[amibroker] AmiBroker AFL Glossary project --READY TO PROCEED

[Dennis Brown <see3d@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello,

I am starting a new thread with this message because it is a starting point to proceed with filling in the Glossary database and contains the template to do so.  I have included the template in the text of this message, and also attached a .txt and a .rtf version of the file.  I can also email or upload them if these is not sufficient for some who wish to contribute.

I have racked my brains for a few days trying out different variations of the previous suggestions (including my own) and thinking about how the Glossary data could be used, and also about how to parse and translate it into other formats.  I also filled out a couple of entries several different ways to see how it was to work with.  

I discovered it is easier to work with a fixed width font, and I have backed away from the pseudo XML syntax as that was more confusing to the human eye than a simple Keyword:  type of entry.  There is no difference in ease of parsing.  I did retain a couple of ideas from the XML that would help make it more robust to parse.  

Translating formats = fill a bucket with one entry of defaults, then parse in the data items of one entry, then empty the bucket in whatever format to "print" or populate a database.

I thought about having a rigid functional hierarchy to place entries, but rejected that because it is so much more useful to be able to assign an entry to multiple functional groups.  If I want to find all the string functions, or I want to get all the Date/Time functions I would have overlap and I want to see that in a listing.  In reality, the groups are just more search tags, but they could be treated a little differently under certain circumstances.  By defining the functional groups, we get a consistent way to find or organize some types of output.  We have to define more functional groups than we now have, but that can come over time.

READY TO PROCEED!

I am ready to proceed with creating glossary entries at this point.  I might personally be able to do one a day on average.  At that rate it would take many years to compile a complete glossary for AB.  This is one of the reasons that it will take many hands to make this happen.  It is a bit tedious to find things like links to other sources of information.  On the other hand, information can always be added later to any entry to flesh it out, as long as the basic stuff is there.  It just gets more useful over time.

After filling out just a couple of these, I have a great appreciation for the initial work Keith did that really got the ball rolling.  Thanks again Keith.

I will continue filling out the entries for the string manipulation entries.

Please volunteer to make a text file for one of the other functional groups.  

Here are some small ones to try out that are not too demanding:

Form the AFL Function Reference - Categorized list of functions

Referencing other symbol data

Time Frame functions

File Input/Output functions

Statistical functions 

Moving averages, summation

Lowest/Highest

Composites

Basic price pattern detection

Just  pick one and reply to this post, or send an email to me to stake your claim.

Thanks in advance to all who offer to help with this project.

Best regards,

Dennis

Template sample for Glossary Database entry --20080906

Font used: Courier Regular 12 point fixed width UniCode UTF-8

Notes about template:

Text is ignored if it is not between Begin_entry: and End_entry: keywords.

  This allows Keyword: in comment lines outside the structure or the 

  whole entry to be ignored as shown below.

Text is ignored if the line does not start with a data item Keyword:

  This allows comment lines inside a structure.

  However, I would recommend starting a comment with "//" to be more clear.

The order of some items is important.

  A "*" below indicates an item that must follow the previous item.

Some items can be repeated as many times as needed.

  A "+" below indicates these items.

A group listing is used to determine to which groups this entry belongs.

  The Tag_group: would have an entry for every level above this entry.

  An entry can also be a member of more than one group,

  for instance, a string function might also be a date or time function.

  The Tag_group: data are also treated as search tags.

A synonym could have an entry that simply references another entry.

General Template:

//Begin_entry:  Starts an entry (// forces ignore this entry)

Name_entry:     Entry Text

Name_long:      Expanded Name

Description:    Short description of entry

Return_type:    Return Value type (a, n, t, an, nt)

Return_name:    Optional Descriptive Name of Return Value

Arg_type:       +Argument Value type (a, n, t, an, nt)

Arg_name:       +*Optional Descriptive Name of Argument Value

Arg_default:    +*Optional Default Argument Value

Link_ABdoc:     Link url to AB manual document

Link_video:     Link url to AB video help

Link_tutorial:  Link url to AB tutorial doc

Link_KBdoc:     Link url to AB knowledge base

Link_UKBdoc:    Link url to Users knowledge base

Link_url:       +Link url to any useful page

Link_name:      +*Optional Name text for any Link above

Version_AB:     Earliest AB version to support feature (x.x)

Tag_group:      +Group term from group hierarchy list

Tag_search:     +Search term

Related_entry:  +Related Glossary entry

End_entry:      Ends this entry

// The simplest synonym entry would look like this:

Begin_entry:

Name_entry:     AFL

Name_long:      AmiBroker Formula Language

Description:    Abbreviation for AmiBroker Formula Language

Tag_group:      AFL

Related_entry:  AmiBroker Formula Language

End_entry:

// String manipulation functions:

Begin_entry:

Name_entry:     Asc()

Name_long:      get ASCII code of character

Description:    Returns the ASCII code number for a text character

Return_type:    n

Return_name:    ASCII code

Arg_type:       t

Arg_name:       String

Arg_type:       n

Arg_name:       CharacterPosition

Arg_default:    0

Link_ABdoc:     http://www.amibroker.com/f?asc

Link_url:       http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASCII

Link_name:      ASCII Definition and table

Version_AB:     x.x

Tag_group:      AFL

Tag_group:      Functions

Tag_group:      String manipulation

Tag_group:      Type Conversions

Tag_search:     ASCII

Tag_search:     character

Tag_search:     convert

Tag_search:     code

Related_entry:  

End_entry:

Begin_entry:

Name_entry:     DateTimeToStr()

Name_long:      convert datetime to string

Description:    Returns a text representation of the datetime number

Return_type:    t

Return_name:    DateTime Text

Arg_type:       n

Arg_name:       DateTime Number

Link_ABdoc:     http://www.amibroker.com/f?DateTimeToStr

Version_AB:     x.x

Tag_group:      AFL

Tag_group:      Functions

Tag_group:      String manipulation

Tag_group:      Type Conversions

Tag_group:      Date and Time

Tag_search:     datetime

Tag_search:     date

Tag_search:     time

Tag_search:     convert

Related_entry:  StrToDateTime()

Related_entry:  Now()

Related_entry:  DateTime()

Related_entry:  TimeNum()

Related_entry:  Date()

End_entry:

Template sample for Glossary Database entry --20080905

Font used: Courier Regular 12 point fixed width UniCode UTF-8

Notes about template:
Text is ignored if it is not between Begin_entry: and End_entry: keywords.
  This allows Keyword: in comment lines outside the structure or the whole entry
  to be ignored as shown below.
Text is ignored if the line does not start with a data item Keyword:
  This allows comment lines inside a structure.
  However, I would recommend starting a comment with "//" to be more clear.
The order of some items is important.
  A "*" below indicates an item that must follow the previous item.
Some items can be repeated as many time as needed.
  A "+" below indicated these items.
A group list file is used to determine where this entry belongs.
  The Tag_group: would have an entry for every level above this entry.
  An entry can also be a member of more than one group,
  for instance, a string function might also be a date or time function.
  The Tag_group: data are also treated as search tags.
A synonym could have an entry that simply references another entry.

General Template:

//Begin_entry:  Starts an entry (// forces ignore this entry)
Name_entry:     Entry Text
Name_long:      Expanded Name
Description:    Short description of entry

Return_type:    Return Value type (a, n, t, an, nt)
Return_name:    Optional Descriptive Name of Return Value

Arg_type:       +Argument Value type (a, n, t, an, nt)
Arg_name:       +*Optional Descriptive Name of Argument Value
Arg_default:    +*Optional Default Argument Value

Link_ABdoc:     Link url to AB manual document
Link_video:     Link url to AB video help
Link_tutorial:  Link url to AB tutorial doc
Link_KBdoc:     Link url to AB knowledge base
Link_UKBdoc:    Link url to Users knowledge base
Link_url:       +Link url to any useful page
Link_name:      +*Optional Name text for any Link above

Version_AB:     Earliest AB version to support feature (x.x)
Tag_group:      +Group term from group hierarchy list
Tag_search:     +Search term

Related_entry:  +Related Glossary entry
End_entry:      Ends this entry

The simplest synonym entry would look like this:

Begin_entry:
Name_entry:     AFL
Name_long:      AmiBroker Formula Language
Description:    Abbreviation for AmiBroker Formula Language
Tag_group:      AFL
Related_entry:  AmiBroker Formula Language
End_entry:

// String manipulation functions:

Begin_entry:
Name_entry:     Asc()
Name_long:      get ASCII code of character
Description:    Returns the ASCII code number for a text character
Return_type:    n
Return_name:    ASCII code
Arg_type:       t
Arg_name:       String
Arg_type:       n
Arg_name:       CharacterPosition
Arg_default:    0
Link_ABdoc:     http://www.amibroker.com/f?asc
Link_url:       http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASCII
Link_name:      ASCII Definition and table
Version_AB:     x.x
Tag_group:      AFL
Tag_group:      Functions
Tag_group:      String manipulation
Tag_group:      Type Conversions
Tag_search:     ASCII
Tag_search:     character
Tag_search:     convert
Tag_search:     code
Related_entry:  
End_entry:


Begin_entry:
Name_entry:     DateTimeToStr()
Name_long:      convert datetime to string
Description:    Returns a text representation of the datetime number
Return_type:    t
Return_name:    DateTime Text
Arg_type:       n
Arg_name:       DateTime Number
Link_ABdoc:     http://www.amibroker.com/f?DateTimeToStr
Version_AB:     x.x
Tag_group:      AFL
Tag_group:      Functions
Tag_group:      String manipulation
Tag_group:      Type Conversions
Tag_group:      Date and Time
Tag_search:     datetime
Tag_search:     date
Tag_search:     time
Tag_search:     convert
Related_entry:  StrToDateTime()
Related_entry:  Now()
Related_entry:  DateTime()
Related_entry:  TimeNum()
Related_entry:  Date()
End_entry:

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\f0\fs24 \cf0 Template sample for Glossary Database entry --20080906\
\
Font used: Courier Regular 12 point fixed width UniCode UTF-8\
\
Notes about template:\
Text is ignored if it is not between Begin_entry: and End_entry: keywords.\
  This allows Keyword: in comment lines outside the structure or the \
  whole entry to be ignored as shown below.\
Text is ignored if the line does not start with a data item Keyword:\
  This allows comment lines inside a structure.\
  However, I would recommend starting a comment with "//" to be more clear.\
The order of some items is important.\
  A "*" below indicates an item that must follow the previous item.\
Some items can be repeated as many times as needed.\
  A "+" below indicates these items.\
A group listing is used to determine to which groups this entry belongs.\
  The Tag_group: would have an entry for every level above this entry.\
  An entry can also be a member of more than one group,\
  for instance, a string function might also be a date or time function.\
  The Tag_group: data are also treated as search tags.\
A synonym could have an entry that simply references another entry.\
\
General Template:\
\
//Begin_entry:  Starts an entry (// forces ignore this entry)\
Name_entry:     Entry Text\
Name_long:      Expanded Name\
Description:    Short description of entry\
\
Return_type:    Return Value type (a, n, t, an, nt)\
Return_name:    Optional Descriptive Name of Return Value\
\
Arg_type:       +Argument Value type (a, n, t, an, nt)\
Arg_name:       +*Optional Descriptive Name of Argument Value\
Arg_default:    +*Optional Default Argument Value\
\
Link_ABdoc:     Link url to AB manual document\
Link_video:     Link url to AB video help\
Link_tutorial:  Link url to AB tutorial doc\
Link_KBdoc:     Link url to AB knowledge base\
Link_UKBdoc:    Link url to Users knowledge base\
Link_url:       +Link url to any useful page\
Link_name:      +*Optional Name text for any Link above\
\
Version_AB:     Earliest AB version to support feature (x.x)\
Tag_group:      +Group term from group hierarchy list\
Tag_search:     +Search term\
\
Related_entry:  +Related Glossary entry\
End_entry:      Ends this entry\
\
// The simplest synonym entry would look like this:\
\
Begin_entry:\
Name_entry:     AFL\
Name_long:      AmiBroker Formula Language\
Description:    Abbreviation for AmiBroker Formula Language\
Tag_group:      AFL\
Related_entry:  AmiBroker Formula Language\
End_entry:\
\
// String manipulation functions:\
\
Begin_entry:\
Name_entry:     Asc()\
Name_long:      get ASCII code of character\
Description:    Returns the ASCII code number for a text character\
Return_type:    n\
Return_name:    ASCII code\
Arg_type:       t\
Arg_name:       String\
Arg_type:       n\
Arg_name:       CharacterPosition\
Arg_default:    0\
Link_ABdoc:     http://www.amibroker.com/f?asc\
Link_url:       http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASCII\
Link_name:      ASCII Definition and table\
Version_AB:     x.x\
Tag_group:      AFL\
Tag_group:      Functions\
Tag_group:      String manipulation\
Tag_group:      Type Conversions\
Tag_search:     ASCII\
Tag_search:     character\
Tag_search:     convert\
Tag_search:     code\
Related_entry:  \
End_entry:\
\
\
Begin_entry:\
Name_entry:     DateTimeToStr()\
Name_long:      convert datetime to string\
Description:    Returns a text representation of the datetime number\
Return_type:    t\
Return_name:    DateTime Text\
Arg_type:       n\
Arg_name:       DateTime Number\
Link_ABdoc:     http://www.amibroker.com/f?DateTimeToStr\
Version_AB:     x.x\
Tag_group:      AFL\
Tag_group:      Functions\
Tag_group:      String manipulation\
Tag_group:      Type Conversions\
Tag_group:      Date and Time\
Tag_search:     datetime\
Tag_search:     date\
Tag_search:     time\
Tag_search:     convert\
Related_entry:  StrToDateTime()\
Related_entry:  Now()\
Related_entry:  DateTime()\
Related_entry:  TimeNum()\
Related_entry:  Date()\
End_entry:\
\
\
}