Hand reimporting bug

[MomoMan]

With the last version I read: "Some stats issues were introduced in the last official build 6756 and unfortunately we missed those.

This was a big mistake on our part and we sincerely apologize for that, we have taken steps to automate the stat verification process so it can be ran on each build now before releasing to avoid the issue in future. Unfortunately this means and hands imported since 6756 will need to be deleted and reimported to fix the issues, in most cases the difference was very small but if you want to ensure the issue is completely fixed i recommend deleting and reimporting the hands you imported since then.

I understand this is going to be a huge inconvenience and that people are going to be understandably very frustrated."

Now, I'd like to know which hands I have to delete and import again, because I can't map hands with the version I've had installed at that time.
Furthermore, I'd like to know the procedure for pokerstars. Thank you.

[Patvs]

Create a new database.
And reimport all your hands.

(run a import from folder on your archive folder, C:/HM2Archive)

[MomoMan]

Could you explain better the bug. Because I don't understand. I have all the played hands in c:\HM2Archive. Right? Why can't the software do that for me? What happens to the information related to tournaments and so on? Can you estimate the risk to have problems doing the procedure? May I lose some information?

[Patvs]

There are two types of bugs:
-1 database corruption. (very common... everybody will encounter this at least once) For example if your computer crashes / power outage, it corrupts the PostgreSQL database.
When this happens this can cause: hands no longer import (thus stats no longer are accurate), hands show up multiple times, etc.
There's nothing we can do about this issue.
So it's essential you have: a proper backup of your handhistories. Often backup the entire database (since restoring a database will be 10x faster than having to reimport hands into a new database)

-2 There are minor bug issues on our side, completely our fault, due to typos in the stats formulas..
For example: a 4betting stat should include 5bets (or it includes them when it shouldn't). Usually this will have a minor impact on the actual stat percentage. But rare occasions sometimes occur when a stat that only has a valid range between 0 and 100% will show "200%" which is clearly inaccurate.
For MOST of these stats, you only have to update HM2. To be save, import your hands into a new database.


Although I make proper backups (of the entire database) in both HM1 and HM2 I would still reimport the original handhistories once every 6 months into a new database. Because changes to the EV calculations could have been introduced and those always require a reimport of the hands.

[MomoMan]

So, I think that this means that preprocessed data are saved into the DB. I understand that this solution speeds up the program but obviously is not correct from a database point of view. Usually, DB shouldn't contain aggregated data but only information in 3rd Normal Form. In that case, you don't have to delete all the hands and importing again, in case you've found an error in a formula! You should look at Database normalization - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia in order to undestand better. 3rd NF is the form that avoid more or less all the main anomalies in the DB. Nobody knows it but who studied DB theory knows very well it. Another solution could be this: you should develop DB with two main sections: one section in 3rd NF, with not aggregated data and one other with preprocessed and/or aggregated data in order to speed up the program. Every time a new version of the program changes formulas, during the installation the program should clean the second section and rebuild it based on data included in the first one, without deleting everything and importing hands.
May be I'm annoying but I think you should take in consideration my analysis. It's not just words...
Let me know.

[Patvs]

This is already implemented in HM2.
When we make changes to existing stat formulas, it doesn't require you to reimport the hands. You only have to update HoldemManager.

The exception is EV related stuff, which will require a reimport.

Also, when we introduce completely new stats, that use information that wasn't tracked before and can't be deducted from other tables in the database, it will require a reimport.

[MomoMan]

OK. So, since I've never reimported hands, do you suggest to reimport hands ASAP? May I be sure that all the played hands are under c:\HM2Archive? Could you tell me a step by step procedure in order to avoid data loss and/or problem? Thank you

[Patvs]

There is no urgency to do this immediately. In fact, I'd wait for the next update (with EV fixes).
After that update, go to the Home tab--> Database--> create a new database.
In the new database, run a import from folder on C:/HM2Archive

Read: http://hm2faq.holdemmanager.com/ques...m+Manager+2%3F

[MomoMan]

And what about tournaments stats? Will all the right information be in the new database?
Do you think it's better to run a full backup before the procedure?

[Patvs]

There's no need to backup the old database, unless if the database contains NOTES you created in HM2...
or the database contains hands of which you no longer have the original handhistory files.