decimals in data

[InvGrp2]

Are there any plans to be able to adjust the way the price is displayed on the price scale.

As an example 6E (euro) shows 124470 but its actually 1.2447, AB (russell) shows 59050 but is actually 590.50.

The GB and ET are correct.

I know this a small request but it sure would be convenient.

Bruce

[ACM]

Bruce
Actually eSignal's quotes are displayed correctly as they replicate those posted by the exchange.
The image below is the quote window from my Globex terminal showing in the order the contracts for the S&P500, Nasdaq100, Russell2000, Euro, Yen and emini Crude futures.
Alex

[ralan]

Sorry, I don't buy it.

I've already posted on this topic, but I wanted to add my two cents here.

Alexis claims in both threads that eSignal is correct because that's how the exchanges send it. Well, sorry, that may be how eSignal receives it, but the values ARE NOT CORRECT if they don't have the decimal points in the right places.

Prices for futures are established by the exchanges with specific contract specifications. One of these is the tic size and corresponding tic value. These are not raw like the numbers eSignal publishes.

I have many, many, MANY programs, functions, algorithms etc already programmed that assume the data coming in is properly scaled to the scale established by the contract specifications. And ALL that code breaks using eSignal's raw data. This really kinda sucks. In order for me to use eSignal data, I will have to write a processor to 'fix' the data as I get it.

I used to have to do that with the OLD eSignal, but at least back then they included a scaling factor in the data records. They seem
to have dropped that which makes it even harder for me to get my data corrected.

And Alexis, one other thing. Your claim that exchanges report in 'points' isn't totally correct. While people/traders may think of their markets price movements in points, the truth is that many of the futures contracts are quoted in things like cents per bushel.
Doesn't the term cents imply a decimal point. I guess not to eSignal. In markets like these, I certainly don't think in terms of points, I think in terms of dollars and cents which ALWAYS have decimal places in the real world.

ralan

[ACM]

ralan
Perhaps you may not have noticed that I use a Globex terminal which is provided by the CME with their own software and connects directly to their feed and as you can see in the image posted earlier there are no decimals.
Alex

[ScottJ]

For our response to this same subject matter, please review this other thread.

Thanks.

[InvGrp2]

J-Trader is the order platform I use and it shows data one way and eSignal shows data another way.

It would be nice to be able to adjust the way the data is displayed in eSignal so they match.

Bruce

[ralan]

Globex

Alexis,

I'll be the first to admit, that most seat-of-the-pants traders who stare at the same 'wrong' data all day get used to using it in that manner. And people in the pits absolutely do think in terms of points.

But for quants like me, having data in the wrong scale leads to chaos if you don't know about the shift in the decimal. If programmed algorithms are expecting one thing and get another...

I can easily rectify the problem in code. The problem is, I shouldn't have to. As a data provider I would think you would want to provide futures prices in the scale dictated by the contract specifications themselves.

All,

I can't seem to find anything on the base code that ScottJ alluded to. If someone could put me onto the documentation for that it would be greatly appreciated!! It definitely used to exist, but I can't seem to find anything on it in its current incarnation.

ralan

[ACM]

ralan
FYI I am not a data provider as I an not an employee of eSignal but an eSignal user and trader (of futures only BTW)
Alex

[ralan]

Alex,

Sorry for the confusion regarding your role in here.

The fact that you trade futures off a Globex terminal and are used to it doesn't change the fact that a few of us in here (as you can see from some of the posts) are bothered by the fact we can't get out of eSignal what we get out of other data providers and brokers, which is correctly scaled prices (in those few cases where it's not right).

But, at least in my case, if I can get access to the Base Code documentation I'll be a happy camper. And I'm not trying to stir up a hornets nest. Just trying to understand what I'm getting and why it's like it is.

ralan

[ralan]

further info on decimal points

After working with the ActiveX development kit a bit more, the problem with the decimal points is even more confusing than I thought. I was led, by the following quote to expect NO decimal points...

"First off, by choice, we are quoting futures in whole numbers and not inserting a decimal point. The FAQ that Alex pointed to explains why"

Well, here's yesterday's Australian Dollar data as retrieved through the ActiveX platform.

op: 0.7507
hi: 0.7525
lo: 0.7451
cl: 0.75

As you can see, there are indeed decimal points being returned, despite the claim in the quote above. I presume the quote is regarding the eSignal screen only and not the ActiveX kit, because the quote is obviously wrong in terms of the kit.

And in this case, unlike the heating oil example the other day, the points are in the right place. So the ActiveX data is being returned inconsistently in terms of decimal points.

I will do a more thorough analysis of right/wrong decimals by market after 1:30 pm PST when my end-of-day rights kick in. I can't test any of this until then.

Alex,

I think some of our confusion has been that you are actually using the eSignal screen, whereas I'm only talking about the data returned via the ActiveX kit. I never look at the eSignal screen.
That's not how I trade.

ralan

[ScottJ]

Hi Ralan,

If you re-read that referenced thread you'll see I was referencing what was being displayed on the desktop in eSignal. Since I'm not on the developer side, I can't attest to the exact formats being retrieved from the source code itself.

Thanks.

[ralan]

Scott,

Yes, I believe most of the confusion was caused by my belief that the eSignal product itself and the ActiveX kit would display the same behaviors.

It's obvious to me now that most of the early discussion was strictly regarding the eSignal product. It's also obvious that they don't deliver the same behaviors (I'm not going to get into that one).

As long as I can model the behaviors from the ActiveX kit, and assume those behaviors are and will be consistent, then I can adjust my code to work with the data.

Despite the missing Base Code, and the decimal place in the wrong place for some markets, I can make this feed work for me. So despite its apparent shortcomings I plan to move ahead with it.

An enhanced, upgraded, improved ActiveX kit would be a great gift to all of us individual developer/traders. That said, I think I'm done with this thread. I'm more than happy to go off-line with any other developers grappling with this issue.

ralan