Is there a way in vbExpress to monitor the system messages going between the tcpip input from the net to the displayed windows form I get the data I need now by reading the screen, but it would be much easier and faster if I could instead capture the input to the form before it went to the display.
I would very much appreciate any suggestions.
Thanks
Dick R.
Monitoring system messages?
t.Gnewuch
Hi ReneeC,
The form contains about 36 areas which are updated regularly (once or twice a minute) with numerical text or graphics which change with each update. The graphics (gif's) are stored locally and referenced by a code which is supplied by the server, as is the numerical text. It is the numerical text and graphic codes I need to monitor. I assume (but am not sure) the data is supplied as an address code indicating where the data goes and the data. The recepitcals are probably borderless text boxes and picture boxes embedded in the overall graphics, but again I don't know for sure. It is a poker table and the numeric data is money and the graphics are cards. You can see one at any online casino.
I hope this help you to help me, I really would like to monitor the input rather than read the screen.
PeterR
Dick
Have been working in this same area for a number of months. Have had little success with the method your proposing to capture the data. Using a packet sniffer I have been able to view what's being sent from the poker sites to my PC - it does all seem to be tcpip, but also seems to have some level of encrpytion and/or just in a format that's not easy to translate. Once I saw what the data looked like I gave up trying to capture it. I was fearful that I would spend lots of hours to capture the data only to not be able to translate it.
Had much better success by accident - look for temporay files that are created in the program files directory for the site (look in the directory while your playing). I have found at least one where the file is TEXT - only thing needed is to keep looking in the file for the next new lines and having lots of code to parse out the action. On the site I am working on I can't directly use the temporary file the site is generating - have to make a copy (every second) and read the copy. I am guessing that those sites that save a nice history file of games for you are likely candiates to be generating that history on the fly on your computer. PS don't bother asking which site - I given away too many secrets already :)
Once you have found a site and can capture the data real time the programming fun really begins. I have reached what I would consider a reasonable real time display (currently need dual monitors to display it all) of the game and the players but am still a overall net loser. A couple of good books and reasonable programming skills can get you to the flop (I assume it is Hold'em that your working on) without being a real poker fish but after that point it's looking pretty hard - as a word of advice stay in the free games for a long time, they are a lot looser game than real money games but your program will need lots of work before its ready for the big time - In my case not sure that I will get my program to a breakeven state before I spend more than the wife will permit on the site (I ignored the advice to stay in the free games). At the lower price level games the rake that the site takes in is equal or more than a average player can expect to win - at the higher price level games I would definitly go broke before my program gets me past the net loser status. I have not looked real hard at the data, but beginning to believe that you cannot be a long term winner on an internet site with a $0.50 / $1 game - if your a looser the rake does not matter, after all it's coming from the pot that the winner takes - but if you hope to be a winner the rake is critical and will take away the profit that you can gain from having all the data that a program can provide. I would already be a net winner if no rake was occurring as my long term loss per hand is less than the average rake per hand. I don't have the bankroll to jump to higher price games where the rake is less of a factor and also pretty sure my program has not got me to the place where I would win against the better level players that one should expect to see at those lofty dollar levels.
I have been using this project as the learning tool for VB 2005 - it's worked. Dreams of riches have kept me learning, but still occassionaly think of jumping back to VB 6.0 - however, transparent forms (don't think I could do that in VB 6) is the only way to do this project with single monitor; and likely the thing you need even like me using a dual monitor. This allows you to overlay what you consider the key data on top of the poker game. Having to jump between screens and even between monitors will slow you down enough that you will be folded by the poker site for failure to respond fast enough!
I think Poker Tracker (www.pokertracker.com) is using this same method to provide stats on the fly for a number of sites. I have only checked out the demo but looks like lots of data can be generated each one minute for a number of different sites of your game in progess. It uses an Access database to store the data it captures and it might be easier to pull info from that database. Depends on your level of programming skills and what you hope to use the data for. If I was still in VB 6 I would have paid for Poker Tracker and been using it for a lot of the stats - but still don't know all the tricks for database acess with VB 2005.
Noticeable jumps in my win level (opps - slowing down the loss level) were
1. How many cards to flush or straight were on the flop (turns out I can't see straights when the cards not in sequence). In the demo run I made with pokertracker I found I had folded 3 straights at the flop (and did not know I had them).
2. When to fold / call / raise before the flop based on number of players still in the game. Pretty easy to be too tight or too loose - still working on improving this section of code.
3. Adding code to tell me when the pot odds are right/wrong for what I am holding - also still working hard to improve this bit of code.
4. Doing all the reading to understand what to program will make you a better player on its own merit.
Currently buying lots of books and thinking about the code for the bet after the flop.
Lots of luck - see you at the WSOP !
Jim W
GoldPantherSPQR
I just on't have enough information on what you are working with.
Is it a control An OCX A COM Component
What is it that you are doing How does it bring the data in
MikeLing
and you say this is tcpip driven
Scott Coleman
Hi ReneeC,
Again I am guessing. It is coming over the internet and that usually means tcp/ip.
Dick R.
Shruthi
Hi Jim W.
I really appreciate the input. I have been working on my project for about 6 months and I am a little farther along than you indicate you are. I have the program working for one site and just about two. I am not much of a gambler so I have little hopes of getting rich playing poker, however it does make the game more interesting if you have the hand odds, pot odds and outs calculated automatically for you as you play.
Detecting straights was a bear but very possible. Try sorting the cards first.
If you want to chat more email me at dcroose@comcast.net
Thanks again
Dick R
Andorkacska
nitish
Thank you for your time and interest ReneeC. I spent the weekend at google and found the information I need. Again, Thank you very much.
Dick R