Described in its simplest terms, creating and running a system involves using the parameters panel at the left of the System Developer window to create, modify or discard system rules, selecting the range of data to scan from the options panel at the right, then clicking the 'Run' button at the bottom to run the system over that data.

The powerful 'Analyze by..' feature
You also need to nominate how you want to sort the results of the analysis. For example you could have the results of the analysis sorted or 'analyzed by' horse age or sex, or GTX Rank, or last start margin, or track condition. In fact you can sort by or 'Analyze by' each and every one of the approximately 700 parameters on the various parameter menus.

The ‘Analyze by’ function attached to every parameter is a very powerful tool. If, for example you wanted to ‘Run’ or ‘Analyze’ your system and have it ‘Analyze by’, or sort by, say Race Distance, you would select ‘Distance’ on the Race parameter menu, the click the ’Analyze by’ button, run your system and it would sort the results by distance. The results could then indicate if your system was more effective over specific distances, over shorter or longer distances, or whether distance appeared irrelevant in this system. The ‘Analysis’ summary below shows a portion of the results of a system, sorted by ‘Distance’.

Results are displayed in the two centre panes - all the individual runners that meet the rules' criteria in the top pane, and at the bottom are the financial and percentages results sorted into categories defined by whatever 'Analyze by' parameter has been selected for this system run. 

Once the system has been run and results obtained, you can then re-analyse those results as many times as you like, by sorting them by any parameter. This re-analysing does not alter the results, it merely sorts them in a different way. 

A re-analyse takes a much shorter time than a system 'Run', as the re-analysis, or re-sorting, involves only the data that were collected in the original 'Run', rather than all the data in the nominated date range. 

If any rules are added or discarded, you need to do a full system 'Run', as the whole selected data range will need to be scanned again, rather than just the data that were collected in the previous 'Run'. 

As an example to show the mechanics of how the System Developer functions, we will look at the GTX Rating, and ask how often the winners of races are included in, say, the five top-ranked horses in each race. Then, we can re-analyse the results of, or the data collected by, that system run, with a variety of parameters. 

Firstly, you need to make sure that you have imported historical data from the GTX CD, otherwise you will not have anything for the system to scan.

Then, to make sure you are starting with a system devoid of any rules, at the top of the options panel at right, make sure the radio button is checked beside ‘system’, then click on the system name, ‘Empty System’.  While you’re in the options panel, ensure the radio button is beside ‘selected dates from...’, and select a date range to run the system over, using the drop down calendars. For the purposes of this demonstration, to save time, pick a relatively short period such as a month.  Also for the purposes of this demonstration, leave ‘Use RPD’ unchecked. This refers to the Race Profile Database, which you may not yet have created. Even if it has been created, leaving it unchecked for this demo with such a relatively small data range is OK.  To ensure the integrity of the financial analysis in the results, make sure that ‘only races with dividends’ is checked. This option instructs the system scan to ignore any races that do not have dividends attached. This is just an extra safeguard as generally, all races do have dividends, especially if you selected the ‘meetings with dividends only’ option when you imported the historical data from the CD.

Now that the options are finalised, you can now go over to the Parameters panel on the left side. First, check that no rules have inadvertently been entered into your ‘Empty System’. The System Rules text box at the bottom of the pane should show only... ‘Current rules for: Empty System’. As rules are created they will be listed here.  As mentioned before, we wanted to look at the five top-ranked GTX Ratings horses. To enter the first rule, click on the ‘Rating’ menu [1], which then lists the various rating parameters. In that list, click on ‘GTX’ [2]. Then, as it’s the GTX Rank we are interested in at this point, and not the GTX Price or Value etc, click on the ‘Rank’ button under the list [3]. Just under the ‘Rank’ button, you will see two checkboxes and two small text boxes which are there to receive the Minimum and Maximum values for the rule. Click in the left-most checkbox to enter a checkmark [4]. This indicates that you want to include the range of values you are about to enter. The checkbox on the right indicates you want to exclude the range of values entered. Now enter ‘1’ in the left text box and ‘5’ in the right text box [5]. You will notice that this rule is now listed in the System Rules box. On this initial occasion, to see how the decreasing GTX rankings vary, it would be a good idea to ‘Analyze by’, or sort by GTX Rank as well. As GTX Rating and Rank are already selected, just click the ‘Analyze by’ button [6]. ‘GTX Rank’ will appear in the text box beside the button.

Now it’s just a matter of clicking the ‘Run’ button at the bottom right of the System Developer window [7]. With an average computer and an average month’s data, in about ten seconds you should have a result which will display in the centre panes of the window

Hint:     The rule input on some parameters such as the Race Area at left, involves a choice from a drop down list rather than direct entry of rule data. In these situations, click the green arrow, click to enter a check mark beside your choices and click the arrow again.  Don't forget the rule checkmark to include or exclude the choices.

You can see from the Race Strike Rate (RSR) display in the statistics bar that in 78% of the races scanned by the system that GTX Ratings captures the winners within its five top-ranked horses.

You may decide, if you were building a system, to modify the first rule to include only the single top ranked GTX horse, or even the top two, but for the purpose of acquainting you further with the 'Analyze by' feature, we will continue with our single rule for the moment, and analyse, or sort, the results by some different parameters.

This time, analyse by Morning Line Rank. On the Parameters panel, the Ratings menu is still selected, so click on ‘Formline’ in the list to select it, then check that the Rank button underneath is still selected.   As you are only re-analysing, you don’t need to enter a rule this time, so click on the ‘Analyze by’ button. ‘Formline Rank’ will appear in the text box beside the button.  Then, instead of clicking the ‘Run’ button, click the ‘Analyze by’ button. The system will then analyse, re-sort and display the data in Morning Line Rankings.

You are now aware of the basics steps involved in adding rules, running the system and re-analysing the data. The best way to become proficient in the System Developer's use is to play with it. Think up a base rule, enter the rule, run the system over your chosen amount of data, re-analyse it by as many parameters as you see fit and then by some that don't appear logical. Look at the results - what are they telling you? Try some radical approaches - you are not going to make more money more often by doing what everyone else is doing. New ideas for developing systems will become more apparent to you the more you use the System Developer.