Performing Optimization

Once a strategy has been [[LINK0280_Backtesting/22-8002_Signals.html name="1"; |applied]] to a chart, strategy optimization can be performed.

Running Exhaustive Search

Optimization is performed from the Format Objects window:

To perform Exhaustive Search optimization:

1. Open the Format Objects window.
   
   
   To open the Format Objects window, right-click on an empty area of the chart and then click Format Signals.
   
   The Format Objects window can also be opened by one of the following methods:
     - Select Format in the main menu and click Signal.
     - Double-click any one of the signal's labels on the chart.
     - Position the mouse pointer over any one of the signal's labels on the chart; once the Pointer changes into a Hand , right-click the label and then click Format Signals.
   
   
2. Select the Signals tab.
3. Click the Optimize button.
4. In the Select Optimization Method dialog box that appears, select Exhaustive Search.
5. In the Exhaustive Search Properties window that opens, select the Optimizable Inputs tab.
6. In the Start Value column, enter the desired starting values for each of the inputs.
7. In the End Value column, enter the desired ending values for each of the inputs.
8. In the Step column, enter the desired step size, for each of the inputs.
9. Select the Optimization Criteria tab.
10. Select the Use Limitation checkbox to limit the output to a defined number of the best results; unselect the checkbox to list all the results in the optimization report.
11. Enter the desired number of best results in the Show N best results box.
12. Select the best results criteria in the best results for list box.
13. Select criteria:

    1. Select Standard Criteria.

    2. Select the criteria from the drop-down list. Read more about Standard Criteria.
    or:
    

    1. Select Custom Criteria.

    2. Click Edit... button.

    3. Write the script for the custom criteria. Read more about Custom Criteria.

    4. Click OK.

14. Select Ascending or Descending option to sort the output in ascending or descending order, respectively.
15. Click OK to run the optimization and generate the Optimization Report.

Running Genetic Algorithm Search

Note: For detailed information on Genetic Algorithm properties, see Understanding Genetic Algorithm Optimization

Optimization is performed from the Format Objects window:

To perform Genetic Algorithm optimization:

1. Open the Format Objects window.
   
   
   To open the Format Objects window, right-click on an empty area of the chart and then click Format Signals.
   
   The Format Objects window can also be opened by one of the following methods:
     - Select Format in the main menu and click Signal.
     - Double-click any one of the signal's labels on the chart.
     - Position the mouse pointer over any one of the signal's labels on the chart; once the Pointer changes into a Hand , right-click the label and then click Format Signals.
   
   
2. Select the Signals tab.
3. Click the Optimize button.
4. In the Select Optimization Method dialog box that appears, select Genetic Algorithm.
5. In the Genetic Algorithm Properties window that opens, select the Optimizable Inputs tab.
6. In the Start Value column, enter the desired starting values for each of the inputs.
7. In the End Value column, enter the desired ending values for each of the inputs.
8. In the Step column, enter the desired step size, for each of the inputs.
9. Select the Algorithm-specific Properties tab.
10. Select criteria:

    1. Select Standard Criteria.

    2. Select the criteria from the drop-down list. Read more about Standard Criteria.
    or:
    

    1. Select Custom Criteria.

    2. Click Edit... button.

    3. Write the script for the custom criteria. Read more about Custom Criteria.

    4. Click OK.

11. Select Ascending or Descending option to sort the output in ascending or descending order, respectively.
12. An optimum population size value is automatically placed into the Population Size box; if a different value is desired, enter the value into the box.
13. In the Crossover Probability box, enter the desired crossover probability; value range is 0.95-0.99, with a default of 0.95.
14. In the Mutation Probability box, enter the desired mutation probability; value range is 0.01-0.05, with a default of 0.05.
15. In the Convergence Type drop-down list, select Number of Generations or Proximal Convergence.
16. In the Maximum Number of Generations box, enter the desired maximum number of generations.
17. If Proximal Convergence was selected, enter the desired minimum number of generations and convergence rate into the respective boxes. A value, approaching 1 is usually selected for the convergence rate; the default value is 0.990000.
18. In the Genetic Algorithm Subtype drop-down list, select Basic or Incremental algorithm subtype.
19. If Basic algorithm subtype was selected, select Yes or No for Use Elitism option.
20. If Incremental algorithm subtype was selected, select the Replacement Scheme and Offspring Number (number of “children”).
21. Click OK to run the optimization and generate the Optimization Report.

Standard Criteria

Standard Criteria lets the user select a criterion from a pre-defined list.

For example, if the user selects Net Profit, the optimization will find the parameters that generate the highest Net Profit.

Custom Criteria

Ячейка 1*1	Ячейка 2*1	Ячейка 3*1
Ячейка 1*2	Ячейка 2*2	Ячейка 3*2
Ячейка 1*3	Ячейка 2*3	Ячейка 3*3