Data conversion - the final chapter

["Glen Wallace" <gcwallace@xxxxxxxx>]

Okay, here's the final scoop on:

a)    converting tick data or some other short-time-frame intraday data into
       a longer time frame (thanks to Equis Support, Tonn Maas and Adam
       Hefner); and
b)    converting daily data to weekly or some other longer time frame
       (thanks to Tonn Maas).

You might want to save these instructions.


CONVERTING INTRADAY DATA
1.    Start MetaStock Pro.
2.    Display a tick [or some other short-time-frame data] chart.
3.    Click Format|X-Axis.
4.    Click the Compression tab.
5.    Select Intra-day and type 5, 10 or 30 into the minute field and click
       OK. The chart will now appear as a 5, 10 or 30 minute chart.
6.    Right click the 5, 10 or 30 minute price graph and select Copy from
       the menu that appears.
7.    Start Excel [Quattro Pro 7 and older cannot be used for this].
8.    Right click an empty cell in the Excel file and select Paste.  The 5,
       10 or 30 minute data will appear in the Excel file.
8a.  Side note --  non-U.S. users who display their dates in dd/mm/yy format
       will also have to reformat the date column to display it as mm/dd/yy.
9.    Click File|Save As.
10.  Set the Save As Type field to Comma Separated (CSV).
11.  Type a name for the file into the name field and click Save.
12.  Then use the ASCII to MetaStock conversion in The DownLoader to convert
       the CSV file into a MetaStock 5, 10 or 30 minute file.


CONVERTING DAILY DATA
1.    Open the security in MetaStock and change the compression to Weekly
       [or some other desired periodicity].
2.    Right Click on the X-Axis, select Properties and write down the first
       date loaded, then close X-Axis Properties.
3.    Right click on the Security's weekly price bars and select Copy.
4.    Open The DownLoader.
5.    Click File | New | Security
6.    Enter the Name and Symbol.
7.    Select Weekly as the periodicity and enter in the first date you wrote
       down from above. If the original daily file included Open and Open
       Interest make sure these two boxes are checked. If not un-check them.
8.    Click the Data Sheet button to open up the data sheet window.
9.    Make sure the cell cursor is positioned in the upper left cell.
10.  Click on the Edit menu and select Paste. This will paste the weekly
       prices into the new security.
11.  Close the security and select Yes to save changes. Your daily data file
       will remain intact.