Choosing MC .NET Over MC - Developer Input Needed

Questions about MultiCharts .NET and user contributed studies.
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FigmentForex
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Choosing MC .NET Over MC - Developer Input Needed

Postby FigmentForex » 30 Oct 2019

I am curious to hear from those of you who have had experience with both editions of Multicharts. Specifically, I would like to gather some information and/or personal accounts on why an individual would "graduate" to the .NET edition after initially using regular MC.

I understand that EasyLanguage has its limitations and the .NET version helps overcome these, but can a few of you chime in as to exactly what limitations you have faced in the past or perhaps know of? Furthermore, I'd like to get a gauge on how badly these limitations were at burdening what you were trying to accomplish with your development.

Lastly, Are there any features of the .NET version that you consider an absolute necessity? Any additional related information you care to share?

An in-depth response from those of you who respond would be greatly appreciated! Thank you all in advance. :D

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Anna MultiCharts
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Re: Choosing MC .NET Over MC - Developer Input Needed

Postby Anna MultiCharts » 14 Nov 2019

Hello, FigmentForex!

While you’re waiting for the comments from the other users regarding their programming experience with both versions, let me refer you to the pages that outline the differences of the two products. Maybe they will give you some insight and answer some of your questions:
https://www.multicharts.com/compare/
https://www.multicharts.com/trading-sof ... _to_choose

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dataheck
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Re: Choosing MC .NET Over MC - Developer Input Needed

Postby dataheck » 01 Dec 2019

I haven't used Power Language at all, but I have a different 2¢ from a developer perspective to add about .NET; the in-application documentation is entirely automatically generated and contains no illustrating examples or helpful text. You have to piece together how to use the API by reverse engineering from example indicators, functions, and trial and error. The examples in the wiki are helpful, but not exhaustive.

For example; I had trouble figuring out how to use DataLoader with a cumulative bid/ask chart type, and was mislead by several different bits of example code (posted officially on the forum, in the wiki) that purported to do the same thing with no real authoritative and detailed (with explanatory comments) example. Just clues, hints, snippets. I'm sure I could have asked support for help with this, but with good documentation it wouldn't be necessary. I'd rather just read good docs than ask for help every time. I think part of the problem is that the API may have been a moving target, but I hope MultiCharts doesn't delay documentation work for this reason indefinitely.

It drastically increases the learning curve. From what I've read, PowerLanguage is easier from this perspective. I chose .NET because it was backed by a "real" language and I'm a developer (which in hindsight were possibly not the best reasons). Your mileage may vary.

e:
update 2020-02-26; I've been using this for awhile now and have mostly gotten the hang of things. The bundled code for various signals and indicators continues to amaze me: they must have been written by very new programmers. The logic is backwards to how most of us think (if true == variable_name --- sure I guess that works the same but WHY) and the standard library is underused. It makes it tricky to learn how to code for this platform from the available code; it will teach you poorly. Weird white space choices, formatting, etc. No helpful comments.


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