Tutorial: Using the Interface
Importing Data
Importing Data
i Tutorial Task
Import historical data from a file.
The first step to working with TradingSolutions is to import historical data into the program. Historical data is a collection of previous prices or values of data. The import action brings that data into TradingSolutions so that you can work with it. This tutorial task will show you how can import data from a file.
Here are some notes about this task:
· The evaluation version of TradingSolutions is limited to importing sample data included with the program, sample data from the TradingSolutions website, and data for the Solution Service.
· TradingSolutions can be used with almost any date-based financial data. This includes historical price information for stocks, futures, FOREX, mutual funds and other instruments, both domestic and international.
· The majority of TradingSolutions users subscribe to a data service, such as Prophet or eSignal. Data from data services can be imported directly using a similar method. See the Video Help for more information.
Step-by-step Instructions
1. Let’s import additional data into the Sample End-of-Day Data group. Right-click on this group and select Import Data…. This will open the Import Data Wizard.
Figure 1. Selecting Import Data.
2. Select Import data from files on your computer.
Figure 2. Selecting the type of import in the Import Data Wizard.
3. Press the Next button.
4. From the Select Files page, press the Select New Files… button. This will display a file selection dialog labeled Select Files with Data to Import.
Figure 3. Location of the "Select New Files…" button.
5. Use the file selection dialog labeled Select Files with Data to Import to select the "WY.txt" file from the "Sample Data" directory. Press the Open button to use this file and return to the Select Files page.
Ä Note: If you need help doing this, see the Notes.
6. The selected file will now appear on the Select Files page. Press Next to continue.
7. The Start Import page displays the symbols that will be imported. Press Finish to start the import.
8. TradingSolutions will display a Status Dialog while it is importing the data. When it is finished, the Status Dialog will disappear.
9. When the import has completed, a message will be displayed in the Messages and Alerts Window.
The message should read: "WY.txt – The import was successful."
Ä Note: If you are repeating this tutorial, you may see the message "No new data was imported." By default, TradingSolutions will only import data that is not already in your portfolio. Since you have already imported all of the data in this file, there is no new data to import.
10. WY is the stock symbol for Weyerhaeuser. Examine the Portfolio View and verify that "Weyerhaeuser Company" has been added to the "Sample End-of-Day Data" group.
Figure 4. "Weyerhaeuser" in "Sample End-of-Day Data" group.
_ Continue to the next task.