The Downloader should use the same place Metastock looks for it -- usually C:\Metastock Data\.

Might help if you explained what you're trying to do, though.

I usually rename that folder (adding an "x") before running the monthly update -- to see if they've done anything radical -- then rename it back (if all is well) and run the utility.

Depending on what you're doing, you'll still have to run The Downloader manually, to empty the old lists and add the new/updated ones.

The downloader opens the data files you create. These files can be created manually through File -> New -> Security. They can be created with our symbol utility. You can copy existing file and you can convert data from another format. In all cases except for the symbol utility, the files are placed in a folder you selected. The symbol utility creates the files in the folder c:\MetaStock Data.

The only other data the downloader uses is the temp data file from a download. This is stored in the downloader's working folder. By default, that is C:\ program files \ equis\ the downloader.

When you are converting data, you can put all the source data files in one folder and use a wild card to convert the all at once ( for example: *.CSV). click the options button and select the destination tab. put a check by the "traverse destination folder" That will auto matically create sub-folders for each letter of the alphabet and sort the converted files to those folders. This feature was added in 5.0 to allow more thatn 255 securities to be converted at once. If you have more than 6000 to convert (the current folder limit) use this option to convert all the data at once.

Guys:

I'm gratified by the help being extended by this community. I don't think I'v explained my predicament sufficiently, so I'll give it another shot.

As everyone knows, the downloader seems to "remember" the last task performed. Herein lies my problem. I have two data sets. One is from a txt direcory that collects 60 min data. The other, in a seperate directory, collects 10 minute txt data. Both directories need to be converted to metastock data. The problem is, it is very time consuming programming the downloader to switch data directories and data files between the two data sources. It is a manual process, and it would help to know where the downloader stores its "convert" data so I could duplicate the file (modified by the different directories and data) with a couple of key strokes. So far I have tried to duplicate the contents of the downloader folder and try to create 2 seperate downloader memories to no effect. I have examined the files with a hex editor to try to determine where the downloader stores its "memory" as to what files are to be converted, where they are to be converted to, to no effect. I have concluded that somewhere on my computer the downloader is saving this information, but for the life of me I can't find it. Anyway, that's my tale of woe. If anyone has any suggestions, or if there are any programs out there that can do what the downlaoder does but with more flexibility, I would appreciate about hearing of them.

Thanks in advance,

Jim

If you've got the procedure down path, try using AutoIt or some other macro/script utility.