The algorithm has evolved significantly over the last month. There were many bugfixes and a significant amount of balancing the mixture of data that leads to the selections.
In just the last day or so, I found a python library that allows one program to speak to another using TCP ports. After invoking the base functionality, the algorithm now figures a race card in about 2 seconds versus about 3 minutes prior to this change.
Basically, my algorithm must call my speed rating program four times for each horse. Each call takes about half a second as there is a lot of overhead for one process to call another process. I thought I would have to merge the two programs for this kind of speed, but it turns out I just needed a library called zmq.
zmq enables simple communication across python scripts through various methods. I chose to use the TPC port connection method. Adding a small function to the speed rating program for a server and a similar function to the algorithm has enabled very fast handicapping speed.
Honestly, I'm just getting used to having new output faster than I can ask for it. This will change everything as far as tuning up the track variants and testing different alchemic combinations of handicapping factors.
zmq is changing my way of thinking about programming. It opens up a world of possibilities. You can use zmq to implement communication between different servers running at the same time.
zmq is free, fast, small, stable and cross-platform. https://zeromq.org/
