Definition Wizards: Specify Inputs
Modify Definition Dialogs: Inputs
This dialog appears in several forms to allow you to create or modify existing function definitions, entry/exit systems, alerts, and trading solutions. This page allows you to modify the naming and order of the input parameters for the definition.
Ä Note: Functions not using external DLL’s typically add their inputs while specifying its formula, rules, or source field. The Inputs page is used only to manage these inputs after they have been created.
& For help with function definitions, see Calculating Values and Financial Indicators.
& For help with entry/exit systems, see Creating and Analyzing Entry/Exit Signals.
& For help with alerts, see Working with Messages and Alerts.
& For help with trading solutions, see Working with Complete Trading Solutions.
Changing the Name or Type of an Input
To modify an existing input, select the input from input list, then press the Edit… button. This will display the Modify Input Dialog, where you can change the name and type associated with an input.
Ä Note: The name and types of inputs for trading solutions cannot be modified. In addition, the types associated with these inputs may be restricted based on the function definitions in which they are used as parameters.
Changing the Order of the Inputs
To change the order of the inputs, select an input from the input list, then press the Slide Up or Slide Down buttons to move the selected input. You can also use the mouse to drag the inputs to a new position in the list.
& For help changing the order of items in a list, see the help for Orderable Lists.
Modifying the Inputs for an External TradingSolutions DLL
To add or remove inputs to be used with an External TradingSolutions DLL, use the Add… and Remove buttons. The Add… button will display the Modify Input Dialog, where you can change the name and type associated with an input.
You can also specify to include the date and time of each bar as an input by selecting Include date information in input value array.
Selecting Options for the Output Value
Function definitions have default values which can be established for fields created with them.
¨ Default Format
This value indicates the format that fields created with this function should use by default.
· Base Format On Input Formats
This setting indicates to use the format of the inputs to this function. This is primarily used for allowing functions to produce signals or normal values, depending on which types of inputs are provided.
· Signal
This setting indicates that the output of this function is a signal. This is primarily used for signal filtering functions which modify other signals to produce new values. Fields that are formatted as signals are automatically analyzed for profitability.
· Other Formats
Other settings use a specific format for displaying numbers. In most cases, the Price format is used for displaying general numbers which can have one or more decimal places.
¨ Default Preprocessing
This value indicates the type of preprocessing that should be used when fields which use this function are used as inputs to a prediction. In general, inputs to a prediction should be kept within a consistent range of values so that new values can be treated the same as old values.
· None (outputs in fixed range or don’t change bar-to-bar)
This setting indicates that the output of this function does not need to be preprocessed for predictions since it is typically in a consistent range, such as between -1 and 1, or 0 and 100. It should also be used for values which don’t change often, causing change-based measures to frequently be 0.
· Change (general values not in fixed range)
This setting indicates that the change in the value of this function should be used for predictions. It should be used for values where the value does not remain in a fixed range and may contain positive or negative values. It should also be used when the scale of the value is not as important as the change in the value.
· Percent Change (positive values not in fixed range)
This setting indicates that the percent change in the value of this function should be used for predictions. It should be used for price values and other data where the value is always positive, but does not have a maximum value.
Entering Additional Notes about New Definitions
If you are creating a new function definition, entry/exit system, alert, or trading solution and would like to enter additional notes about the definition before saving it, select Enter additional notes about this definition before saving it. This option will change the Finish button to a Next button, providing you with an additional page for entering notes.
Ä Note: The Notes page will be available when you edit this definition whether or not you select to enter notes at this time.
What Do I Do Next?
If you are creating a new definition and have not selected to enter additional notes, press the Finish button to finish creating the definition. If you have selected to enter additional notes, press the Next button to continue on to the Enter Notes page. If you would like to exit the wizard without creating this definition, press the Cancel button. If you would like to change any aspect of the definition before creating it, press the Back button to return to a previous page.
If you are finished updating the inputs of a previously created definition, press the OK button to save your changes or select another property page. If you would like to exit from this dialog without performing any changes, press the Cancel button.
Additional Property Pages
These dialogs have the following property pages.
This page allows you to specify the name, group, and basic description of this definition.
0 Formula
This page allows you to modify the formula associated with the function. It is only available for function definitions.
This page allows you to modify the entry/exit rules associated with the entry/exit system. It is only available for entry/exit systems.
0 Rules
This page allows you to modify the rules associated with an alert. It is only available for alerts.
0 Message
This page allows you to modify the message associated with an alert. It is only available for alerts.
This page allows you to select a new source field for a trading solution. It can also be used to update a trading solution to match changes in the current source field. It is only available for trading solutions.
This page allows you to specify the external DLL file to use for a function or entry/exit system.
0 Inputs
This page allows you to edit and reorder the inputs for this definition.
0 Notes
This page allows you to enter notes associated with this definition.
& For help using property pages, see the help for Property Pages.
How Did I Get Here?
In most cases, the Specify Inputs page appears after the Enter Formula page in the Create a Function Definition Wizard, the Enter Rules page in the Create an Entry/Exit System Wizard, the Enter Message page in the Create an Alert Definition Wizard, and the Select Source Field page in the Create a Trading Solution Wizard.
For functions and entry/exit systems using External DLL’s, the Specify Inputs page appears after the Basic Information page in the Create a Function Definition Wizard or Create an Entry/Exit System Wizard.
The Modify Function Definition Dialog is displayed when you press the Edit… button on the Define Functions Dialog from under the Function Definitions list.
The Modify Entry/Exit System Dialog is displayed when you press the Edit… button on the Define Entry/Exit Systems Dialog from under the Entry/Exit Systems list.
The Modify Alert Dialog is displayed when you press the Edit… button on the Define Alerts Dialog from under the Alerts list.
The Modify Trading Solution Dialog is displayed when you press the Edit… button on the Define Trading Solutions Dialog from under the Trading Solutions list.