Instrument Descriptions

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synonym
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Instrument Descriptions

Postby synonym » 26 Feb 2009

Hi
i've recently purchased MC and i'm just inputting the symbols i want generally getting my workspaces and charts setting as i like. I trade a lot of different instruments and I want to know 2 things.

1) How can i get the description of a symbol to show in a column on a scanner window?

2) I'm using IQfeed and can easily import symbol lists via ASCII mapping (thanks to Sergee), and then set the appropriate settings. However in order to import in this way i cannot have a description for each symbol. Does anyone know an easier way of inputting lots of symbols into MC with descriptions without having to type each of the descriptions in individually?

Thanks in advance
Syn

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Postby york timothy » 27 Feb 2009

Hi synonym,
There is no easy way to get lists into MC. I have been asking for this for a while but nothing yet. I have lists of stocks broken down as to oil, gold, etfs etc so this would be real benefit.
The reason I find MC so cumbersome is the multiple key strokes needed to accomplish a simple task. Marina is tired of hearing me belabor this point I'm sure, but aside from getting the bugs worked out, this is an important issue for all concerned.

Tim

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geizer
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Re: Instrument Descriptions

Postby geizer » 27 Feb 2009

Hi

1) How can i get the description of a symbol to show in a column on a scanner window?

2) I'm using IQfeed and can easily import symbol lists via ASCII mapping (thanks to Sergee), and then set the appropriate settings. However in order to import in this way i cannot have a description for each symbol. Does anyone know an easier way of inputting lots of symbols into MC with descriptions without having to type each of the descriptions in individually?

Thanks in advance
Syn
The only way to add many symbols is by copying them from excel spreadsheet, then paste into scanner window. Latest version v5 beta3 should support this. The symbols suppose to be added into the quote manager automatically (when inserted into scanner window).
Description filed, Exchange, DataFeed fields are not supported. Whether these fields will be supported or not - I don't know. Perhaps you have to ask developers.

If you want to have quality symbols in your database with descriptions and Exchange you have to do it by hand, one symbol at a time.

I also have lists of thousands of symbols organized by industry sectors, and just can not add them.

There is no way to rename bulk symbols in the database either.

--
Pavel

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Postby synonym » 05 Mar 2009

Thanks for the reply Geizer. It's appreciated. It will save me the time of trying to acheive the impossible! Seems MC has quite an opportunity for improvement in symbol management. It's a shame, i too use a lot of symbols, and there is plenty to be thinking about when looking for trade set-ups without having to interpret tickers too.

MC programmers, seems there is real opportunity to improve MC here. Afterall, all traders want their platforms to make their trading go as easily and smoothly as possible whilst saving time too. Improving the ability for manage symbols in MC would certainly contribute to its ability to do all of these.

Syn

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Re: Instrument Descriptions

Postby Andrew Kirillov » 12 Mar 2009

1) How can i get the description of a symbol to show in a column on a scanner window?
It is easy. You just need to insert a following indicator:
Plot1(Description,"description"); It will show a symbol description if it exists.

2) I'm using IQfeed and can easily import symbol lists via ASCII mapping (thanks to Sergee), and then set the appropriate settings. However in order to import in this way i cannot have a description for each symbol. Does anyone know an easier way of inputting lots of symbols into MC with descriptions without having to type each of the descriptions in individually?
If you use stocks (stock names are identical on all datafeeds), you may add the symbols from eSignal. It can add thousands of symbols with a few clicks. After you will have to select all and change datafeed to IQfeed.

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Re: Instrument Descriptions

Postby Andrew Kirillov » 12 Mar 2009

If you want to have quality symbols in your database with descriptions and Exchange you have to do it by hand, one symbol at a time.
It is not correct. I just explained how you can add thousands of stocks.

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Re: Instrument Descriptions

Postby geizer » 12 Mar 2009

If you want to have quality symbols in your database with descriptions and Exchange you have to do it by hand, one symbol at a time.
It is not correct. I just explained how you can add thousands of stocks.
Andrew, you are right about bulk converting symbols from e-Signal.
I apologize for not being accurate in my earlier post.
This is exactly how I added thousands of symbols into IQFeed - by importing symbols from e-Signal and changing the Data feed to IQFeed.
It works for Free Quotes as well.

BUT, this method does not work in these situations:

1st scenario (Interactive Brokers)
Symbols converted by the above method are not recognized by Interactive Brokers. My trial & error tests show that IB symbols must have description field exactly as provided by Interactive Brokers. My guess is that because IB descriptions have name of the currency as part of the description field - to differentiate stocks that are being traded simultaneously on European, Canadian and US exchanges (some examples are: POT, ECA) So I was not able to find a solution for IB symbols. Anyone interested can give it a try.

2nd scenario (Canadian Stocks)
The above method does not work for Canadian TSX and TSX Venture Stocks.
The simple reason being is that there is no common Canadian symbol naming convention among Data providers.
An example of Canadian Symbol traded on the TSX: POT-TC (e-Signal), POT.TO (Yahoo Free Quotes), POT (Interactive Brokers), C.POT (IQFeed) POT-TO (Disnat) are all representing the same stock but named differently by different Data-Feeds.
Another example is: C.MG.A (IQFeed), MG.A-TC (e-Signal), MG.A-TO (Yahoo Free Quotes), MG.A (Interactive Brokers) - are all the same stock.
Similar situation with Canadian Venture stocks that may have two dots in their name and one dash :?

There are ~5000 Canadian stocks in my database imported from e-Signal, that I can not use with IQFeed, because there is no way to bulk rename all these symbols in Quote Manager. Yes it's true - I can change Data Feed, but symbol names totally different between e-Signal, IQFeed, FreeQuotes, IB, whatever you name it. This is just the way Canadian stocks are...
I think I was mentioning to Marina about renaming stocks, and proposed the following solution: We need to be able to export all the symbols into Excel, then bulk rename them using string operations, and re-import symbols back. I think in the latest beta 4 it is now possible to export stocks from Portfolio Back-tester.
BUT again only the symbol names exported.

Consider this: even Canadian symbols exported from Portfolio Back-tester, then renamed all in Excel, then re-imported back into Quote Manager through the scanner window, only symbol names will be imported!!! No description.
While this method helps to add all the new symbols into the Database, the Description field would be blank. We would still need to add the Description field manually for each symbol - unbearable task.

At some point I exported canadian stocks into excel, used a string conversion to rename them, spent whole weekend, and eventually gave up the idea because of a " stock description" field.

To summarize, I think Multicharts has made a big step in the right direction, but current implementation of import/export is only a partial solution - only for US stocks, and only where stocks with good description fields are already in the database - that is the case with e-Signal.

Stock traders still need the ability to bulk import/export not only "Symbol Name" column, but Description, and maybe other fields, such as Exchange, for example.

One more thing - I wanted to organize stocks by Industry sectors - in fact - I already have all the sector lists in Excel file. Looking for ways to import them, or somehow manage the lists to be used in scanner - have not figured out how to do them yet - filtering lists in excel against symbols, exported from Multicharts would be one probable solution, but don't know if this is possible.

Perhaps, my post is too long and boring to read, but I hope I was able to bring your attention to the difficulties that myself and other stock traders are facing.
-
Pavel

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Andrew Kirillov
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Postby Andrew Kirillov » 13 Mar 2009

Thank you for the comprehensive explanations. I agree that a symbol list import should be added. We will add this feature to the minor improvement list for 5.x versions.

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Re: Instrument Descriptions

Postby synonym » 19 Mar 2009

Thanks very much Andrew and Pavel for your posts. Sorry i have not replied sooner as i have been on holiday.

Andrew, i have tried to create the description indicator using the script exactly as you have written it and i cannot get it to complie. I get the following message -

19.03.09 12:21:01
------ Build started: ------
Study: "Description" (Indicator)
Please wait ....
------ Compiled with error(s): ------
Types are not compatible
errLine 1, errColumn 7, errLineEnd 1, errColumnEnd 7"

Where am i going wrong?

A huge thanks for the tip for importing symbols names, this will save me so much time!!
Cheers
Syn

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Andrew Kirillov
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Postby Andrew Kirillov » 19 Mar 2009

Syn, you are welcome!
There are possible issues that you double check:
1) Your script uses plot1 and you insert the second plot1 statement that causes this conflict.
2) You use an older version of MC that doesn't support strings in the scanner. Install MC 5 beta 4.

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Postby synonym » 19 Mar 2009

Hello Andrew
you've solved it. I'm using version 4. I'll stick with that until 5 is out of beta.
Thanks for speedy response.
cheers
Syn
Syn, you are welcome!
There are possible issues that you double check:
1) Your script uses plot1 and you insert the second plot1 statement that causes this conflict.
2) You use an older version of MC that doesn't support strings in the scanner. Install MC 5 beta 4.

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Andrew Kirillov
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Postby Andrew Kirillov » 20 Mar 2009

Fine.


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