multiple ticker symbols in one indicator panel

[domecat]

The following efs code works fine, I am mainly concerned about efficiency. This indicator panel plots four different tickers and it does not use any compute_on_close command. This panel is used under a 3-minute bar chart of an emini (AB or ES).

Will this efs get executed every time any one of the tickers changes value or when Price changes in the main panel or is one of them the 'master'?

Should I remove statements like:
if (vQT == null) return;

A third question: is the *1 on a statement like
var vT = close(0, 1, "$TRIN")*1;
necessary? I do it because it was done in the library example.

/* 
     Larry's breadth panel
     four indicators: 
       NY Tick       blue bars
       Nasdaq Tick   green line
       $ADD          blue line
       NY TRIN       purple line (inverted)
     some of this code borrowed from TickExtremes.efs in eSignal library
*/

function preMain() {
    setPriceStudy(false);
    setStudyTitle("BRED4");
  //  deleted some code here for brevity
  //     just sets colors,plottype...  
    setStudyMax(1500);
    setStudyMin(-1500);
}

var vColor = Color.RGB(101,150,220);
var vLoaded = false;
var barH = null;
var barL = null;
var vNum = 150;         // limits how many bars can be drawn
var BarCntr = 0;
var vSum = 0;
 
function main() {   

    if (vLoaded == false) {
        addBand( 1000, PS_SOLID, 1, Color.grey, "top");
        addBand(    0, PS_SOLID, 1, Color.black, "zero");
        addBand(-1000, PS_SOLID, 1, Color.grey, "bottom");
        vLoaded = true;
    }
    
    var vNT = close(0, 1, "$TICK")*1;
    if (vNT == null) return;


    if (getBarState() == BARSTATE_NEWBAR) {
        if (BarCntr < vNum) {
            BarCntr += 1;
        } else {
            BarCntr = 0;
        }
        barH = vNT;
        barL = vNT;
    }
    
// NY tick is drawn as bars 
// the vNT value returned below is for esignal to draw the horizontal tick marks    

    if (isTick() == true || isRawTick() == true) {
        barH = Math.max(barH, vNT);
        barL = Math.min(barL, vNT);
    } else {
        var h = high(0, 1, "$tick")*1;
        if (h == null) return;
        var l = low(0, 1, "$tick")*1;
        if (l == null) return;
        barH = Math.max(barH, h, vNT);
        barL = Math.min(barL, l, vNT);
    }    
    drawLineRelative(0, barL, 0, barH, PS_SOLID, 2, vColor, "bar" + BarCntr);

    var vQT = close(0, 1, "$TICKQ")*1;
    if (vQT == null) return;

    var vA = close(0, 1, "$ADD")*1;
    if (vA == null) return;

    var vT = close(0, 1, "$TRIN")*1;
    if (vT == null) return;
    // invert trin so it sorta fits the same scale
    var vR =  (1.0 - vT) * 1667;

    return new Array(
        vNT,
        vQT,
        vA,
        vR
    );

}
//    END     // 

[ACM]

domecat
In terms of efficiency it should be fine. However to retrieve the values of the other symbols you are using EFS1 functions [for example close(0,1,"$TICK")] which do not maintain syncronization between the symbols. So if any of the other symbols have a zero volume bar or are not trading at that time (this will happen for example if you are using a Time Template set to ES or AB trading hours) you will get incorrect results. If you run a search in this Bulletin Board on this subject you will find several explanations and examples as to why this happens.
This is where EFS2 comes into play as it now allows you to maintain all the symbols used in an efs correctly syncronized to each other.
Here is your same code written using EFS2 functions to retrieve the values of the other symbols. Notice that I create the series for those symbols only once inside the vLoaded statement and that I use the sym() function to call the price series for the external symbols. Then I retrieve the values I need with the getValue() method.
As an aside the enclosed formula should be more efficient than the one you posted even if it actually performs much more advanced functions.
For more information and examples on the sym() function see the EFS2 Function Reference in the EFS KnowledgeBase.
Alex

/* 
     Larry's breadth panel
     four indicators: 
       NY Tick       blue bars
       Nasdaq Tick   green line
       $ADD          blue line
       NY TRIN       purple line (inverted)
     some of this code borrowed from TickExtremes.efs in eSignal library
*/
 
function preMain() {
    setPriceStudy(false);
    setStudyTitle("BRED4");
  //  deleted some code here for brevity
  //     just sets colors,plottype...  
    setStudyMax(1500);
    setStudyMin(-1500);
}
 
var vColor = Color.RGB(101,150,220);
var vLoaded = false;
var barH = null;
var barL = null;
var vNum = 150;         // limits how many bars can be drawn
var BarCntr = 0;
var vSum = 0;
//ACM added following global variables
var vCloseTICK = null;
var vHighTICK = null;
var vLowTICK = null;
var vCloseTICKQ = null;
var vCloseADD = null;
var vCloseTRIN = null;
//end section added by ACM
 
function main() {   
 
    if (vLoaded == false) {
        addBand( 1000, PS_SOLID, 1, Color.grey, "top");
        addBand(    0, PS_SOLID, 1, Color.black, "zero");
        addBand(-1000, PS_SOLID, 1, Color.grey, "bottom");
        //ACM added the following section
        vCloseTICK = close(sym("$tick"));
        vHighTICK = high(sym("$tick"));
        vLowTICK = low(sym("$tick"));
        vCloseTICKQ = close(sym("$tickq"));
        vCloseADD = close(sym("$add"));
        vCloseTRIN = close(sym("$trin"));
        //end section added by ACM   
        vLoaded = true;
    }
 
    var vNT = vCloseTICK.getValue(0);//ACM modified
    if (vNT == null) return;
 

    if (getBarState() == BARSTATE_NEWBAR) {
        if (BarCntr < vNum) {
            BarCntr += 1;
        } else {
            BarCntr = 0;
        }
        barH = vNT;
        barL = vNT;
    }
    
// NY tick is drawn as bars 
// the vNT value returned below is for esignal to draw the horizontal tick marks    
 
    if (isTick() == true || isRawTick() == true) {
        barH = Math.max(barH, vNT);
        barL = Math.min(barL, vNT);
    } else {
        var h = vHighTICK.getValue(0);//ACM modified
        if (h == null) return;
        var l = vLowTICK.getValue(0);//ACM modified
        if (l == null) return;
        barH = Math.max(barH, h, vNT);
        barL = Math.min(barL, l, vNT);
    }    
    drawLineRelative(0, barL, 0, barH, PS_SOLID, 2, vColor, "bar" + BarCntr);
 
    var vQT = vCloseTICKQ.getValue(0);//ACM modified
    if (vQT == null) return;
 
    var vA = vCloseADD.getValue(0);//ACM modified
    if (vA == null) return;
 
    var vT = vCloseTRIN.getValue(0);//ACM modified
    if (vT == null) return;
    // invert trin so it sorta fits the same scale
    var vR =  (1.0 - vT) * 1667;
 
    return new Array(
        vNT,
        vQT,
        vA,
        vR
    );
 
}
//    END     // 

[ACM]

domecat

Should I remove statements like:
if (vQT == null) return;

I don't believe you should. Null checks ensure that you are using valid data in your calculations

A third question: is the *1 on a statement like
var vT = close(0, 1, "$TRIN")*1;
necessary? I do it because it was done in the library example.

You would multiply by 1 if you were converting a string to a value. In this case close(0, 1, "$TRIN") is not a string so multiplying by 1 is not necessary.
Alex

[domecat]

Alexis thanks for the fixes you suggested. Here is the
new full version if anyone is interested. Incidentally this
version makes a more accurate bar chart of $TICK than
before.

/* 
     Larry's breadth panel
     four indicators: 
       NY Tick       blue bars
       Nasdaq Tick   green line
       $ADD          blue line
       NY TRIN       purple line (inverted)
     some of this code borrowed from TickExtremes.efs in eSignal library
*/
 
function preMain() {
    setPriceStudy(false);
    setStudyTitle("BRED4");

    setCursorLabelName("TickNY", 0);
    setPlotType(PLOTTYPE_FLATLINES, 0); 
    setDefaultBarStyle(PS_SOLID, 0);
    setDefaultBarThickness(2, 0);
    setDefaultBarFgColor(Color.blue, 0);   

    setCursorLabelName("TickQ", 1);
    setPlotType(PLOTTYPE_LINE, 1);
    setDefaultBarStyle(PS_SOLID, 1);
    setDefaultBarThickness(2, 1);
    setDefaultBarFgColor(Color.green, 1);

    setCursorLabelName("$ADD", 2);
    setDefaultBarStyle(PS_SOLID, 2);
    setDefaultBarFgColor(Color.blue, 2);
    setDefaultBarThickness(2, 2);
    setPlotType(PLOTTYPE_LINE, 2);

    setCursorLabelName("RTrin", 3);
    setDefaultBarStyle(PS_SOLID, 3);
    setDefaultBarFgColor(Color.magenta, 3);
    setDefaultBarThickness(2, 3);
    setPlotType(PLOTTYPE_LINE, 3);
    
    setStudyMax(1500);
    setStudyMin(-1500);
}
 
var vColor = Color.RGB(101,150,220);
var vLoaded = false;
var barH = null;
var barL = null;
var vNum = 150;         // limits how many bars can be drawn
var BarCntr = 0;
var vSum = 0;
//ACM added following global variables
var vCloseTICK = null;
var vHighTICK = null;
var vLowTICK = null;
var vCloseTICKQ = null;
var vCloseADD = null;
var vCloseTRIN = null;
//end section added by ACM
 
function main() {   
 
    if (vLoaded == false) {
        addBand( 1000, PS_SOLID, 1, Color.grey, "top");
        addBand(    0, PS_SOLID, 1, Color.black, "zero");
        addBand(-1000, PS_SOLID, 1, Color.grey, "bottom");
            //ACM added the following section
        vCloseTICK  = close(sym("$tick"));
        vHighTICK   = high(sym("$tick"));
        vLowTICK    = low(sym("$tick"));
        vCloseTICKQ = close(sym("$tickq"));
        vCloseADD   = close(sym("$add"));
        vCloseTRIN  = close(sym("$trin"));
            //end section added by ACM   
        vLoaded = true;
    }
 
    var vNT = vCloseTICK.getValue(0);        //ACM modified
    if (vNT == null) return;
 

    if (getBarState() == BARSTATE_NEWBAR) {
        if (BarCntr < vNum) {
            BarCntr += 1;
        } else {
            BarCntr = 0;
        }
        barH = vNT;
        barL = vNT;
    }
    
// NY tick is drawn as bars 
// the vNT value returned below is for esignal to draw the horizontal tick marks    
 
    if (isTick() == true || isRawTick() == true) {
        barH = Math.max(barH, vNT);
        barL = Math.min(barL, vNT);
    } else {
        var h = vHighTICK.getValue(0);          //ACM modified
        if (h == null) return;
        var l = vLowTICK.getValue(0);           //ACM modified
        if (l == null) return;
        barH = Math.max(barH, h, vNT);
        barL = Math.min(barL, l, vNT);
    }    
    drawLineRelative(0, barL, 0, barH, PS_SOLID, 2, vColor, "bar" + BarCntr);
 
    var vQT = vCloseTICKQ.getValue(0);        //ACM modified
    if (vQT == null) return;
 
    var vA = vCloseADD.getValue(0);           //ACM modified
    if (vA == null) return;
 
    var vT = vCloseTRIN.getValue(0);          //ACM modified
    if (vT == null) return;
    // invert trin so it sorta fits the same scale
    var vR =  (1.0 - vT) * 1667;
 
    return new Array(
        vNT,
        vQT,
        vA,
        vR
    );
 
}