close() - only partial data retrieved

[joedonne]

Why is it when I build an indicator based on data from a different symbol (for example: "$UVOL") from the main chart (for example, "SP #F"), only a small subset of the inidata data, "$UVOL", is displayed.

For example, the main chart ("SP #F") displays data for the whole of August, but the indicator based on the close value (close(0,"UVOL") only displays values for the last two days?

[eSignal_JasonK]

Hello Joe,

Please post a chart image of what you are seeing and your formula code. You should be able to see data for $UVOL using close(0, 1, "$UVOL").

[joedonne]

Jason

Thanks for the reply. Here's the code:

function preMain() {
setComputeOnClose(true);
setPlotType(PLOTTYPE_HISTOGRAM);
setStudyTitle("NETVOL");
setCursorLabelName("NETVOL");
setDefaultBarFgColor(Color.white);
}


function main() {

var vADVDEC = close(0,1,"$VOLD");
if(vADVDEC== null) return;

return vADVDEC;
}

[eSignal_JasonK]

Hello joedonne,

When you access price data of an external symbol using close() or getValue(), the formula will only grab a certain amount of historical data. If you open another chart, set it to $VOLD and scroll back in time past the 29th, you'll force more data to load. Reload your chart with the formula and you should then see the historical data update.

Before:


After loading more $VOLD data in another chart:

[joedonne]

Jason

Thanks for looking into this. Unfortunately, the indicator I'm using is based on four external symbols, so it would mean loading four charts (or one chart and scrolling through four symbols so that the data is cached locally?) and scrolling back for each chart. I could do this, but it seems a lot of effort. I do have a copy of Metastock Pro, which does have a security() function that retrieves data for external symbols (online or offline) upon which a custom indicator can be based. (Unfortuantely, Metastock Pro's formula language and structure leaves a lot to be desired.) So, perhaps, this is one for the suggestion box: that custom indicators automatically request historical data for external symbols they may reference when the main chart is scrolled back.

Thanks again for your time and help.
Joe

[ACM]

Joe
Have you tried using Time Templates that load a specific number of days rather than Dynamic?
I used the formula you posted and it will plot all the data without having to first load the symbol and scroll back (see image below).
Alex

[joedonne]

Alex, thanks for the reply. Yes, changing the time template from dynamic mode to fixed number of days does fix this problem.

Unfortunately, the only issue I have now is that because the main chart is a CME symbol (SP #F) with trading hours from 9:30 to 16:15 EST, and the custom indicator is based on a NYSE symbol ($VOLD) with trading hours from 9:30 to 16:00 EST, there's a daily fifteen minute discrepancy between the main chart and the indicator (or a fifteen period discrepancy as I'm using 1 minute bars).

It seems that Esignal loads the data for the main chart first, then loads the data for the custom indicator and doesn't take into consideration the time difference between the two symbols - see attached chart.

Is there anyway of applying different time templates to the main chart and the custom indicator? Or will I have to do tricky coding to sync the chart the custom indicator. Or will I have to lose the last fifteen minutes on the main chart (SP #F)?

Thanks
Joe

[ACM]

Joe

Is there anyway of applying different time templates to the main chart and the custom indicator? Or will I have to do tricky coding to sync the chart the custom indicator. Or will I have to lose the last fifteen minutes on the main chart (SP #F)?

No, you cannot apply two different Time Templates and unless you have some way to sync the study through efs the best solution I know of is to always apply the Time Template for the symbol with the shorter trading hours

Alex