Sounds like the definition of poor documentation. Good documentation is well-organized, easily searched, assumes that the reader hit the topic with little or no other background, is easy to read, and is well annotated with pictures. In days gone by, I've written some very complex software and I've written the documentation for it. It's not easy, or cheap, to create it. It requires constant updating to fill in voids. The best documentation is updated in real-time as user's ask questions. It also requires constant updating as the product evolves. One of the first clues to poor documentation is dialog box and menu pictures which no longer resemble those found in the product. Having been on the other side of the table, I understand the strong temptation to tweak the product with improvements and new features and let the documentation slide. Earl
_____ From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Ton Sieverding Sent: Friday, July 06, 2007 2:11 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [amibroker] New user - problems/questions The problem is not the poor documentation. Everything is documented. The problem is that it's difficult to find because it's scattered over many files and environments. The best solution is something like a kind of expert database with all documentation included. Same story for the forum emails. But to fill that database is a hell of a job ... Kind regards, Ton. ----- Original Message ----- From: MountainTopTrader <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[email protected]> ps.com Sent: Friday, July 06, 2007 9:21 PM Subject: RE: [amibroker] New user - problems/questions Here's a prime example of the poor documentation. I wanted to add some simple price alarms to a chart. Searched help on "alarm", nothing found. Tried "alert" got a list. Dug through the list and "Easy Alerts Window" was only one applicable to non-AFL based alerts. Clicked to page describing Easy Alerts Windows. Nowhere in the description does it tell the user how to view this window (I have found this problem to be common in reading the documentation). Hunted through all menu bars, found an item to bring up the Alert Output window but that was it. It was not until a day later when I was studying Quote Windows that I ran across documentation showing how to add an alert from by right clicking on a Quote line in a Quote Window. Now I know how to add a price alert from a Quote Window, but still no idea of how to add one from a chart. It's probably (or at least should be) there somewhere and I'll probably find it ... eventually. Poor documentation leads to seemingly lazy questions from frustrated users who are trying to learn the ropes by RTFM. Earl _____ From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of MountainTopTrader Sent: Friday, July 06, 2007 8:32 AM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: [amibroker] New user - problems/questions Actually, I went through a number of tutorials and the user guide and they are pretty sketchy on some of the basics such as those about which I asked questions. I have used charting software for 25+- years now and AB is not at the top of the pack for intuitive use. For example, I would expect to be able to modify ALL chart properties by right clicking on the chart and selecting properties or parameters, however this does not allow setting of many chart properties including those about which I inquired. The manual and start-up guide is equally sketchy. Major parts of the user guide do not reflect the current version of the software. I followed the complete IB data tutorial and that did not tell me that I have to set additional parameters using the green connect box in the lower right corner. All of this makes the getting started process for even an experienced charting software user rather daunting. That said, there is a good bit to like about AB once one navigates the quirks. While I have now mastered enough of the basics to display the charts I want for those symbols I use, I am still having problems with my layouts not being restored the way I save them. I have learned to use the local and global layouts, but the fact is that when I re-start AB it does not restore my workspace to the way I left it and I find that irritating. At least I can switch to the layout tab, select my named layout, and restore my charts. Earl _____ From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Edward Pottasch Sent: Friday, July 06, 2007 2:41 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [amibroker] New user - problems/questions hi, I think it is best to consult the manual. However, I have an additional remark / question on this. I have been having problems with layouts all along. 1) For instance I have a layout I call "auto". I add something to "auto" then save it and when I open it the next day in some occasions there is some other program in one of the lower tab windows. 2) Sometimes I add a program to a lower tab, then save the layout. The next day I open this layout and the chart is blanc, it can not find the code underneath. Sometimes this happens, sometimes it doesn't. Just wonder if anyone else has this problem or if I am doing something wrong. But what can one do wrong? You create a new layout, save the layout when you change something and still I get inconsistant behaviour. Could it be because I run 2 instances (or sometimes 3) of Amibroker on 1 computer using different databases and that this messes up the layouts? thanks, Ed ----- Original Message ----- From: MountainTopTrader <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[email protected]> ps.com Sent: Tuesday, July 03, 2007 4:07 PM Subject: [amibroker] New user - problems/questions I installed the Pro version yesterday using the IB data feed. I went through several of the tutorials and got a decent start on a dozen symbols and an hourly chart layout I liked on one tab in 3 panes on Sheet 1. I reduced the number of default sheets from 8 to 4. This morning when I opened AB, I had a whole different view. My candle sticks have been replaced by close only line chart and a bunch of tabs have been added for variations which I don't need or care about. Further, indicators I don't want have been applied to Sheets 2 through 4. Problems/questions: * How do I restore my layout and keep it that way when I reopen it? * I can not find a way (menu or pop-up menu) to alter/restore the chart properties including something as basic as the chart style. The properties item on the pop-up menu is grayed out and charting preferences do not let me set the chart style. * How do I remove tabs I don't want and add new tabs I do want? * I can't seem to display all of the data collected. For example, 6CU7 (Canadian Dollar) shows 7952 data bars retrieved. My IB database is set to 10,000 bars of base time interval 5 minutes. At 288 bars per 24 hours, I should have 27 trading days (over a full month) of data. However zooming out on hourly or daily bars displays nothing further back than June 26 which is fewer than 6 trading days. How do I get to view all of the data? Thank you. Earl
