In the very early days of my Amibroker learning curve, The best help that I
received was from this board when an experienced user was kind enough to
quickly code an example or what I was asking.
Then, I would play
with what they had given me, and I started to understand
how to use
Amibroker.
For example, REF(c>ref(c,2),5); says that the close
that happened five days
ago has to be higher than the close that happened
on the sixth day ago.
Whereas, SUM(c>ref(c,2),5); only requires
that any one or more of the
closes over the last five days has to be
higher than the previous days
close.
The above examples of simple
english explanations from this board are how I
started learning Amibroker.
Ron D
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ken Close" <ken45140@xxxxxxcom>
To:
<amibroker@xxxxxxxxxps.com>
Sent:
Thursday, August 28, 2008 12:15 PM
Subject: RE: [amibroker] Re: The best
way to help newbies, oldies, ... and
AmiBroker ...
> Amen. Amen!
AMEN!
>
> While Tomasz has done so much to improve and expand the
training/manual
> since the early days (he really has!), the fact there
is continual
> questions
> on the same stuff or "small stuff",
suggests there is still room for and
> benefit from
improvement.
>
> I am constantly reminded (or remind myself) that
Tomasz has to say "Read
> the
> Manual". Some questions are
almost obvious that a quick trip to help
> would
> answer the
question, but other "simple" questions are not. Many of us do
> attempt
to find the answers in help but cannot.
>
> For example,
yesterday, I wanted to know how to make subscripted arrays.
> I
>
did not remember that VarGet and VarSet was set up to do this. So a trip
> to
> Help and typing in "subscripted arrays" found 9 entries
none of which led
> me
> to VarSet or VarGet. I think one of the
improvements would be a search
> system which allowed more complex
search logic or strings, or some way to
> zero in on the specific
request. As Tomasz says, it is almost always in
> there, it just is hard
to find.
>
> Ken
>
>
>
> -----Original
Message-----
> From: amibroker@xxxxxxxxxps.com
[mailto:amibroker@xxxxxxxxxps.com]
On
> Behalf
> Of Dennis Brown
> Sent: Thursday, August 28,
2008 11:58 AM
> To: amibroker@xxxxxxxxxps.com
>
Subject: Re: [amibroker] Re: The best way to help newbies, oldies, ...
and
> AmiBroker ...
>
> Brian,
>
> You are
correct. I switched to AB because I wanted a programming language
> that
was fundamentally tied into the realtime price arrays and the
>
charting
> for the same. RT quotes --> Database --> AFL
-->
> Charts. That was all I wanted, and that is pretty much all I
use.
> There is a lot of overhead associated with getting and
maintaining the
> data,
> interacting with the user, and
outputting the the data in a useful form.
> I
> only wanted to be
concerned with the algorithms that decided to buy or
> sell.
>
Interestingly, even with all the support functions handled by AB, I
still
> spend 80% of my time coding UI things! I think it is some kind
of
> computer
> programming law.
>
> AFL was my real
destination with AmiBroker, and I had a hard time because
> it
>
was not well defined. A lot of assumptions were made about prior
>
knowledge
> of specific programming language conventions in C like
languages.
> Languages
> I had no experience with. These are
middle level languages. My
> experience
> was with machine level
assembler code, and very high level like
>
Revolution/SuperCard/HyperCard, and a
> smattering of BASIC and APL
from the original versions 40 years ago.
> I had no idea that I was
supposed to go learn C syntax before I could use
> the AFL
documentation. IMHO this is a documentation hole big enough to
> drive a
truck through.
>
> Then what happens when someone has no
experience with any programming
> language at all. Perhaps some Excel
experience, or maybe experience using
> a
> programmable
calculator. I can't imagine the bewilderment with AFL. It
> takes a lot
of handholding from support or this list to get over the first
>
hump.
>
> I believe it would be appropriate to define the AFL
language in the
> documentation as if it were the only language that
exists on the planet.
>
> For instance "+" is defined as
"Addition". Whereas, in reality the "+"
> operator is data type
dependent. It will add two numbers, add a number to
> every element in
an array, add two arrays element by element, or
> concatenate
>
two strings. It will not add a number or array to a string.
>
> As
I have suggested before, I would have liked to see a "Complete"
>
listing of all operators, functions, reserved words, syntax
characters,
> directives, etc., in one live list index that points to a
page that
> explains
> each one in the same way that the
functions are now described. Then
> additional "see also" pointers on
those pages to point to more in depth
> documents when available. In
fact the current functions list could simply
> be expanded to do
this.
>
> This would have saved me many weeks off the learning
curve.
>
> I don't know if Howard is planning on doing this in his
new book, but it
> should be part of the on-line
documentation.
>
> Best regards,
>
Dennis
>
>
> On Aug 28, 2008, at 10:34 AM, brian_z111
wrote:
>
>> I didn't explain myself very well
there.
>>
>> What I am saying is that I think we are making
it harder by not
>> admitting that it is a programmers program and
just getting on with
>> teaching AFL.
>>
>> If
anyone held told me that at the start I would have run for it but
>>
the fact is that the help manual is about 'AmiBroker the program'
but
>> eventually I came to realise it is all about programming
-
>> specifically AFL.
>>
>> So, if I do want to
get on with it where do I go?
>>
>> The AFL section of the
help manual is condensed.
>> The first few chapters of Howards Book
are a basic intro to AB and the
>> rest of the book is orientated
around SystemDesign & Evaluation?
>>
>> Where is the
next stop on the AFL line?
>>
>>
>>
brian_z
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --- In amibroker@xxxxxxxxxps.com,
"brian_z111" <brian_z111@...>
wrote:
>>>
>>>
Herman,
>>>
>>>> I always figured that sticking
with AFL would have provided a more
>>>> continuous path for
users to develop their programming expertise.
>>>
>>>
This is a new point, not really discussed much before, I
think.
>>>
>>> I really don't know how to put it in
words but you are so right.
>>>
>>> Tomasz should be
proud of me because if I am a programmer at all I
>>
am
>>> an array programmer...... but sometimes I am left
reaching for AFL?
>>>
>>> Perhaps there are
conventions that people with 2 or more
>> programming
>>>
languages automatically understand?
>>>
>>> Do I have
to go and learn C++ as well.
>>>
>>> Should I need
too?
>>>
>>>
brian_z
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
------------------------------------
>>
>>
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 NEW RELEASE ANNOUNCEMENTS and other
news always check DEVLOG:
>> http://www.amibroker.com/devlog/
>>
>>
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 NEW RELEASE ANNOUNCEMENTS and
other news always check DEVLOG:
> http://www.amibroker.com/devlog/
>
>
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 NEW RELEASE ANNOUNCEMENTS and other
news always check DEVLOG:
> http://www.amibroker.com/devlog/
>
>
For other support material please check also:
> http://www.amibroker.com/support.html
>
Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>