Can't Follow the Code, Please Help....

[feng2088 10]

Hello , I am trying to understand these codes line by line. I spent 2 hrs try to figure out what each line does, obviously I couldn't figure out. Can someone please put comment next to each line and help me understand? I know it's a lot, but I really appreciate your help. Thanks much!

 

 

{Scalper Buys and Sells		7/18/2007
Written by Luis Gomez 
inspired by John Carters "Mastering the Trade"
This plots swing highs/lows with a strength of 2 bars on each side, on the condition that there is a
	close above/below the high/low the bar after the said swing bar......whew that's a mouthful!
}

inputs:
buyColor(white),
sellColor(yellow);


variables:
highBarsAgo(1),
possibleHighBarsAgo(1),
possibleHigh(-2), 
hightoBeat(-1),
barsSincePaint(1),
lowBarsAgo(1),
possibleLowBarsAgo(1),
possibleLow(10000001),
lowtoBeat(10000000),
triggerPriceSell(-1),
triggerPriceBuy(1000000),
trend(1),
_UP(1),
_DOWN(-1),
_ON(1), 
_OFF(-1);



if trend = _UP then begin
if swingHighBar(1,H,2,barsSincePaint+2) > -1 then begin
	possibleHighBarsAgo = swingHighBar(1,H,2,barsSincePaint+2);
	possibleHigh = H[possibleHighBarsAgo];
end;

if possibleHigh >= hightoBeat then begin
	highBarsAgo = possibleHighBarsAgo;
	hightoBeat = possibleHigh;
	triggerPriceSell = L[HighBarsAgo - 1];
end;

if C < triggerPriceSell and highest(high,highBarsAgo) < hightoBeat then begin
	//plot1[highBarsAgo](H[highBarsAgo],"",sellColor);
	Sell next bar at market;

       alert("Scalper Sell");
	trend = _DOWN;
	barsSincePaint = highBarsAgo-1;
	hightoBeat = -1;
	lowtoBeat = 10000000;
	triggerPriceBuy = 10000000;
	triggerPriceSell = -1;
	highBarsAgo = 1;
	possibleHigh = -2;
end;

end;




//***************************************************
//****** Find and plot the lowest swing low *********
//***************************************************

if trend = _DOWN then begin
if swingLowBar(1,L,2,barsSincePaint+2) > -1 then begin
	possibleLowBarsAgo = swingLowBar(1,L,2,barsSincePaint+2);
	possibleLow = L[possibleLowBarsAgo];
end;

if possibleLow <= lowtoBeat then begin
	lowBarsAgo = possibleLowBarsAgo; 
	lowtoBeat = possibleLow;
	triggerPriceBuy = H[LowBarsAgo - 1];
end;

if C > triggerPriceBuy and 
lowest(L,lowBarsAgo) > lowtoBeat then begin
	plot1[lowBarsAgo](L[lowBarsAgo],"",buyColor);
	alert("Scalper Buy");
	trend = _UP;
	barsSincePaint = lowBarsAgo-1;
	possibleLow = 10000001;
	lowtoBeat = 10000000;
	hightoBeat = -1;
	triggerPriceBuy = 10000000;
	triggerPriceSell = -1;
	lowBarsAgo = 1;
end;

end;



barsSincePaint = barsSincePaint+1;
if trend = _UP then highBarsAgo = highBarsAgo + 1;
if trend = _DOWN then lowBarsAgo = lowBarsAgo + 1;

[Trader333 10]

Do you have any understanding of coding ?

 

 

Paul

[feng2088 10]

Yes, I do, but not too much. I don't understand how these variable are defined. I need someone to help me get started. If you can help me understand the first half of the codes, I would really appreciate it.

[Tams 20]

  feng2088 said:

Yes, I do, but not too much. I don't understand how these variable are defined. I need someone to help me get started. If you can help me understand the first half of the codes, I would really appreciate it.

 

you have to be more specific...

 

if you have problem with a section, let us know what you understood, and what you didn't.

a blanket question will get a blank stare in return. Nobody is going to spoon feed you.

[TraderWill 11]

Hi Feng,

 

If you have specific questions about the code it'd be easier to answer, as the previous posts state. This appears to be Tradestation code and if you have that charting platform you could just run it and see what it does. I think it looks for lower highs to indicate that an uptrend is over and a downtrend beginning and then gives a setup to go short the market. And conversely looks for higher lows to indicate the end of a downtrend and beginning of a reversal. The variables are used to store values calculated by and used in the code. The numbers next to the variables are default values to initialize the code but will be changed as the code is executed on each price bar.

 

Not sure if this helps, if you can narrow down your question it may be easier to answer.

 

Tradestation by the way has extensive documentation about coding in their help file and in the help file reference section there's a link to downloaded their coding tutorial pdf document. You should download it and go through it as it does a great job of teaching how to program in their platform. It explains the use of inputs, variables, logic structures, etc. Some of the commands in the code are actually programmed functions and if you look their name up in the Tradestation help you'll find an explanation of what they do and how to use them.

 

Good luck in your studies.

[mushin2003 10]

Hey Feng,

A few things to get you started. First either read Carter's book or google for "swing high" this is the chart pattern the code is checking for. Next, this is Easy Language from TradeStation and they do provide a lot of online documentation. This code is rather trival to understand after about 1-2 hours of studying just basic EL. If you have a desire to trade then it is best to spend the time learning what tools you have availble.

[jdevron 10]

After reviewing the code, I seriously doubt it is worth the trouble to decipher it in detail. Besides being poorly documented, it doesn't appear to have much potential for consistant profit. The difference between 'can work' and 'does work' is reliability. The reason this code if free is because that is what it is worth. Move on to something better. As a stand alone indicator this code will never increase your account balance by the end of the month.

[feng2088 10]

Thank you all for your advice. I downloaded the EasyLanguage Essentials and read some pages of it. I put some comment on a few lines but not sure if I understand the codes correctly. Can your guys please take a look? For the ones that have ?? at the end :doh:, can you please shred some lights? Thank you for your time and help. Enjoy your weekend.

 

 

if trend = _UP then begin
if swingHighBar(1,H,2,barsSincePaint+2) > -1 then begin  //  if this is true then 
	possibleHighBarsAgo = swingHighBar(1,H,2,barsSincePaint+2); // possibleHighBarsAgo changed from 1 to 2
	possibleHigh = H[possibleHighBarsAgo]; // possibleHigh changed from -2 to H[2] ???? (No sure)
end;

if possibleHigh >= hightoBeat then begin  //if possibleHigh is true then begin??? (No Sure)
	highBarsAgo = possibleHighBarsAgo;    // highBarsAgo = 2
	hightoBeat = possibleHigh;            //hightoBeat = H[2]
	triggerPriceSell = L[HighBarsAgo - 1]; //triggerPirceSell = L[2-1]= L[1]
end;

if C < triggerPriceSell and highest(high,highBarsAgo) < hightoBeat then begin //highest(high,2) < h[2]
	plot1[highBarsAgo](H[highBarsAgo],"",sellColor);
       alert("Scalper Sell");
	trend = _DOWN;
	barsSincePaint = highBarsAgo-1; // barsSincePaint= 1
	hightoBeat = -1;
	lowtoBeat = 10000000;
	triggerPriceBuy = 10000000;
	triggerPriceSell = -1;
	highBarsAgo = 1;
	possibleHigh = -2;
end;

[Corey 10]

you start by cutting down to a few line of codes, run them , see the result then add back a few lines do it again and again and again.

Edited February 6, 2011 by Corey

[mushin2003 10]

Hi Feng,

Do you know what the function "swingHighBar(...)" does? also you need to understand this notation "H[possibleHighBarsAgo];" spend some more time studying the code.

 

If you know what the purpose of the overall strategy is supposed to do then viewing the code is alot easier. I believe you dont understand this comment from the original code "This plots swing highs/lows with a strength of 2 bars on each side, on the condition that there is a close above/below the high/low the bar after the said swing bar......whew that's a mouthful!"

[Tams 20]

  feng2088 said:

Hello , I am trying to understand these codes line by line. I spent 2 hrs try to figure out what each line does, obviously I couldn't figure out. ...

 

spent 2 hours ???? and you expect to know it all ???

 

you can do that if you are a programmer.

try 20 hours if you are not.

Edited February 6, 2011 by Tams

[Tams 20]

  feng2088 said:

Thank you all for your advice. I downloaded the EasyLanguage Essentials and read some pages of it. I put some comment on a few lines but not sure if I understand the codes correctly. Can your guys please take a look? For the ones that have ?? at the end :doh:, can you please shred some lights? Thank you for your time and help. Enjoy your weekend.

...

 

get a piece of paper...

draw a flow chart as you go.

don't forget, you are dealing with a "system" here.

this is not as simple as a few sentences' worth of explanation.

but if you have patience and trace through the process,

you will find the logic is not that difficult.

[TraderWill 11]

Hello Feng,

 

You do have to spend a lot more than two hours to learn EasyLanguage programming. Let me try to help you understand this code a little better.

 

First, open the Tradestation Help and in the search tab put in swingHighBar. That'll give you a page that explains what this function does exactly, and what the different input parameters mean. Essentially it'll give you the bar number for the swing high.

 

H[2] means the high of two bars ago, it does not mean that the high is 2. Numbers or variables inside square brackets tell you how many bars ago to reference.

 

Your question about the if - the code is checking if the most recent swing high is lower than the prior highest swing level, which I believe is then used by the program to determine that the uptrend is over.

 

You really need to commit to spending more time learning EasyLanguage, there are simply no shortcuts to that. And I fear you may be setting yourself up for a hard time in the markets if you think all you need is some free trading strategy and a couple of hours time to get started. Buckle down and invest the time to learn, start with the simple code examples in the Tradestation tutorials, write your own simple strategy and test it out, do some demo trading, and if after all of that you think that you have a winning strategy, then go ahead and trade real money. And be prepared to deal with losing trades because they will come and are an unavoidable element of trading.

 

Good luck in your studies.