In keeping with the spirit of this thread then....care to explain this one for me (and I suspect, other newbies):
" REF(c>ref(c,2),5); says that the close that happened five days ago has to be higher than the close that happened on the sixth day ago. " My current level of understanding says that this part: c>ref(c,2) Will return a 0 or 1. For e.g., if the current close is greater than the close of 2 bars ago, this statement is true and therefore "1". So the longer expression now becomes: REF(1,5); Which does not make sense. I've read the User's Guide. But obviously missed something on how to nest a boolean test within the ref function, and have it all make sense. --- In [email protected], <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Ron, > > The examples that you used were perfect. Even I could understand how they worked and learn how to do things that I wanted to do but didn't know how to do it. I spent a lot of time using barssince and ref trying accomplish this. > > Thanks, > Tom > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Ronald Davis > To: [email protected] > Sent: Thursday, August 28, 2008 11:36 AM > Subject: Re: [amibroker] Re: The best way to help newbies, oldies, ... and AmiBroker ... > > > In the very early days of my Amibroker learning curve, The best help that I > received was from this board when an experienced user was kind enough to > quickly code an example or what I was asking. > > Then, I would play with what they had given me, and I started to understand > how to use Amibroker. > > For example, REF(c>ref(c,2),5); says that the close that happened five days > ago has to be higher than the close that happened on the sixth day ago. > > Whereas, SUM(c>ref(c,2),5); only requires that any one or more of the > closes over the last five days has to be higher than the previous days > close. > > The above examples of simple english explanations from this board are how I > started learning Amibroker. Ron D > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Ken Close" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Thursday, August 28, 2008 12:15 PM > Subject: RE: [amibroker] Re: The best way to help newbies, oldies, ... and > AmiBroker ... > > > Amen. Amen! AMEN! > > > > While Tomasz has done so much to improve and expand the training/manual > > since the early days (he really has!), the fact there is continual > > questions > > on the same stuff or "small stuff", suggests there is still room for and > > benefit from improvement. > > > > I am constantly reminded (or remind myself) that Tomasz has to say "Read > > the > > Manual". Some questions are almost obvious that a quick trip to help > > would > > answer the question, but other "simple" questions are not. Many of us do > > attempt to find the answers in help but cannot. > > > > For example, yesterday, I wanted to know how to make subscripted arrays. > > I > > did not remember that VarGet and VarSet was set up to do this. So a trip > > to > > Help and typing in "subscripted arrays" found 9 entries none of which led > > me > > to VarSet or VarGet. I think one of the improvements would be a search > > system which allowed more complex search logic or strings, or some way to > > zero in on the specific request. As Tomasz says, it is almost always in > > there, it just is hard to find. > > > > Ken > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > > Behalf > > Of Dennis Brown > > Sent: Thursday, August 28, 2008 11:58 AM > > To: [email protected] > > Subject: Re: [amibroker] Re: The best way to help newbies, oldies, ... and > > AmiBroker ... > > > > Brian, > > > > You are correct. I switched to AB because I wanted a programming language > > that was fundamentally tied into the realtime price arrays and the > > charting > > for the same. RT quotes --> Database --> AFL --> > > Charts. That was all I wanted, and that is pretty much all I use. > > There is a lot of overhead associated with getting and maintaining the > > data, > > interacting with the user, and outputting the the data in a useful form. > > I > > only wanted to be concerned with the algorithms that decided to buy or > > sell. > > Interestingly, even with all the support functions handled by AB, I still > > spend 80% of my time coding UI things! I think it is some kind of > > computer > > programming law. > > > > AFL was my real destination with AmiBroker, and I had a hard time because > > it > > was not well defined. A lot of assumptions were made about prior > > knowledge > > of specific programming language conventions in C like languages. > > Languages > > I had no experience with. These are middle level languages. My > > experience > > was with machine level assembler code, and very high level like > > Revolution/SuperCard/HyperCard, and a > > smattering of BASIC and APL from the original versions 40 years ago. > > I had no idea that I was supposed to go learn C syntax before I could use > > the AFL documentation. IMHO this is a documentation hole big enough to > > drive a truck through. > > > > Then what happens when someone has no experience with any programming > > language at all. Perhaps some Excel experience, or maybe experience using > > a > > programmable calculator. I can't imagine the bewilderment with AFL. It > > takes a lot of handholding from support or this list to get over the first > > hump. > > > > I believe it would be appropriate to define the AFL language in the > > documentation as if it were the only language that exists on the planet. > > > > For instance "+" is defined as "Addition". Whereas, in reality the "+" > > operator is data type dependent. It will add two numbers, add a number to > > every element in an array, add two arrays element by element, or > > concatenate > > two strings. It will not add a number or array to a string. > > > > As I have suggested before, I would have liked to see a "Complete" > > listing of all operators, functions, reserved words, syntax characters, > > directives, etc., in one live list index that points to a page that > > explains > > each one in the same way that the functions are now described. Then > > additional "see also" pointers on those pages to point to more in depth > > documents when available. In fact the current functions list could simply > > be expanded to do this. > > > > This would have saved me many weeks off the learning curve. > > > > I don't know if Howard is planning on doing this in his new book, but it > > should be part of the on-line documentation. > > > > Best regards, > > Dennis > > > > > > On Aug 28, 2008, at 10:34 AM, brian_z111 wrote: > > > >> I didn't explain myself very well there. > >> > >> What I am saying is that I think we are making it harder by not > >> admitting that it is a programmers program and just getting on with > >> teaching AFL. > >> > >> If anyone held told me that at the start I would have run for it but > >> the fact is that the help manual is about 'AmiBroker the program' but > >> eventually I came to realise it is all about programming - > >> specifically AFL. > >> > >> So, if I do want to get on with it where do I go? > >> > >> The AFL section of the help manual is condensed. > >> The first few chapters of Howards Book are a basic intro to AB and the > >> rest of the book is orientated around SystemDesign & Evaluation? > >> > >> Where is the next stop on the AFL line? > >> > >> > >> brian_z > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> --- In [email protected], "brian_z111" <brian_z111@> wrote: > >>> > >>> Herman, > >>> > >>>> I always figured that sticking with AFL would have provided a more > >>>> continuous path for users to develop their programming expertise. > >>> > >>> This is a new point, not really discussed much before, I think. > >>> > >>> I really don't know how to put it in words but you are so right. > >>> > >>> Tomasz should be proud of me because if I am a programmer at all I > >> am > >>> an array programmer...... but sometimes I am left reaching for AFL? > >>> > >>> Perhaps there are conventions that people with 2 or more > >> programming > >>> languages automatically understand? > >>> > >>> Do I have to go and learn C++ as well. > >>> > >>> Should I need too? > >>> > >>> brian_z > >>> > >> > >> > >> > >> ------------------------------------ > >> > >> 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 NEW RELEASE ANNOUNCEMENTS and other news always check DEVLOG: > >> http://www.amibroker.com/devlog/ > >> > >> For other support material please check also: > >> http://www.amibroker.com/support.html > >> Yahoo! Groups Links > >> > >> > >> > > > > > > ------------------------------------ > > > > 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 NEW RELEASE ANNOUNCEMENTS and other news always check DEVLOG: > > http://www.amibroker.com/devlog/ > > > > For other support material please check also: > > http://www.amibroker.com/support.html > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------ > > > > 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 NEW RELEASE ANNOUNCEMENTS and other news always check DEVLOG: > > http://www.amibroker.com/devlog/ > > > > For other support material please check also: > > http://www.amibroker.com/support.html > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > >
