Metastock Explorer
1. Much, much faster Metastock Explorations when using a real-time Quotecenter connection. One exploration may take 30 minutes for all Optionable stocks (2500) on a fast computer and a fast connection. I suggest cutting a real time exploration of 2500 stocks to 5 minutes or less. Schwab’s Street Smart Pro’s explorations are almost instantaneous. During the daily workflow it’s important that 2-3 explorations can be started at noon and completed before 12:30 PM, so that there is time enough for some trading based on the Exploration reports before the market closes.
2. The ability to very easily transfer the results of multiple Metastock Explorer reports into Excel either through drag and drop, saving multiple reports as multiple worksheets in one workbook, copy/pasting multiple reports to Excel and import/export (one feature that’s missing is the select all feature, currently the data has to be highlighted by selecting the first and last rows), and very flexible export of reports. I know that it’s already possible to transfer data. The focus should be on the ease and speed of transferring data to Excel, not just the possibility of transferring data. A time consuming method for transferring the results of multiple explorations is not very useful, when you are in a hurry.
3. More columns within the Metastock Explorer edit window. 6 windows is not enough. I would like to suggest a feature where the user can create as many columns as needed.
4. The ability to maximize and minimize all Metastock Explorer windows (Edit, Explore, Reports) using standard Windows windows with maximize, minimize icons in the upper right corner. It’s almost impossible to work or enter code in the small existing windows. This feature also applies for all Quote Center, Expert, and Indicator Builder windows.
Metastock Formula Language
5. Replace the current Metastock Formula Language with a more powerful Visual Basic type language, or a full featured macro language similar to the one found in Excel and including existing Metastock formula language functionality. The lack of a Case statement severely limits the formula language. Therefore Case statements, If then else endif statements, while statements, for to statements, multiple dimension arrays etc. should be included. I want to suggest working with Microsoft on including their Excel macro engine for creating explorations.
6. The Metastocks Formula Language editor should be developed into a more full featured Integrated Development Environment (IDE) with a debugger, break points, variable tracking etc.
Metastock Experts
7. A much improved alert system within the Metastock Expert with additional options. It must be possible to:
a. Select audio alerts only, without text alerts. Sometimes I just want my attention focused on an Expert connected to a real time intraday chart, without having to go through the trouble of having to click ok to make the alert window disappear. Having to click ok to acknowledge an alert can be very annoying especially when an expert is attached to an intraday 1 minute chart.
b. Having alerts sent as an SMS to a cell phone
Scheduling Feature
8. A scheduling and windows automation feature using a macro language that allows a user to automate several Metastock tasks using a macro such as:
a. Configure and schedule multiple downloads using the Downloader
b. Scheduling and running multiple explorations using the Explorer
c. Transferring multiple reports to excel from the Explorer
d. Running multiple System Tests based on the results of the explorations
The Downloader
9. 1 Downloader rather than 2 different Downloaders for downloading symbols and prices for Reuters Datalink and reuters QuoteCenter
The User Interface
10. The ability to maximize and minimize all Metastock, Quotecenter, Metastock Expert, Metastock Explorer and Metastock Indicator windows using standard Windows minimize, and maximize icons in the upper right corner of the window. This feauture should also be available in the main explorer window, the edit window and the reports window.
Charts
11. It would be nice with chart tabs in the charting tool similar to the tabs in the Firefox or Opera browser in addition to the ability to cascade, tile and stack for quickly shifting through charts.
Quotecenter
12. Integration between Quotecenter and Metastock Pro is a must. Currently there is little or no integration. I would like to be able to use fundamental criteria from Quotecenter in a Metastock Exploration such as PE ratio, Cash Flow Q1, Current Year EPS 30 days ago etc.
13. More included symbol lists in Quotecenter such as the entire Nasdaq and the ability to export/import symbol lists from an Explorer exploration to Quotecenter’s Marke[censored]ch.
14. It’s almost impossible to scroll through and select the right fields from a list of 700+ fields in the Select Fields window in Quotecenter’s Market watch since the window can’t be maximized to full screen size, and because of the lack of descriptions. These features should also apply to a similar window in the Reuters Tool menu in Excel.
15. An unlimited list of symbols should be included in the high price Reuters is charging for Quotecenter. Schwab doesn’t charge for Street Smart Pro.
Documentation
16. Useable documentation for Quotecenter. Metastock Pro comes with decent documentation. Quotecenter comes with almost no documentation. It’s almost impossible to get a description of the 700+ data fields available in Quotecenter. The included PDF files are faulty.
