I am using ver 7.2 . I will upgrade it soon . I wished the new version of metastock could add a command like 'entrybar' or 'exitbar' , or ' entrybar1 ' if it allows multiple contract in the system tester . I found it is a little redundant every time when I want to refer to the entry day or exit day by using the command valuewhen . For example , each time I don't want to open a position again after N days of the previous position closed . I can used 'barsince (exitday) > N ' , something like that . I could also limit the position for each month/period we opened if we have this function too . Sometime when a trend is very long . I found the new position will be opened again right after the next day the position closed . Correct me if I am wrong or there is already this function in newer version , thank you . Best Regards. :?

Mr. Plato, I started using System Tester only recently, there are many features I came across in it, and faced some problems. I think it will be appropriate to post some of my initial observations: PROBLEM ONE:- In the Enhanced System Tester (EST) it is possible to have a dynamic Entry size (Based upon the results of a formula). For example, it is possible to write the following formula for entry size with the "Number of Units" option selected from the drop down menu. INT((4000/C)/50)*50 However,if we change the formula to: INT((4000/mov(c,s,2))/50)*50 The results of this formula will not be available on the first bar of testing. This non-availability of entry size on the first bar can have the following unexpected results: Buy & hold profit will be shown as ZERO Buy & hold perfomance will be shown as ZERO Buy & hold annulized perfomance will be shown as ZERO Buy & hold index will be shown as ZERO PROBLEM TWO:- The data range function in the Forum DLL is very good for controlling the test period range. However, it can only filter out trades and - it can not have its effect on the Buy & hold figures. Although,only those trades will be taken which fall with in the date range function, the Buy & hold figures as enumerated above will be calculated from the first bar specified in the date button of the system tester and they will be calculated upto the last bar. Further it is possible that the open trades may not be closed on the last bar,if option to close trades on last bar has been selected. SOLUTION:- Both the above problems can be solved,if we have load date range and test date range separately. There is a button with caption "dates..." on the select securities dialogue in EST. Here we can specify a date range or number of periods to use. It will be more convinient if the functionality of date range DLL function is formalised into this dates selection dialogue. I mean - please give option to select date/time range separately for LOAD date range and TEST date range here itself, on the lines of LOAD date Range and DISPLAY date range in X-axis properties. The load date range can ensure that all the formula used have appropriate defined valid values at the first bar of test date range and test date range can be used to calculate Buy & Hold figures, closing on last bar and obviously the system tester trades. I will look forward to have your views. Regards, SMG PS : Please pay particular attention to the YEAR in first image. Presently it is possible to write year in more than 4 digits there. This problem seems to be there in date and month portion also. You may want to ensure robustness here.

swordman, You can refer to the exit day as "exitday" - - you just have to define this day in a variable. See if this indicator does what you want... {simple crossover system} N:=8; exitday:=C<Mov(C,20,S); entryday:=C>Mov(C,20,S) AND BarsSince(exitday)>N; SE:=0; SX:=0; ExtFml("Forum2.Latch",entryday,exitday,SE,SX); Personally, I avoid using words like "day" in your formulae. What if you were looking at weekly or intraday charts? Then it would be "entryweek" or "entryminute" etc. Use either "bar" or just ignore the time frame altogether, "entry" and "exit" should suffice in most circumstances. {simple crossover system - long side only} N:=8; LX:=C<Mov(C,20,S); LE:=C>Mov(C,20,S) AND BarsSince(LX)>N; SE:=0; SX:=0; ExtFml("Forum2.Latch",LE,LX,SE,SX); Hope this helps. wabbit :D

thanks again Wabbit ! You are great , but it seems that I dont have the formula called "Forum2.Latch" . I read the manual and found that this is one of the few function that I still do not fully understand after years of using MS . Is it a dll file under MS ? How can I obtain the function called Latch ?

:P your reponse are so quick , thanks wabbit . I am disappointed after the watching the document file of latch dll . It is for version 8.0 or later .... I am still waiting Equis to reponse me how much I have to pay for a upgrade ? I have been waiting for more than one week ..... I really dont understand the sales department can response in a speed like this ... :(

Swordman Call or email Equis Sales. Here is the contact information: https://www.metastock.co...mpany/about/Contact.aspx Product pricing information can be found here: https://www.metastock.co...oducts/pricingguide.aspx