Amibroker For Dummies........a Beginner's Forum On How To Use Amibroker

[Sudip67]

Hello everybody,

What is the difference between SCAN and EXPLORE in Ami? Shall I assume that SCAN is applicable with RT data while EXPLORE with EOD? Will anyone please reply?

Sudip

 

[trash]

Hello everybody,

What is the difference between SCAN and EXPLORE in Ami? Shall I assume that SCAN is applicable with RT data while EXPLORE with EOD? Will anyone please reply?

Sudip

No! Explore can be used in RT also not just Scan. Explore is more advanced scan. You can create own columns in Explore. Explore can even be used as alternative to individual backtest as seen here http://imageshack.us/a/img59/6364/explorationbacktest.png Also Explore is like Excel. "Everything" that can be done in Excel can be done in Explore in regards to calculations.

www.amibroker.com/guide/h_exploration.html

 

[trash]

Hi - I am new to Amibroker - had a quick question. Is there a way to automate importing txt files (ASCII files) into amibroker instead of using the Import ASCII command in Amibroker everytime one needs to update the quotes.

Thanks

OLE or write an import plugin

 

[Christopher583]

If you have downloaded trial version of Amibroker you can download quotes via amiquot

 

[Sudip67]

No! Explore can be used in RT also not just Scan. Explore is more advanced scan. You can create own columns in Explore. Explore can even be used as alternative to individual backtest as seen here http://imageshack.us/a/img59/6364/explorationbacktest.png Also Explore is like Excel. "Everything" that can be done in Excel can be done in Explore in regards to calculations.

www.amibroker.com/guide/h_exploration.html

Well, I understand that explore is more advanced comparing scan. Then what's the use of scanning? I mean, why and when one should scan instead of explore? And, thanx for your reply.

Sudip

 

[trash]

Well, I understand that explore is more advanced comparing scan. Then what's the use of scanning? I mean, why and when one should scan instead of explore? And, thanx for your reply.

Sudip

It's up to you what you wanna use!
For getting quick signals output scan is enough. You just need to write buy and sell rules and you are done. If you want a prettier output then use explore. And as mentioned you can't do things in scan mode that you can do in exploration. Scan is mostly just getting quick signals output. Also Scan can be used for quickly exporting ASCII or creating Composites or deleting/renaming multiple symbols etc. You can do that in Exploration also but with using more code (sometimes).

You think in wrong dimensions. In Amibroker there are endless possibilities of using your codes. It's highly flexible.

 

[Sudip67]

Thanks for the info. It is indeed helpful to get a clearer view on the issue. I also cheked the url you mentioned earlier (though I had done that once even before you asked me) but your response is certainly more into the issue.

However I can't understand what did you want to mean by

You think in wrong dimensions. In Amibroker there are endless possibilities of using your codes. It's highly flexible.

It will be just great if you can help me to find the right dimention. I know Ami has amazing potential and I am asking all these questions just to know that.

I wonder how does a code for scanning differ from one meant for exploration. I have a code which can do one of these two things, and when set for the other it throws error. How can one understand whether a particular code is for scanning or for exploration? Is there any standard structure or pattern in the code which may pose as an identifier?

By the way, throughout this conversation I am getting enriched. Thanks for your patience.

Sudip

 

[trash]

I wonder how does a code for scanning differ from one meant for exploration.

Scan is mostly just getting quick signals output. Also Scan can be used for quickly exporting ASCII or creating Composites or deleting/renaming multiple symbols etc.

I have a code which can do one of these two things, and when set for the other it throws error.

I don't know your code so can't say anything about it and what is wrong with it

How can one understand whether a particular code is for scanning or for exploration? Is there any standard structure or pattern in the code which may pose as an identifier?

Scan just uses Buy, Sell, Cover, Short variables while Exploration uses Filter and Addcolumn functions in addition to your main code that can contain Buy, Sell, Short Cover variables but doesn't have to if it is not needed or if you don't need such variables but other calculations similar to calculations in Excel.

But Scan can be used also to create composites as mentioned
Such code example could look like this

// Code to copy a ticker
if ( Status( "action" ) == actionScan )
{   
    nm = Name();
    atcmode = atcFlagDefaults;

    indexname = "~Copy of " + nm;

    AddToComposite( Open, indexname, "O", atcmode );
    AddToComposite( High, indexname, "H", atcmode );
    AddToComposite( Low, indexname, "L", atcmode );
    AddToComposite( Close, indexname, "C", atcmode );
    AddToComposite( Volume, indexname, "V", atcmode );
}

Buy = 0;

Status( "action" ) == actionScan means that the code executes only if you click scan button.

 

[trash]

But Scan can be used also to create composites as mentioned
Such code example could look like this

// Code to copy a ticker
if ( Status( "action" ) == actionScan )
{   
    nm = Name();
    atcmode = atcFlagDefaults;

    indexname = "~Copy of " + nm;

    AddToComposite( Open, indexname, "O", atcmode );
    AddToComposite( High, indexname, "H", atcmode );
    AddToComposite( Low, indexname, "L", atcmode );
    AddToComposite( Close, indexname, "C", atcmode );
    AddToComposite( Volume, indexname, "V", atcmode );
}

Buy = 0;

Status( "action" ) == actionScan means that the code executes only if you click scan button.

In Exploration mode doing the same there it could look as follows.

// Code to copy a ticker
if ( Status( "action" ) == actionExplore )
{   
    nm = Name();
    atcmode = atcFlagDefaults | atcFlagEnableInExplore;

    indexname = "~Copy of " + nm;

    AddToComposite( Open, indexname, "O", atcmode );
    AddToComposite( High, indexname, "H", atcmode );
    AddToComposite( Low, indexname, "L", atcmode );
    AddToComposite( Close, indexname, "C", atcmode );
    AddToComposite( Volume, indexname, "V", atcmode );
}

NumColumns = 1;
Filter = Status( "lastbarinrange" );

 

[Sudip67]

Hello Trash, Can't exactly say 'got it' but I am trying to. Let me digest the info I have received, then again will get back to this thread. I hope any novice user of Amibroker will be benefitted from this conversation, if followed closely. Thanx for your elaborate clarification to my questions.

Sudip