Still looking to put together macro for sum of skips!

[mirage]

Good Evening Snides,

Finally have a few minutes to examine Snides-O-Matic and post some settings and queries.

I don't know if the following have any significance, but
path is -
C:\Program Files\Snides
currently there are 12 items in the Folder. One is "MirageLotto", an mdb file, 328KB, which I cannot manually open as, "Windows cannot open file" message unless I specify the appropriate program. I guess this was auto-specified when you wrote the program. There is a SumSkips Lottario "cabinet" file which looks comparatively big - lots of files in that one.
(I used to be more familiar with Dos type OS if you wonder why I am giving you all this information).

I noticed that in ST6UNST 2 directories were created:

"C:\Program Files\Snides" and
"C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Start Menu\Program\Snides"

- I may not have the 2nd directory, it may have been deleted inadvertently.

I decided to give the Snides O Matic program a whirl again, this time using Ontario 6/49. Decided to do draw #736, October 16th, as this information easily fits into settings and is the last draw on the draw history list. So settings:
Go to draw # = 735 Skip Sum to Wheel Combos for 40 (to) 65
(Skip sum per your program was 59) Wheel Tickets for Draw #736. The winning numbers/combination for Oct. 16, 2004 was
1 2 4 7 25 37 (b36).
I used these settings: Odd=4/Even=2;

Decade 1 - 9 set: 2 - 4 (4 #'s in 1st decade for draw #736)
Decade 10 - 19 set: 0 - 0
Decade 20 - 29 set: 1 - 1
Decade 30 - 39 set: 1 - 1
Decade 40 - 49 set: 0 - 0;

Decades: Min=3
Max=4;

Numbers from last 7 draws: set at 4 - 5 (5 #s from last 7 draws);

Last digits: Allow 2;
Repeats: Force 1;
Diagonals: Allow 1;
Consecutives: Allow 1.

All of these settings should have allowed and have been able to produce the winning numbers for Ont.6/49 draw #736.

A list of the Skip Sums for all the numbers was produced and shown in the List Box but no tickets/combinations.

(Originally posted by Snides)


.... if the program runs and the data from the draw you're playing shows up, then the program is working and you're good to go..

Hmmm....(?)


....The program is running through until it's complete i assume, you're not stopping it early somehow?

No, I am not stopping the program.

I don't think you can without it closing itself.. I think what you should do is run the program, if you don't get any tickets produced, tell me all the settings you used. A screen shot would be nice, but not too likely based on your knowledge of computers and the restrictions imposed by this board.. So, write down all the settings on the screen and post them for me, I'll run the same settings here and see what i get..

OK, I posted the lotto draw # and the settings for that draw number above. Sum of Skips for all numbers in List Box as before but no tickets.
Do you want me to take a look for anything, like a command or an argument anywhere which might be missing?
Thanks!

 

[Snides]

the main problem that I see from what you posted

Go to draw # = 735 Skip Sum to Wheel Combos for 40 (to) 65
(Skip sum per your program was 59) Wheel Tickets for Draw #736. The winning numbers/combination for Oct. 16, 2004 was
1 2 4 7 25 37 (b36).
I used these settings: Odd=4/Even=2;


the skip sum for draw # 735 was 59, but the skip sum for 736 was 27, you wheeled 40 to 65 which would have dropped the winning combination since the draw you were wheeling for was 736.

the odd/even settings; I used 4/2 like you mentioned in your settings on my laptop, and 2/4 on my desktop machine. The laptop produced no tickets, the destop machine produced 23 combinations. The settings for odd/even are probably not defined well enough. the first number is actually used to check for the minimum amount of odd numbers to use, and the second number is use to check the maximum amount of odd numbers to use.

For example, if you enter 2/4, then you would get combinations of 2 odd - 4 even, 3 odd - 3 even, and 4 odd - 2 even.

when you reverse those and put 4/2 you are telling the program you want a minimum of 4 odd, and a maximum of 2 odd. obviously this won't work because if 4 is the minimum and it wheels a ticket with 4 odd, then checks the maximum and says 4 is higher than 2, it drops that ticket in the garbage.

I can change the odd/even filter so that it will say
odd min __ max __
even min __ max __
or, you can just enter 1/5 2/4 or 3/3.
by changing it to min/max for both you can do tighter filters because you can specifically say there must be 4 odd numbers, so it may be a good thing.. let me know if you'd like this changed. I think it's a bit safer the way it is since 2/4 3/3 and 4/2 are the most common odd/even ratios..

The other settings look fine, except for 'repeats force one'. by forcing one you are saying "there must be one repeat, not zero, not two or more, but specifically one" The draw you were wheeling for had 2 repeats, so this would also drop the 6# winning combination, though you still could get a 5+bonus.
What you might want to try is 'force one AND allow 2' the program will allow both to be ticked, and by ticking both you are saying "there must be one repeat, but if there is two that's ok as well"

Also noticed these settings took a long time to run on my system.. longer than usual.. by limiting decades to 0/0 you are dropping 10 numbers from the numbers used.. Once I add in the optimizing feature I mentioned before about dropping numbers from the ones used for wheeling I'll keep the decade feature in mind and make sure it drops those before wheeling to speed up the whole process..

 

[mirage]

Snides,

Actually, in error, at one point I did use skip sum range from 25 to 40 for #736.... and that didn't work either,... but anyway....

but what the....? At first blush, non of your skip sums match mine.... Now I know I'm starting to loose my vision probably due to all the close work I do - (it's those darn computer screens in particular) but this is ridiculous. Yours are done mechanically so to speak, I mean via software calculation, and you did mention that you start the count from the first skip and including the last time the number hit.... what gives here?

Will get back - have to do some other stuff first.
Thanks! Will get back soon as I can!...

 

[Snides]

I'm not sure if any of that makes sense to me, but ok..

another thing I forgot to mention that would have limited the winning ticket from the combinations for that draw is that 1 2 4 and 7 are all in the first column on the 7x7 grid, if you left min 0 and max 2 as the settings when you wheeled you would have only gotten up to 2 of those numbers on any given ticket..

The main point about my big post is that if you reverse the odd/even filter from 2/4 to 4/2 you won't get any tickets..

 

[mirage]

Hello Snides,

(Originally posted by Mirage)

... what the....? At first blush, non of your skip sums match mine.... Now I know I'm starting to loose my vision probably due to all the close work I do - (it's those darn computer screens in particular) but this is ridiculous. Yours are done mechanically so to speak, I mean via software calculation, and you did mention that you start the count from the first skip and including the last time the number hit.... what gives here?

Oh you are including the bonus number. I haven't been because my logic is that the bonus doesn't win the jackpot - it's a 6 out of 49 lottery, and its always a comparison of a sum skip for 6 numbers drawn using previous history of sum skips for 7 numbers drawn if you include the bonus number. Anyway, back to getting the program to produce tickets for me...

 

[mirage]

Hello Snides,

OK, I (re)read your posting of Wednesday the 27th and I'm pretty sure it's now understood. I skimmed over it on first read because i was rushed for time and initially I thought your odd/even meant Has To Be, Odd=2; Even=4. But thankfully that's not the case. Based on Odd/Even 2 and 4 respectively I went back in Ontario 6/49 history to find one that would pretty easily match all settings.
I chose draw #731 for Sept. 29, the winning numbers of which were: 01 14 20 22 24 43 b19. The only thing that may be a problem here is there is 3 numbers in 20's or 3rd decade. The sum skip for this draw was a nice 35.

The settings were: Go to draw #730.
Skip Sum to wheel combinations for set at 30 - 40.
Wheel tickets for draw #731.
Odd/Even 2 - 4, as is in the winning numbers for #731.

The decades setting I left everything, 1-9, 10-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, at 0 - 3.

Min/Max decades I left at 3 - 4. (There were 4 decades in winning numbers for draw #731).

Numbers from last 7 setting min 3 max 4. (4 numbers from last 7 in the numbers drawn for #731 - the skips for each winning number were 6, 9, 6, 8, 1, 5).

Spread of line setting I set at 35 - 45. (Spread of line - 44 in draw).

The green grid only changed one setting and that was the 1st or top row, which was set to 0 - 3 as this row included numbers from draw 01, 22, and 43. All the rest of the rows and columns I left at 0 - 2.

Last digits - allow 2, which would be correct.
Repeat - allow 1, which would be correct.
Diagonals - allow 2, which would be correct.
Consecutives - allow 1, there were no consecutives so it should not matter.

Clicked wheel tickets for draw # button. Waited about 10 minutes. I am still getting the skips for each of the numbers in the draw and no tickets.

What do you think?
Thanks!

 

[Snides]

Well.. uhh.. heh, I ran the same settings, and my computer ran for much more than 10 minutes, must be more like 20 or 30 minutes, but it ended up producing 378008 tickets and made a 7.2 meg csv file.

I can't see any reason why yours did not produce any tickets. I have not tried running those settings on the laptop yet, it will take much longer than this computer to run, so maybe I'll try it tomorrow. The only difference between our machines is that mine is AMD and yours is Intel, but I can't see that as being a factor..

I have made some adjustments to the program, mostly in the updater, a few in the wheeling portion, the program now runs much faster when you eliminate more numbers. I'll post an update package soon so you can try that out. If you eliminate half of the numbers without taking out the winners you should be able to run much quicker, use less system resources, and test the program out quicker. I'll see if I can get the update package up soon, but may be till the end of the weekend till it's up..

Is anyone else trying this program and having the same negative results? or have others tried it and had no problems? A little more feedback would be nice.

 

[tomtom]

As I said before, it would be much better to do it with a few little macros. The user-friendly applications take too much time to work properly, and the end user actually might not ever know if the results are 100% accurate…

 

[mirage]

Hello Snides,
Ahhhrrg, I don't know what to say..
I will try getting some friends to download the program and we'll see if it works for them!? Anyway, the part of the "Gizmo" that checks the sum of skips for lottery lines is just great!! It is priceless!! I can't tell you how much I appreciate having just that alone! I've already used it a few times to go through all my tickets and eliminated useless lines thereby... And it paid off!

 

[Snides]

heh, no don't worry about getting your friends to try it, i can do that at work and test it on a few machines there..

If the program is making you happy without even wheeling tickets then that makes me happy. I use the program to wheel tickets, and that makes me happy, so if we're both happy then what else matters?

 

[mirage]

heh, no don't worry about getting your friends to try it, i can do that at work and test it on a few machines there..

If the program is making you happy without even wheeling tickets then that makes me happy. I use the program to wheel tickets, and that makes me happy, so if we're both happy then what else matters?

Well, hey, I would also prefer to wheel but I'm grateful for what I have so far! Let me know how your friends make out with it.

Got one friend to download it. This person has a Compaq Presario. Not quite as new as mine but almost. Also updated with latest Windows update service pack 2.
Now let me get this straight - everybody knows that when you download it you save it to disk, then you extract the files? My friend insists that's the correct way to do it and that's what I think too.
So far silly errors "like subscript out of range". Then we were spending too much time looking for a draw that fit the settings.

Surely the problem can't be the fact that 2 files on our systems are later version than what your program has? I don't know what else it could be.

 

[Snides]

I don't know what the problem is.. I havn't tried it at work yet, was far too busy today. I did try the updated version on my laptop last night and manage to wheel up a couple hundred tickets. My laptop didn't complain about 2 files being newer than what was being installed, so I don't know what those two files would be. Only thing I can think of would be the amount of tickets produced is too high for the size of the listbox, but too my knowledge there is no set limit to how many items can be in a listbox.

I'll post an update to the program tomorrow since i have the day off and I'll give you all the settings to use to produce a small set of tickets and let you try that. It runs much quicker now when you eliminate numbers, so your test run will only take a minute or less..

 

[mirage]

I don't know what the problem is.. I havn't tried it at work yet, was far too busy today. I did try the updated version on my laptop last night and manage to wheel up a couple hundred tickets. My laptop didn't complain about 2 files being newer than what was being installed, so I don't know what those two files would be. Only thing I can think of would be the amount of tickets produced is too high for the size of the listbox, but too my knowledge there is no set limit to how many items can be in a listbox.

I'll post an update to the program tomorrow since i have the day off and I'll give you all the settings to use to produce a small set of tickets and let you try that. It runs much quicker now when you eliminate numbers, so your test run will only take a minute or less..

Hello Snides,
Sorry for taking so long to get back to you. The program does not seem to work on friend's Compaq Presario either. So sorry about this! Btw, what does the "MirageLotto ldb" do? Thanks!

 

[mirage]

Snides,

1)Both my friend and myself have an internet firewall. Could this create a problem?

2) Is it possible that one needs to have VB installed in order for the program to run?

 

[Snides]

MirageLotto.ldb is a record locking file, just a regular process of an access database when it is in use.

Firewall? no, that won't affect anything. This program doesn't rely on the internet or any external connections for anything, and there is no spy-ware in it, so it could care less if you have a firewall or not.

VB? No, shouldn't need vb installed, just the vb runtimes, which should have been included in the original package that you installed.

I'll try to post that update tonight along with a screen shot of settings for you to try to see if you get the same results..

If you'd like an update on my health, I've been to the second specialist, he said my sinuses are swelled up and prescribed 2 months worth of nasonex spray to try to clear 'em out. I'm on day six now and I think the spray is just waking up and pissing off all the bacteria crammed in there, and I've had 3 or 4 times where it felt like my ears were pressurizing my brain Still have the CT scan booked for the 23rd of this month, maybe that will show what's wrong with my head..

 

[gsobier]

...yikes, with all that going on, if I had to write good code, forget about it...

MirageLotto.ldb is a record locking file, just a regular process of an access database when it is in use.

Firewall? no, that won't affect anything. This program doesn't rely on the internet or any external connections for anything, and there is no spy-ware in it, so it could care less if you have a firewall or not.

VB? No, shouldn't need vb installed, just the vb runtimes, which should have been included in the original package that you installed.

I'll try to post that update tonight along with a screen shot of settings for you to try to see if you get the same results..

If you'd like an update on my health, I've been to the second specialist, he said my sinuses are swelled up and prescribed 2 months worth of nasonex spray to try to clear 'em out. I'm on day six now and I think the spray is just waking up and pissing off all the bacteria crammed in there, and I've had 3 or 4 times where it felt like my ears were pressurizing my brain Still have the CT scan booked for the 23rd of this month, maybe that will show what's wrong with my head..

 

[tomtom]

...yikes, with all that going on, if I had to write good code, forget about it...

Gsobier,
how about if we throw that code, those about 15 lines for those sums of skips. I mean, you start one line, I will do another, and probably in less than one hour it will be ready here...

 

[Dennis Bassboss]

< snipper character >
If you'd like an update on my health, I've been to the second specialist, he said my sinuses are swelled up and prescribed 2 months worth of nasonex spray to try to clear 'em out. I'm on day six now and I think the spray is just waking up and pissing off all the bacteria crammed in there, and I've had 3 or 4 times where it felt like my ears were pressurizing my brain Still have the CT scan booked for the 23rd of this month, maybe that will show what's wrong with my head..

Lets hope that the doctors will come up with answers..I wish you the best and fast recovery Snides!

 

[gsobier]

TT:

The problem is mostly Microsoft's fault here. Its making Snides look bad.

I avoid using those Microsoft environments like the black plague when possible... ...its just not worth the hassle.

More than half of the programs I've written are more than 1,000 lines of code... ...you'd have to earn your keep or get left behind. If I didn't use subroutines and functions, it would be more than 2,000.

Regards,
George

Gsobier,
how about if we throw that code, those about 15 lines for those sums of skips. I mean, you start one line, I will do another, and probably in less than one hour it will be ready here...

 

[tomtom]

TT:

The problem is mostly Microsoft's fault here. Its making Snides look bad.

I avoid using those Microsoft environments like the black plague... ...its not worth the hassle.

More than half of the programs I've written are more than 1,000 lines of code... ...you'd have to earn your keep or get left behind. If I didn't use subroutines and functions, it would be more than 2,000.

Regards,
George

Well, I was actually thinking about a very short and very simple one - that will make the skips, take a look at them, and do some sums...