----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, August
16, 2005 6:59 AM
Subject: RE: [amibroker]
Re: Getting Started with AFL Systems. Please Help.
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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>>
>> ________________________________
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>>
>>
>> Visit your group
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>>
>> To unsubscribe from this group,
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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
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No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
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