nightfreight

I tried it last night and got the "vips server busy" message and did not get any of the trips I tried to get out of open time. That said, I haven't had any luck the manual way either. I guess it may depend on internet speed....

Haywood JB

I have had good luck with the program. I will tell you though, don' fire and forget your trades/open time bingo's. If someone comes off of IOE or gets assigned the trip prior to the window opening, it may negate your attempt to pick up multiple trips. Make sure if you are requesting multiple trips that those trips are still in there at the closest time you can to the open time parlay.

HJ

SNIZ

Haywood,

Good point. Been watching those custom line builds and the schedulers seems to finish them around 5pm the day open time is released. Probably the end of the normal work day in Mem. Open time has been pretty stable after that time. Thx.

NightBusDriver

I assume so ... I wasn't around to watch, but NONE of the trades ever got submitted. I've read the HELP FILE and done all the sync steps, but if my fall back is "hitting the ESC key and submitting manually" then the program doesn't do what I need it to do -- which is SUBMIT MY TRADES/DROPS AUTOMATICALLY (i.e. while I'm flying and not sitting there in "supervisory override" position).

nightfreight

Night,

You are having some other issues with the program. Even if you get the "vips server busy", the program will continue to try and submit the trips. You may get many "vips server busy" but it will finally get your trades submitted when things calm down. Obviously if it is a decent trip you will most likely NOT get the trip if you don't get your trade in immediately.

I tried the program and still got Vips server busy. I had synched the time and everything, I think it probably goes to the fastest internet provider at that point. I think next time I will do it manually....

FlybyKnite

There are 2 time syncs: the First uses the Windows software to get your computer close to On-time; the Second compares your computer time to the time on the FedEx mainframe. The program will then adjust a maximum of 15 seconds to get you as close to the execute time as possible without undershooting.

Other variables that affect the outcome besides the speed of your ISP service include your connection (node) on the server, firewalls (guys on the FDX intranet have a slight time advantage). Not to mention that you are using a middle-man webpage interface to the mainframe. And don't forget the internal checks that are done to validate a trade; a single MakeUp trip will validate faster than a 3-leg Trade. Just too many variables to be able to promise anything other than an honest try (see philosophy above).

Auto-trading using mainframe VIPS was the best way to go because there was no "Server Busy" and you had a direct connection to the mainframe instead of having to deal with a webpage interface. Alas it was closed down some time ago.

PS: Even the programmer didn't get the trip trade he wanted. Wasn't there to hit the Enter key, but it did go through and the timestamp was 0202z, so it had to be a "Server Busy" thing that bit me too .
Latest version is 1.50. And don't forget it helps you avoid Disputed Pairings.

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