make a bot

[cesar]

Hi,

I want to start to make a bot for betfair.

whats is the easy languase to make a bot?

thanks

[AlgoTrader]

The easiest languages are script languages like Python, JavaScript, Perl, PHP. All the languages above are dynamic and high-level

I don't recommend C#/C++ or Java.

[monkeymagix]

I'd have to disagree with you there

I'd have to disagree with you there and say that the BOT I wrote which runs as a windows service with a little desktop system tray application which allows me to start/stop the service, show me the account balance and status of the API was written in C#.

It depends on what you want to do but I don't think you would be able to write windows forms applications in PHP or JavaScript.

Personally I wanted a multi threaded BOT that automatically starts when my PC does, connects to DB servers and has classes for the API, my own code, unpacking, scraping and so on.

I found Mumbles example of writing a BOT in VB.NET a good place to start as it was very easy to convert the code from VB.NET to C#.

I suppose it depends on what you are comfortable coding with. I write websites and use everything from ASP classic to ASP.NET, PHP and JavaScript but for my BOT I chose C# just because it gave me the flexibility to do the things I wanted such as write it as a windows service and create a basic form application to control it if I needed to.

Of course you could do it all web based if you wanted but my BOT runs automatically even when I am not around. I have a webpage to check what the score is and the ability to stop it from an iPhone styled webpage if I needed to but they are just extras.

Horses for courses....

[AlgoTrader]

Start with PC boot is a poor argument. My VPS is up almost 200 days:

[root@liXXX-XXX ~]# uptime
 06:59:16 up 192 days, 21:11,  3 users,  load average: 0.00, 0.01, 0.05

I restart service much more often. In my linux box a service can be written in any language and started like this

service bot start

C# is windows only, it is too low level and slow in development. It takes 3 monthes to do the job that takes 1 month in python or javascript

Linux is economically much more attractive, windows won't even boot on the same configuration

[monkeymagix]

Depends how quick you code

I am using a free windows server so I have to write the code for windows. I am using a windows PC (for work) so I have to write my service for windows.

My PC is on ALL THE TIME and has a UPS so if there is a power cut for whatever reason it reboots and restarts the service - which is only for the application that shows me the start/stop button, account balance and API status.

My windows service sits on my PC so I can see what is going on and the BOT that checks prices, places bets etc is on a windows server that is up all the time.

Both my PC and the server can connect to the DB server that does all the number crunching and analysing of runner/race data and passes the recordset of bets to place to the BOT.

All high level languages such as PHP or PERL get compiled into a lower level language anyway e.g C++ or Java. If it compiles into C++ then it will be faster than if it compiles into Java which is dog slow.

C# is low enough to be fast and easy to learn. I don't see much difference in good coding practises whatever language you write the code in - Object Orientated, classes, short functions etc.

If you know JavaScript C# is not much of a leap to learn - the API is the biggest difference e.g Visual Studio rather than a text editor for script languages.

I would say it depends on what language you are best at and what tools you have available. If you don't know the API find a good tutorial.

The best tutorial I have found on this site for writing a complete system is Mumbles VB.NET system which you can just use OR convert to C#, J++, C++ or any other .NET language if you want to go that route.