graphing accuracies and time intervals

[maoki]

In main( ) I have the following amazingly complex algorithm:

return getValue ("Close", 0, 1, "$COMPQ");

which works fine on daily charts...otherwise its inaccurate.

Any clues anyone? thanks any feedback -m

[dloomis]

Re: Reply to post 'graphing accuracies and time intervals'

What value are you expecting?

getValue ("Close", 0, 1, "$COMPQ"); reports the close of each bar.

If you want the close of the previous day, you need something else


----- Original Message -----
From: <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, January 19, 2003 9:03 PM
Subject: Reply to post 'graphing accuracies and time intervals'


> Hello dloomis,
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>

[maoki]

hi, thanks for the reply. I only expected that the data, which was accurately rendered for a daily chart, also be rendered properly for other chart intervals.

This was not the case, as the resulting graphs look ok but are in fact offset in time, sometimes by as much as several hours.

[gspiker]

Hi,

Could you post an example of output (ie: attach an image of a chart showing what is displayed).

G

[dloomis]

if you plot 2 symbols with different trading times, like msft and $compq, the charts are skewed because the length of a day is not the same.

I am guessing this might be your problem.

[davidw]

Is this what you're referring to ?...

If a security doesn't trade very often, eSignal skips bars/minutes with 0 volume (no trades). So, if you create a formula that compares this one with another that reports trades every bar, the two charts will not match up.

It would be helpful if eSignal would not skip 0-volume bars.

[Lancer]

Don't disregard zero-volume periods

RE: "It would be helpful if eSignal would not skip 0-volume bars."

I agree completely. Fixing this shortcoming should be a high priority. Missing time periods on the x-axis skews the scale and causes problems to where advanced charts are useless for a variety of situations. Advanced charts need a properties option to select/de-select display of zero-volume time periods.

[maoki]

hi, thanks for the insights into the various gotchas! Here (I hope) is a screen shot. Both charts are 60 minute at 7:00 on 1-16-03 (the GREEN vertical line), and you can see that the nasdaq composite index is offset in time.

The only way I can get my composite index overlay to agree perfectly with the composite index chart is on a daily chart setting.
Otherwise it is skewed in time as shown.

[maoki]

Trying again to attach pic...hope it appears here:

[gspiker]

Hi,

Here is my suggestion, it has fixed similar problems.

You are using a dynamic time template TT. Instead, define an intraday default (I-default) TT that is 30, 60 or 90 days and give trading hours between 6:30 and 1:00 (that's for PST, use whatever times are correct for your area).

I suspect things will line up much better.

[maoki]

That did it!!!

hehehe...Im live with an overlay composite index...yippee! Now, if I can only auto-offset it...but I need opening price for that...and thats another thread anyways...

Thanks!!! And thanks everyone for all those other gotchas...damn, missing time bars are in my future? Thought that only happened to UFO abductees

btw, there are no discussions concerning 'time templates' in the online or printed docs...in fact the printed doc is simply a parrot of the online help in that area. Time 2 dig!

happy trading tomorrow all

[optimist]

I'd also like to bark about this problem. I posted a msg about this in the wrong place (the beta group), I'll do it again here just for completeness.

The problem with using a time template solution for this, is that if whatever you're tracking trades 24 hrs, then any moving averages, etc, will be wrong if you try to apply a time template that is only 9:30 - 16:00.

If the problem is really that esig is skipping 0-volume bars, then there should be a switch to turn that off.

I'm trying to use close(0,1,"$VIX") in a efs applied to NQ and backtesting is impossible since vix trades from 9:45 to 16:00 and
NQ trades almost 24 hrs.

[whiterhino]

Yes, Please, e-signal, provide a way to make the advance charts NOT skip time when no trade occurs. I am spending an extra 1/2 hr each day using standard charts for things I would do in advanced charts in 5 minutes because of this. Why did advance charts even debut without this feature??

[tbodnar]

This problem has me concerned too.

Trendlines will lose their meaning if zero-volume bars are dropped and time is therefore no longer measured off equally on the x-axis.

[pflash50]

Hello eSignal,

What is the status on fixing this Really Bad design boo-boo?