Live read stops

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johbot
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Live read stops

Post by johbot »

Please bear with me as I describe the set up for an Access database and what the problem is.

Our running group has gone high tech and has an electronic timing system. Each runner wears a tag on their shoe and has to run over a mat and the tag number is read. The readings are collected on a USB drive connected to the timing box. Each reading can also be collected immediately by the database sitting on a laptop running Vista and the timing program (which uses an Access database). We don't need to have the laptop and timing program running. We can run it with the timing box and download the data later at home. But we do run it because that way we can tell how many runners went out on the course and can see 'in real time' which runners have returned. This is part of our duty of care as much as making sure that the race has actually finished. We can have upward of 130 runners, so manual methods are time consuming and laborious.

Three weeks ago, the timing program stopped recording the returning runners about two thirds the way through those finishing. So we did not know how many runners were still out on the course. (when the temperature is in the high 30's this can be a concern) The same thing happened the week later and last week again. Each time it happens at a different point. There does not seem to be a pattern.

The readings are called into a directory called Unprocessed Results directly from the timing box. The timing program reads these and then places read entries into a folder called Processed Results. There are no quotas or permission restrictions on either of those directories. But it seems as if no more entries are going into the Unprocessed Results directory.

The laptop is connected to the timing box via a cross over cable. We have checked this and there is no problem with the cable. We had someone keeping an eye on the laptop to make sure that it was not one of our inquisistive young runners doing something that they shouldn't.

We have contacted the people we bought the system from and are waiting on a response, but I thought I would pick a few brains here as well. We have checked permissions and they are set at the recommendations for the software. We have no screensaver running, and no other programs run while the timing program is running.

Does anyone have any ideas that we could check?

Johanna

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mbarron
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Re: Live read stops

Post by mbarron »

Could it be an issue with the temperature - an over heating situation?

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johbot
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Re: Live read stops

Post by johbot »

That's an interesting question. I don't think that is a problem, though. The laptop is in the shade with air flow all around. And while it has been hot in the last few weeks, we have had hotter days prior to the failures and had no issues. But that said, I'll take a thermometer and see what it tells us.

Johanna

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John Gray
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Re: Live read stops

Post by John Gray »

More important to know the temperature of the inside of the laptop, particularly the CPU and maybe the hard drive. See whether SpeedFan works well on your laptop...
John Gray

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johbot
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Re: Live read stops

Post by johbot »

Thanks John.

I'll try that.

Johanna

dasadler
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Re: Live read stops

Post by dasadler »

Johanna,

Is it possible that there may be some condition that slows the CPU and/or creates a time lag that results in the program freezing? For example, if there is some time between two runners does the screen saver come on or do the power settings cause the hard drive to stop because of inactivity? Then, when the next runner arrives and the signal triggers the computer to 'get active' again it is slow getting up to speed and misses logging the time?

Sorry for rambling - just wanted to be sure I got it all out there.
Don

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johbot
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Re: Live read stops

Post by johbot »

Hi, Don't apologis for the rambling. Questions are good.

We do all our runs on handicap. So the biggest gaps between runners is at the beginning when the start is staggered. At the end of the race, you can have 15 or 20 runners cross the line within 10 seconds.
The readings stop when the race is finishing. It will record some of the runners and then stop. That lends itself more to John's heat theory.

Keep asking questions though.

Johanna

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Wendell
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Re: Live read stops

Post by Wendell »

A couple of other possibilities come to mind - cables are always a suspicion especially if the connection to the mat is in direct sunlight, but presumably you've checked that. Also, I initially inferred that the data is being captured on the USB drive connected to the mat, but after reading your post over several times, you don't actually say that - is the USB data correctly captured? Finally is the application all Access, and not some sort of VB application that is just using an Access MDB to store the data? If so, what version of Access is it using? (I suspect the vendor will be more helpful, but it is fun to poke at this and see what possibilities arise.)
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johbot
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Re: Live read stops

Post by johbot »

A update:

We were able to capture the error message and I will try my first attachment.

(edited: I uploaded the wrong error msg).
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

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HansV
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Re: Live read stops

Post by HansV »

The error message means that a file was locked, preventing it from being opened. But since the programmer didn't bother providing more details (such as the filename), its doesn't help much.
Best wishes,
Hans

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johbot
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Re: Live read stops

Post by johbot »

And speaking of not helping much ... the vendors are taking their time to get back to us about it. Frustrating.