Can someone explain 'datamining' to me?

[flytrap]

I have both pokertracker and PokerAce HUD. I have only data from pokertracker for when I was at the table playing. I hear a lot about datamining, but haven't done it myself. From what I understand, it means getting pokertracker data on tables you aren't at. Is this as simple as just opening a bunch of tables, and have auto-import setup on pokertracker? Will I still get hand histories saved on my hard drive if I wasn't involved in the hand, or wasn't at the table? Is there separate software needed for this? Thanks in advance.

[Blue Lagoon]

It's possible to do this at some rooms. But it's impossible to do this at Stars, or Interpoker (and all crypto). It was possible at UltimateBet, but I think it's against their T&C now, not sure.

[Blue Lagoon]

And you don't need another software, you just open a table, PT and PAhud

[flytrap]

Okay, I opened PT and PAHUD, and tried playing with the settings, but my pokertracker doesn't seem to be updating. I have 9 rooms open, but it keeps saying there are no new hand histories to import. I tried toggling the 'Do not store the actual hand history text for these hands' button in the observed hands tab, but that didn't change anything. Is there a setting I have to change to put PT in 'Datamining' mode, and also, what is the role of PAHUD if I'm not actually playing at the time?

[oracle3001]

PT is not designed as a datamining application. PT is an analysis tool. Neither is PA HUD, however it did have a feature which used to allow users to record hand histories from play on UB (I don't know if that is still the case as I don't play their anymore, but again it wasn't really for datamining).

Most sites only record to your hard drive hands which you were actually involved in, and thus simply opening tables and asking PT to import new hands won't do anything.

There are applications which can capture the action even if you aren't sitting at the tables, and if you go onto the PT forums there is a thread which talks about this issue at some length. What applications are out there, which are allowed / banned, and links to them.

Even for sites that allow you to record observed you approach is pretty useless as tables often break leaving you "datamining" an empty table. That is why you require a other application to monitor these situations and take actions for you.

[allingator]

What was the program that managed your datamining tables? I remember reading about one that opened new tables when other broke etc.

[oracle3001]

As I said read the PT forums, all this information is clearly laid out with which programs are available for each site (and links) listed in a sticky post.

I don't want to advertise a particular program, as I don't think it is right to do so, and different applications are suitable for different peoples needs. Some are free, some cost, it is up to the individual to decide if they are happy with the freebie or that they require the added support of an application that they have to pay for.

[infinity235]

[nit]Please note that you are talking about data collection here. Datamining is the process of analyzing large amounts of data and finding patterns that have not been recognized yet. Collecting large amounts of data and having them displayed on a HUD is NOT datamining.[/nit]

To collect data at Party, you need iWitness and FreePHG:
http://www.overcards.com/wiki/moin.cgi/iWitness
http://www.jukofyork.com/freephg.htm

You can also use SpadeEye and SixthSense for data collection, but you need to pay for them.

[oracle3001]

Very good point, regards the definition of "datamining". As a computer scientist I know exactly where you are coming from.

However, it seems like in the poker world the term "datamining" now relates to the gathering of the data, not the analysis. If you ask people what iWitness does they will say datamining, and I am sure that is what the original poster wanted. They certainly won't say that PT/PA HUD/Sixth Sense is a data mining app, when in the strict sense of the term they most definitely are.