Bazan,
From the Parity "Help" documentation:
Parity is compatible with 5 or 7 field MetaStock/CompuTrac data files, ChartPro/MegaTech data files, Comma Separated ASCII files, and TeleChart 2000 data files. If sufficient demand exists, other data formats will also be provided. Daily, weekly and monthly data in these formats are widely available from various on-line and data disk services.
Parity also permits you to import price data from Excel 2.1 and 3.0 files, Lotus 123 WKS files, Comma Separated Value text files and Tab Separated Value text files. Data from these file formats cannot be included in the definition of a Group but can be charted in the same fashion that Load a Security permits you to chart a single stock. See Import Other Formats for more information.
Parity Plus includes a complete set of utilities for file and data maintenance and data conversion. Parity Plus does not include any utilities for downloading price data files. A number of commercial and shareware programs provide these functions. An excellent program for updating MetaStock or ChartPro data files from ASCII text files of price data is PTT. PTT is shareware and the most recent version is always available by calling the FlexSoft BBS at (510) 829-2293.
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Parity's major hindrance is the lack of download capability.
I put up with it because Parity draws the best lines and has the best visual presentation of charts.
I download my data in Metastock format from AOL. There are a couple avenues that I have found to reformat this data for Parity.
The most readily available method is to open the downloaded file with Microsoft Wordpad. Click "Edit"...click "Select All"...click "Edit" again...click "Replace". In the field for "Find what" type the symbol, a comma and the letter "d" (for daily data..."w" if you've downloaded weekly data or "m" if you've downloaded monthly data) AND another comma.
Example:
ABAX,D,920124,15.75,16.5,15.5,15.75,361800,0
ABAX,D,920127,15.75,16,14,14.75,251600,0
ABAX,D,920128,14.75,15.25,14.75,15,78600,0
ABAX,D,920129,15,15.5,14.75,14.75,193100,0
You need to remove "ABAX,D," from the entire data file.
Once you've typed ABAX,D, into "Find what", DO NOT replace it with anything. Then click "Replace all".
When the replacement is complete go to "File"...select "Save" and save the change as a "Text file".
You should then be left with:
920124,15.75,16.5,15.5,15.75,361800,0
920127,15.75,16,14,14.75,251600,0
920128,14.75,15.25,14.75,15,78600,0
920129,15,15.5,14.75,14.75,193100,0
The very top line of data may end up with ABAX,D, left in there but, if so, all you need do is remove that before saving the changes.
If you do not use AOL as your ISP...this info might give you some clues as to how to manipulate the data format you are using.
AC is now less than a week away and there's going to quite a brain trust in attendance. If you don't get the data thing resolved by then, you'll surely get the info you need during the event.
BTW...Three (3) seats have opened up due to the usual, expected cancellations. I realize this is late notice but if anyone has a flexible enough schedule.......now's the time to jump in.
Doug R |
