Barry,
I looked at the
manual. Much of what is in primer is available in the
Amibroker Users Guide. Key sections would
be:
·
Tutorial
à Amibroker Formula
Language
·
Tutorial
à Video
·
AmiBroker Formula
Language
While I agree that it
would be nice to have an AFL primer packaged together like this, the effort
level would be much higher than you are projecting. My knowledge
of the details of MetaStock is limited. Even based on that limited
knowledge, I can see several issues that would increase the projected effort
by an order of magnitude:
·
AB and
Metastock have some major differences in how they work. For example, AB
processes arrays. Metastock does not. That makes
direct comparisons difficult.
·
In
general, AB has features that Metastock does not, and vice versa. Or
they have the same function, but it works differently. For
example, Metastock has something called the “P Variable” and the “Security()
Function”. It appears that they do something similar to AB’s
AddToComposite function, but that’s not clear. So, are they
comparable? Yes? No? How? How not?
Answering this question alone might take hours of
research.
·
Another
issue is the outline or table of contents. What should be
included? Excluded? What is necessary to know? What
not? What is important to one person might not be important to the
next. Defining this would the first step and it would be very
difficult.
·
My sense
of AB versus Metastock is that Metastock is more “polished” because it is an
older product. But it looks a bit monolithic. You can create
functions and buy plugins, but can’t really change the way it
operates. OTOH, AB is layered like an onion.
Your
first impression is charts and formulas and backtesting. What you
see is what you get. However, as you learn it better, you see start
seeing layers. If you don’t like the way a “layer” works, you can
modify it. Take charts for example…
Think of
the visible chart as Layer 1. It’s similar to other
packages. You can navigate around, change symbols,
etc. But suppose certain indicator parameters aren’t quite
right…
If don’t
like the way a chart looks, you can right-click and change some
parameters. This is layer 2. Simple enough and similar to
other packages. Don’t like the parameters that you see?
Change them…
Let’s
say you don’t see a parameter that you need, so you right-click and select
“Edit Formula”. Now you are into layer 3. Layer 3 is pretty
deep. But you find out pretty quickly that you can do things like
creating or modifying your own user parameters to change styles, colors,
indicator periods etc. using AFL functions. So you tweak or
create some new parameters, save them and close the Formula Editor.
Now right click and your new parameters are there.
In
addition, in the Layer 3 function layer, you can create an large variety of
AFL functions that can be used for exploration, scans, indicators.
But what
if that isn’t enough? Well, you can use the AFL scripting host and use
VBScript or Jscript. Think of that as Layer 4.
But
suppose you need some REALLY heavy lifting. Well you create
objects externally or can call the Amibroker objects from an AFL
script. For example, I needed to set the “FullName”
programmatically. That’s a simple call to the AB “Broker”
object. Think of that as Layer 5.
But
there is one additional layer – AddToComposite. (Let’s call this Layer
6). This allows you to CREATE AND SAVE your own data.
Everything I described before is related to manipulating, analyzing and
displaying data. With AddToComposite, you create your own
data. It can be something like creating your own Sector indexes from
your list of tradable stocks or something like creating a new symbol that
contains the results of a processed indicator for another symbol.
Now you can use this symbol like any other
symbol!
The key
underlying all of this is the AB function. Everything below Layer
2 is done with functions. How well does that relate to
Metastock?
I think writing a
quality, 100 page, AFL Primer would be a big task. I think that it would
take a talented person at least a month of long days to do it. And
that would NOT be me.
Just my two
cents.
Regards,
Dan.
From:
amibroker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:amibroker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Barry
Seeger
Sent: Monday, August
15, 2005 8:58 PM
To:
amibroker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [amibroker] Re: Getting
Started with AFL Systems. Please Help.
Yes, I agree,
AmiBroker is a terrific program and
good value for money, and Tomasz, Marcin and the community of users, Graham in
particular, are always helpful and supportive.
But I and others
remain disappointed that we haven’t been able to learn to be efffective
AmiBroker programmers faster. I
think that a manual along the lines of the MetaStock Formula Primer would give
us all a leg up, and would be a great addition to the material already
provided by AmiBroker. I’m
uncomfortable about holding MS up as a model, but I know that whenever any
user asks about programming it, the answer is always “Read the Formula
Primer”. The absence of an equivalent here is a serious gap for new users of
AB at the moment. Since a model already exists, I don’t believe it would be
expensive to do.
Barry
From:
amibroker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:amibroker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Dan
Clark
Sent: Tuesday, 16
August 2005 1:00 PM
To:
amibroker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [amibroker] Re: Getting
Started with AFL Systems. Please Help.
Not to mention a
powerful, very flexible and extensible program!
From:
amibroker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:amibroker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of
mrdavis9
Sent:
Monday, August 15, 2005 5:20 PM
To: amibroker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [amibroker] Re: Getting
Started with AFL Systems. Please Help.
Another great benefit of using Amibroker
is the prompt and invaluable help
that Graham so generously provides. Ron
D
----- Original Message
-----
From: "Graham"
<kavemanperth@xxxxxxxxx>
To:
<amibroker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, August 15, 2005 6:37
PM
Subject: Re: [amibroker] Re:
Getting Started with AFL Systems. Please
Help.
> Just keep in
mind that MS is large organisation that charges a lot
> more money fir its program, and has been available for
many years.
> Thus it could
afford to be generous and provide an ABC of using MS.
> Perhaps TJ should charge $1000 for AB then employ a
sawg of people to
> write a
primer.
> One thing you do not
get for your $1000+ from the other mob is the
> support from the developers.
>
> On
8/16/05, Barry Seeger
<bseeger@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Joe,
>>
>> Thanks, I just checked the Ft Monitor site, and I
see Bill Barack's
>>
Trading Systems 101, but nothing on AmiBroker Formula
Language.
>>
>>
>>
>> The thing people appreciate about the MetaStock
Formula Primer, available
>> here: http://www.equis.com/Customer/Resources/Formulas/Primer.aspx
,
>>
>> is that it focuses on the basic principles of the
MetaStock language, so
>>
it is pretty much unaffected by upgrades in the program. It's a good
>> model for a Formula
manual.
>>
>>
>>
>> And you know I would hope that an AmiBroker Formula Language manual would
>> never become a best
seller, because it would be available free, as the
>> MetaStock Formula Primer
is.
>>
>> The fact is, it's a lot easier to learn to program
MetaStock than
>>
AmiBroker, just because of the
existence of that free manual.
>>
>> AmiBroker needs something similar, and a very
efficient approach to
>>
writing it would be to just copy the one that works.
>>
>>
>>
>> Barry
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
________________________________
>
>>
>> From: amibroker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:amibroker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
>> Behalf Of Joe
Landry
>> Sent: Monday, 15
August 2005 11:34 PM
>> To:
amibroker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Subject: Re: [amibroker] Re: Getting Started with
AFL Systems. Please
>>
Help.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Bill Barrack from the Ohio area has taught
Amibroker 101 at various
>>
venues. He's
>>
>>
>> an excellent teacher and would do a great job on
the manual. In fact his
>> AB101 Camtasia videos that
were
>>
>>
>> produced in 2004 are probably still available at
FTMonitor. I must
>>
caution that they were
>>
>>
>> produced before a major change in the indicators,
like drag and drop. (So
>>
there's this old
>>
>>
>> version bug a boo always staring at you..how to
keep the documentation
>>
and therefore the
>>
>>
>> manual current.)
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> The big question is - would it be worth his while
or anyone else's while
>>
to produce a manual?
>>
>>
>> If there was a chance of it becoming a best seller
then there would be a
>>
few folks dusting off
>>
>>
>> their eyeshades and keyboards to have a go at
it.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> MHO
>>
>>
>> Joe Landry
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>>
>>
>> From: brseeger
>>
>>
>> To: amibroker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>
>>
>> Sent: Saturday, August 13, 2005 9:43
PM
>>
>>
>> Subject: [amibroker] Re: Getting Started with AFL
Systems. Please Help.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Somebody suggested that I write a manual for AB,
but if I could do
>> that, I
wouldn't be asking for it. Here is my suggestion for
a
>> quick way to do it:
take the MetaStock Formula Primer, which is
>> widely regarded as being pretty good, replace all
the code with
>>
AmiBroker code, add a chapter about
arrays vs loops, and put it out
>> here for comments and fine-tuning. That
would take an AmiBroker
>> programmer 2 days, tops. As it would be offered
for free, copyright
>>
issues with MetaStock don't apply. It would be the best 2 days
work
>> on AmiBroker ever, because it would open AB up to many
more people
>> who are
having difficulty learning to program it, and I know
there
>> are many of
us.
>>
>>
>> --- In amibroker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Graham
<kavemanperth@xxxx> wrote:
>> > what about the wikipedia thing, is that
moving forward?
>>
>
>> > On 8/13/05,
forex5x <forex@xxxx> wrote:
>> > > Hello Barry,
>> > >
>> > > I concur.
>> > > There is a program called Camtasia, and
what it does is allow
>> the
user to
>> > > record
the screen and to speak as well. This then becomes
a
>>
canned
>> > >
demonstration of how to use a system that can be available on
a
>> web
site.
>> >
>
>> > > http://www.techsmith.com/products/studio/default.asp
>> > > if you want to peek at
it.
>> >
>
>> > > If anyone
is so inclined to develop a training system in this
or
>>
similar
>> > > manner
it would be worth paying for the reduction in stress
to
>>
learn.
>> >
>
>> > > Also, if
someone wanted to write a book it would be in my
>> bookcase as soon
>> > > as I found out about it...as far as I
know there is no
>>
book...anyone know of
>>
> > one?
>> >
>
>> > > Forex5x
AKA Steve
>> >
>
>> >
>
>> > >
-----Original Message-----
>> > > From: amibroker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> [mailto:amibroker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf
>> > > Of
brseeger
>> > > Sent:
Thursday, August 11, 2005 4:57 PM
>> > > To: amibroker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> > > Subject: [amibroker] Re: Getting Started
with AFL Systems.
>> Please
Help.
>> >
>
>> > > --- In
amibroker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Sidney
Kaiser <s9kaiser@xxxx>
>> > > wrote:
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > > No virus found in this outgoing
message.
>> > > >
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
>> > > > Version: 7.0.338 / Virus Database:
267.10.5/67 - Release Date:
>> > > 8/9/2005
>> > >
>> > > I am also having difficulty learning to
program well in AFL, and
>>
I
>> > > know several
other people who are having the same difficulty,
>> some
>> > > of whom have resorted to reading the
User Guide 10 pages a day. I
>> > > think AmiBroker is a very good program, and I have no
association
>> > >
with any other charting package. I have used and
programmed
>>
several,
>> > >
including MetaStock and WealthLab. My background is
engineering,
>> > >
including teaching at University level.
>> > >
>> > > The best free manual I have ever seen
for novice coders is the
>>
> > MetaStock Formula Primer, available here:
>> > > http://www.equis.com/Customer/Resources/Formulas/Primer.aspx
>> > >
>> > > AmiBroker needs to create something similar to that
Primer: a
>>
step-
>> > > by-step
guide with exercises, from basics through to more
>> advanced
>> > > concepts, including anything unusual
about the program, e.g.,for
>> AB,
>> > > how to decide when array processing will
suffice, and when
>>
looping
>> > > is
necessary. In my humble opinion, such a Primer is an
obvious
>> > >
omission in the otherwise excellent User Guide,
Function
>>
Reference
>> > > and
other support offered by AmiBroker.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > Please note that this group is for
discussion between users only.
>> > >
>> > > To get support from AmiBroker please send an e-mail directly
to
>> > > SUPPORT {at}
amibroker.com
>> >
>
>> > > For other
support material please check also:
>> > > http://www.amibroker.com/support.html
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > Yahoo! Groups
Links
>> >
>
>> >
>
>> >
>
>> >
>
>> >
>
>> >
>
>> >
>
>> >
>
>> >
>
>> > > Please
note that this group is for discussion between users
only.
>> >
>
>> > > To get
support from AmiBroker please send
an e-mail directly to
>>
> > SUPPORT {at} amibroker.com
>> > >
>> > > For other support material please check
also:
>> > > http://www.amibroker.com/support.html
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > Yahoo! Groups
Links
>> >
>
>> >
>
>> >
>
>> >
>
>> >
>
>> >
>
>> >
>
>> >
>
>>
>
>>
>
>> > --
>> >
Cheers
>> >
Graham
>> > AB-Write
>< Professional AFL Writing Service
>> > Yes, I write AFL code to your
requirements
>> > http://e-wire.net.au/~eb_kavan/ab_write.htm
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Please note that this group is for discussion
between users only.
>>
>> To get support from AmiBroker please send an e-mail directly
to
>> SUPPORT {at}
amibroker.com
>>
>> For other support material please check
also:
>> http://www.amibroker.com/support.html
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> SPONSORED LINKS
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>>
>>
________________________________
> YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS
>>
>>
>> Visit your group "amibroker" on the
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>>
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>>
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>>
>>
________________________________
>
>>
>>
>> --
>> No virus found in this incoming
message.
>> Checked by AVG
Anti-Virus.
>> Version:
7.0.338 / Virus Database: 267.10.9/72 - Release Date:
14/08/2005
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> No virus found in this outgoing
message.
>> Checked by AVG
Anti-Virus.
>> Version:
7.0.338 / Virus Database: 267.10.10/73 - Release Date:
>>
15/08/2005
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
> --
>
Cheers
>
Graham
> AB-Write ><
Professional AFL Writing Service
> Yes, I write AFL code to your
requirements
> http://e-wire.net.au/~eb_kavan/ab_write.htm
>
>
>
>
Please note that this group is for discussion between users
only.
>
> To
get support from AmiBroker please
send an e-mail directly to
>
SUPPORT {at} amibroker.com
>
> For
other support material please check also:
> http://www.amibroker.com/support.html
>
>
>
Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
--
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by
AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.338 / Virus Database: 267.10.10/73 - Release
Date: 15/08/2005
--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by
AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.338 / Virus Database: 267.10.10/73 - Release
Date: 15/08/2005