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Old 03-11-2018, 10:49 AM   #31
headhawg
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mmdorn (of Handifast fame and one of my testers) let me know that he loaded the modified file into several programs, homegrown and commercial. They included NCG's programs, QuickPlay, Hurst's Horse Race Analyzer, Fast Fred Pro, Race Prophet, and a couple of others. The only program that didn't work was CompuTrak.

Thanks for testing Mike.
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Old 03-11-2018, 12:42 PM   #32
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Mike has informed me that CompuTrak doesn't like the modified file name. He says that if the modified file is renamed back to the original name it works fine.

BTW, HDST is really designed to be used with programs that don't allow users to scratch/unscratch. So if you're using EquiSim, for example, it doesn't make too much sense to use HDST as ES handles scratches fine. You still could use HDST if you like the idea of using the xml scratch file to do automatic scratches, however. It is a bit of a time saver.

Also, I think I'm obsessed. I added the xml file date check and the archive scratch file feature to HDST. I won't release it until I get more feedback from users of version 1 in case there are other things that I need to add/fix.

Happy 'capping.
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Old 03-11-2018, 12:58 PM   #33
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HH...does Handifast work with this?

Mike
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Old 03-11-2018, 01:00 PM   #34
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BUG warning -- Don't click on the Save New File button unless you have a data file loaded. It won't crash the program but will write a zero byte file named "m". Rookie mistake; bug squashed for next version.

@mikesal -- I think that mmdorn tested it and told me it worked, yes. I tried the HHX version and it worked fine, but I did not check all versions of Handifast.
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Old 03-11-2018, 01:23 PM   #35
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Quote:
Originally Posted by headhawg View Post
BUG warning -- Don't click on the Save New File button unless you have a data file loaded. It won't crash the program but will write a zero byte file named "m". Rookie mistake; bug squashed for next version.

@mikesal -- I think that mmdorn tested it and told me it worked, yes. I tried the HHX version and it worked fine, but I did not check all versions of Handifast.
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Old 03-12-2018, 10:08 AM   #36
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Update: HDST v1.1

Attached is the latest version. Here are the changes:

- Fixed: Bug that created a 0 byte file if the user clicked on Save New File without having a data file loaded.
* Added: A date check feature that prevents the xml scratch file from being used if the date of the loaded data file doesn't match the xml file date.
* Added: A feature that allows the user to archive the scratch file. The scratches.xml file will be renamed with date added (e.g. scratches031118.xml).

When you exit v1.1 you will be asked if you want to archive the scratch file. If you click Yes then the file will be renamed and the original will be deleted. If you click No then the program will simply close.

The purpose of archiving is to create a scratch file that can be used on previous days races. I put this in mostly for myself so that I can check older races to see if HDST is working correctly. However, users can use it for a similar reason - to create the modified file for past racing days. Users must rename the archived file back to scratches.xml so that HDST will use it properly.

TIP: Users are not required to use the xml file. I put it in as a time saver so that the user doesn't have to manually scratch all the horses, just the ones that wouldn't be in the scratch file. So if you went to the OTB or track and didn't have an Internet connection you can still create a modified file by doing all the scratches manually.

If you haven't installed HDST already, instructions are in post #28.
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File Type: zip HDST1.1.zip (362.8 KB, 127 views)
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Old 05-12-2018, 07:28 PM   #37
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Scratches

CompuTrak includes the scratch tool for BRIS files
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Old 02-17-2019, 02:51 PM   #38
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Bumping this thread as I need some feedback. For those of you who have used HDST, what do you think of the scratch/unscratch interface? Second question: of the software that you have used, which one has the best scratch screen and why do you like it?

I am doing research and developing the interface for the new HHQSS program and I was curious about what users think is a good interface. Thanks.
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Old 02-17-2019, 09:52 PM   #39
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Having recently noticed this thread....would like to comment, if I may:

I wanted to keep prices ridiculously low on my software programs. That meant (since I don't program, personally) I had to find a programmer who didn't demand programmer's rates. Maybe a retired gentleman, etc.

I did find a guy who was self-taught, knew the basics...and would accept a couple hundred dollars every now and then deposited into his acct. He was NOT licensed or certified in anything, and was limited in knowledge of adding certain features. Turns out scratching horses was not in his repertoire.

What he was able to come up with--was a way to scratch horses by means of a scratch box. If the 5 and 8 were scratched, you just double click on 5 & 8 in the scratch box. Poof! Scratched!

If you happened to scratch the wrong number...you have to reload the file and begin again. Trust me..after having to reload files a few times--you (just as I did) learn to be careful and it isn't a problem at all.

No--it's not a perfect system, but it works fine with a little practice. Especially considering the extremely low prices I ask.

Anyone that wants to add HeadHawg's generous program---great! Go for it.


I and most other users rarely (if ever) have to reload due to scratching errors.

-NCG
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Old 02-18-2019, 12:51 AM   #40
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Quote:
Originally Posted by headhawg View Post
Bumping this thread as I need some feedback. For those of you who have used HDST, what do you think of the scratch/unscratch interface? Second question: of the software that you have used, which one has the best scratch screen and why do you like it?

I am doing research and developing the interface for the new HHQSS program and I was curious about what users think is a good interface. Thanks.

I think that Handi's scratch screen looks and works fine.
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Old 02-18-2019, 07:18 AM   #41
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Scratches

Quote:
Originally Posted by headhawg View Post
Bumping this thread as I need some feedback. For those of you who have used HDST, what do you think of the scratch/unscratch interface? Second question: of the software that you have used, which one has the best scratch screen and why do you like it?

I am doing research and developing the interface for the new HHQSS program and I was curious about what users think is a good interface. Thanks.
Hi HH,

I think the scratch screen in HDST or Handifast are the best.

Mike
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Old 02-18-2019, 05:20 PM   #42
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Originally Posted by headhawg View Post
mmdorn (of Handifast fame and one of my testers) let me know that he loaded the modified file into several programs, homegrown and commercial. They included NCG's programs, QuickPlay, Hurst's Horse Race Analyzer, Fast Fred Pro, Race Prophet, and a couple of others. The only program that didn't work was CompuTrak.

Thanks for testing Mike.

Don't know about the older version of Compu Trak, but the files work fine in mine. Running on Win7 64 bit OS. Also works with In Clover, My Way, Equisim6, Thee Top Three and Amazing Capper. They did NOT work with Ray Taulbot's Pace Calculator.
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Old 02-26-2019, 07:59 AM   #43
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NorCalGreg View Post
Having recently noticed this thread....would like to comment, if I may:

I wanted to keep prices ridiculously low on my software programs. That meant (since I don't program, personally) I had to find a programmer who didn't demand programmer's rates. Maybe a retired gentleman, etc.

I did find a guy who was self-taught, knew the basics...and would accept a couple hundred dollars every now and then deposited into his acct. He was NOT licensed or certified in anything, and was limited in knowledge of adding certain features. Turns out scratching horses was not in his repertoire.

What he was able to come up with--was a way to scratch horses by means of a scratch box. If the 5 and 8 were scratched, you just double click on 5 & 8 in the scratch box. Poof! Scratched!

If you happened to scratch the wrong number...you have to reload the file and begin again. Trust me..after having to reload files a few times--you (just as I did) learn to be careful and it isn't a problem at all.

No--it's not a perfect system, but it works fine with a little practice. Especially considering the extremely low prices I ask.

Anyone that wants to add HeadHawg's generous program---great! Go for it.


I and most other users rarely (if ever) have to reload due to scratching errors.

-NCG
It is quite easy to make unscratch ..... when scratching, alter horsename string with a marker. Example, add question mark character to end. Make your program load horses without that marker. Unscratch removes the marker.My program will list all horses in the scratch page with the currently scratched horses faded out.
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Old 02-26-2019, 12:00 PM   #44
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dartman51 View Post
Don't know about the older version of Compu Trak, but the files work fine in mine. Running on Win7 64 bit OS. Also works with In Clover, My Way, Equisim6, Thee Top Three and Amazing Capper. They did NOT work with Ray Taulbot's Pace Calculator.
Good to know dartman. I am also happy to see that people are making use of it. Not being a professional programmer, I worked hard on getting it to work correctly. HDST is especially useful if you use multiple programs as there is no need to scratch horses for each one.
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Old 05-09-2019, 08:40 AM   #45
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PA member Unified_Theory made a request for HDST v1.2 so I thought I would just post it here. v1.2 adds the option to enable safe mode; in prior versions safe mode was always on. Post #26 explains why/when safe mode is needed. In U_T's case, he only was using HDST to create new files for Handifast which does not require a safe mode.

How does it work? A message box will appear when you click the button to "Save New File" asking whether the user wants to enable safe mode. This is not a permanent option. In other words, every time you load HDST you will be asked to enable safe mode the first time only. It will stay in whatever mode the user chooses until HDST is closed and then run again.

Disclaimer: I have not done any extensive testing with this version which is why I never released it. If v1.1 is working for you then you don't need 1.2. As with previous versions, HDST v1.2 is free to use but is not in the public domain, is not open source, blah blah blah...

There is no installation procedure; just extract all of the files into one folder. You can run 1.1 and 1.2 side by side as long as you put the files into separate folders.

Best of luck to everyone.
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