the Uninstall if you want to delete data.db, say NO!

Q: RDSS won't download race cards which are definitely available, or the Dates shown in the Data Centre are weird.

A: Currently, RDSS relies on the Windows Date Format to be in US-English (e.g. mm/dd/yyyy - 06/30/2009) and not Canadian or UK or other International English flavours (e.g. dd/mm/yyyy - 30/06/2009). If the Windows Date Format is not in US-English, in the Data Centre you may see weird dates (and resulting problematic Progress messages) like the following examples (e.g. days of the week do not match the actual date):

Attachment 16902

Attachment 16903

Solution: Go to the Control Panel, then Regional & Language Settings, then check the National Format settings. For example, in Windows Vista, that looks like this:

Attachment 16904

Change your settings to US English, Save then re-open RDSS. If your Dates look normal, and if expected race cards actually show up to be downloaded, then you fixed it.

In the next release, RDSS will check the National date format settings and simply use whatever format you prefer for your country to determine the actual correct date and day of the week.

Some tracks card races simulcast from other jurisdictions, typically other countries. In addition to its own live races, Laurel Park commonly simulcasts races from various South American countries and these show up as a track code designated SPx for 'Simulcast Program'. Since they are not LRL races, they are designated separately according to the track code used. SP4 means that somewhere, there were 3 other Simulcast Programs associated with primary track codes elsewhere that day.

You can't open or handicap these races. Just ignore them.

FWIW, RDSS 2.0 will treat these SP codes a little differently.