New Documentation request

[mbriand]

Hello all,

When will we have a EFS reference guide with all the new features that are mostly undocumented right now ?

Thanks

[AndyS]

Hi Matt,

We are still finalizing the documentation that we'll put altogether in one place at the eSignalCentral/Support site. However, we have placed updated help files in the download of 7.1. So within eSignal you can get help on the new features.

We do have some documentation on EFS & Backtesting. Go to the links below;

Backtest:
http://www.esignalcentral.com/training/advcharting/BackTesting.asp
EFS Routines:
http://www.esignal.com/partners/studies/developers/default.asp#jscript

Thanks,

Hello all,

When will we have a EFS reference guide with all the new features that are mostly undocumented right now ?

Thanks

Andrew W. Smith | Service Operations Manager | www.esignal.com

[EdKoF]

Request for one pdf file

Once you finish the new documentation, I would apreciate it if it could be available in one big pdf file.

Thanks,

Edo.

[mattgundersen]

in the mean time, there is a collection of docs at:

http://share.esignal.com/groupcontents.jsp?folder=Docs&groupid=1

and

http://www.esignalcentral.com/training/esignal/default.asp

[gansoro]

Documentation

I don't mean to be a pest because I know the request for more thorough documentation has already been made. However, I am hopeful that my added request will lend additional weight to the subject.

I have been beating my head against the perverbial wall trying to write a trading system (fairly complicated... calling other self written functions, etc.) using efs. However, the lack of documentation is killing me. I have a bachelors degree in computer science, although it has been some time since I have done any serious programming (my career lead me in another direction). I only mention that so you will know that I am not a weekend hobbiest when it comes to programming. I can learn a new language, but I need complete documentation to do so. I have thought to myself, if it is tough for me to program because of a lack of documentation, what must it be like for the average non-computer programmer eSignal user.

Anyway, PLEASE make it a priority to put together a full blown set of documentation, including explanations and samples of EVERY built in function, reserved words, studies, functions, how to stuff, why this and why that, etc. I have already reviewed every bit of documentation (numerous times) that I can find on the website (including this forum and the file sharing area) and I am still struggling with the language... very frustrating. I am left to experiment and use a trial and error method of figuring out how to use various aspects of the language. Thanks for the documentation that is already available, but it is very sparse and incomplete. PLEASE beef it up as soon as possible.

[gansoro]

What does it mean when there is a "var" statement above the preMain()? For example, I'm trying to decifer the code snipet below.

...

var study = new MACDStudy(12,26,9, "Close", false);

function preMain() {
setPriceStudy(false);
}

var nHPrice = 0;
// var nStop = 2;

function main() {
var MAC = study.getValue(MACDStudy.MACD);
var MSIG = study.getValue(MACDStudy.SIGNAL);
var nPrice;
...

Please explain the "var" statements in the above code snipet. What does it mean when there is a "." in the statment definition?

How do I call another function without creating an endless loop? Does this have something to do with placing the "var" statement above preMain()?

Please give me some specific examples of BOTH sides of the "call" and "callFunction" commands.

[gspiker]

Any variable defined outside of Main or PreMain has its values maintained through iterations of main(). It doesn't matter if it above preMain(), or between main() and PreMain() or after
main(), just as long as it isn't defined inside a function definintion.

EFS is bascially JavaScript with extensions to support eSignal data and drawing. Things like "What does it mean when there is a "." in the statment definition?" are explained in JavaScript doc's and tutorials. One such place I use to find answer is Here:Here

Others are listed on the eSignal Advanced Chart page Here

look under "learn about java script". I understand it isn't clear when you start what is generic JavaScript and what is EFS specific, but you can catch on pretty quickly.

Now about those "." in the definition. You are bascally invoking a method of a object (very similar to the way C++ and Java do it). You don't state when you got your degree, so I'm not sure if you touched either of those languages, or object programing as a whole. But it is similar to calling a function that has been defined in a routine. Therefore in this case we are calling the getValue function of the study routine (to use older computer speak).

How do I call another function without creating an endless loop? Does this have something to do with placing the "var" statement above preMain()?

No it has nothing to do with preMain(), as described above. I'm not sure why you think calling anoother function would do this. Can you describe what you are trying to do? I call other efs formula's and builtin studies all the time.

Please give me some specific examples of BOTH sides of the "call" and "callFunction" commands.

The call() and callFunction() functions are used to call other efs formula's. The call() function will cause a new instance of the fomula to be created and the formula to be iterated on all bars. With CallFunction() it is more like calling a sub routine, there are no new instantiations and no additional iterations of bars. This is primarily to allow you to define often used routines in a single file and call them as many different formula's as you want.

There is a good write up on this here:

http://www.esignalcentral.com/traini...rting/call.asp

[gansoro]

Thanks Garth. Your reply was very helpful. I solved the endless loop problem. You are right, I may be a little, or a lot, behind the times with regard to newer programming languages. I got my bachelors degree in 1985. I have some experience programming in C (there was no C++ at the time)... a long time ago. I wrote a compiler in C when I was in college.

I'm muddling through... slowly. However, I am sure you are right. I think I will be able to pick it up pretty quickly, especially with the help of the link you posted for Java documentation.

[EdKoF]

Please keep thread on topic

This thread is about New Documentation. Any questions concerning efs, please post in a correspondening (or new) thread in this section.

Thank you for helping to keep things organized around here.

Cheers,

Edo.

[gspiker]

If you read CAREFULLY, you will see that the post requested doc's (initial post), some of which already existed (my post). I think fit the bill for documentaions needs (or lack there-of).