RDSS Crashing Reports!

[Ted Craven]

In the past few days, there have been reports of RDSS suddenly stopping in the middle of some operation, either while handicapping a race or assembling, etc.

While I am investigating now, I recommend folks who encounter this turn off fetching TS Ratings from TwinSpires by UNCHECKing the Get TS Ratings box on the Config Screen, Save then restart RDSS. For RDSS to start crashing suddenly when it has been working well for so long indicates an external cause, and the process of getting stuff from TwinSpires is always my first suspect. Of course, you'll have to get those Prime Power and ProfitLine ratings elsewhere, for example via the TwinSpires button on the RDSS Desktop.

More soon ...

Ted

[cdax]

I turned of fetching from TS in configure screen. Then I assembled races (which kept crashing with it on). After all races were assembled, I turned on the fetching from TS. (neither time did I reboot RDSS). Then I opened a race on the card and hit the refresh TS ratings and scratches. Hasn't crashed and I have the PP and PL numbers.

Chris

[cdax]

Tried another card with my work around and can only do a race or two before crashing.

Chris

[DanBoals]

I am getting the crashing without reason at Fairgrounds today.

What is the TS rating, what screens is it on? Why would it cause a crash? Are familiar with try / throw and other error catching mechanisms that are in various computer languages? Not sure what you are using for RDSS, my guess would be Visual Basic / Visual C#, but I would think there would be something in there you could use to keep the software from just ****ting the bed.

[DanBoals]

Any progress on getting odds and final payoffs back in RDSS?

[Ted Craven]

I reiterate - RDSS seems to be having problems related to fetching some TwinSpires Ratings (ProfitLine & Prime Power). That's why the Get TS Ratings checkbox is there in the Config Screen.

From all my tests - in the Config Screen, if you UNCHECK that box (turn OFF fetching TS Ratings), click the Save button, restart RDSS (actually restart RDSS - don't just keep on using RDSS - restart it, please restart it!) -- then RDSS will properly assemble races, no crashes, just normal.

If someone can demonstrate otherwise - on newly assembled races, not on previously assembled races - please contact me.

FWIW - I am SOOO tired of fighting with getting data from TwinSpires. Though these ratings do appear to have value, there is nothing wrong with using RDSS without them.


Dan - these TS Ratings ratings appear on the Entries and RX screens.

Dan - the upcoming new version of RDSS enables Results again via TrackMaster/Equibase (not TwinSpires) if you have the Bundle/Premium/Resultsdata plan. It soon will include tote odds (WPS, Exacta, Daily Double, Willpays) -- only IF access to TwinSpires can be made stable, which is the source of tote data.

Dan - the code for RDSS is littered with TRY/THROW/CATCH error trapping calls over 100,000+ lines of code over nearly 20 years. Every time a new offence occurs, I add in more to try to make RDSS fail more gracefully in unexpected circumstances. So, more work to do ...

I will report back on what to do to regain stability in the current version of RDSS. So far - I say it is to turn OFF fetching TS Ratings as described above.

Ted

[Ted Craven]

Originally Posted by cdax

Tried another card with my work around and can only do a race or two before crashing.

Chris

Be sure to RESTART RDSS after saving changes to the Get TS Ratings setting.

Ted

[dadams6357]

I started getting all kinds of problems with program.
I just downloaded the program and reinstalled it and problems seem to
be resolved.

[Ted Craven]

That may solve things Don. Otherwise, on several computers from serveral users reports, it might have been a temporary thing on TwinSpires' side which has now been resolved.

The current version of RDSS seems to respond normally again, fetching the TS Ratings if the setting is CHECKED on the Config Screen.





Please let me know if anyone experiences otherwise, going forward. In addition, the upcoming version has some extra code which checks for a few unexpected events to help with similar issues.

Ted

[cdax]

I didn't do anything different than usual. Downloaded a card and assembled without any issues.

Chris