Using VB2008 to acccess the Betfair API: A tutorial

[granted]

keydown problem...#2

what happens if the form doesn't exist..like when we made the buttons(i) form for the buttons....

i.e. i cant see this form in the properties box...

can i set in the code somehow so when i load up the form it always has keypreview = true?

[bingobuddha]

I've had a reasonable scan throughout this post to see if it was going to be any use to me and have to say that Mumbles0 must be approaching sainthood by now. Firstly many thanks just for imparting your knowledge but what impresses me most is your patience with mere mortals trying to understand. You seem to have answered any question posed and in such an understanding way with no hint patronising, hats off to you.

BTW this was exactly what I was hoping to find .... only trouble now is I have to start writing some code aaarrrggghhh!!!!!! World beware ( or should I rephrase with ' Mumbles0 Prepare ').

[Mumbles0]

granted,

Set the KeyPreview property to True in the properties window for Form1 before you run the project.

[granted]

keydown problem...anyone know about keydown stuff?

i have 2 checkboxes

all i want to do is:

if i press the letter Z it selects checkbox 2 otherwise checkbox 1 is selected

it tried this, but nothing happens

Private Sub Form1_KeyDown(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.KeyEventArgs) Handles Me.KeyDown
        Me.KeyPreview = True
        If e.KeyCode = Keys.Z Then
            Me.RadioButton1.Checked = True
            Me.RadioButton2.Checked = False

        Else
            Me.RadioButton1.Checked = False
            Me.RadioButton2.Checked = True
        End If
    End Sub

[Mumbles0]

Reply to ribogio7 (re: Profit & Loss)

The values shown near each runner name are the profit & loss values. These are the amount you would win (or lose) if that particular runner were to win the event.

The API call getMarketProfitAndLoss returns a set of values, but it only takes into account your matched bets. The website shows the IfWin values for proposed (unsubmitted) bets. Neither of these sets are particularly useful if you want to assess your current situation if you have several bets (matched, unmatched and proposed) on a market, so it’s probably best to calculate your own values. At least that way you know what you're getting.

For each runner:

IfWin = Total profits from back bets on this runner - Total losses from lay bets on this runner
- Total amount of back bets on other runners + Total amount of lay bets on other runners

Here is an idea to calculate the IfWin values:

Define a class (say, BetInfo) to hold details of each bet on the market:

Class BetInfo   'A class for bet details
  Property price As Decimal
  Property amount As Decimal  'Use + for back, - for lay
  
  'Other bet properties
  
  End Class

Use this class for both back and lay bets, but use +ve amounts for Back, and -ve amounts for Lay. This will simplify the calculations. For example:

Bet1.amount = 5 for a Back bet
Bet1.amount = -5 for a Lay bet

When you place a bet add an instance of this class to a separate bet List for each runner to model the bets on the market. Hold the Lists for all the runners in an array (say, Bets()).

An algorithm the calculate the IfWin values for each runner is this:

Dim Bets() As List(Of BetInfo), IfWin() As Decimal, i, j, k, m As Integer

  'Build the array of bet lists
  '.....
  
  m = Bets.Count - 1   'The number of runners - 1
  ReDim IfWin(m)       'An array to hold the profit(or loss) values for each runner
  
  For i = 0 To m   'For each runner
    For j = 0 To m    'Look at all runners
      For k = 0 To Bets(j).Count - 1  'For each bet on this runner
        With Bets(j)(k)
          If j = i Then 'Runner is winner
            IfWin(i) += .amount * (.price - 1)  'Accumulate totals
          Else  'Other runners
            IfWin(i) += -.amount
          End If
        End With
      Next
    Next
  Next

It’s up to you what bets are added to the bet lists - matched, unmatched or proposed. Bear in mind that unmatched bets may not, of course, be matched at the desired price.

[Tony Logun]

Hi, can anyone give some pointers on how to automatically select the next market once the market timer reaches zero.

Thanks

Tony

[ribogio7]

Hello Mumbles0,

First of all,i am grateful for all your help.

I have one more question about profit and loss in particular market.

How can i get the profit or loss in every selection before place the bet...?

Which method can i use to display these values...?

ps:I have upload an image to help you about this issue.

[Baby Jesus]

does anyone know how i can cancel all unmatched bets for a market id?

Depends if you're using the free api or full api.

The full API has a call CancelBetsByMarket which only requires the header and marketId (or array of marketIds) - downside is you don't get a full breakdown to the bets in the market i'e. if some of the bets have been matched between sending the request and it hitting the exhange and may still have to call up getMUBets to monitor any positions you have in the market.

With the free api you're only option is to call getMUBets and request a list of unmatched bets then send the array of betIds to cancelBets - cancelBets will then give you a fuller picture confirming the status of your outstanding bets including if any have been matched whilst the request was sent.

[granted]

cancel all unmatched bets

does anyone know how i can cancel all unmatched bets for a market id?

[Mumbles0]

John10,

The special bet pertains to the Melbourne Cup, event date 2 November 2010, but your date limits are set for today only. So put

.fromDate = Today
.toDate = #11/3/2010#

to return this market.

[John10]

Market return differance

Mumbles0

image of my treeview created as per this tutorial
Attachment MyTree.jpg

image of BfExplorer
Attachment Bfexplorer.jpg

My question is, What changes are required to the following code to get the special bet under horse racing

Private Sub bMarkets_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles bAUMarkets.Click
        Print("*** AU Markets ***")
        Dim oMarketsReq As New BFAU.GetAllMarketsReq
        Dim oMarketsResp As BFAU.GetAllMarketsResp
        With oMarketsReq
            .header = oHeaderAU()
            ReDim .eventTypeIds(1) : .eventTypeIds(0) = 7 : .eventTypeIds(1) = 4339  'For horse , greyhound
            ReDim .countries(1) : .countries(0) = "AUS" : .countries(1) = "NZL"
            .fromDate = Today
            .toDate = Today.AddDays(1)
        End With
        oMarketsResp = BetFairAU.getAllMarkets(oMarketsReq)  'Call the AU API
        With oMarketsResp
            CheckHeader(.header)
            Print("ErrorCode = " & .errorCode.ToString)
            If .errorCode = BFAU.GetAllMarketsErrorEnum.OK Then
                'Print(.marketData)
                Dim AllMarkets As New UnpackAllMarkets(.marketData)   'Create an object and unpack the string
                PopulateTreeView(AllMarkets, tvMarkets)
                'With AllMarkets
                '    For i = 0 To .marketData.Length - 1
                '        With .marketData(i)
                '            Print(.eventHeirachy & " " & .marketId & "  " & .marketStatus & "  " & .marketName & "  " & .menuPath & "  " & .countryCode)
                '        End With
                '    Next
                'End With
            End If
        End With
    End Sub

[Mumbles0]

Thanks labus. The tutorial has gown quite large (mainly unplanned). That ties it down nicely.

[labus]

Hi i made list of all steps for better orientation this great tutorial

Step 1. Build a Test Form

Step 2. Connecting to the Global service

Step 3. Saving the Session Token

Step 4. Typical API call: getActiveEventTypes

Step 5. Accessing an Exchange API

Step 6. Unpacking Response Strings

Step 7. Restrictions of the Free API

Step 8. Using a Call Timer

Step 9. Making Async API Calls

Step 10. Calling getCompleteMarketPricesCompressed

Step 11. A Look at Multithreading

Step 12. Getting a List of Runners

Step 13. Enabling gzip Compression

Step 14. Calling getMarketPricesCompressed

Step 15. Using TreeView to show events and markets

Step 16. Unpacking Removed Runners

Step 17. Sorting Runner Info Arrays

Step 18. Horse Racing - Today’s Card

Step 19. Placing a Bet

Step 20. Monitoring Bet Status

Step 21. Cancelling a Bet

Step 22. Changing the bet size and price

Step 23. Changing a Bet

Step 24. Calling getMarketTradedVolumeCompressed

Step 25. Accessing Australian Markets

Step 26. Array fundamentals

Step 27. Understanding Object References

Step 28. Placing Multiple Bets with placeBets

Step 29. Adding controls to a form at run time

Step 30. Saving your project’s settings

[Monairda]

GetBetHistory

Hello

Thanks to everyone and especially to Mumbles0

One question that I can not solve. I'm using the call to Get Bet History (exchange) and I ask the ProfitAndloss and he returns the amount without applying the commission. However, in support of the API says that returns "Net result of bet"

I'm using the code ribogio7

        Dim oGBHReq As New BFExchange.GetBetHistoryReq
        Dim oGBHResp As New BFExchange.GetBetHistoryResp

        With oGBHReq
            .header = oHeaderUK
            .placedDateFrom = Now.AddDays(-7)
            .placedDateTo = Now
            .startRecord = 0
            .recordCount = 30
            .betTypesIncluded = BFExchange.BetStatusEnum.S 
            ReDim .eventTypeIds(0) : .eventTypeIds(0) = 1 'For soccer
            ReDim .marketTypesIncluded(0) : .marketTypesIncluded(0) = BFExchange.MarketTypeEnum.O
            .sortBetsBy = BFExchange.BetsOrderByEnum.PLACED_DATE
        End With

        oGBHResp = BetfairUK.getBetHistory(oGBHReq)

        With oGBHResp
            CheckHeader(.header)
            MsgBox("ErrorCode = " & .errorCode.ToString)
            If .errorCode = BFExchange.GetBetHistoryErrorEnum.OK Then
                For i = 0 To .betHistoryItems().Length - 1
                    RichTextBox1.Text = .betHistoryItems(i).betId & .betHistoryItems(i).betType & .betHistoryItems(i).placedDate & .betHistoryItems(i).profitAndloss & vbNewLine
                Next
            End If
        End With

http://bdphelp.betfair.com/API6/6.0/...tml/wwhelp.htm

Any suggestions, thanks

[John10]

Munbles0 I didn't know that you can load the DataGridView directly. thanks for the Tip.
It Works Great.