Volunteers to test new version required

[GaryRussell]

I am ready to release the next Beta, but I am bit wary of forcing it on everybody at this stage. The reason for this is that I have completely re-written the grid to be more CPU efficient. It looks more or less the same as before. I would be grateful if anyone is willing to try it out.

You can download it from http://www.gruss-software.co.uk/Betting ... _Beta2.msi (ver 1.1.0.66x)
Here are all the changes in this version.

1) Improved standard grid update performance. It now uses about half the CPU in certain circumstances (especially in less active markets)

2) When you click the selection name of a new bet in My Bets it places the bet. This is now optional. Click the options button underneath the My Bets button and untick “Selection name click places bet”

3) Added average traded price column to grid interface.

4) Lay field and back field bets now log “cancel remaining when matched”, tick offset, stop loss and fill or kill settings in transaction log.

5) Added option to add French horse racing markets to quick pick List.

6) Added Excel triggers to load French horse racing markets in quick pick list. Win markets = “-3.27”, place markets = “-3.28”

7) When displaying the same market on separate tab pages it will now use the same price and bet refresh requests from the first tab displaying the market instead of making new requests. This reduces bandwidth and is useful for Excel users who want to run separate triggers on the same market from separate tabs. It only works if each tab has the same refresh rate.

[RJM]

I use the "Grid" only Gary so, I will try it out.

Would be nice to see the "orange box" on the "Grid" in a future version.

[Lewis]

Hi Gary as an excel only user I do not use many of the updates however I will test:


7) When displaying the same market on separate tab pages it will now use the same price and bet refresh requests from the first tab displaying the market instead of making new requests. This reduces bandwidth and is useful for Excel users who want to run separate triggers on the same market from separate tabs. It only works if each tab has the same refresh rate.

and I will report back later tonight. This could prove a fairly big step for certain excel users so look forward to the results, thanks.

[greenfingers]

Thanks for all the new features Gary, esp. item 7

I've had a little look at the beta, a couple of small things also seem to have changed:
1) There are 3 back and lay columns irrespective of the setting in preferences for lay/back 2 & 3
2) There is an additional, narrow, column which I don't know what it's for. On my layout it appears between the current back odds and the profit column, although that could depend on how I have my screen set up. When I click the column then it turns solid blue in colour for that runner. Can't get it to do anything else!

Also, the appearance of the whole grid section has changed slightly whereby there are now thin vertical lines between every column, e.g. before there weren't any after the jockey silks and the projected SP column. Is that all that's changed? It looks kinda different to me, I can't quite put my finger on it!

Hope that helps.........

[GaryRussell]

1) I knew I'd missed something! I will fix this.

2) It's to create a gap between the best back and lay price. Does selecting "Restore standard grid column layout" put it in the correct position? I never intended for it to turn blue when you click on it, I will fix this.

The thin lines were there before except they were the same colour as the background of the grid. Do you dislike the lines? Should I make it an option to use the same colour as the background as before?

[GaryRussell]

I've fixed the hiding back odds problem and spacer column turning blue when you click on it. You can re-install when convenient.

[greenfingers]

Thanks.

Re point 2, I'll check this later as I've switched back to v66w for the afternoon. With the layout that I've configured I wouldn't personally need a spacer column between back and lay as I already have the profit and level profit columns inbetween, so if it's an optional column that would be fine.

I think the lines are ok, I don't mind too much, but the grid overall now looks slightly recessed, like a 3D effect? I don't know how to describe it! Is there a grey bar across the bottom of the last runner in the list? Looking back at version 66w now, it seems cleaner. Sorry, that all a bit vague.

So long as I can replicate the exact position of my columns and their widths so that my screen layout is exactly where I'm used to it, then I'm happy for any aesthetic improvements.

[Lewis]

QUick Update,

Excel has been connected for the past few races and with two identical markets open at 100ms I am getting a very good refresh rate and the total requests are around 10-12. So seems to be working perfectly - excellent update.

[doris_day]

Downloaded and testing. Can I ask you for just one more addition:

All my bets win

That would be great. Thanks

[Lewis]

With the changes to betfairs terms and conditions which limit calls to 5 price updates per second is there any advantage to 100ms or am I just refreshing old data and it would be the same as using 200ms?

[GaryRussell]

With the changes to betfairs terms and conditions which limit calls to 5 price updates per second is there any advantage to 100ms or am I just refreshing old data and it would be the same as using 200ms?

I was waiting for the other vendors to update their applications with the new limit of 200ms. If we were the first I could see people jumping ship. As the other vendors have now started updating their software it is only fair that we update ours so that it is a level playing field. We are now going make the quickest refresh 200ms in the next release which will be as soon as possible.

Since there is no way of synchronising the timing of the requests with Betfair's server there still may be an advantage in refreshing every 100ms. In theory your request could reach Betfair's server 1 ms before it is updated so your next request will retrieve data 199ms old. If you refresh every 100ms then the data would be 99ms old in this example. I have ignored the round trip time in this example for simplicity. Of course I will look into ways of synchronising the requests, but I cannot promise anything.

[doris_day]

Just shows you how Betfair's system is based on the wrong technology. As the exchange becomes more popular, the only way they can relieve the pressure on their servers is by retricting access to them.

My contention has always been that their system should be based around 'push' technology whereby only changes to data are pushed out to users. Is it too late to change now ? I'd be interested to hear from those who know more about the various possibilities....

[osknows]

Hi Gary,

Using the new version I've been experiencing a few problems where the markets seem to be cut off mid screen and just a black portion of the screen in it's place. I've PM'd you a video showing what's happening.

It's not affecting me as my excel automation seems fine but looks like would be a big problem if trading directly with BA

Os

[greenfingers]

I think I have also had the problem osknows mentions, occasionally when switching from ladder to grid, the grid interface would just be a thin column on the left of the screen. Going to a new market and back again would correct it.

Also, after about an hour and a half today (3:30pm) the jockey silks were not loading in the ladder interface. If I selected a new horse on each column then it would load the silks. Maybe this was a general problem at this busy time?

[GaryRussell]

When the problem with black portions of the screen happens can you send me the log file BA_Diagnostic.txt in "c:\temp\Betting Assistant Logs". Please send it to admin@gruss-software.co.uk