|
PureBytes Links
Trading Reference Links
|
Herman:
Just what I need. Thanks for the excellent tutorial.
Regards
Lionel Issen
lissen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
----- Original Message -----
From: "Herman van den Bergen" <psytek@xxxxxxxx>
To: <metastock@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, August 16, 2001 6:58 AM
Subject: Debugging Techniques
> Perhaps the methods outlined below are obvious and are not new to you but
I
> found they helped me so I'll post them for the less experienced MS users
> who want to develop more complicated formulae.
>
> 1) Before writing a Trading formula I group my variables:
>
> Analog values (Yes: my background is electronics :-)) i.e. those that can
> take on any numerical value, like EntryPrice, $Profit, %Profit,
> DailyEquity, TradeEquity, DD, etc.
>
> Digital (Binary) variables that can only take on the values of 1 and 0,
> like: GoLong, GoShort, GoCash, ExitLong, etc.
>
> Mixed variables that, for example, takes on certain specific values 1
> (Long), 0 (Cash) and -1 (Short).
>
> 2) I develop my trading formula in small steps starting with the
> lowest/simplest variable, make an indicator for each variable and
> plot/verify them on the price chart. It is very useful to plot your binary
> signals too, I often have 3-8 binary signals below the price chart during
> the development. Just like a Logic Analyzer ... To make the signals plot
> nicely you can multiply them by 5 or 10 and give them an offset, modify
the
> trace as you like. Like:
>
> GoLong*10;
> GoShort*10-20;
> GoCash*10-40;
> Position*10-60;
> etc.
>
> This will make it very easy to see what is happening and whether your
> timing is correct - It is often a struggle to get your signals in sync and
> this way you can easily modify or add a ref(x,-1) function and see what
> happens to the binary signals.
>
> 3) When the formula is finished (?) make a backup by adding BAK to the end
> of it's name. Now create separate indicators for all significant variables
> you defined (with := )in your trading formula. This is very easy and
allows
> you to use them for debugging and further development work. Suppose you
> have a trading fomula named "MySystem" and it contains a variable named
> "Position", you can make an indicator to display this varibale with a
> single line like FmlVar("MySystem","Position"); You can then use this in
> other formulae and/or combine a number of them to allow you to easily plot
> sets of indicators to facilitate subsequent work.
>
> 4) It may help you to put a custom grid on your chart to more clearly show
> the relationship between the various events by adding vertical lines like
> this:
>
> If(GoLong, Close,0);
> If(GoShort, Close,0);
>
> Plot the value, assign a color of your choice, assign the bar graph
> pattern, and set the line-width to this thinnest available. This
> combination will plot straight vertical lines up from zero to the Close or
> Equity (use P) WITHOUT the zero interconnect that messes up the display.
>
> 5) Now, you got it all working... :-) but are you sure that the numbers
> are correct? Next you can (should?) display ALL significant traces at the
> same time and copy all the data arrays to Excel to verify vales and
perform
> parallel/supplementary calculations outside of MS.
>
> To copy a data array you select it (Click on it), place your cursor on one
> of the little square handles, right click and copy. Go to Excel, select
> your left-upper destination cell and go Edit, Paste Special, Csv, OK.
> You'll get a column with dates and one with the values of the selected
> chart. You will have to do this trace by trace, putting them side by side,
> and Delete the duplicate data columns. Be sure to also export binary
values
> to show you where the triggers are! Not only can you verify the
> calculations performed in MS with parallel calculations in Excel, you can
> also perform addition analysis.
>
> To make the Excel sheet easier to read you can select the entire page and
> click Format, Conditional Formatting, Cell Value Is, Equal To, 0, Format,
> Color=White, OK. This will display all zeroes on the page in white - they
> will only become visible when you select the area.
>
> 6) Now for the ambitious developer :-) You can save your crowded MS
display
> in a template and when exporting data arrays use Paste Link instead of
> Paste in Excel. This will result in a spread sheet that uses OLEs and the
> sheet will update automatically with new values whenever you change
> formulae - as long as you don't change the names I presume.
>
> 7) If you are more ambitious than that you can make a reverse OLE link to
> display a calculated column of values in Excel, in a MetaStock chart that
> updates in real time. I have only briefly tested this and it is NEAT! Lots
> of possibilities...
>
> Well, in conclusion I must say that while MS has some bugs I enjoy using
> the program immensely.
>
> Hope this is useful info,
> If you have some debugging techniques of your own to share please do so.
>
> Happy Trading,
> Herman.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
|