Amibroker FAQ

[Kylie9090]

This is unbelievably complex. I haven't even begun to try and learn the AFL language. Spent hours just trying to work out how to download data and seperate them in to Sectors. Not only that, but I managed to download the full NYSE stock list last night, but when I go in to the 'New Analysis' window, it does not show up anywhere. Are there people you can pay to come to your house and set it all up for you?

 

[Gringotts Bank]

This is unbelievably complex. I haven't even begun to try and learn the AFL language. Spent hours just trying to work out how to download data and seperate them in to Sectors. Not only that, but I managed to download the full NYSE stock list last night, but when I go in to the 'New Analysis' window, it does not show up anywhere. Are there people you can pay to come to your house and set it all up for you?

Where do you live?

 

[howardbandy]

Hi Kylie --

Instructions for setting up AmiBroker, defining and loading data, and becoming familiar with the user interface and programming are all in my book "Introduction to AmiBroker." You can download a free copy from the book's website:
http://www.introductiontoamibroker.com/

Do not expect it to be easy to develop profitable trading systems. In order to have confidence enough to take the trades signaled by any system, you will need to understand that system and the results it is likely to produce. If you will be running your own systems, you will have to become a sufficiently skilled programmer in the afl language (or the language of whatever platform you decide to use) so that you can write and modify your own systems. And with any system, yours or not yours, you will have to become a sufficiently skilled statistician so that you can determine whether that system is working properly or is broken.

The markets are very nearly efficient. You are in competition with every other trader -- including many who are professional programmers, professional statisticians, well educated, have years of experience, have the best equipment and support staffs. Every profitable trade removes some of the inefficiency that exists, making it increasingly more difficult to be profitable.

Best regards,
Howard

 

[Kylie9090]

Thanks heaps guys for the feedback, but I’m really not getting anywhere. I think I need to take this one step at a time. So, if someone could explain, or point me in the direction of some instructions that a normal human being could understand that would be great. For now, all I want to know is how to download the history of ASX stocks back to 1980 from Yahoo for free and (this is the important bit) import it into Amibroker so that I can actually use it for scanning and back testing.

Any help on this would be very much appreciated.

Regards,
Kylie

 

[Gringotts Bank]

Thanks heaps guys for the feedback, but I’m really not getting anywhere. I think I need to take this one step at a time. So, if someone could explain, or point me in the direction of some instructions that a normal human being could understand that would be great. For now, all I want to know is how to download the history of ASX stocks back to 1980 from Yahoo for free and (this is the important bit) import it into Amibroker so that I can actually use it for scanning and back testing.

Any help on this would be very much appreciated.

Regards,
Kylie

If you can't manage the basics, you will struggle big time with programming and backtesting. Write Amibroker off as a small loss and just sign up to Incredible charts for free and do your scans there. The data is at least reliable on IC, whereas Yahoo's data is useless. It's ok for big US stocks, but not Aus stocks.

Btw, you don't need stock data back to 1980. Markets were very different back then and they change constantly. If you're desperate to use AB, then email Marcin or TJ for help. Try to get Marcin if you can because he is very patient, whereas TJ is very dismissive and rude with beginners.

 

[CanOz]

If you can't manage the basics, you will struggle big time with programming and backtesting. Write Amibroker off as a small loss and just sign up to Incredible charts for free and do your scans there. The data is at least reliable on IC, whereas Yahoo's data is useless. It's ok for big US stocks, but not Aus stocks.

Btw, you don't need stock data back to 1980. Markets were very different back then and they change constantly. If you're desperate to use AB, then email Marcin or TJ for help. Try to get Marcin if you can because he is very patient, whereas TJ is very dismissive and rude with beginners.

What a load of crap....

Keep at it Kylie, just be prepared for some frustrating moments. I wish i could help you with the Yahoo data but i use Premium Data and its such a breeze.

Google Yahoo data and you'll find the Amibroker knowledge base. There is info there on how to integrate US stocks, perhaps a little more sniffing around and you'll find ASX. Once you get serious you'll need good data anyway, as the Yahoo data is not clean quality data.

I remember when i started using Amibroker i wasn't that confident in using it but one thing i was good at was searching...so consider it a learning experience and be patient.

Cheers,


CanOz

 

[Kylie9090]

Thanks CanOz. I was hoping I could get away from having to pay for stock data, but it sounds like Yahoo is not that great. So, I may just have to bite the bullet and subscribe to Premium Data.

I work in IT (networking), so I have a great deal of experience with rude people on forums and the workplace. That’s why I don’t use my real name of course, so I can ask the dumb questions.

I have asked these questions in here because I am very busy and don’t really have the time at the moment to spend hours trying to work this stuff out for myself. As it turns out, I’m glad I did ask, otherwise I would have wasted time trying to manipulate Yahoo data.

I’ve designed entire work applications out of visual basic and have worked with several other programming languages, so there’s no problem there; plus I have a Commerce degree. So it’s not that I can’t manage the basics, I’m just managing my time.

Thanks for the helpful comments from the helpful people.

 

[howardbandy]

Thanks CanOz. I was hoping I could get away from having to pay for stock data, but it sounds like Yahoo is not that great. So, I may just have to bite the bullet and subscribe to Premium Data.

Hi Kylie --

My first preference for data is from a company whose primary business it is to provide high quality data to system developers -- read Norgate Premium Data. In order to get started for less money, you can begin using Yahoo data.

Download my free book, "Introduction to AmiBroker." It explains in detail how to set up the databases using both Norgate and Yahoo.
http://www.introductiontoamibroker.com/

Eventually, if you are able to develop systems you have confidence in, you will probably switch from Yahoo to Norgate. Some of your systems will work the same without any change whatsoever. Others will require minor changes to symbols where Norgate and Yahoo call the same series by different names. Your backtest results between using Norgate and Yahoo will be close but not exactly the same.

The point is -- you can begin using Yahoo data to learn AmiBroker and systems development, avoiding data subscription costs.

Regards,
Howard

 

[colion]

Thanks CanOz. I was hoping I could get away from having to pay for stock data, but it sounds like Yahoo is not that great. So, I may just have to bite the bullet and subscribe to Premium Data.

Yahoo is fine but there have been complaints that I know of from Europe regarding data quality. The quality of any data provider is only as good as their data supplier. In Yahoo's case in the U.S. they are using first class suppliers, including data directly from the exhanges. According to their website, Australian historical data is supplied by the same data suppliers and intraday data is obtained from the exchange but is delayed 20 minutes. Europe and South American data are supplied by a Swiss outfit. All of this information is on their website so you can investigate their data suppliers and judge for yourself if purchasing data is worth it to you. Personally, I use broker trading platforms for intraday work, charting, analysis, etc. (I'm not a system trader) and AmiBroker for EOD work with Yahoo data.

 

[RutheezKey]

Hi All,

OK, I'm working with a loop.

for( idx = 1 ; idx <= 15 ; idx++ ){

Say I want to change the "15" to "6", but would like to do that via a setting in the param-window.

MaxLoopNumber = param( "MaxLoopNumber", 15, 1, 15, 1 );

Then, reconstruct the loop as:

for( idx = 1 ; idx <= MaxLoopNumber ; idx++ ){

OK, why does the loop crash (not complete the desired number of loops).......I appreciate the help that is provided here.

Later,
RutheezKey

 

[howardbandy]

Hi RutheezKey --

If AmiBroker complains about the initial value, final value, and / or increment, try this work-around ---

Set up the loop using the largest values of all those that will be used.
Outside the loop, set a variable to what you want the final value to be for a particular execution of the loop -- call it, say, exitvalue.
Inside the loop, compare the value of the index with exitvalue and use the Break statement to cause an early exit.

Regards,
Howard

 

[RutheezKey]

Thanks HB, that should work great.

 

[Gringotts Bank]

Could someone tell me how to plot a line, using "LineArray"? I want the lines to extend between the high and low fractal pivots, similar to a zigzag, but I want to use something like this instead.

Thanks.

nbar = 5;
//define fractals
PHigh = H > Ref(HHV(H,nbar),-1) AND Ref(HHV(H,nbar),nbar) <= H;
PHighPrice = ValueWhen(PHigh,H);

PLow = L < Ref(LLV(L,nbar),-1) AND Ref(LLV(L,nbar),nbar) >= L;
PLowPrice = ValueWhen(PLow,L);

 

[RutheezKey]

Hi GB,

You'll need the bar-numbers for the x0 & x1 pivots.

PHighPriceBarNumber = ValueWhen( PHigh, BarIndex() );
PLowPriceBarNumber = ValueWhen( PLow, BarIndex() );

The LineArray function needs : x0, y0, x1, y1 (zero is the older)

x0 = ValueWhen( PHigh, BarIndex(), 2 ); // note the higher instance number
x1 = ValueWhen( PHigh, BarIndex(), 1 ); // must be a higher value --- can't draw a vertical line

 

[qldfrog]

strange behaviour in AB?

I try to change the color iof a chart plot based on the difference between 2 close values(current and previous day):

color = IIf ( Close <= (1 * Ref( Close, -1 )), colorRed, colorBlack);
Plot( C, "Close",color, styleLine | styleNoTitle | ParamStyle("Style") | GetPriceStyle() );

please note the 1 value
all good if I use 1-> when the value is lower than the previous day, draw in red, in black otherwise.
all happy but now i want to check if the value is lower by more than 2 percent.
I replace my 1 by 1.02->2%
well now every value is red
If anyone can help: what am I missing?

 

[qldfrog]

strange behaviour in AB?

I try to change the color iof a chart plot based on the difference between 2 close values(current and previous day):

color = IIf ( Close <= (1 * Ref( Close, -1 )), colorRed, colorBlack);
Plot( C, "Close",color, styleLine | styleNoTitle | ParamStyle("Style") | GetPriceStyle() );

please note the 1 value
all good if I use 1-> when the value is lower than the previous day, draw in red, in black otherwise.
all happy but now i want to check if the value is lower by more than 2 percent.
I replace my 1 by 1.02->2%
well now every value is red
If anyone can help: what am I missing?

dohhh what an idiot apologies ....should be 0.98 of course
sorry for the waste of space...

 

[Gringotts Bank]

Hi GB,

You'll need the bar-numbers for the x0 & x1 pivots.

PHighPriceBarNumber = ValueWhen( PHigh, BarIndex() );
PLowPriceBarNumber = ValueWhen( PLow, BarIndex() );

The LineArray function needs : x0, y0, x1, y1 (zero is the older)

x0 = ValueWhen( PHigh, BarIndex(), 2 ); // note the higher instance number
x1 = ValueWhen( PHigh, BarIndex(), 1 ); // must be a higher value --- can't draw a vertical line

Thank you Ruuthheez. Really helpful.

 

[Andrealx]

Hi guys, been lurking around these forums for a while but this is my first time asking for help.

I have just started using Amibroker and have been using it with Premium Data (and wow does PremiumData pump ALOT of watchlists into Ami...gonna take some sifting through and sorting...)

The problem I am having is probably a simple one but for the life of Google I can't seem to find it.

I want to chart the S&P/ASX200 along with all the major sectors on the same chart so I can compare them.

I know the ticker for the ASX200 is XJO and the market sectors are XEJ,XFJ,XIF, etc etc but the problem I am having is trying to get them all on the same chart...

Any help on how to do this would be HUGELY appreciated.

Cheers

 

[captain black]

See method 2 (Relative Performance) in this video:

http://www.amibroker.com/video/TwoSymbolsOneChart.html

 

[CanOz]

See method 2 (Relative Performance) in this video:

http://www.amibroker.com/video/TwoSymbolsOneChart.html

:thankyou:You really are a legend Captain!

&

You really do "learn something new everyday!"


CanOz