Still looking to put together macro for sum of skips!

[gsobier]

Mirage:

Thats an easy one to fix... ...you can't do 'X' + 'Y'... ...Snides should notice this and complain instead of crapping out.

When you say text you mean letters instead of numbers... ...if Snides is on the ball, he will also not allow decimals or negative numbers too, to close all those loop-holes. All of these have bitten me in the A$$ before... ...not a chance now! Its so easy when you know how.

Depending on how he looks at what you put in the boxes, a leading or trailing space could possibly kill it too (probably not with VB, some older languages are a different story like COBOL which you are familiar with)... ...you can't see and space character also called a blank... ...it does exist and it is not a valid number.

Regards,
George

Hello Snides,

Just FYI, You get a run time error if you try to enter text into a settings box. Box displays the text but program craps out.
I'm still very happy, whatever! The program is beautiful as far as I'm concerned!

Do you think it's time to close out this thread finally?

 

[Snides]

You must be running an older version if you can even put a letter into any of those text boxes on the screen... well, any but one that is.. I just tested all of them in all 3 programs and the only place I can even get a letter into a textbox is in the maximum setting for the 1-9 decade (I guess I missed one )

somehow you have run the last update and it hasn't updated anything, or somehow it got put in a different location, or something strange has happened. but in any case, if you have it working, and are happy, then that's good with me. There isn't much difference between all the update and the original other than all the error trapping.. Everything still functions the same..

So if you're happy with the program, then yes you may close out this thread (for now at least, until you want something added )

I'll let you type the final "The End" before I give up on the thread myself..

 

[gsobier]

...more progress...

You must be running an older version if you can even put a letter into any of those text boxes on the screen... well, any but one that is.. I just tested all of them in all 3 programs and the only place I can even get a letter into a textbox is in the maximum setting for the 1-9 decade (I guess I missed one )

somehow you have run the last update and it hasn't updated anything, or somehow it got put in a different location, or something strange has happened. but in any case, if you have it working, and are happy, then that's good with me. There isn't much difference between all the update and the original other than all the error trapping.. Everything still functions the same..

So if you're happy with the program, then yes you may close out this thread (for now at least, until you want something added )

I'll let you type the final "The End" before I give up on the thread myself..

 

[mirage]

Mirage:

Thats an easy one to fix... ...you can't do 'X' + 'Y'... ...Snides should notice this and complain instead of crapping out.

When you say text you mean letters instead of numbers... ...if Snides is on the ball, he will also not allow decimals or negative numbers too, to close all those loop-holes. All of these have bitten me in the A$$ before... ...not a chance now! Its so easy when you know how.

Depending on how he looks at what you put in the boxes, a leading or trailing space could possibly kill it too (probably not with VB, some older languages are a different story like COBOL which you are familiar with)... ...you can't see and space character also called a blank... ...it does exist and it is not a valid number.

Regards,
George

George,
Yes, I mean alpha characters not numbers, just because Snides mentioned that the latest version of program should not be accepting these. I don't feel in a position to complain to Snides because it's like looking the gift horse in the mouth, to explain metaphorically with an old cliche. Actually, what I would prefer to see is the program develop with more filters and more flexible filters...., but maybe in time...

I used to have some passing familiarity with some Cobol but can't claim that any longer. I finally threw out the old Cobol reference manual out last year figuring I would never need it again. I mean its been practically decades..... ! I didn't think anybody used Cobol any longer and am surprised to hear otherwise. I could have at least given the manual away to a used book store!
Actually, now that you mention it, yes, of course I do remember not being able to allow a "space" in that programming language. It was very particular. The Systems Programmer that I remember also used to program in direct code which was a machine language, not Cobol. I do not remember the name of the language - it had a very technical name.

 

[gsobier]

Mirage:

Snides has done a yeoman's job for you.

You say the COBOL Language Reference manual was thrown out?

Here is a link to click on just for you!
COBOL Language Reference... ...I know, you are thinking/feeling AARRRGGG!

The Systems Programmer is required to understand and support most of the programming languages in the shop... ...ASSEMBLER is the one you were trying to remember... ...some call it Assembly Language, others call it Machine Language.

Going back to those in the middle of the night calls to fix something... ...a blank character in the WRONG place or a missing comma has caused major problems... ...everything following what failed gets behind schedule and I'm sure you have seen someone get in trouble for being late when running production. That was a whole different ball game.

Regards,
George

George,
Yes, I mean alpha characters not numbers, just because Snides mentioned that the latest version of program should not be accepting these. I don't feel in a position to complain to Snides because it's like looking the gift horse in the mouth, to explain metaphorically with an old cliche. Actually, what I would prefer to see is the program develop with more filters and more flexible filters...., but maybe in time...

I used to have some passing familiarity with some Cobol but can't claim that any longer. I finally threw out the old Cobol reference manual out last year figuring I would never need it again. I mean its been practically decades..... ! I didn't think anybody used Cobol any longer and am surprised to hear otherwise. I could have at least given the manual away to a used book store!
Actually, now that you mention it, yes, of course I do remember not being able to allow a "space" in that programming language. It was very particular. The Systems Programmer that I remember also used to program in direct code which was a machine language, not Cobol. I do not remember the name of the language - it had a very technical name.

 

[Snides]

Actually, what I would prefer to see is the program develop with more filters and more flexible filters...., but maybe in time...

Suggest a few changes that you would like and I'll see what I can do for you.. more flexible? which ones? The ones being used, how would you like them more flexible? Which additional filters would you like added? I can't read minds (at least not all the time) so if you have things you would like to see added/changed, you'll hafta put it here in writing..

 

[mirage]

(Originally posted by gsobier)

Here is a link to click on just for you!
COBOL Language Reference... ...I know, you are thinking/feeling AARRRGGG!

The Systems Programmer is required to understand and support most of the programming languages in the shop... ...ASSEMBLER is the one you were trying to remember... ...some call it Assembly Language, others call it Machine Language.

Yes, that's right - it was "Assembler". Thanks for reminding me. But there was another name also, which maybe was really a long acronym. The Systems Programmer mentioned the name of it in passing. The name was sort of unpronounceable in English - just a collection of about 7 or 8 letters or something. Could this have been a version of Assembler? Btw, thanks for the link! I will peruse it to see what it brings back or for nostalgia.

...Going back to those in the middle of the night calls to fix something... ...a blank character in the WRONG place or a missing comma has caused major problems... ...everything following what failed gets behind schedule and I'm sure you have seen someone get in trouble for being late when running production. That was a whole different ball game.

No, no, no one got in trouble really. When I first worked there the Systems Programmer was the only real programmer. If I think back he was really young and inexperienced to have had that much responsibility. But he was good even so, had a terrific work ethic and was very dedicated and also smart. There were 2 business men, the Presidents of the company, who owned the somewhat pioneering business at the time. One of them was really quite bright with computers himself but he didn't do any of the shop work, except from his mahogany desk in his office from where he made recommendations. Some other programming was out sourced and one of the other computer operators was taking a course and was in training and she helped program. So if the system crashed --- for a day --- or was there even a day and a half once ---? when one of the hard drives had had a melt down and had to be rush order replaced, (The IBM hard drives for the mini system had to be replaced twice) that sort of thing was beyond our control. A crashed system meant a day or more company work was lost and everybody would be sweating it. But nobody got chewed out in our department. The computer President would just cooly get updates as to situation and progress from the Systems Programmer and the Systems guy would be a bit serious but that was about it. The owners probably took heat from their customers. This was a really pioneering time for computers used that extensively for the type of business that it was, which I don't want to mention for confidentiality reasons. As for myself my job was just computer operator and I wasn't required to know the programming in depth.

This operation where I worked grew really fast within a couple of years. By the time I was ready to move on they had VP's for several different departments, a whole expanded IT department with lots of personnel, including an official IT Manager, with a Computer degree and lots experience, a Systems Operator with a math degree - she took over parts of my job and I felt slapped in the face, 4 programmers, including the Systems programmer, who stuck it out because he was in university taking courses, and a proper clean room - finally! -where 5 or 6 times at least the former number of hard drives and the other machines lived.

Other than brief periods as a graphics designer, this was my only computer oriented employment. I've moved around a lot. My current "day job" is completely computerized and all I do all day is refer to the system for information. The system at my current job is unbelievably gargantuan! I'm just one of thousands in administration for this organization and I don't do anything with the computer end of things but call the IT help desk when there is a problem... you get the picture. Once, in the elevator going to my floor, the local IT manager asked me if I was interested in getting into the local IT department? I should have said yes but my personal life was going through some ups and downs at the time and I said no, not right now. Was that a mistake? I really consider myself to be an artist.

How about you, George, have you worked most of your life at one place? .

 

[mirage]

(Originally posted by Snides)
Suggest a few changes that you would like and I'll see what I can do for you.. more flexible? which ones? The ones being used, how would you like them more flexible? Which additional filters would you like added? I can't read minds (at least not all the time) so if you have things you would like to see added/changed, you'll hafta put it here in writing..

Hello Snides,

Will think about and post some suggestions.
How's your health btw, these days?

 

[tomtom]

Nice to see that that this long topic is finished with a happy end and that mirage has an opportunity to make and try these sums and skips. Since the final solution has restrictions, for all the other players who would like to try some strategy like this one, and have any VB knowledge, just a point that this macro - sum of skips, and similar ones is fairly easy to make, especially if are based on some previous solutions. I don’t want to point to any programming forums, so again, here at this forum are nice wheeling solutions provided a year ago or something like that, by other forum’s members and without any restrictions. By wheeling the numbers and comparing the sum of skips assigned to numbers instead of sums of these combinations to a targeted sum(s), it’s easy to get targeted combinations. There are also provided filtering solutions, including the sum ones…

 

[mirage]

You're going to have to get over it, tomtom...

 

[tomtom]

I was over it long time ago...

 

[gsobier]

Mirage:

Yikes! There are many things typical to my line of work I could go on for days.

(Originally posted by gsobier)

Here is a link to click on just for you!
COBOL Language Reference... ...I know, you are thinking/feeling AARRRGGG!

The Systems Programmer is required to understand and support most of the programming languages in the shop... ...ASSEMBLER is the one you were trying to remember... ...some call it Assembly Language, others call it Machine Language.

Yes, that's right - it was "Assembler". Thanks for reminding me. But there was another name also, which maybe was really a long acronym. The Systems Programmer mentioned the name of it in passing. The name was sort of unpronounceable in English - just a collection of about 7 or 8 letters or something. Could this have been a version of Assembler? Btw, thanks for the link! I will peruse it to see what it brings back or for nostalgia.

It could have been FORTRAN. There are others like RPGII or PL/I which are too long in length to be it.

...Going back to those in the middle of the night calls to fix something... ...a blank character in the WRONG place or a missing comma has caused major problems... ...everything following what failed gets behind schedule and I'm sure you have seen someone get in trouble for being late when running production. That was a whole different ball game.

No, no, no one got in trouble really. When I first worked there the Systems Programmer was the only real programmer. If I think back he was really young and inexperienced to have had that much responsibility. But he was good even so, had a terrific work ethic and was very dedicated and also smart.

If he was a moron it would be game over real quick... ...there is one more thing you needed, talent... ...without it, you are sunk. I've seen Systems Programmers who were University educated and didn't do very well... ...the dedication goes hand in hand with the work ethic... ...you need to enjoy doing that kind of work. Sounds like the guy you knew was looked up to and respected which is important because the competition for those positions were brutle.

There were 2 business men, the Presidents of the company, who owned the somewhat pioneering business at the time. One of them was really quite bright with computers himself but he didn't do any of the shop work, except from his mahogany desk in his office from where he made recommendations.

This is good and bad... ...if the owner and the Systems Programmer agree then it works... ...I've seen some quiting because of management.

Some other programming was out sourced and one of the other computer operators was taking a course and was in training and she helped program. So if the system crashed --- for a day --- or was there even a day and a half once ---? when one of the hard drives had had a melt down and had to be rush order replaced, (The IBM hard drives for the mini system had to be replaced twice) that sort of thing was beyond our control. A crashed system meant a day or more company work was lost and everybody would be sweating it. But nobody got chewed out in our department. The computer President would just cooly get updates as to situation and progress from the Systems Programmer and the Systems guy would be a bit serious but that was about it. The owners probably took heat from their customers. This was a really pioneering time for computers used that extensively for the type of business that it was, which I don't want to mention for confidentiality reasons. As for myself my job was just computer operator and I wasn't required to know the programming in depth.

You, as an Operator were responsible for running the routine processing for the business... ...anyone as an Operator with interests in programming was typically not a good Computer Operator because the job was too boring... ...the least about programming you knew, the better to keep away from the potential for trouble.

Depending on the business, every minute of outage meant money was lost... ...the big banks are a prime example... ...there was one place I worked when it was RRSP season... ...someone made a netwoking change which caused very slow system response at the most busiest times of the year... ...the networking guys were unable to correct the problem fast enough... ...lots of money was lost.

This operation where I worked grew really fast within a couple of years. By the time I was ready to move on they had VP's for several different departments, a whole expanded IT department with lots of personnel, including an official IT Manager, with a Computer degree and lots experience, a Systems Operator with a math degree - she took over parts of my job and I felt slapped in the face, 4 programmers, including the Systems programmer, who stuck it out because he was in university taking courses, and a proper clean room - finally! -where 5 or 6 times at least the former number of hard drives and the other machines lived.

This is nothing new, Operations was the LAST on the list for new furniture... ...most of the time, a raised floor with secure access was required.

I've seen many in Operations pushed to the side for various reasons... ...those who didn't keep up were left behind... ...its a dog-eat-dog world.... ...lots of stiff competition... ...things like being senior didn't mean to much compared to other lines of work... ...there were no unions either.

Other than brief periods as a graphics designer, this was my only computer oriented employment. I've moved around a lot. My current "day job" is completely computerized and all I do all day is refer to the system for information. The system at my current job is unbelievably gargantuan! I'm just one of thousands in administration for this organization and I don't do anything with the computer end of things but call the IT help desk when there is a problem... you get the picture. Once, in the elevator going to my floor, the local IT manager asked me if I was interested in getting into the local IT department? I should have said yes but my personal life was going through some ups and downs at the time and I said no, not right now. Was that a mistake? I really consider myself to be an artist.

If you are not cut out for it, its a mistake to pursue... ...being an artist suggests other things could be better.

How about you, George, have you worked most of your life at one place? .

In the past 25 years, I've worked in more than 5 places as a Systems Programmer before moving into contracting... ...I didn't stick around because of the ability to get more money... ...most of the really good people would move around and get better pay with the use of head hunters.

When I moved into contract work, the number of companies I did work for went into double digits quickly.

 

[gsobier]

for something like this, its never really over... ...enhancements and bugs fixed... ...could be well into 2005 depending on things to come... ...could you phathom that?

I was over it long time ago...

 

[mirage]

(Originally posted by Snides)
You must be running an older version if you can even put a letter into any of those text boxes on the screen... well, any but one that is.. I just tested all of them in all 3 programs and the only place I can even get a letter into a textbox is in the maximum setting for the 1-9 decade (I guess I missed one )

somehow you have run the last update and it hasn't updated anything, or somehow it got put in a different location, or something strange has happened. but in any case, if you have it working, and are happy, then that's good with me. There isn't much difference between all the update and the original other than all the error trapping.. Everything still functions the same..

So if you're happy with the program, then yes you may close out this thread (for now at least, until you want something added )

I'll let you type the final "The End" before I give up on the thread myself..

Hello Snides,

So it's a mystery now as to what happened to your update. It may be in a different location - or it's a mystery.

Yes, I would like more stuff added. I would like to start a new thread focused around a filters discussion, with a view to what would be good filters to add. Would this be OK with you? Other people might feel more interested in participating in a thread that's about filters in general. What ever the case, if you are open to adding more things to the program, I think it would be appropriate to move the discussion to a thread with a new subject title, at least eventually. Or, if you would prefer to keep all future discussions about additional or expanded filters in this single thread I wont be typing "the end".

OK then, let's start with some more ideas...
I was looking at the Sprinbok number elimination thread with interest. Anyway, the thread included the suggestion of more exact way to filter for lines that have numbers with skips of a certain duration. For a 6/49 draw, the numbers on average that are drawn tend to be:
1 repeat
1 from previous draw (2 draws ago - non or 2 is common also)
1, 2 or 3 from 3 to 5 skip range
1 or 2 from 6 to 10 skip range
1 or 2 cold, i.e. skip range >10. 16 to 20 is common, for example.
If one was able to choose more precisely the skip ranges, that would cut down on the number of tickets produced.

The draw from last Wednesday's Ont 6/49 is pretty representational of the above scenario:
5 = skip 16
10 = previous draw(2 draws ago)
13 = skip 3
20 = the repeat
30 = skip 7
36 = another one 2 draws ago.
Is this too complicated to program and with option of flexiblity in choosing the settings?

(btw, does anyone know what the actual history is and what the statistical expectations over the long term should be?)

I personally would prefer to see the "diagonals" expanded to be at least 3, which is not uncommon. 4 diagonals are even seen occasionally.

(These requests/suggestions are just for starters).

Thanks!

 

[mirage]

(Originally posted by gsobier)
The Systems Programmer is required to understand and support most of the programming languages in the shop... ...ASSEMBLER is the one you were trying to remember... ...some call it Assembly Language, others call it Machine Language.

(Originally posted by Mirage)
Yes, that's right - it was "Assembler". Thanks for reminding me. But there was another name also, which maybe was really a long acronym. The Systems Programmer mentioned the name of it in passing. The name was sort of unpronounceable in English - just a collection of about 7 or 8 letters or something. Could this have been a version of Assembler? Btw, thanks for the link! I will peruse it to see what it brings back or for nostalgia.

(Originally posted by gsobier)
It could have been FORTRAN. There are others like RPGII or PL/I which are too long in length.

George, It was RPGII for sure!! Thanks for bringing it back to my mind!

 

[gsobier]

...lucky guess... ...there was just RPG in the beginning... ...RPGIII was released eventually... ...sounds like you must have been on a System/32, System/34, or even a System/36 which was a small processor even for that era... ...RPG = Report Program Generator... ...some of us argued is was not even a language... ...it was almost like programming in shorthand... ...I got really good at it in school... ...there was one assignment in particular were I went the extra mile to understand how totals really worked... ...the instructor made a significant comment while looking at my code, "you are going to be a Systems Programmer"... ...guess what, I am...

(Originally posted by gsobier)
The Systems Programmer is required to understand and support most of the programming languages in the shop... ...ASSEMBLER is the one you were trying to remember... ...some call it Assembly Language, others call it Machine Language.

(Originally posted by Mirage)
Yes, that's right - it was "Assembler". Thanks for reminding me. But there was another name also, which maybe was really a long acronym. The Systems Programmer mentioned the name of it in passing. The name was sort of unpronounceable in English - just a collection of about 7 or 8 letters or something. Could this have been a version of Assembler? Btw, thanks for the link! I will peruse it to see what it brings back or for nostalgia.

(Originally posted by gsobier)
It could have been FORTRAN. There are others like RPGII or PL/I which are too long in length.

George, It was RPGII for sure!! Thanks for bringing it back to my mind!

 

[mirage]

...lucky guess... ...there was just RPG in the beginning... ...RPGIII was released eventually... ...sounds like you must have been on a System/32, System/34, or even a System/36 which was a small processor even for that era... ...RPG = Report Program Generator... ...some of us argued is was not even a language... ...it was almost like programming in shorthand... ...I got really good at it in school... ...there was one assignment in particular were I went the extra mile to understand how totals really worked... ...the instructor made a significant comment while looking at my code, "you are going to be a Systems Programmer"... ...guess what, I am...

Yes, it was one of those - IBM mini system 32 at the very beginning. Then in a couple of years they went to a 36. With multiple hard drives. There was also an off-site LAN system, with a couple of dedicated lines, and some dial-ups. It was around 1982 to 1985 era. Obviously you know your computers!

Sounds as if your instructor was insightful - saw talent and planted a seed!

 

[mirage]

(Originally posted by gsobier)
In the past 25 years, I've worked in more than 5 places as a Systems Programmer before moving into contracting... ...I didn't stick around because of the ability to get more money... ...most of the really good people would move around and get better pay with the use of head hunters.

When I moved into contract work, the number of companies I did work for went into double digits quickly.

Oh, contract work.... If you know your stuff as contract Systems Programmer or Systems Designer, you can make really big $$$! So I've heard anyway....

 

[gsobier]

...it was a work-term at a major bank which did it for me... ...when I returned to classes, everything was easy as pie from there forward... ...I got the same ideas of peers at work quickly like the instructor did of me... ...they were either well suited for the position or my question was WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE???... ...anyone who was dead wood was last on the list to get involved with because you'd end up getting mislead or even a few steps backward when something from their incompetence would impact my projects in some way...

...one place I worked for there was another Systems Programmer in my league... ...much was accomplished and tons of job satisfaction... ...there was another Systems Programmer at that time... ...within a year, that individual asked for a transfer because he was unable to grasp the even the simplest concepts... ...the 2 of us did the workload of 5 Systems Programmers... ...how was this possible... ...automation was the key... ...I mean automation which was 100% reliable... ...those who write code which fails once in a while are not even close to my high standards... ...my contracting work needs this very high standard to be competative!

...I never worked on a S/36 or AS/400 (these are the same kind of system architecture where AS/400 was the latest model)...

...there have been many Operating Systems I've learned...

VM
MVS
DOS/VSE
VAX/VMS
MPE/E

...PCs still don't count...

Yes, it was one of those - IBM mini system 32 at the very beginning. Then in a couple of years they went to a 36. With multiple hard drives. There was also an off-site LAN system, with a couple of dedicated lines, and some dial-ups. It was around 1982 to 1985 era. Obviously you know your computers!

Sounds as if your instructor was insightful - saw talent and planted a seed!

 

[gsobier]

...being contractor, Systems Programmer and Applicatons Programmer are both part of the territory... ...$$$ is a big part of it... ...Applications Programming is like a step down or a little vacation while at work...

(Originally posted by gsobier)
In the past 25 years, I've worked in more than 5 places as a Systems Programmer before moving into contracting... ...I didn't stick around because of the ability to get more money... ...most of the really good people would move around and get better pay with the use of head hunters.

When I moved into contract work, the number of companies I did work for went into double digits quickly.

Oh, contract work.... If you know your stuff as contract Systems Programmer or Systems Designer, you can make really big $$$! So I've heard anyway....