Problems running MF Pro

I am running MFPro on 3 Betfair accounts.  One platform on each account runs a set of triggers that monitor all UK horse races all day and night, placing bets where appropriate.  Towards the start of the race a block in the trigger closes the trades (hopefully for a green-up profit).

In case there are any laptop issues I have a secondary platform on each Betfair account that starts monitoring just  before the race and does the greening up if the liability has not been closed out by the main platform.

That's six platforms across two laptops.  I "import selections for auto trading" each night, then most triggers look in the market names for Hcap etc, then compare variables from Betfair with the imported numbers using constants and variables in the formulae.  Some remember triggers, some market refresh rate triggers.

This has worked fine for years.  Just before the Covid lock down it was becoming unstable.  After the restart of UK racing it has become a nightmare.  I updated to the latest MF Pro in case is helped - it didn't.  I get:

-  incredibly slow response time
-  random platform closures (not responding etc)
-  markets inexplicably stop monitoring after I have started them and they have changed to green.
-  the statements normally wont open, and often when trying to open a statement the platform then closes itself
-   programme logs wont open

I run all triggers with different repeat intervals so they should not all fire together,  and each market has a different refresh time set by the triggers at the start (e.g. 65 secs, 67 secs, 69 secs etc etc)

Now I know I am placing a large load on the laptops, one is an i5 and one an i7 both with 8GB ram and an SSD.

I do run Zone Alarm Anti virus software but I have given MF Pro "Trusted Status" so I don't think that's the issue - but they have added more elements so I will ask them if I they might be causing the problems. 

I would like to know how I can improve things?  I don't mind buying new hardware but I did that when I got the i7 3 years ago and think this set up should cope. Is there a way of telling what is causing the problems.  Typically, from Task Manager each platform can take 15-25% CPU and on the i7 its at this moment showing 660MB Ram use per platform, while the i5 with a very similar, if not identical trigger, is using 16% CPU, 1260MB, and "not responding" again.

Which parts of triggers might be draining the most resources and causing crashes? Some imported variable are probably no longer used - would deleting those free up resource?

(oh, and "MarketFeeder Pro has stopped working" has just appeared on my screen - I dream about that bloody message!)

Any suggestions welcome, except that I am expecting too much - unless you can give a reason why things might have got so much worse over the years! Or, if its to get new hardware please explain which features would  help (processor, ram, disk etc).

Thanks in advance, and stay safe!

The biggest load on your PC resources is created by logging. Turn off all logging if you don't need it, reduce the refresh rates where possible and delete the old log files from your disk. They are stored in this location:

c:\Users\%username%\MarketFeeder Pro 8\profiles\%profile name%\logs\triggers\

Also check if you can benefit from the advice given in this article:

What is the optimal configuration for MarketFeeder Pro?

My tuppenny-worth, that may or may not be related...

I've had a few issues recently where it looks as though the BetFair API spat its dummy out overnight, and for some reason software (not just MF) can't reconnect again afterwards. I'm guessing that if a connection isn't remade within a certain timespan, you're effectively logged off and need to restart again. It's annoying when bets don't get placed after this has happened.
Due to the virus of course, the internet has a lot more traffic than normal, and it is possible that the above effects are caused by routing problems, not BetFair; it might be these that are causing a slowdown in your case.

I've also had issues with Antiviruses and Firewalls before, where they have worked seamlessly for years and have then started causing slowdowns. Not the easiest of problems to diagnose, without uninstalling / installing something else. It's always worth a try.

So some of the tips such as deleting over 2 million log files may be helping my problems, BUT, I have slimmed down my file for "Import Selections for auto trading" down to a single column of numbers - one against each horse runner of the day (so about 3-400 names and values).

However, when I up load it, the message says you have uploaded 15300 values to x markets.  Why is it seeing so many values?  How do I slim it down?  (I prepare the file in Excel then save as .txt file.)

However, when I up load it, the message says you have uploaded 15300 values to x markets. Why is it seeing so many values?

Hi
Sounds like there are still loads of tabs left in the file. e.g.

"selection name"<tab><value><tab><tab><tab><tab><carriage return> would be 5 values imported

perhaps start a fresh new file?

thanks, I'lll try that.

My mistake - there were 4.5 Million MF Pro log files on my computer - its still deleting them 12 hours later!

Hi
Oxa had suggested earlier about turning off logging if you don't need it and I would suggest similar. If your triggers are tried and trusted you can stop logging. Several things you can look at:

in the settings for Logger
in the trigger files you can untick logged in the trigger blocks and triggers  
manually clear log files as you are currently doing, say once a week
set up a little batch file to do the same

Also, having read about your set up, I think a VPS would suit you perfectly. Welldone have an offering, you can see it at the top of the page. If you search the forum for VPS there is lots of info.   
 

Thanks Mark - I am doing all that now.  Completely uninstalling, deleting all files, reinstalling with minimum resources.

I'd like to use he VPS but at £300 pa I could buy a new laptop over 2 years so it doesn't seem great value, but i might try it if this doesn't work.

but at £300 pa I could buy a new laptop over 2 years

That's correct, but you would still need to do your betting smoothly over these two years, so imagine how much better your betting performance would be and how much more profit you could get?

Besides, an Optimal BetVPS costs £249, not £300 if you buy it for a whole year.

You can give it a try for just one month and see if it suits you.

With the £25 / month option do you think I would be able to smoothly run all three MFPro instances with heavy triggers? 

alfaman, you are right, you would probably need a more powerful solution, possibly a customised system to meet your requirements.