Vista and Excel - Horse Racing Forum - PaceAdvantage.Com

griz · 03-28-2007, 01:28 PM

For several years I have been downloading Trackmaster cards with their free software, then importing them into Excel to handicap. Last week my old XP computer had to be replaced so I bought a Vista machine. Now I can buy the Trackmaster files but not get them into excel. So if anybody uses this method I wouldn't change to Vista until they have some of these issues ironed out. So far I would say Vista really Sucks.

misscashalot · 03-28-2007, 05:00 PM

when im ready for my next puter its gonna be a mac. screww ms with all their changes and forcing new inferior OS on the public

cj · 03-29-2007, 02:47 AM

Why can you not import into Excel? Is it installed on your new machine? As long as Excel opens on your machine, there is no reason at all you should not be able to import a text file into Excel.

griz · 03-29-2007, 10:26 AM

I am running my copy of Office 2002 which came on my old computer, which I purchased that same year. The security features in Vista cause a lot of compatibility issues with older programs, even Microsoft programs. I tried running both Trackmaster and Excel in administrator mode and it allowed me to solve my problem with importing... It is a pain in the ass when it takes three days to do something that I use to do everyday with ease. I was trying to avoid buying another copy of MS Office. It would be my third version over the years. I guess I better buy the new version and help Bill Gates keep his richest man in the world title.

thelyingthief · 04-22-2007, 06:26 AM

i bought that OS with my T60, used it for two weeks and went back to XP. the XP pro that replaced vista was OES from IBM/Lenovo, and included a few of the packages used in vista, e.g. IE7, and they prove to be just as intractible as the vista OS.

fer instance, their royal highasses in redmond have, in their infinite wisdom, locked the browser so that users cannot run activeX controls, read pdf files and so forth. this means, i could not run several online betting accounts, port in DRF's pdf charts to my adobe pro for editing, etc. after rummaging around the web a few hours, i found that an extension had been defined in the accessories/system tools path, from which the IE is launched, needs be erased.

also, the security patches/updates now effectively implement the total security hermeticism of vista. after updating a few packages, i found my computer behaving exactly as vista had done, sluggishly, uncooperatively, and frustratingly. i had to re-install the original, and discontinue automatic updates.

i have pre-empted the restore partition on my T60 for linux, and plan to start working with that OS this year. the good news for linux users is, most of the MS industry standards, like Excel, Word, etc. have an open source isomorph. AND the os will emulate a DOS environment, to use your legacy handicapping software.

to those with plans to migrate to the OS, i really must advise caution. a service pack is in the work, i've been told, but it will not renounce the new security philosophy at MS. they plan to market it as "service pack 2" to give the appearence of maturity to their baby, but it's a false beard, i think.

thoroughbred · 04-22-2007, 01:36 PM

I agree.

Microsoft, when it introduced Vista did not insure that all previous programs would work with the new Operating System.

We, here, at Revelation Software, had to make some accessibility changes to CompuTrak to have it be compatible with Vista, and, of course, to remain compatible with the previous Operating Systems, e.g. XP.

Now CompuTrak is compatible. But we would have appreciated it if Microsoft had designed Vista right in the first place.

csperberg · 04-22-2007, 03:16 PM

thelyingthief,

I am not sure what you had been doing wrong when you were using Vista, but I have no problems using my Acrobat Pro and have no problems accessing wagering sites and using them. I have had no issues with any activeX either when using the 32bit IE, the 64bit version does have some issues with some sites and their activeX, but even in the x64 Vista the 32 bit IE is their default browser.

Now one problem I did have with Acrobat Pro was the install of it on Vista. This problem is well known when trying to install Acrobat Pro. I dont remember the exact file, but there is a problem with one of them during install. All I had to do was extact the file out of the data1.cab and rename it to what Adobes install was requesting. Now I have heard that there are printing issues with Acrobat pro and standard on the 64bit platform XP and Vista both. I cant verify that because I don't have my printer plugged in and I dont have any pdf's I need printing, so untill then I cant comment on printing issues. Outside of that I use my Acrobat pro on my x64 Vista every day and have not had any issues.

Why cant you just emulate DOS in Vista if you wanted to use those legacy apps? You can go get Virtual PC and install DOS to it, I did and it worked. I just went and signed up for the Virtual PC beta program and they give you a full working no time limit version of Virtual PC 2007 beta to use. Don't let beta scare you because I have yet to run into one single issue when using it, and I use it everyday.

Here is a screen shot of my desktop. I ran Brisbet, Youbet.net(dont have an account with the real site), had 6 video streams(4 Bris,2 YouBet), have DRF pdf chart in IE7, have DRF pdf chart in Acrobat Pro, and shows my Vista Version I am using.

http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=2rggmkj

As you can tell by my screen shot that I have no problems. I am sure that there are some programs that will not work in Vista, or not work properly. I am sure there were programs that didnt work in XP when it first came out, there werer probably programs that didnt work when 98 first came out as well.

As far as accessibility of some programs not working in Vista, just change the compatibility of the program. It seems to work for me, it's nothing new had to do it on XP as well with some programs.

bigmack · 04-22-2007, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by csperberg

I am not sure what you had been doing wrong when you were using Vista, but I have no problems using my Acrobat Pro and have no problems accessing wagering sites and using them.

Calvin, what version of Vista are you using? I have the Business version and Acrobat 8 Pro runs in a very "choppy" fashion.

csperberg · 04-22-2007, 04:17 PM

On my home box I have the x64 Ultimate and on my laptop I have x86 Home Premium installed. I did have the x64 Home Premium installed before on my home box before that.

Beethoven · 05-12-2007, 05:44 PM

Hi Griz!

Here's a couple of dumb blonde luddite ideas, but you never know...

If you were happy with XP, why not visit a pawnshop and pick up an old computer with an old operating system for about $40? I did that to play some old games that needed DOS or a Windows '95 O/S. Now I play my old games just fine, and without any interference from XP and it's COM revisions.

The most expensive part of doing this is buying the wiring kit to switch back and forth between your 'old' computer and your current one.

Also, there a guy named Leo on the www.g4tv.com television channel that they have to pump games and stuff to nerdy kids. I think the segment is called "The Lab". Leo and his six-man staff of techs takes video cam problems and handles them on the spot. He seems great on system problems. He has a rig that switches back and forth between Vista and XP. That link above is very nerdy and I couldn't find The Lab on it, but Leo gives the address for his help program on TV so I'll try to catch it for you.

Good Luck!

JustRalph · 05-12-2007, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beethoven

Hi Griz!
Also, there a guy named Leo on the www.g4tv.com television channel that they have to pump games and stuff to nerdy kids. I think the segment is called "The Lab". Leo and his six-man staff of techs takes video cam problems and handles them on the spot. He seems great on system problems. He has a rig that switches back and forth between Vista and XP. That link above is very nerdy and I couldn't find The Lab on it, but Leo gives the address for his help program on TV so I'll try to catch it for you.

Good Luck!

http://leoville.com/