AmiBroker 4.85.0 Beta Read Me

August 15, 2006 21:31

THIS IS A BETA VERSION OF THE SOFTWARE. EXPECT BUGS !!!

Backup your data files and entire AmiBroker folder first!

INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

IMPORTANT: This archive is update-only. You have to install full version 4.80 first.

Just run the installer and follow the instructions.

Then run AmiBroker. You should see "AmiBroker 4.85.0 beta" written in the About box.

See CHANGE LOG below for detailed list of changes.

CHANGE LOG

CHANGES FOR VERSION 4.85.0 (as compared to 4.84.0)

• AFL: Added DateTimeConvert function (FC#: 297)
  DateTimeConvert( format, date, time = Null )
  
  The function allows to convert from DateTime format to DateNum and TimeNum and vice versa.
  
  format parameter controls the direction of conversion:
  
  format = 0 - converts DateTime format to DateNum format, example
  
  mydatenum = DateTimeConvert( 0, DateTime() );// - this returns DateNum
  
  date argument should be in datetime formattime argument in this case should not be used
  
  format = 1 - converts DateTime format to TimeNum format, example:
  
  mytimenum = DateTimeConvert( 1, DateTime() ); // - returns timenum
  
  date argument should be in datetime formattime argument in this case should not be used
  
  format = 2 - converts from DateNum and optionally TimeNum to DateTime format, example:
  
  mydatetime = DateTimeConvert( 2, DateNum(), TimeNum() );
  
  date argument should be in datenum formattime argument (optional) should be in timenum format. In case of EOD data you can skip time argument:
  
  mydatetime = DateTimeConvert( 2, DateNum() );
  
  
• K-ratio is now reported with 4 decimal places (FC#: 357)
  
  
• Added 'left side' display option to horizontal line labels and fixed problem with label sometimes disappearing (completed: 2006-08-15) (FC#: 342)
  
  
• AFL: fgetstatus( filename, what, format = 0 )
  Implemented
  
  fgetstatus( filename, what, format = 0 )
  
  function that retrieves file properties/status.
  
  Returns NUMBER or STRING depending on format parameter
  If file does not exist it returns Null.
  
  Parameters:
  
  filename - the name of the file (with or without full path) to query
  what - specifies what file property to retrieve, allowable values
  0 - the date/time the file was created
  1 - the date/time the file was last modified
  2 - the date/time the file was last accessed for reading
  3 - the file size in bytes
  4 - attribute byte of the file
  
  format - specifies return format of date/time values (format specifications are the same as in Now() function):
  allowed values:
  0 - returns string containing date/time formatted according to system settings
  1 - returns string containing date only formatted according to system settings
  2 - returns string containing time only formatted according to system settings
  3 - returns DATENUM number with date
  4 - returns TIMENUM number with time
  5 - returns DATETIME number with date/time
  6 - returns date DAY (1..31)
  7 - returns date MONTH (1..12)
  8 - returns date YEAR (four digit)
  9 - returns date DAY OF WEEK (1..7, where 1=Sunday, 2=Monday, and so on)
  10 - returns date DAY OF YEAR (1..366)
  
  Note that Windows supports only 2 second resolution of file date/time stamps.
  
  Example:
  
  // get modification date string of portfolio.afl file
fgetstatus("formulas\\Equity\\portfolio.afl",1,0);
  
• AFL: GetTradingInterface uses WaitForInputIdle now instead of fixed interval wait when launching IB interface
  
  
• Disabled snapping to pixel resolution after manual editing of drawings #32071

CHANGES FOR VERSION 4.84.0 (as compared to 4.83.1)

• Added GradientFillSlow code to support gradients on printers and metafiles which do not support them natively (completed: 2006-07-28)
  
  
• Added GraphGridZOrder variable to control when grid lines are plotted (completed: 2006-07-31) (ext.ID: 351)
  When you specify
  GraphGridZOrder = 1;
  then grid lines are plotted on top of any charts
  
  
• AFL: new function RequestTimedRefresh( interval, onlyvisible = True ) (completed: 2006-08-06)
  
  RequestTimedRefresh( interval, onlyvisible = True )
  
  - causes given indicator window to refresh automatically every <interval> seconds regardless of data source used or connection state.
  
  interval parameter defines timeout in seconds between refreshes. AmiBroker attempts to align refreshes to second boundaryso if you call it RequestTimedRefresh( 5 ) you should get refreshes at 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 and 55 second of the minute.Due to the way how regular (low overhead) timers are implemented in Windows they have accurracy of +/-55ms providedthat CPU is not very busy. Don't expect to get first line of your code to execute exactly at .000 milliseconds. This varies depending on machine load, number of quotes, system time slice and tens of other factors.Usually (on my testing machines) the first line of the code executes anywhere in the first 100 ms of the second, provided that other processes do not interfere. Windows is not real-time operating system and it does not guarantee any fixed execution/reaction times.
  
  onlyvisible parameter set to True (default value) means that refreshes are triggered only for visible and not minimised windows. This applies also to main AmiBroker window - when it is minimised charts are NOT refreshed by default. To force refreshes when window is minimised you need to set this parameter to False. Note that this visibility applies to mostly to 'minimised' state or the situation when you move chart outside the boundary of physical screen so it is not visible to an eye but still open. It does not apply to chart windows that are on placed on inactive sheets, as they do not really exist until they are shown (this way AmiBroker conserves memory and CPU) and as non-existing, can not be refreshed.
  
  Example:
  
  RequestTimedRefresh( 5 ); // automatically refresh this particular chart every 5 seconds
  
  Hint: to detect whenever given refresh comes from timer or user action you can use Status("redrawaction") function. It returns 0 for regular refresh (user action) and 1 for timer-refresh
  
  
• AFL: Status("redrawaction") added (completed: 2006-08-06)
  Status function now supports new field: redrawaction
  
  Status("redrawaction")
  
  It returns 0 (zero) for regular refreshes, and 1 for refreshes triggered via RequestTimedRefresh(). Note that in the future more return values can be added.
  
  Example:
  
  if( Status("redrawaction") ==1 )
{
_TRACE("\nTIMED REFRESH"+Now());
}
RequestTimedRefresh(1);


• CreateStaticObject() actually calls internal CreateStaticObject :-) - for some reason it was calling regular CreateObject() instead. (completed: 2006-07-27)
  
  
• Fixed problem with HoldMinDays sometimes allowing exit too soon (completed: 2006-07-29)
  
  
• Fixed: Custom metric sort problem in optimization result list (occurred in 4.83 only) (completed: 2006-07-29) (ext.ID: 345)
  
  
• Pane resizing algorithm changed so if you drag the divider between panes only neighbouring panes are resized (others remain unchanged)
  
  
• Real time quote parent window has WS_CLIPCHILDREN style in order to fix some minor redraw issue (completed: 2006-07-31)
  

CHANGES FOR VERSION 4.83.1 (as compared to 4.83.0)

• Fix to FC#302 caused problems with calling COM properties with parameters. This is now fixed.

CHANGES FOR VERSION 4.83.0 (as compared to 4.82.0)

• Added detection of multiple copies of plugins for the same data source (completed: 2006-07-26)
  This (multiple copies of the plugins for same data source) was causing problems and lots of support issues because people were using old plugins even if they installed (newer) copy of the plugin. This was so becasue AB always used first one encountered in given directory and it usually was the oldest one. Now AB displays warning message that there are multiple copies of the same plugin and then they must be renamed or removed.
  
  
• Added HoldMinDays and EarlyExitDays options to SetOption() (completed: 2006-07-27)
  In addition to already exitsing functionality of HoldMinBars / EarlyExitBars, new options to specify min hold/penalty period in CALENDAR DAYS (as opposed to bars).
  
  SetOption("HoldMinDays", 30 ); // set minimum holding period to 30 calendar days
SetOption("EarlyExitDays", 90 ); // set penalty period to 90 calendar days
  
  Note that you can use one or another (not both at the same time) for one parameter, so you can specify minimum holding period in either days or bars (but not both at the same time). The same with EarlyExit period. You may however use different specifications (i.e. days/bars) for EarlyExit and HoldMin (they are independent from each other).
  
  
  
• Added scoreExitAll constant that causes rotational mode backtester to exit all positions regardless of HoldMinBars (completed: 2006-07-27)
  Note that this is global flag and it is enough to set it for just any single symbol to exit all currently open positions, no matter on which symbol you use scoreExitAll (it may be even on symbol that is not currently held). By setting PositionScore to scoreExitAll you exit all positions immediatelly regardless of HoldMinBars setting.
  
  Example:
  
  PositionScore = ..your normal score..
// if market timing signal goes negative close all posiitons
PositionScore = IIf( MarketTimingSignal < 0, scoreExitAll, PositionScore );
  
  NOTE: This flag works ONLY in rotational trading mode (in regular mode it is easy to generate such global exit by ORing sell signal with global sell signal).
  
  
• CBT: Added ExitReason property to Trade object (completed: 2006-07-18) (FC#: 88)
  
  
• Chart Tree - RMB - Edit - now restores and focuses to already opened formula editor (if it is during editing) (completed: 2006-07-24) (FC#: 300)
  Note that you can still open NEW instance of the editor with the very same file (for comparison and to see the original contents) by holding down SHIFT key when choosing "EDIT" menu.
  
  
• Eliminated extra unnecessary refreshes of commentary window when new symbol was picked from ticker selector (completed: 2006-07-24)
  
  
• Fixed calling parameter-less JScript functions from AFL level via GetScriptObject() (completed: 2006-07-19) (FC #: 302)
  
  
• Fixed: wrong estimated time in progress dialog when number of steps is greater than 2^32 (4294967296) (allocated to: 4.80.2) (completed: 2006-07-24)
  
  
• AFL: Added Gradient background coloring (SetChartBkGradientFill function) (completed: 2006-07-26)
  Gradient fill of chart interior is now available via SetChartBkGradientFill function.
  Please note that this is independent from chart background color (background color fills entire pane, gradient fill is only for actual chart interior, so axes area is not affected by gradient fill)
  
  SetChartBkGradientFill( topcolor, bottomcolor, titlebkcolor = default )
  
  topcolor - specifies top color of the gradient fill
  bottomcolor - specifies bottom color of the gradient fill
  titlebkcolor - (optional) the background color of title text. If not specified then top color is automatically used for title background.
  
  Example:
  
  SetChartBkGradientFill( ParamColor("BgTop", colorWhite),ParamColor("BgBottom", colorLightYellow));
  
  
• Multiple tabs in RTQ window (completed: 2006-07-18) (FC#: 22)
  RT quote window tabs behave the same as chart tabs: can be renamed with right mouse button and dragged from one place to another.
  20 tabs are currently available.
  
  
• Non-numeric custom trade metrics are not formatted with thousands separators anymore (completed: 2006-07-21) (FC#: 314)
  
  
• now Tools->Preferences->Misc "Decimal places in RT quote window" allows to specify upto 6 decimal places. (completed: 2006-07-25)
  
  
• OLE: Fixed default property (Item) marker for Windows collection (completed: 2006-07-18)
  
  
• Progress dialog: now estimated time is displayed in years/days if it is large enough (completed: 2006-07-24)
  
  

CHANGES FOR VERSION 4.82.0 (as compared to 4.81.1)

• OLE: Quotations collection does not have _Item hidden property so it should fix problems with Delphi
• OLE: fixed Documents collection Item method returning always first document object regardless of parameter value
• OLE: Documents collection prepared to support multiple document types
• OLE Added Windows collection, Document property and Activate and Close methods to Window object (FC #272)
  
  Windows collection has one method:
  
  Add - adds new window
  
  and two properties:
  
  Count - returns the number of windows within given document
  
  Item( i ) - returns the i-th window object
  
  
  Window object has two new methods:
  
  Activate() - makes window active (focused)
  Close() - closes given window
  
  and one new property:
  
  Document - gives parent document object
  
  EXAMPLE CODE (JScript):

  outBuffer = ""; // global output string buffer
  
  function output( string )
  {
     outBuffer = outBuffer + string + "\n";
  }
  
  AB = new ActiveXObject( "Broker.Application");
  
  Docs = AB.Documents;
  DocsQty = Docs.Count;
  
  for( i = 0; i < DocsQty; i++ )
  {
     Doc = Docs( i );
  
     output( "Document " + i + " name : " + Doc.Name );
  
     Windows = Doc.Windows;
     WinsQty = Windows.Count;
  
     for( j = 0; j < WinsQty; j++ )
     {
  	    Win = Windows( j ); 
  
  		output( "  Window " + j + " Selected tab " + Win.SelectedTab );
     }
  
  } 
  
  WScript.echo( outBuffer );
  
  WScript.echo( "Now will add one window" );
  Doc = Docs( 0 );
  Windows = Doc.Windows;
  
  NewWindow = Windows.Add();
  
  WScript.echo( "and close it" );
  
  NewWindow.Close();
  

• New menu Symbol->Favorities and new item "Erase favourities" to empty the list of favourities (FC#: 280)
  
• Horizonal line value label added (use new Study properties -> Show Y Value checkbox available for horizonal lines) (FC# 271)
  
• Fixed crash when clicking on Watch List using RMB (problem occurred in 4.81 beta) (FC# 243)
  
• Fix: Status('lastvisiblebarindex") and Status("lastvisblebar") now return zero based index instead of one-based (FC# 265)
  
• Fix: removed spikes from styleCloud when plotted in non-continouous way (with nulls in the middle of the array) (FC# 283)
  
• Fix rounding problem in AA in futures mode when difference between entry and exit prices was very small and pointvalue large (added extra rounding to profit calculation) (FC# 135)
  
• Delete key now works in real time quote window (FC# 266)
  
• AddTextColumn produces now LEFT-justified output (FC# 291)
  

CHANGES FOR VERSION 4.81.1 (as compared to 4.81.0)

• fixed problem with some of the watch lists not showing up in 4.81.0

• Database structure changed to hold new fundamental data - quarterly EAT/EBT/Sales figures, Code and Nominal value have been replaced by new fields.
  
  Despite these changes files are still backward and forward compatible - so it can be read by any other AB version, the only minor inconvenience is that if you load new file into old version (pre-4.81) of AmiBroker you will see weird numbers in old "Finances" dialog as well as in "Shares out." and "Book Value" fields.
  
  
• Implemented new View->Information property page featuring extra fundamental data fields
  
  
• OLE: added new fundamental data fields to Stock object
  
  Stock object has now the following properties:
  
  string Ticker;
  Collection Quotations;
  string FullName;
  boolean Index;
  boolean Favourite;
  boolean Continuous;
  long MarketID;
  long GroupID;
  float Beta;
  float SharesOut;
  float BookValuePerShare;
  float SharesFloat;
  string Address;
  string WebID;
  string Alias;
  boolean IsDirty;
  long IndustryID;
  long WatchListBits;
  long DataSource;
  long DataLocalMode;
  float PointValue;
  float MarginDeposit;
  float RoundLotSize;
  float TickSize;
  long WatchListBits2;
  string Currency;
  string LastSplitFactor;
  DATE LastSplitDate;
  float DividendPerShare;
  DATE DividendPayDate;
  DATE ExDividendDate;
  float PEGRatio;
  float ProfitMargin;
  float OperatingMargin;
  float OneYearTargetPrice;
  float ReturnOnAssets;
  float ReturnOnEquity;
  float QtrlyRevenueGrowth;
  float GrossProfitPerShare;
  float SalesPerShare;
  float EBITDAPerShare;
  float QtrlyEarningsGrowth;
  float InsiderHoldPercent;
  float InstitutionHoldPercent;
  float SharesShort;
  float SharesShortPrevMonth;
  float ForwardDividendPerShare;
  float ForwardEPS;
  float EPS;
  float EPSEstCurrentYear;
  float EPSEstNextYear;
  float EPSEstNextQuarter;
  float OperatingCashFlow;
  float LeveredFreeCashFlow;
  
  
• AFL: new function GetFnData() - allows accessing fundamental data
  
  SYNTAX: GetFnData("field")
  RETURNS: number
  
  "field" can be one of the following:
  
  "EPS"
  "EPSEstCurrentYear"
  "EPSEstNextYear"
  "EPSEstNextQuarter"
  "PEGRatio"
  "SharesFloat"
  "SharesOut"
  "DividendPayDate"
  "ExDividendDate"
  "BookValuePerShare"
  "DividendPerShare"
  "ProfitMargin"
  "OperatingMargin"
  "OneYearTargetPrice"
  "ReturnOnAssets"
  "ReturnOnEquity"
  "QtrlyRevenueGrowth"
  "GrossProfitPerShare"
  "SalesPerShare"
  "EBITDAPerShare"
  "QtrlyEarningsGrowth"
  "InsiderHoldPercent"
  "InstitutionHoldPercent"
  "SharesShort"
  "SharesShortPrevMonth"
  "ForwardDividendPerShare"
  "ForwardEPS"
  "OperatingCashFlow"
  "LeveredFreeCashFlow"
  "Beta"
  "LastSplitRatio"
  "LastSplitDate"
  
  
• ASCII importer: added support for new fundamental data fields :
  
  $FORMAT command now supports additional fields:
  
  DIV_PAY_DATE
  EX_DIV_DATE
  LAST_SPLIT_DATE
  LAST_SPLIT_RATIO
  EPS
  EPS_EST_CUR_YEAR
  EPS_EST_NEXT_YEAR
  EPS_EST_NEXT_QTR
  FORWARD_EPS
  PEG_RATIO
  BOOK_VALUE (requires SHARES_OUT to be specified as well)
  BOOK_VALUE_PER_SHARE
  EBITDA
  PRICE_TO_SALES (requires CLOSE to be specified as well)
  PRICE_TO_EARNINGS (requires CLOSE to be specified as well)
  PRICE_TO_BV (requires CLOSE to be specified as well)
  FORWARD_PE (requires CLOSE to be specified as well)
  REVENUE
  SHARES_SHORT
  DIVIDEND
  ONE_YEAR_TARGET
  MARKET_CAP (requires CLOSE to be specified as well - it is used to calculate shares outstanding)
  SHARES_FLOAT
  SHARES_OUT
  PROFIT_MARGIN
  OPERATING_MARGIN
  RETURN_ON_ASSETS
  RETURN_ON_EQUITY
  QTRLY_REVENUE_GROWTH
  GROSS_PROFIT
  QTRLY_EARNINGS_GROWTH
  INSIDER_HOLD_PERCENT
  INSTIT_HOLD_PERCENT
  SHARES_SHORT_PREV
  FORWARD_DIV
  OPERATING_CASH_FLOW
  FREE_CASH_FLOW
  BETA
  
  
  (see Formats\aqfe.format and Formats\aqfn.format files for example usage)
  

  
  
• Removed Stock->Information and Stock->Finances dialogs (this functionality is replaced by View->Information - new dockable property window)
  
  
• AFL: new function StrReplace( string, oldsubstring, newsubstring )
  
  
• Fixed crash occuring sometimes if "Symbol->Watch List->Type-in" symbol was longer than maximum allowable length (allocated to: 4.80.2)
  
  
• Foreign() function changed. Now by default missing data bar OHL fields are filled using previous bar Close and volume is set to zero.
  It is possible to turn old behaviour (filling missing bar OHL fields using previous bar OHL fields and copying previous bar volume) if you use
  Fixup parameter set to 2.
  Foreign("MSFT","O", 2 ); // old-style (pre-4.81) fill
  
  
• Scaling-in profit% calculations modified to use total cost instead of max. pos value
  
  
• ships with AmiQuote 1.90 featuring automatic download and import of fundamental data from Yahoo Finance. See AmiQuote\ReadMe2.html for the details.
  

• Changed %profit calculation when scaling-in is used to use maximum number of shares ever held as a “base” of %profit calculation - this leads to “most conservative” % figures, compared to using just initial entry value.
  
• Prec() function improved so it does not show rounding errors when working on integer

• fixed problem with Easy Alert window not accepting new alerts in some circumstances
  
• included new IB plugin version 1.6.2 (FC issue #54)

If you experience any problem with this beta version please send detailed description of the problem (especially the steps needed to reproduce it) to bugs at amibroker.com