Database management software

[duckhunter3]

I am happy with my handicapping software. However, I want to really get a feel for how accurate my betting lines are. For example, I want to track the win % of horses I make 2-1 on my betting line. Do they really win 33% and if not what is the win %, and at different tracks, etc.

I can do this with an Excel spreadsheet of course. But is there some reasonably priced database software available that would make the job faster and easier?

Any advice would be appreciated and thanks in advance.
duckhunter3

[richrosa]

MySQL is
- a real database
- works on all platforms
- is easy to you
- has thousands of support applications
- is well documented throughout the internet
- is blazingly fast

... and its FREE to download.

Excel is good for small tasks, but for anything serious a relational database and the power it carries can get you someplace fast with a slight learning curve rather than to spend days trying to get Excel to do something it wasn't designed to do.

[asH]

Why would you want to spend 'good money' (I'm assuming your money is good- lol) on something you can do for yourself...far to many times we as horse players will pursue the pot of gold, when the gold is in ourselves...what data source can you access? ie DRF. You will need have access to the results of a meet to begin...you would be amazed what one can do in excel..

asH

[richrosa]

I'll just never understand why guys defend Excel. They spend days and weeks and millions of posts on this board trying to get Excel to do things that databases do effortlessly.

Instead of trying to make a an elephant fly, you should spend your precious time learning the right tool for the job. Databases store, manipulate and query data. Excel is a spreadsheet targeted at financial calculations, not analytics and queries with definite boundaries in functionality and data storage.

There are a million Free PDF based books that you can download off the internet. Read a few chapters of them and recognize that you are smart enough to try them.

[asH]

The solution to his problem doesn’t require a relational Database... that would be overkill. It is a simple problem with a simple solution. (simplified version) All he needs are the winners of the meet (date), to compare with his picks (date)... Besides, excel can be linked to any relational database with relative ease. I use Access to store info worthy of such storage and relational data value....not that it means anything, but I've been teaching this stuff for over 10 years so I think I know a little something about it
Thanks
asH

[richrosa]

The solution to his problem doesn’t require a relational Database... that would be overkill. It is a simple problem with a simple solution. (simplified version) All he needs are the winners of the meet (date), to compare with his picks (date)... Besides, excel can be linked to any relational database with relative ease. I use Access to store info worthy of such storage and relational data value....not that it means anything, but I've been teaching this stuff for over 10 years so I think I know a little something about it
Thanks
asH

yes, yes, I have a pedigree in technology too.

I can do this with an Excel spreadsheet of course. But is there some reasonably priced database software available that would make the job faster and easier?

Lets answer his question. He asked is there reasonably priced database software that would make the job faster and easier? I expressed that MySQL is a true enterprise RDBMS and can do it for free.

Since he's obviously run into a problem with Excel of feels the need to outgrow Excel, what is he (or me) missing? What can Excel do better for him that a database can?

[asH]

Firstly, he didnt say anything about out growing Excel, that was totally you, projecting. ...

"I can do this with an Excel spreadsheet of course. But is there some reasonably priced database software available that would make the job faster and easier?"

So it is his idea that there is some software that would be faster, easier, and more efficient than excel for his needs....I dont think so...again, a database program is great relating data but may not offer the functionality and ease of use towards the math end. In this case excel (for me ) would work best. It is a great flat level database (if needed) and has all the math functions he is asking for...he's asking to compare his pick for a particular day and race to the winner of that day and race if they are the same he gets a point...the odds of his picks are not really the key issue (and again excel would be best in dealing with that aspect), because everything is contingent upon his initially picking the winnner. So a relational database would not be my choice...How would you solve his problem with a relational DB?
asH

[Tom]

I export data to excel and do my ting with it there.
The problem with Access/db, is that you have limited views of what is going on. I sometimes want to see all my data while I am working with it.

Say I am calulating a part for 6 furlongs at Aqu. I have all the data in a column to sort and view. I run a line chart to visually see if some point do not fit the group. I can go over and move a value of two out of the column and instantly recalulate the average, median, st dev, etc. I can add trendlines to the data, I can get the scatter diagram equations for the data set.

I agree db's are powerful and do many things a lot better than Excel, but to say Excel is not extremely useful in other than financial modes is not correct. In fact, of all the uses I have for Excel, none involve finance.

I wouldn't think of using a db to calulate pars. Who knows what it ate for data? ;)

[richrosa]

MySql

- one command to import a comma-delimited series of rows of data into the database
- blazingly fast - one standard SQL command and less than a second to spit out the analysis that he craves
- scales to billions of rows, will not deteriorate with age when its indexed correctly
- front ends can be written in virtually any language, with thousands of free tools to help display the data
- work is transportable to any other database
- FREE


Excel

- take the comma delimited results, run the wizard, make sure you click on the various choices that MS$ leaves for you, import the data
- write proprietary Excel script, or VB Script, or .Net stuff to do the calculations
- as the "spreadsheet" gets more data, the calculations get slower, take up more memory, and become more inefficient. There is no "indexing" in a spreadsheet because its NOT a database
- can not scale beyond hundreds of thousands of rows without a deterioration in quality
- has no front-end tools, you print a range of spreadsheet cells
- spreadsheets are not meant to hold data therefore, most Excel users upgrade to Access, which is a non-standard SQL mini-database that costs $$
- Excel, itself, and nearly everything that interfaces with it comes with a $$ cost

[dutchboy]

Would you be able to post a link to use to download the free database?



MySQL is
- a real database
- works on all platforms
- is easy to you
- has thousands of support applications
- is well documented throughout the internet
- is blazingly fast

... and its FREE to download.

Excel is good for small tasks, but for anything serious a relational database and the power it carries can get you someplace fast with a slight learning curve rather than to spend days trying to get Excel to do something it wasn't designed to do.

[richrosa]

http://dev.mysql.com/downloads/

Enjoy!!

[GameTheory]

SQLite is an even simpler option that might work for you...

http://www.sqlite.org

[robert99]

MySql

- one command to import a comma-delimited series of rows of data into the database
- blazingly fast - one standard SQL command and less than a second to spit out the analysis that he craves
- scales to billions of rows, will not deteriorate with age when its indexed correctly
- front ends can be written in virtually any language, with thousands of free tools to help display the data
- work is transportable to any other database
- FREE


Excel

- take the comma delimited results, run the wizard, make sure you click on the various choices that MS$ leaves for you, import the data
- write proprietary Excel script, or VB Script, or .Net stuff to do the calculations
- as the "spreadsheet" gets more data, the calculations get slower, take up more memory, and become more inefficient. There is no "indexing" in a spreadsheet because its NOT a database
- can not scale beyond hundreds of thousands of rows without a deterioration in quality
- has no front-end tools, you print a range of spreadsheet cells
- spreadsheets are not meant to hold data therefore, most Excel users upgrade to Access, which is a non-standard SQL mini-database that costs $$
- Excel, itself, and nearly everything that interfaces with it comes with a $$ cost

richrosa,

I am 100% with you on this.
Of course, if you have one specific simple application that you repeat endlessly, with minor data input, a spreadsheet is fine. However, many handicappers continually develop new ideas and want to automate others with full automatic checking of large amounts of input data from many sources. That and flexibility for inevitable future changes and additions requires a real database and the sophistication of queries can take care of practically all the maths you require, with vba type code or C++, Java routines for the rest and parsing.

[DJofSD]

DH3, I thought the initial question was if there was an existing package that you could acquire that would allow you to plug and chug.

It seems like the thread took an immediate left turn by assuming you want to get into software development.

So, do you want to buy a preprogrammed solution or roll your own?

[richrosa]

SQLite is an even simpler option that might work for you...

http://www.sqlite.org

agreed!! SQLite is good too, as is Postgres, and many other freebies.

richrosa,

I am 100% with you on this.
Of course, if you have one specific simple application that you repeat endlessly, with minor data input, a spreadsheet is fine. However, many handicappers continually develop new ideas and want to automate others with full automatic checking of large amounts of input data from many sources. That and flexibility for inevitable future changes and additions requires a real database and the sophistication of queries can take care of practically all the maths you require, with vba type code or C++, Java routines for the rest and parsing.

I think that's what's missing here. The group here spends their time doing database development on a spreadsheet and application development on top of the spreadsheet. They'd spend less time and get better results if they ventured out of the Excel cave and learned something more appropriate for their objectives.

[asH]

Tom, there are easy ways to present just the information you need in Access, and transfer the info back and forward from excel or access



As for relational databases; most times of these boards the 'conversation' turns into a 'less filling' - 'taste great' debate, rather than anything useful. For the record I use a relational database for trend handicapping, (I wasn’t knocking it) trend handicapping has a healthy track record and extremely useful. I have learned to also incorporate pace analysis, not the single number kind (which requires a heavy dose of Excel). I find them (data mining/pace analysis) equally important.



asH

"Taste Great"

lol

[dutchboy]

I also thought he was looking for a preprogrammed db which I am also looking for. When the rep from HOS mentioned his db was free for downloading I assumed and hoped it was a db template. Perhaps there would be a market for such an application.



DH3, I thought the initial question was if there was an existing package that you could acquire that would allow you to plug and chug.

It seems like the thread took an immediate left turn by assuming you want to get into software development.

So, do you want to buy a preprogrammed solution or roll your own?

[Tom]

MySql

- one command to import a comma-delimited series of rows of data into the database
- blazingly fast - one standard SQL command and less than a second to spit out the analysis that he craves
- scales to billions of rows, will not deteriorate with age when its indexed correctly
- front ends can be written in virtually any language, with thousands of free tools to help display the data
- work is transportable to any other database
- FREE




Yup. All true.
If that is the scope of what you want to do.
But do you bring your whole tool box to change a light bulb?
Sometings are done quickly and efficiently in Excel, whcih offeers thihngs Access cannot do easily.
Proper tools for the job.

[asH]

Nuff' said