Databasing Results in Excel

[BirdstoneFTW]

First off, I don't even know if this is the right spot for this. I apologize if this isn't in the right Sub Forum.

I like to put the Results Charts in Excel so I can keep records of horses that have ran at a particular meet. However, I am forced to type all that data in and that is very tedious and quite time consuming.

Is there a program that move data from a PDF to Excel? Considering the PDF Files are password protected, I think the question above is bound to be nearly impossible.

Is there an easier way to input that data than having to type it all in?

Thanks in advance.

[ranchwest]

About a year or two ago the charts were changed to be encrypted. So, the PDF's can no longer be parsed. A lot of us were scraping the data from the charts before the encryption started.

There are charts files and results files that can be purchased that could be imported into Excel or a database. It costs money, but it does take your focus off that tedious task.

[SchagFactorToWin]

Download FoxIt PDF reader. It's free to try. You can actually use it as long as you want for free but it puts a mark on the page when you save it. I use it to mark-up each night's programs, instead of pen & ink.

Anyway, open a file, click FILE/PROPERTIES/SECURITY. Encryption options are there and I was told by a fellow user that one can change it. I don't have any encrypted files to try it on. That may solve the first problem. As far as converting PDF to Excel, I never could get that to work satisfactorily!

[Tom]

Thanks for idea, Schaq...I would like to mark up my charts.
I'll try this out.:ThmbUp:

[BirdstoneFTW]

Thanks for the tips and info.

I have some more questions.

As much as I like all the stats DRF has, I prefer to have meet specific stats. I am well aware of DRF Formulator and the ability to sort the data. I even created an excel spreadsheet with 2 years of Meet Specific stats, but it got to the point where I didn't have enough time or the attention span to keep doing it.

Are there any programs out there that would allow me to collect this data? Or are there products out there that have this info readily available?

If there is a program available, what would I need? Past Performances, Results Charts?

Basically I'm trying to get meet specific trainer stats. I'd love to be able to create my own, with my personalized stat categories.

Any help, info, thoughts, and suggestions are appreciated.

[Ian Meyers]

There are a number of very good, very reputable software providers that facilitate just what you need. HTR, J-Capper, HSH, Handicapping OS are the first four that come to mind. I would strongly recommend trying out any and/or all of those and selecting one or two. IMHO you will burn out doing it the way you're doing it. Excel is very good for a lot of things but it's just so/so as a database tool.

[dartman51]

I use a program called EquiSim. I use it primarily for it's database capabilities. You can check anything about the connections. Trainer stats, jockey stats, trainer jockey combo, owners. pretty much anything you want to know about the connections, for the past week, month, year, 2, 3, 4 or 5 years. An example would be, just this week I caught a FTS for $27 and change, when I found that the trainer has hit for 25% with his FTS, and showed a 23% R.O.I.

[SeattleSlew]

On the results side of things I use the Comprehensive Chart files from brisnet. I think they're .50 a shot but considering the oppt'y cost of our time, it is worth it. They have a free sample so you can check out what you would be getting.

The results are available usually an hour or so after the day's card. The zip files actually have six well documented text files that rarely bomb on import. In my case, I put all the zip from "yesterday" into one directory and then run a batch file that uses 7zip to unzip them all. Then control is passed to a series of DTS scripts in SQL Server 2008 that push the six results files into my personal results tables.

I asked brisnet if there was some alternative way of getting the information other than by visiting their website (like an ftp site with predictable file names). The answer I got back was an adamant, "NO!" (it makes sense -- from their perspective automation on the client retrieval side can only lead to trouble).

One caveat -- since I use DRF exported Formulator files for race cards and then brisnet results files...there are some "key" differences to overcome. For example, brisnet files for Gulfstream contain "GPX" where DRF files start with "GP_". It's not a big deal but I had to write some hellacious awk scripts to overcome issues like this. (I grew up following the NY scene, so I'm very loyal to DRF.)


I am totally with you on accumulating your own data. I have several self-defined rv's that I keep pmf's for (by meet).