On many custom Metastock formulas i have seen the following line:-

A:=x+y+z;
{plot}
A;
What exactly do the 3 lines signify?
Though enclosed in curly brackets---I haven't found the variable 'plot' anywhere in the Metastock formula primer.I understand comments in curly brackets are ignored by metastock--if so what is the use of declaring 'A' again on the 3rd line?

Also Ref(C,-1) means the previous closing price, But I have seen formulas having ref(data array,+x) where x is a number. What is the meaning of this forward looking reference?

I would also like to know more about the Cum function---how does it differ from the sum function. how is it written? There is only one line about it in the primer/


Regards,

Dr.Chatterjee

Thank you for your reply. I think I have understood a part of it.

Does the cum function count the no. of times an event has occurred on the chart right from the beginning of my database?Is that what you mean?

The line
AF:=Ref(Mov(C,10,S),10);

Mov av is referenced forward by 10 bars. What exactly does that mean? That data hasn't been downloaded into the computer as yet.

When I plot my mov av indicator in Metastock, there is an option to forward or backward reference it horizontally. I believe this is the same as your line. What foxes me is that there is an option to shift it vertically. I find that stumping. Could you please explain?

Regards,

Dr.Chatterjee