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Text File | 1989-02-15 | 11KB | 197 lines

"IMPORT" CURRENT VOLUME AND PRICES FROM ASCII FILE - RELEASE 2.54 - PAGE 1 OF 9

The purposes of this function are to read the current volume and price informa-
tion from an ASCII input file, convert it from ASCII format to internal numeric
format, and use that data to update the individual price history files which
are used to generate the bar graphs.  In addition, manual (keyboard) data input
is supported, and if stocks that are tracked WEEKLY were selected, updating of
weekly data from daily Stock Charting System data is also supported.

This function is used to update volume and prices for only ONE date, for MANY
stocks (or other securities).  You can update volume and prices for any date
between the earliest existing date on a file and the current DOS system date.

If you want to get historical prices for MANY dates for ONE stock, use the
inport function from the data ENTRY screen for that particular stock.  Note
there are two different import functions - both import data from ASCII files,
but this one is normally used for CURRENT data updates and the other one is
normally used for HISTORICAL data, to fill in a newly created history file.

Note:  The "import" function will affect ONLY the stocks on one data diskette
or in one data sub-directory.  If you have more than one data diskette or sub-
directory, this function will have to be repeated for each one.

"IMPORT" CURRENT VOLUME AND PRICES FROM AN ASCII FILE               PAGE 2 OF 9

Note that in the previous screen (just before you pressed H for Help) there was
a solid video block (the selector block) on the left side of the screen.  You
can move the selector block up and down by using the Home, End, PgUp, PgDn and
up- and down-arrow keys on the right side of your keyboard.  This allows you to
"browse" through the data, and to select securities for manual updating.  The
data will scroll or page backwards and forwards as required, if there is more
data than the screen can display all at once.

The general procedure for updating your stock charts with the current prices
(or prices for any single existing date) is described in the following steps:

1.  Either MANUALLY update the stock prices, or IMPORT stock prices from an
    external ASCII file created by a communications or spreadsheet program.

2.  Browse through the data to make sure you got the data you wanted and every-
    thing looks reasonable.  Note: the data is NOT automatically saved on disk.

3.  Invoke the UPDATE function, which will read, update and re-write each indi-
    vidual price history file.  Moving averages are computed automatically, as
    required.

"IMPORT" CURRENT VOLUME AND PRICES FROM AN ASCII FILE               PAGE 3 OF 9

If you are working with daily-updated price history files, the screen is set
initially to reflect a holiday.  To indicate a holiday, perform just the UPDATE
step.  Stock market holidays must be indicated specifically by the user; the
program is unaware of these holidays unless you tell it.

If you are working with weekly-updated price history files, you can use the
TRANSFER function to update these files from their corresponding daily-updated
files.  The TRANSFER function is described later, on screen page 9.

WARNING: If you are "importing" current prices from an external ASCII file,
the stock (or mutual fund, etc.) symbols you are using MUST match the ticker
symbols used by your database service.  Ticker symbols can be found in the
Standard & Poors stock guide - ask your broker for a copy.

NOTE: If your data files are on a floppy disk and you are updating manually
from the keyboard, it will be faster - and easier on your disk drive - to use
the data ENTRY screen to "fill in" new price history files.

Each of the individual functions, available from the menu at the bottom of the
screen before you pressed H for Help, is described on the next screen pages.

"IMPORT" CURRENT VOLUME AND PRICES FROM AN ASCII FILE               PAGE 4 OF 9

M = MANUAL input (from the keyboard).  This function prompts you for entry of
    the current volume and prices, beginning at the selected stock.  In addi-
    tion, you may enter the previous closing price and the program will auto-
    matically compute the percentage gain or loss per share.  After input of
    volume and prices, the selector bar automatically advances to the next
    stock.  Press the Esc key to terminate data input on the current line.

    If only the net asset value is given for a mutual fund, press <Enter> twice
    to bypass entry of volume and ask/bid price and then enter the net asset
    value.  The high and low prices will be set equal to the net asset value.
    If only the ask and bid prices are given, enter the ask and bid prices in
    that order and press <Enter> to bypass entry of the closing price.  The
    closing price will be set equal to the bid price.

    Either decimal or fractional input is acceptable.  A space must be left
    between a fraction and its corresponding whole number.  This is necessary
    to distinguish between such values as 1 3/16 and 13/16.

    NOTE: The MANUAL input function does not update your files on disk.  The
    UPDATE function, described later in these screen pages, does this.

"IMPORT" CURRENT VOLUME AND PRICES FROM AN ASCII FILE               PAGE 5 OF 9

I = IMPORT current volume and prices from an ASCII file.  This function con-
    verts the data so it can be used by the Stock Charting System.  As soon as
    you press I, another menu will appear at the bottom of the display.  It has
    its own separate Help screens for further information on how the conversion
    process works.  The purpose of this is to specify the order in which data
    items appear on the ASCII input file.

    The ASCII file is not created by the Stock Charting System; it must be cre-
    ated by an external communications, spreadsheet or other program. This file
    can be in another sub-directory or on another disk drive (you will be asked
    for its name and path).  Many external programs should be able to create
    this file.

    IMPORTANT:  The Stock Charting System can only "import" data from an ASCII
    file.  .WK1, .WKS, .DIF, .CAL and other types of files created by spread-
    sheet programs cannot be used directly.  In some popular programs, you must
    use the "print to file" option in order to "export" data to an ASCII file.

    NOTE: The IMPORT function does not update your files on disk.  Use the
    UPDATE function for this.

"IMPORT" CURRENT VOLUME AND PRICES FROM AN ASCII FILE               PAGE 6 OF 9

U = UPDATE current prices on disk.  This function updates all daily-updated
    files, or all weekly-updated files.  You enter the date for which current
    volume/price data is to be updated.  For example if you have 90 weeks of
    data from 05-22-87 through 02-03-89, you can update data for any date from
    05-22-87 to the current DOS system date.  New trading dates are added to
    each file individually as required.

    If you enter the date 02-03-89, existing data will be replaced.  If you
    enter the date 02-10-89, a new trading period will be added which will
    replace the oldest one.  Therefore after the update you will have 90 weeks
    of data, 05-29-87 through 02-10-89.  The data that was converted from an
    ASCII file (or manually typed in from the keyboard) will be placed in the
    new entry for 02-10-89, and moving averages will be computed.  The process
    is similar for daily-updated files.

    Entry of the date insures that new data will be placed under the correct
    date entry, even if not all price history files are current as of the same
    date.  If the date you entered is earlier than the latest existing date on
    the price history file, any existing data will remain intact.  Each price
    history file is read, updated (if required), and re-written individually.

"IMPORT" CURRENT VOLUME AND PRICES FROM AN ASCII FILE               PAGE 7 OF 9

U = UPDATE (cont'd).
    If the date you enter does not exactly match an existing or newly computed
    date on the price history file, the program will compensate automatically.
    For example if your date falls on a weekend, data for the previous Friday
    will be updated.  If you are updating a weekly file and your date does not
    fall on a Friday, data for the previous Friday will be updated.

    If the input data for a stock is not available, the existing current data
    already on the disk for that stock is not disturbed.  Therefore it is pos-
    sible to update stocks selectively.  Also, you can update CURRENT prices
    more than once for the same day, or even skip one or more days or weeks.
    The update data will still be placed in the correct date entry, adding one
    or more trading period dates as required.  But you must correct EXISTING
    volume and prices for EARLIER dates from the data ENTRY screen (press E
    from the Stock Select screen to get to the data ENTRY screen).

    NOTE: Whether the UPDATE function works on all DAILY-, or on all WEEKLY-
    updated stocks, depends on whether you pressed W or D from the Master Menu
    to get into the TRANSLATE CURRENT VOLUME/PRICES screen.


"IMPORT" CURRENT VOLUME AND PRICES FROM AN ASCII FILE               PAGE 8 OF 9

T = TRANSFER volume and price data to weekly-updated files from their corres-
    ponding daily-updated files.  These daily-updated files must exist within
    the Stock Charting System (TRANSFER does not "import" from ASCII files).

    TRANSFER works ONLY if you are working with WEEKLY-updated stocks.  If you
    pressed the D (for Daily) key, you will get a flashing error message upon
    pressing the T key.  To get TRANSFER to work now, EXIT back to the Master
    Menu first and then press W (not D).

    TRANSFER expects both daily- and weekly-updated files for the same security
    to be on the same data diskette and in the same data sub-directory.  If you
    have multiple data diskettes, the TRANSFER function will have to be repeat-
    ed for each one.

    TRANSFER saves data automatically; you will not have to invoke the UPDATE
    functions described previously.  TRANSFER will not disturb existing data;
    it only adds new data to a weekly-updated file.

    TRANSFER has its own HELP screens which give more information on how it
    works.  To get there right now press Esc, then T, then H.

"IMPORT" CURRENT VOLUME AND PRICES FROM AN ASCII FILE               PAGE 9 OF 9

H = HELP.  Displays the information you are reading now.

X = EXIT back to the Master Menu screen.  If you forgot to save your data by
    using the UPDATE function, you will be warned and given another opportunity
    to do so.  If you EXIT without saving the data, any data that was IMPORTED
    from an external file or MANUALLY input from the keyboard will be lost.
    Exception: TRANSFER has already saved the data so there is no warning.

    You must EXIT back to the Master Menu screen in order to terminate (QUIT)
    the Stock Charting System.