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See comments below.
> Marshall:
>
> What is your level of experience in the markets?
>
> Considerable.
>
> It certainly sounds like you do not have a great deal of
> experience with the MetaStock programming language,
> and the canned systems are not the answer.
>
> Correct.
> Why would I want to spend $1,500 on software for
> real-time trading which was obviously built for
> end of day trading, and hasn't been adequately
> adopted to real-time, and have to spend much
> more money to have it "customized" for my original purpose?
It's your decision, and if that's your assessment of the software
then look into TradeStation 6. The programming language is
superior, but it's not as intuitive as MetaStock. The others here
can suggest other software alternatives, too
> If you rush
> into it, I guarantee you will be slaughtered in the markets.
>
> Was that your experience personally?
Nope. I did my research and took my time.
> You might be better off returning MS Pro, buying the
> end-of-day version and investing the difference in research
> material and a sabbatical to spend on research.
>
> Done.
>
> Regards.
>
> Regards who?
> I wonder why you wouldn't do me, and others, the
> courtesy of signing your note, especially given the
> strength, and somewhat personal nature, of your
> comments.
Huh? My name and e-mail address are clearly in my
message. Tone down the attitude, fella; you asked for
help and I was just trying to lend a hand.
Glen
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Marshall Shoemaker" <marshall@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <mmanfull@xxxxxxxxx>; <support@xxxxxxxxx>; <formulas@xxxxxxxxx>;
> <abarker@xxxxxxxxx>;
> <metastock@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Monday, December 17, 2001 8:53 AM
> Subject: backtesting daylight only futures trading systems
>
> >> Dear Coach, Tech Support, Formulas and/or other MetaStock colleagues and
> >> users,
> >>
> >> I own MetaStock Professional and today,
> >> Monday, 12/17/01, is the last day of
> >> my 30 day evaluation period, so I would
> >> appreciate a reply within a few hours
> >> if possible.
> >>
> >> I wish to use your tool to trade emini
> >> S&P500 stock index futures contracts.
> >> I have used the System Tester/compare feature
> >> to identify 6 Equis and PS trading systems
> >> which appear to have been very profitable
> >> trading the December contract, 5 minutes bars,
> >> from 9/17 to 12/12.
> >> However, there are a few changes I need to
> >> make to all the systems in order to make
> >> the trading "context" realistic for me,
> >> and probably many other, futures traders:
> >>
> >> 1) I cannot hold positions overnight, thus
> >> only wish to enter the market after opening,
> >> 9:30 AM, 10AM actually being the preferred time,
> >> and be sure to exit it by close, 4:15PM, 4:00 PM
> >> being my preferred time. I understand from
> >> two of your tech support guys that this "market hours only"
> >> trading parameter requires modification to
> >> the system formulas, i.e. there is not an easy
> >> pull down menu feature which allows the user
> >> to throw time boundary switches.
> >> What would the modification
> >> be? How complex is it going to be to alter all
> >> the pre-built trading systems so that I can
> >> do System Tester/compare analysis under this constraint?
> >> Are you going to charge me for this modification?
> >> How much? When can you get it to me?
> >>
> >> 2) I do not expect or require to always be in
> >> the market. Most systems I have seen are not meant
> >> to keep one in the market no matter how sideways
> >> the action is. It appears to me that the System
> >> Tester set up an "always in" parameter when it
> >> did the compare analysis. Is this necessary?
> >> Or can I have each system run under the framework
> >> of its best results, i.e. entering/exiting/waiting
> >> out the market so as to make the most money, or
> >> do all the systems need to be "always in" in
> >> order to do a comparison?
> >>
> >> 3) I do not yet know how to use, but understand
> >> that it is fairly straight forward, i.e. doesn't
> >> require custom formulas, to program in stop
> >> losses in the system for backtesting?
> >> Is this true?
> >> How hard would it be to program in an automatic
> >> trailing stop loss?
> >>
> >> 4) I understand from the manual and onscreen
> >> help that users who trade futures contracts
> >> are encouraged to do points only tests
> >> because of the challenge of accounting for
> >> margin leverage in the futures contracts.
> >> Does this mean that it is impossible
> >> to do realistic, hard dollar backtesting
> >> of futures contract, accounting for
> >> commissions and margin, or that it is
> >> just very difficult to create custom
> >> formulas to do the calculations?
> >>
> >> Thank you very much.
> >> Marshall Shoemaker
> >> marshall@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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