NeoTicker Blog

Everyone from TickQuest here wish our clients a happy and prosperous new year!

Important Notice

– This is a beta release. It is provided for those who need early access to version 4.30
– This release is not considered as “stable” comparing to 4.20 build 66. Install at your own risk
– Multiple Instance is an Add-on feature requiring separate activation. Announcement on that to follow.

New Features

Time Chart
– new visual options to set background picture and gradient coloring
– reduce time chart OS-dependent object usage, in turn increase user’s ability to load more charts per NeoTicker instance

Pattern Scanner
– added option to load upto last completed bar only
– timer can be activated in offline mode

IDL Object Model
– Itself object new method MakeIndicatorEXLimitedBars
MakeIndicatorEXLimitedBars (Name, ID, IndicatorName, FixedLen, DataSources, ParamList) : IndicatorObj
– new drawingobjects read/write properties

AttachedToSymbol [AnIndex : integer] : boolean
AttachedSymbol [AnIndex : integer] : string

– Indicator Definition added option Custom Func to specify custom calling function name from a regular DLL, opening the way to a shared DLL for multiple indicators
– added option (in User Preference) to enable support of .NET Framework version 4

Formula Language

– new nested indicator method MakeIndicatorLimitedBars
MakeIndicatorLimitedBars ({barsago}, name, indicator, link1, {link2, ...,} param1, {param2, ...,} fixedlen)

– new functions SetFlag and CountIf
SetFlag (local var, reset condition, trigger condition, {true value, reset value})
CountIf (local var, reset condition, trigger condition, {true value, reset value})
true value default is 1 and reset value default is 0

– added support of local variable, variable, and function call as a comparison by themselves e.g.
$a and $b and $c and newhigh (x, y, z)

– new functions timecompare (time1, time2) and datetimecompare (datetime1, datetime2) results in -1, 0, 1
– new execution branching statements
label identifier;
on boolean goto identifier;

– new function for indicator formula to match the one from quote formula – SymbolIs

Cache Manager
– Data Integrity new option to disable always request for intraday data if the data file is missing
– Historical Data Option to specify the reference time for which the date is based on when requesting data from data service
– RAM Cache new Smart Option to enable/disable reuse of temp files

eSignal
– eSignal better Data Manager detection if it is opened and connected to several other applications, which slow down its initial response to a new connection

IQFeed
– support customized field streaming for improved performance

Continuous Contract Manager
– new table editor commands to copy or append table entries from another continuous contract

Screenshot Tool
– added new target option – clipboard

General
– Window 7 and Vista ready
– complex backend revision
– caption control buttons compatible with Windows Aero mode
– Backup Tool is now removed from distribution and related Backup Tool option in Tool Option menu is removed
– All applications distributed with NeoTicker are revised to support Windows 7 (and Vista)

Version 5 UI integration
– user interface originally made for version 5 is now merged into version 4.3
– will be a step by step process til it is done

Advanced Multiple Instance Add-On
– Multiple instance running with environment control features
– User Preference>Grid Computing>TCP Port in range
– command line launch with option to specify user files location
– optional coreready instance name for getobject access
– IQFeed ready
– eSignal ready
– Compatible with Grid Optimizer 2.0

Bug Fixes

– Down Volume and Down Tick quote fields in quote formula returns corrupted data on some data services
– in offline mode, daily cache not auto update if the symbol is available from backfill
– Account Manager popup option Go Market does not retain account information when replacing the existing order with the new market order
– formula function intimerange modified to return results based on second resolution
– Historical Data Option – Find First Missing Date sometimes generate the next date as the first date without data, due to the download time is translated into the next date based on UTC. Thus leading to failure in downloading historical data properly.

We will be upgrading our company main site server on Dec 23, 2010 to better serve our customers.

We are sorry for any inconvenience during the move.

I’ve been asked quite a number of times if Microsoft’s latest .Net Framework version 4 will be supported by NeoTicker’s IDL indicator/system development environment.

The quick answer is yes – it will be supported.

The longer answer is that it will be supported by next release.

An option will be provided in upcoming NeoTicker 4.30 to allow the user to choose to use .Net 4 specifically to run indicators written in .Net environment (e.g. VB.NET, VC#, etc.)

Indicators written in .Net 3 or .Net 2 environment are compatible and can be deployed to NeoTicker running with .Net 4.

After I last wrote about the upcoming NeoTicker version 4.3, one of our programmers who handle the overall user interface coding had accepted an offer to work for a client of our firm.

We are very happy for him as working for a hedge fund has always been what he wanted to do. The issue was that we were left with no one to complete the work he was responsible for. Adding to that, our top secret project on NeoTicker version 5 has so many UI changes it will be very difficult to keep it as a separate project when a team member is missing.

Software Versioning Model Change

After series of meetings and discussions with our programming team, we have decided to change our software versioning model from major version “jumping”, to a model that better reflect our vision of frequent updates with new features and bug fixes.

What I mean is that the upgrade policy on permanent licenses will change. The main differences are,

1. Someone purchased our product version X.Y will be entitled to free upgrade all the way up to  (X + 1).(Y – 1). For example, someone who purchased NeoTicker 4.3, will be entitled to free upgrade up to version 5.2.

2. Within 1 year of purchase or paid upgrade, the license is entitled to free upgrade on all upgrades released during the time period.

3. Those who purchased permanent licenses of NeoTicker and other products on or after June 1, 2010 will be included in this revised upgrade policy.

Boundaries among Major Releases are Now Blurred

The change in the versioning model enables us to add new features to our products without worrying about classification of features designated for major release and/or minor releases.

I now have the flexibility to merge the planned (and implemented) new features for NeoTicker 5 into our release schedule whenever I see fit.

Overall, it turns out to be a good change for everyone within our company and I am sure many of you are happy to see that new features will be added more quickly.

Back to Normal

Our coding schedule is back on track. Programmers are less stressful and more productive as we streamlined the feature planning and release schedule.

Will keep you all posted on our progress.