Using Downloader/ASCII files to update

[Malcolm Smith <Malcolm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi!

I am not sure about the source for free quotes on the 'net as I don't
deal with Emerging Markets, just the UK one so I have no idea about free
NYSE quotes.  I understand that quotes are cheap/free in the US but I
would pass on a word of warning based on my experiences here in the UK.
That is to be beware of cheap quote services; I have found them to be
dreadful; but things may be better on the left side of the pond.

I wouldn't bother going via Excel; this seems to be a torturous route
with little to show for it.  I would recommend that you write (or get
someone to do it for you) a Perl script to get the data in the right
shape and to check that the High is higher than the Low and that sort of
thing.  Then import the ASCII data from the Perl script (which will run
in seconds) into Downloader.

One tip: when importing data into Downloader, make sure that it is
sorted otherwise Downloader takes an age to open the correct folders and
things.  I have found that it's not the number of records that is the
factor that takes the time, but the number of different stocks in the
import file - an unsorted import file counts each record as one stock -
a five day sorted import file takes a fifth of the time.

I hope that this helps.

Malc

>>To:   metastock@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:metastock@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> 
>>cc:    (bcc: Mark Jonker/Everest)
>>Subject:  Using Downloader/ASCII files to update
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>Has anyone figured out how to
>>1) get free end-of-day data from the net;
>>2) import that ASCII file into Excel;
>>3) manipulate the data in Excel to produce a file,
>>4) which Downloader can use to update MSPRO?
>>   1) and 2) should be quite easy; but 3) and 4) could be tough.
>>                 CMA
>>