ACCESSING TOTEBOARD DATA

[punteray]

I have a toteboard program that I am now using with manual inputs. The program is written in VB6. I sent FORMULA2002 a PM saying I might try and automate things using EXCEL, which I would have to learn. On second thought I should be able to do this with VB6. I made a small program using the "webbrowser.navigate" capability and tried to access Brisnet but all I got was their page only with the header. :mad: I NEED HELP :confused:

Anybody care to share some knowledge as to how I should proceed?? (would save me a lot of frustation in a learning curve)

Ray Scalise punteray@yahoo.com

[CBedo]

This might be a worthless post since I know basically nothing about VB, but I know that when I access BRIS, either through excel or using a programming language like Ruby, authentication is a pain in the butt there. I'd guess that somehow you have to log in to access it. Hopefully, Formula or someone else who knows VB can help you out.

Good luck.

[punteray]

Thanks for the reply and interest

Ray

[CBedo]

Thanks for the reply and interest

RaySorry I'm pretty much useless in this instance. I'll be interested to hear what you find out though.

[dukeofperl]

I do everything in Perl so I'm not an authority by any means with VB development but in general terms I would like to offer a few thoughts.

You will need to have your code do the automation for the login and password and AFAIK, that portion is pretty standard and should be cut-n-paste from a sample some where on the net or from one of your VB books.

In fact, more than likely, you can search the web and find an already-coded program that does 99% of what you want and just copy it and massage to fit and it's a done deal.

When I create spiders (or scrapers or bots) the code itself is generally the least of the problems as most code that performs those tasks are already written (as mentioned above) and that makes the core issue fairly easy.

Where I spend the bulk of my labor is making my spider well behaved -- a spider that walks slowly and knows where it's wanted and where it's not wanted. Every site (serious sites) keeps logs and trap information on all spider-like hits on their server and like human nature, each site has a different tolerance level and threshold.

What I do is take extra time to name my spider so the webmaster can tell it's intent just by name. I take only what I need and nothing more and above all I respect the host server's bandwidth and resources. At the same time, I try to keep the device high-profile enough that it doesn't appear to being doing anything under the radar.

In general, I try to make the arguments for my spider rather than let someone else define those arguments. That's the best way and most sites can live with those terms and appreciate the honesty.

Just some very general thoughts and my 2c

Duke

[togatrigger]

All track data can be found through NYRAs tote board,

http://www.nyra.com/totedata/JCL CODE prices race RACE.xml
http://www.nyra.com/totedata/JCL CODE cycle race RACE.xml
http://www.nyra.com/totedata/JCL CODE willpays race RACE.xml

just change CODE and RACE to the track code and race number respectively. The active tracks are listed in another XML file with post times and other data,

http://www.nyra.com/totedata/totetrack/totetrack.xml

Anyone know about other sites/tracks that offer verbose data like this?

[PaceAdvantage]

I have a toteboard program that I am now using with manual inputs. The program is written in VB6. I sent FORMULA2002 a PM saying I might try and automate things using EXCEL, which I would have to learn. On second thought I should be able to do this with VB6. I made a small program using the "webbrowser.navigate" capability and tried to access Brisnet but all I got was their page only with the header. :mad: I NEED HELP :confused:

Anybody care to share some knowledge as to how I should proceed?? (would save me a lot of frustation in a learning curve)

Ray Scalise punteray@yahoo.comI sent you a private message.

[CBedo]

I sent you a private message.Ahh! Come on PA! I thought I might learn something that might serve me in the future!

[formula_2002]

Even if you did not know vb6, I suggest you try wintask.com. Knowing it is even better.
They offer a program, which I use, that will write perhaps 80 % of the code for you just by pointing and clicking on the data ONCE.
The routine is stored into the code which can supplemented with your conditions.
Although they are in France, the guy I have delt with there will responds with answers within 24 hours..
I have delt with him for several years..Its a wonderful product.
GL

[formula_2002]

Even if you did not know vb6, I suggest you try wintask.com. Knowing it is even better.
They offer a program, which I use, that will write perhaps 80 % of the code for you just by pointing and clicking on the data ONCE.
The routine is stored into the code which can supplemented with your conditions.
Although they are in France, the guy I have delt with there will responds with answers within 24 hours..
I have delt with him for several years..Its a wonderful product.
GL
Just 1 thing further, I use an excel file for storing my pass words and the list of tracks I will be monitoring for the day, including the exacta dollar payout (some tracks use $1 others $2)
the program reads the excel file as part of its routine and not only calls up the browser and web page but enters the pass words.
its very reliable. ofcouse when my DUMB conditions are met, it places the bet..ugh

[RobinFromIreland]

Where I spend the bulk of my labor is making my spider well behaved -- a spider that walks slowly and knows where it's wanted and where it's not wanted. Every site (serious sites) keeps logs and trap information on all spider-like hits on their server and like human nature, each site has a different tolerance level and threshold.

What I do is take extra time to name my spider so the webmaster can tell it's intent just by name. I take only what I need and nothing more and above all I respect the host server's bandwidth and resources. At the same time, I try to keep the device high-profile enough that it doesn't appear to being doing anything under the radar.

In general, I try to make the arguments for my spider rather than let someone else define those arguments. That's the best way and most sites can live with those terms and appreciate the honesty.

Do you respect robots.txt?

For the OP, I've also done this with Perl (think I used mechanize) - you just store the returned session data and include it with subsequent HTTP request headers. I've done it with Java too; Apache Droids is the latest framework I've used.

A recent service that caught my eye is http://www.80legs.com

It's a cloud service where you pay to get allocated time for it's 50k computers to crawl. Pretty sure it must support authentication too. But as dukeofperl says who knows if it doesn't hammer the target's resources.

[CBedo]

Do you respect robots.txt?

For the OP, I've also done this with Perl (think I used mechanize) - you just store the returned session data and include it with subsequent HTTP request headers. I've done it with Java too; Apache Droids is the latest framework I've used.

A recent service that caught my eye is http://www.80legs.com

It's a cloud service where you pay to get allocated time for it's 50k computers to crawl. Pretty sure it must support authentication too. But as dukeofperl says who knows if it doesn't hammer the target's resources.I use Mechanize, or packages developed using it, in Ruby & Rails, and it makes crawling pretty easy for these types of tasks. I did have some issues with it with the BRIS tote, but I'm not very experienced with it. I think it has something to do with the java script there (like I said, I'm a noob to scraping).

[punteray]

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR YOUR INPUTS. I received code from PACEADVANTAGE and am looking forword to learning it and using it.

Needless to say, I am very excited:)

Ray Scalise

Thanks again

[dukeofperl]

Do you respect robots.txt?



Yes, in general terms I try to respect robots.txt.

However, given robots.txt is a voluntary scheme, it seems to me, the premise that everyone will voluntarily register with and respect the robots.txt file is wishing for a lot and offers little protection to the web site other than being able to say "you should have respected our robots.txt file".

FWIW: there is a handy Perl module that's part of the LWP (LWP::RobotsUA) that does a good job in handling the robots.txt maneuvers.

[Handiman]

I'm a bit confused. I remember not long ago where a member, Ultimate Selector was chided on a regular basis for tote board play when he posted his selections here. He was accused many times of past posting or given grief because his picks were so late that they were useless to anyone.

Now it seems that tote board play is in vogue and everyone here is attempting to get their bets in at the very last second. I don't understand what has changed.

Don't get me wrong, I love to see new and innovative things happening from the handicapper's perspective and position. I guess I'm just surprised at the fervor which has risen here concerning tote board play.

Just my observations on a slow day.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

Handi :)

[PaceAdvantage]

I'm a bit confused. I remember not long ago where a member, Ultimate Selector was chided on a regular basis for tote board play when he posted his selections here. He was accused many times of past posting or given grief because his picks were so late that they were useless to anyone.

Now it seems that tote board play is in vogue and everyone here is attempting to get their bets in at the very last second. I don't understand what has changed.He wasn't chided because his plays originated from the tote board. Not by me anyway...and not by anyone that I can really remember. I believe it was more a quality/quantity issue and the way he promoted himself that generated the most chides.

And yes, oftentimes his picks were late or so close to post time that they would be useless to anyone else.

However, someone writing their own program to monitor pools and perhaps place automated wagers (which is what this thread is all about) has little to do with Ultimate Selector and his past history of posting here.

[tamaharbor]

Wow. I asked for a little guidance on the original PA TOTE BOT thread last December...

"Please provide a high-level explanation of where and how you access the real-time odds data and make subsequent bets? What wager service allows you to do this? What programming language do you use? Thanks!"

And all I got was blown off.

Sigh.

[Tape Reader]

When will the ADW's wake up and provide this software free? Wall Street does.

[Handiman]

PA,

By virtue of posting one's picks, that in itself is self promotion. And I never once saw where he tried to sell anything. As for quality, his were no better nor worse than other's who post in the selection section.

Now if there was a problem with the quantity of posts, well that's not for me to address as I don't run this site. I did not know there was a limit, so for clarification, what is the limit one may post in the selection section?

I think my main point was that there were many posts ridiculing him for tote board play and accusations of past posting. I just found it interesting that tote board play has recently jumped to the forefront.

I am not a tote board guy, but the thought of a complete automated handicapping/wagering system is very interesting to me.

Handi :)

[PaceAdvantage]

I think my main point was that there were many posts ridiculing him for tote board play and accusations of past posting. I just found it interesting that tote board play has recently jumped to the forefront.

I am not a tote board guy, but the thought of a complete automated handicapping/wagering system is very interesting to me.

Handi :)I don't recall many posts ridiculing him for tote board play. I don't see how I would allow something like that considering I myself am interested in tote board play.

As for past posting, you might be confusing him with Anderon...Anderon definitely skirted the edge and at least once or twice was past posting...Ultimate Selector might have as well...probably unintentionally, because as you say, he posted so close to post time.

[PaceAdvantage]

Wow. I asked for a little guidance on the original PA TOTE BOT thread last December...

"Please provide a high-level explanation of where and how you access the real-time odds data and make subsequent bets? What wager service allows you to do this? What programming language do you use? Thanks!"

And all I got was blown off.

Sigh.Sigh. If I wanted to post my entire bag of tricks publicly, I would have done so at the time...

It's not really that difficult, if you know how to program. Plus I only know how to do it in Visual Basic...you might be proficient in an entirely different language...

If you know how to program, all you really need are either of the following tools:

Web debugging proxy applications such as CHARLES and FIDDLER are INVALUABLE when doing work such as trying to figure out how to log into these sites and place bets automatically...

http://www.charlesproxy.com/
http://www.fiddler2.com/fiddler2/

For the record, I preferred charles over fiddler...

[andicap]

Wow. I asked for a little guidance on the original PA TOTE BOT thread last December...

"Please provide a high-level explanation of where and how you access the real-time odds data and make subsequent bets? What wager service allows you to do this? What programming language do you use? Thanks!"

And all I got was blown off.

Sigh.

Well, timing is everything.:D

[punteray]

I don't know about recent 'fervor' but I have been working on a 'toteboard' program for several years and now have a very good one. I have recently culminated it into a "blackbox" format. I call it BOA(blackbox odds analyzer). I thought it would be fun to try and automate it so that is what I am about.

Ray Scalise

[Charli125]

Here's a little spreadsheet I created to look at inefficiencies in Place and Show pools. It uses Excel to grab the data, and updates once a minute. This one is just for AQU, but you can do it for any track by changing the link.

I'm just throwing it out there in case it helps, so if you think it sucks, don't use it. I'm not a tote player, I just found a few spots and figured I'd take a look.

FYI, you might need to go to the website and click sign-in for this to work. I'd guess it requires a cookie. Also, when there are scratches some of the formulas don't work, but the one's that I'm looking at do.

Enjoy.

EDIT: The rebate column uses rebates from various tracks as I was looking to see how that would affect overall ROI. If you get rebates, enter your own percentages.

[Handiman]

Punt,

I have received several of your programs and all have been done well. You seem to be a stand up guy as far as i can tell and I have heard nothing but nice things about you from other members here.

I don't recall you ever making a remark against tote board play. But there have been several members here who have derided anyone that approached the game from that perspective.

Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving to you and everyone here on the forum.

God Bless,
Handi :)

[punteray]

Thank you for the kind words. I did a 20 race test of my program, betting exactas and had a 31% hit rate with 317% ROI. If I were using past performances I would use the program you and Doug have. I was quite impressed with it. However, using toteboard odds I don't have to buy data!!

Ray