Editing a QuickTipper CSV (Comma Separated Value) File
As an enhancement to the original "Override QuickDog Picks", advanced QuickDog users wanted a way to store their selections into a file which could be edited and reviewed more easily. We therefore came up with a "Comma Separated Value" (CSV) file definition so that users could build a file then backtest the selections in that file using a new feature we then named "QuickTipper".
Later on, a third party developer who develops spreadsheets and other software using QuickDog used this feature to backtest selections made by those programs. So the QuickTipper feature gets used quite a lot by those people who know how to export the results from their handicapping programs into a QuickTipper CSV file.
Selecting a QuickTipper File to be edited is quite simple but editing it manually can be quite cumbersome so we doubt that many users will "hand write" one of these files, but whether you hand write or write a program to automatically write the file, a user must know how the file is formatted. To learn about this formatting, the user can click on the HELP feature while using QuickDog and that information is given there.
We've simply copied that information to this user's guide - see below. To select a file to edit, simply click on this feature and all available CSV file names will appear. To begin with there will only be a single sample file as shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1 - Selecting a QuickTipper File for Edit
Select the Sample File and it will appear in a notepad pop up window.
Figure 2 - Use Notepad to Edit the File
At this point, the user should look over the file, and read below to find out what each line means. There are two types of lines to learn about. The first is the Title Line (the first line), then the second type of line is the race information line which is repeated.
How to Create a .CSV File
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Select the feature "Edit QuickTipper File".
QuickTipper will display a list of all available .CSV files. To begin with this will include a sample file which will allow you to use QuickTipper to see what it does. If you wish to begin building your own file, simply CLICK THE RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON and QuickTipper will startup NOTEPAD and allow you to edit a file called "NEW.CSV".
After you create a file, you should SAVE AS a filename other than NEW.CSV. For example, you might save the file as "\JAIDOGS\MYPICKS\TRIFECTA.CSV" if you're method is generating TRIFECTA selections. Call the file anything you wish, and it will be listed as a choice the next time you request the CSV file list. This file must be saved in the \JAIDOGS\MYPICKS folder.
Ideally, you can EXPORT your selections from your method. Chances are, if you have created a method with your computer, you can also get the computer to create the CSV file that QuickTipper will then use to test your method.
Once you've created a CSV file, QuickTipper can use it to test wagers, win percentages, etc., against your picks.
As noted above, you must create a ".CSV" file in the \JAIDOGS\MYPICKS folder on your computer. This "comma separated values" file has the following format for each of its 14 fields (each line has 14 fields in it).
LINE 1 ONLY - Simply type in a description of this FILE. This description will be displayed by QuickTipper on the CSV file list selection popup. You may also supply a PERFORMANCE, DISTANCE, and GRADE to use so that only that type of race is looked at. To provide this additional information, type your description, then add a hyphen ("-"), followed by E or M, for Evening or Matinee Performance, then a COMMA, then a distance, like "5/16", than a COMMA, then a GRADE, like "C". For example, your first line might look like this -
Looking for Races like the following - E,5/16,C
Next, create all the other lines as follows:
For each line:
Field 1 - Date in the format mm/dd/yy (8 characters, example 01/01/02)
Field 2 - Performance, one character, either e, a, m depending on your track.
Field 3 - Track ID, for example GG or FL (two characters)
Field 4 - Race Number - 1 or 2 digits (example 10)
Field 5 - COMMENT (this field is up to 20 characters and will be printed at the end of every wager in the wager log report which QuickTipper will create). This field is optional.
Field 6 - 8 digits giving your selections 1 through 8 for this race by Post Position. For example, 41253876 would mean you think the 4 dog will win, followed by the 1 and 2 dog, then the 5, 3, 8, 7, and finally the post position 6 dog will be last.
Fields 7-14 - Optional, the scores your handicapping method produced for the dogs. These scores would match the order of the Field 6 selections. In other words, using the above example, Field 7 would contain the score for Dog 4, Field 8 would be the score for Dog 1, Field 9 would be the score for Dog 1, etc.
Each line of your CSV file contains these 14 fields. A field might be empty if it is optional.
Sample line -
01/01/10,E,GG,3,Good Bet,41253876,1,3,4.2,5,8,9,10,11.5
or, since some fields are optional:
01/01/10,E,GG,3,,41253876,,,,,,,,
The above line skips the comment field and the scores.
After you create your files in the \jaidogs\mypicks folder, QuickTipper will list these files when you select the button "Run QuickTipper". At that point, all you do is select the file you wish to test. The "QuickTipper Analysis" pop-up will appear, and you should read the HELP for that popup to learn how to backtest your selections.