Importing Data from Text Files
TradingSolutions can import a large variety of data saved to text files. The data can be separated with commas, tab characters, or other characters. It can have header information and column names. It can even have multiple securities in a single file.
& For a step-by-step introduction to this topic, see the tutorial called Import Historical Data.
Importing Data from Text Files
New data series can be imported from text files using the Import Data Wizard and selecting Import data from files on your computer. This will display the Select Files page, where you can select which files to import.
& For help importing historical data, see Importing Historical Data.
Existing data series can be updated from updated text files using the Import Data Wizard and selecting Update data in the target group. Individual data series are updated based on their currently selected data source, which can be set to the previously imported file. The data source for each data series can be viewed or modified from the Modify Data Series Dialog: Properties page. The data source for entire groups can be viewed or modified from the Modify Group Dialog: Properties page.
& For help updating data, see Updating Data.
Text File Data Format
TradingSolutions is flexible enough to import most date-based financial data. However, there are some general formatting rules that do need to occur for a file to be imported.
· There can only have one date or date/time pair per line in the file.
· There cannot be information or blank lines between the lines of data.
· There cannot be any non-date information following the last line of data.
The following is an example of what valid data can look like. The number of columns has been reduced here for easier display.
Date, Close, Volume
11/19/01, 45.90, 53000
11/20/01, 46.76, 76000
11/21/01, 47.12, 23000
TradingSolutions can handle different date formats, separators, decimal points, and other settings. For each file it imports, it will automatically try to determine the best settings. To view or modify these settings, select View text file import options for each file being imported on the Import Data Wizard: Select Files page.