Re: Re[2]: Data management

[sethw2@xxxxxxx]

I am also curious about TS8 limitations... How far back can you get 
tick/intraday data? Can I use my TS4 database for data older than what 
is available is TS8. I have some tick data back to the early 90's that 
is hard to find... How many bars can you test on a chart vs TS4?

TS4 is a pain in the ass but it works...

Seth


-----Original Message-----
From: Bob Fulks <bfulks@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Omega-List <omega-list@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Fri, 23 Dec 2005 10:44:22 -0500
Subject: Re[2]: Data management

At 06:52 PM 12/22/2005, Jimmy Snowden wrote:

> TS2ki with Esignal is exactly the setup that TS2ki was built for.  It
> does store all data automatically on the hard drive.  TS6, TS7 and now
> TS8 are all on Tradestations servers.  You get a little temp file for
> data but when you disconnect it evaporates.  So it is like having the
> Global Server in Florida rather than on your hard drive.  Works good
> if your way of doing business accepts that.

Not correct.

With TS8, when you open a new chart and type a symbol, the required 
data is
downloaded from their servers to your machine to fill the chart in a 
few
seconds. This is then stored locally on your machine in a cache file. 
The cache
file is on your hard-disk and stays there when you turn the power off.

There is no "add it to the symbol universe", "make sure the 
BigPointValue,
MinMove, etc. is correct. No need to ever download historical data. 
Simply type
any symbol and the data with all the attributes automatically loads 
into your
chart and the cache.

Then, when you open that symbol on the chart again, it first uses the 
data in
the cache then automatically adds any new data required to bring the 
chart up to
date.

If you are offline and bring up the chart, it plots the data stored in 
the cache
but does not update it, obviously, until you log on again.

If the data in the cache gets corrupted for any reason, you can delete 
the
clearly marked files for that symbol and it will reload it from scratch 
when you
reopen the chart.

They also tell you with a small icon on the chart if there is a 
correction
available for the data for that symbol and you can chose to apply the 
correction
or not as you wish.

You can have multiple copies of TradeStation on multiple machines just 
so long
as only one is on-line at a time. I often have a trading machine that 
is on-line
during the day and a research machine that is off-line during the day. 
I can
then log-on with the research machine after trading hours to refresh 
the cache
files on the research machine. If I need a new symbol on the research 
machine
during the day, I can temporarily log on with the research machine to 
get the
required data.

When I think back to all the time I spent managing data, OMZ files, I 
wonder how
I ever put up with all that hassle...


At 08:02 AM 12/23/2005, Phil Bailey wrote:

> Also, TS8 seems like it may go bankrupt or with different owners soon 
(?) (bad
management).

Yes. It is a shame. The stock has only doubled this past year...


> This is in addition to obsoleting their own software routinely and 
making users
change to upgrades without a choice in the matter (and they have 
absolutely
nothing if they don't change - no history, no software, no choices). 
TS8 you
have all eggs in basket as well with broker, charting, data feed in one 
package
versus the undisputed industry best in each category which may change ( 
ie -
jack of all trades, master of... all part of bad management company 
policy
mandate).

Perhaps. If you want to spend all your time integrating and managing 
all the
multiple party tools. I would rather just turn on my computer and trade.


> I hope they always do well. I think everyone does. If you are just 
trying out
for size, TS8 would be the easiest. But for the long haul either both 
or TS2k
alone would be my alternative subset.

I still keep TS2000i around for mutual funds because so far, TS8 does 
not adjust
mutual fund prices for distributions (last I checked). So I still had 
to use
ASCII data. That required me to keep TS2000i operating until the 
present build
of TS8, which can now read ASCII data files... Hurray!


> But yes, Bob is right. Next to Esignal, TS8 did model their data 
directly after
Esignal and you have greater history range of groomed tic/minute data 
without
the hassle at your finger tips. And you don't have to leave workstation 
on all
night ($20/month electric savings). Esignal has 2/3 month window for 
retrieval
of tic/minute interday data.

I don't leave my workstation on at night. Don't know where you got that 
idea.


Only a 2/3 month window? Too bad. TS8 retrieves many years of 
minute-data when
you type in a new symbol. I don't know how much but I recently got 7 
years of
minute data for over 40 commodities.

And since TradeStation is now free (if you make only 10 round-turn 
futures
trades a month), and you get real-time data for only the exchange fees, 
I wonder
why anyone is still paying for their real-time data...

To each his own...  I know I would never go back to the old way...

Bob Fulks