P.S My gut feeling is that you pulled the wrong rein and made a mistake on some aspects of that one (well actually you did pull the right rein but now you need to pull it again and a bit harder this time). As you well know, I can't give you any technical reasons. To me the AB 'internal' database is the foundation of core functionality. I think that is what some of the users are telling us when they say they like artificial tickers. If I was in your shoes, and considering that you laid the foundation years ago, I would have opened the AB database right up with additional builtin and user defined arrays. Let us see AB in her full glory the way she is meant to be. I don't agree that would be cluttering AB up with stuff that would hardly be used. Remember, users are becoming much more sophisticated at a rapid pace. What would have seemed too much information back in 95 is now taken onboard without a break in stride. Never underestimate people. If you put on the show the public will come.
I admire you for openly telling the truth about your program and also explaining your reasoning as that honesty is an optional extra and not mandatory; you are one of a rare breed that's for sure. More power to you Tomasz. I am also very happy with the universal database plug-in. As you say it permits 'flexibility allowing individuals to extend > its functionality. And here you are limited only by your > > imagination'. I am also happy that, while we agree to disagree on some issues, I now know what your guiding philosophy is and I can manage my affairs around that. BrianB2. --- In [email protected], "brian.z123" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Thanks Tomasz, > > I have been speculating about that stuff for a while now so it is a > relief to get presented with the facts and have it all cleared up. > > BrianB. > > --- In [email protected], "Tomasz Janeczko" <groups@> > wrote: > > > > Hello, > > > > The reason why fundamental data implemented in AB are current only > are as follows: > > > > a) > > Yahoo nor any other free source of fundamental data does not > provide historical values > > for majority of fields. The idea behind new fundamental data > functionality in AB > > was to couple it with a method to actually RETRIEVE this data > automatically. > > Since only current values are available from Yahoo, so there was > no point in bumping > > database size for functionality that would be left unused for most > people > > > > b) > > The idea was to help scanning (stock picks) based on fundamentals > only. > > > > Backtesting systems based on fundamentals requires 20+ years of > data to make any sense > > (because they change so infrequently - otherwise you would have > too small data sample to make results resonable). > > > > Since AB target user base is not really that long-term investors, > and there are no > > free data (see a)) it made even less sense > > > > c) > > The idea was to add functionality without growing database - AB > database format was prepared > > for fundamentals since day 1 (May 1995) but there were no method > to access these fields. > > > > > > As to SQL advantages: using external database > > a) you have unlimited number of custom fields of any type > > b) you can store less frequent data effectively (if you have > quarterly data using external database > > you would store just 4 records per year) > > c) you can access these data from external ODBC-aware programs > > > > Overall the general idea of AmiBroker is as follows: > > a) core functionality is provided internally + means to easy > update from FREE sources > > b) extra functionality is provided by means of plugins / external > sources / scripts > > > > This design ensures that > > a) AmiBroker is not bloated with stuff that almost no one is using > > b) AmiBroker delivers flexibility allowing individuals to extend > its functionality. And here you are limited only by your > > imagination. > > > > Best regards, > > Tomasz Janeczko > > amibroker.com > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "treliff" <treliff@> > > To: <[email protected]> > > Sent: Sunday, July 23, 2006 9:41 AM > > Subject: [amibroker] Re: On Fundamental data import > > > > > > > Being a long-time artificial ticker-er myself (and an absolute > non- > > > programmer) I think one disadvantage of this method is that, > assuming > > > a daily data base, we are creating arrays with many, many > duplicate > > > values. For example an array containing EPS (in one of the OHLCVI > > > fields) would only change about 4 times a year; during 3 > consecutive > > > months we are stuffing this array with the same value. > > > > > > I can imagine this simply puts a lot of strain on the AB > database. > > > And for example 30 fundamentals divided among 5 arti-tickers for > each > > > stock increases a 2,000 stock database to 10,000 "stocks". > > > > > > I am just assuming this because if not, then why would TJ not > have > > > implemented the new fundamentals as arrays, in this case not > with 6 > > > OHLCVI datafields but with one single datafield, so indeed daily > (or > > > bulk ASCII) imported (funda) values would build a historical > database > > > completely within AB similar to price data. > > > > > > I remember though having read requests for "custom arrays" in > deep > > > historical depths of the message board archives, so there must > be a > > > good reason why these were never implemented. > > > > > > But just as dbirru I'd be very interested to know if SQL will > have a > > > serious advantage over artificial tickers. I am absolutely > ignorant > > > about SQL so will this be worth digging into? > > > > > > Thanks very much for advice from TJ or other experts. > > > > > > -treliff > > > > > > --- In [email protected], "Michael.S.G." <OzFalconAB@> > > > wrote: > > >> > > >> If you import your fundamental data into artificial tickers (eg > > >> Code-FndData) to create a historical database of Fnd Data, > > >> Then it appears as though these new additions have little > benefit > > > to us. > > >> I do the same thing, And reference with Foreign. > > >> > > >> I find it quite convenient to access historical fundamental > data > > >> "within" amibroker, As opposed to accessing some external DB. > > >> I mean, AmiBroker itself is a DB. So why make things more > > > complicated > > >> by accessing external db's. (Just my thoughts). > > >> Im not sure it would be any quicker using external database as > > > opposed > > >> to AB inbuilt Foreign function. > > >> > > >> The only gripe I have, And I dare say it would be the same if > the > > > data > > >> was stored in an external DB - Is the inability of the > > >> shiftx or ref() functions to access Future Foreign data (As in > > > reference > > >> to the Selected ticker). > > >> > > >> Here is example of charting historical fundamental data accesed > via > > > an > > >> artificial (foriegn) ticker. > > >> > > >> > > >> dbirru wrote: > > >> > > > >> > Is the new fundamental import faster compared to doing it via > the > > > old > > >> > way of the ascii importer? > > >> > > > >> > I used to import fundamental data using artifical ticker and > the > > > ascii > > >> > importer (using the 9 or so available fields). In AFL, this > > > requires > > >> > using the foreign function. I find that this method slows down > > >> > exploration considerably since for every ticker a > corresponding > > >> > ticker need to be read. The values are also stored in an > array. > > >> > > > >> > The latest ascii importer contains additional fields to ease > > > improting > > >> > of fundamental data. Does this new way of improting > fundamental > > > data > > >> > make exploration considerably faster? If the dat astructure is > > >> > different, then I expect it may be faster. But, I don't know > the > > > data > > >> > structure. Thus, I asked before I try it and 'corrupt' my > > > database if > > >> > it does not offer an advantage. > > >> > > > >> > Thanks. > > >> > > > >> > __ > > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Please note that this group is for discussion between users only. > > > > > > To get support from AmiBroker please send an e-mail directly to > > > SUPPORT {at} amibroker.com > > > > > > For other support material please check also: > > > http://www.amibroker.com/support.html > > > > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Yahoo! Groups gets a make over. See the new email design. http://us.click.yahoo.com/XISQkA/lOaOAA/yQLSAA/GHeqlB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Please note that this group is for discussion between users only. 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