Newbie question

[Gramps]

I'm sitting here wondering what exactly to do. I have all the racefiles, results files, and charts files, as well as the track profiles for 30 days and a year (which I put in a separate directory along with the trackpro executable). I've elimintated the race/results/charts files for some the smaller tracks (Araphoe, Marquis, Wyoming, Brockton, etc.). I've been told that I can't put too many racefiles in the HTR directory at once, or it will crash the programs.

Now I'm sitting here wondering what procedure to use on going through these 45 days and 900 or so racecards. And I came up with this (and straighten me out if I'm doing something wrong):

1) Slap myself in the face for thinking that I can learn so many new things at my age.

2) Put the first day (in this case, 7/14) race/results/charts files into the HTR directory from my c:\htrdata\temp directory (I use this so that I can't accidentally do the same day twice, since the program will return the *.htr files to c:\htrdata).

3) Run HTRMSAC.exe, press F2, and have the program process the files and export them to their individual trk_msac.txt and all_msac.txt files for later use with Access.

4) Run Impact.exe, check the two boxes to make an "all" file and not process races without results, and use option 4 to process the files and export them to the respective impact files for use with Access.

5) Run HTRModel.exe, press f12, and have the modeller process the files to their individual model files.

Then go to # 2 (or #1 occasionally) and move the next days files to c:\htr, etc.

Am I missing a step, or is there an easier way to do this?

[fred4now]

Well Gramps, I don't think age (or lack of it) to be a hinderance to anyone. I,m going to let one of the more experienced guys give you some exact directions, but wanted to give you a little encouragement. I have been using HTR now for 10 months with only 6 months handicapping experience before that. There has definately been a learning curve, but it is certainly doable. I am just now starting to show a steady profit. I think that is good considering my lack of experience. Just a couple of suggestions, start off with the HTR and Impact programs and get comfortable with them before jumping into access. It just makes it easier. A little patience is needed and ask questions like you are now, these guys are the greatest.

[Carl]

Gramps,

Your plan about importing the access sounds alright to me. Give it a try.

Now one of two things will happen.
1) It will work, in which case you can start playing with simple queries.
2) It will not work (far more likely case first time through). If so, post back what happened and what error message came up. We'll give some (hopefully helpful) advice about what to do then, chances are at least one of us "has been there, done that".
3) Then it is back to original steps with correction in, and on to a result of either (1) or (2) above.

Only thing I didn't notice, do you know how to go into access and ask it to import the text data?

later,
Carl

[Gramps]

Originally posted by Carl

Only thing I didn't notice, do you know how to go into access and ask it to import the text data?

later,
Carl

Say "Please," to it? :D

My take is to start a new database and file/get internal data and then go about it as donnie said in the manual. It seems to me that you have to never save the database and keep doing it over each day from the msac.txt files, since repeated importing the files would duplicate the data.

Carl: if you have time and the inclination, it would be a great help if you and I could get together on the phone on my dime. I learn best by example, and you'd be the one to do the walkthrough. If so, email me at runez@earthlink.net with your phone number, or you can phone me collect if you prefer to remain anonymous. Thanks.

[Carl]

E-mail sent.

later,
Carl

[MikeDee]

A couple of thoughts/suggestions on your step 3

When you are building your db for acceess you do not need to do it a day at a time. Once you have all the files the "b" "c" and "q" just put them in the htr directory for all the tracks. if you have a months worth put them all in there.

Now run the htrmsa program with the all file option it will build a all_msac.txt file with all of the races in the htr directory. before you hit the f2 key make sure that all of the files have ** beside each one. This insures that each file has results and chart info added.

Next run the impact program and run the extract program and build the all_impct.txt file in the same way.

You need to decide how often you want to bring new data into your main db. I do it once a week on monday for the previous week (like doing the wash). Like you I put all of the files for the past week for the tracks I follow in a holding directory, then on monday I copy them into htr and run them through the htr and impact processing routine.

Attached is a file with some Q and A that was done when for some else they joined the group. Going to start saving these and passing them out as new people join. Everyone has the same getting started questions