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Joined: 1/19/2006(UTC)
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I've been programming for a while but am used to a more verbose style of programming.
Whenever I tackle a new language, it seems easier to me if I can set breakpoints and see values. That being said, the next easiest is a function that returns a value. I haven't been able to find either in metastock.
For example, I don't understand the following (from Jose's Pivot calcs):
dStart:=DayOfMonth()<>Ref(DayOfMonth(),-1);
I understand the REF() and I would understand an if/else statement which I assume this is an abbreviation for. I'm not neccessarily looking for someone to give me this specific explanation, but rather how to approach something like this when I want to see what the value of dStart is.
If anyone can understand where I'm coming from and has been there, I would appreciate the "getting over the hump" help.
Jer
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Rank: Advanced Member
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Joined: 1/19/2005(UTC)
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Location: Koh Pha-Ngan, Earth
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Jer, you are on the right track to understanding MSFL.
Whenever I put any code together which either behaves unexpectedly or which I don't fully understand, I break it down into its basic components and plot each one separately - a manual/visual breakpoint of sorts.
For example,
Month()Ref(Month(),-1)
(month's start signal), I would plot both components in the same window below a chart:
Month();
Ref(DayOfMonth(),-1)
Plotting the above results in two plots, which overlap on every bar except at the beginning of each month. So, when plot1plot2, that is our start of month (binary) signal.
A chart is worth a thousand words (wish we could post one here!)
jose '-)
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Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Registered, Registered Users
Joined: 1/19/2006(UTC)
Posts: 33
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Thanks Jose. I appreciate all your code and help that you have given others. It's much appreciated.
If we agree to only use the before mentioned line as an example, let me ask a few more naive questions (keep in mind I'm not critizing - just wish to understand how to understand :-) )
My thought process goes like this. Ah , dStart represents a day, DayofMonth() represents a day and the Ref() is the day before. I see the comparison and think binary. But dStart is assumed to be a day. So what gives? (I think). I need to see what dstart is.
Since I'm dealing with a chart that has values of say 50-80 (just for the sake of discussion), how would it show a date? How would I know what I see when I plot it? Is it showing a 1 as in the first day of the month or a 1 as in a 1/0?
That's the stuff that's holding me up and I dont know how to "see" what the values are.
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Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Registered, Registered Users
Joined: 1/19/2005(UTC)
Posts: 1,065
Location: Koh Pha-Ngan, Earth
Was thanked: 2 time(s) in 2 post(s)
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Jer, in order to "see" how the code works, you need to literally see how it works. Plot the components in a separate window as outlined in my post, and understanding will then all come together.
Also, take a look at the formula primer, available from the files section I believe.
jose '-)
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