Plot News indicator (version 3.0)

Hi hanover,
thanks for nice FFCal. I want reuse for an "non trade days" indicator usable in a strategy (no objects!). I must probably filter somehow in XLS because FF has no filter for export. Or DAT is a non-proprietary format?

I found a few problems which you probably cannot see at your machine. In case if one has display with lower vertical resolution (stupid trend of widescreen notebook LCD displays, in my case 1440x900 120dpi, then FFCal setting or list of records do not fit on screen (or fit so so). In the second case solution is trivial, decrease size constrains to allow manually decrease size.

I try to get what some options are for, e.g. "D.Fmt(D#.M#,Y#)", NCI, Effects. Could you point me where "News Indicator v 3 - operating instructions.doc" is located, I cannot find it in MT directory.

What console application is executed from main window when F5 is pressed? Probably because non english Window sounds several beeps (console 0x7 ???).File "#" apears in files directory with corrupted chars (if it is related).

Sorry I did not went through all thread pages if has already been discused.

Thanks
Tomas

Hi Tomas,

thanks for nice FFCal. I want reuse for an "non trade days" indicator usable in a strategy (no objects!). I must probably filter somehow in XLS because FF has no filter for export. Or DAT is a non-proprietary format?

The .DAT file is in Clarion database format. However, FFcal also outputs a text file named news.csv (which is subsequently read by the Plot News indicator, to get the info needed to plot news events on your MT4 chart). This file is created/overwritten in the ..../experts/files folder. You can import the news.csv file into Excel, and perform any filtering, shifting to a different timezone, and analysis using Excel's facilities, if you wish.

I found a few problems which you probably cannot see at your machine. In case if one has display with lower vertical resolution (stupid trend of widescreen notebook LCD displays, in my case 1440x900 120dpi, then FFCal setting or list of records do not fit on screen (or fit so so). In the second case solution is trivial, decrease size constrains to allow manually decrease size.

All I can suggest is that you try experimenting with different resolutions. Without wishing to be rude, the software is offered free, on a take-it-or-leave-it basis. It was written primarily for my own use, and currently I'm too busy to support different versions for people with different computer specifications. I am sorry, but that is the way that it is.

NOTE: if you are running Win7 or Vista, then all I can suggest is that you read the information in this link. These versions of Windows do not allow data to be written to certain folders. I run WinXP exclusively, hence I can not troubleshoot on my computer here, or help you further. Read the earlier posts by nubcake — he understands Win7/Vista much better than I do.

I try to get what some options are for, e.g. "D.Fmt(D#.M#,Y#)", NCI, Effects. Could you point me where "News Indicator v 3 - operating instructions.doc" is located, I cannot find it in MT directory.

The word document should exist in the ZIP file that's attached to post #1. However, I have attached it to this post also. It explains the use of the indicator more than the FFcal.EXE application. This is because, in earlier Plot News versions/threads, people complained that FFcal was too complex. Hence I moved as much of its functionality (exports etc) to the Plot News MT4 indicator, as was feasible.

What console application is executed from main window when F5 is pressed? Probably because non english Window sounds several beeps (console 0x7 ???).File "#" apears in files directory with corrupted chars (if it is related).

I have never experienced this. It is possibly due to write permissions (if you are running Win7 or Vista); I do not know.

When running FFcal:

Press Esc and then F5 to get the settings in screenshot #1. This screen should automatically appear when FFcal.EXE is run, in any case. Change the parameters boxed in red to reflect the data that you wish to download from FF calendar. ALL of this data is all downloaded to the CALENDAR.DAT file. Change the parameters boxed in blue to apply any filters. This will selectively export only the news events that meet your filter criteria to the news.csv file. (Or you can perform your filtering in Excel, if you prefer). Press F10, or click the OK button, to start the dual download/export process. (The F10 option was added in case you can't see the OK button, due to screen size limitations).

Depending on your internet speed, the export/download can take up to 20-30 seconds for each week's worth of data that you've asked to have processed. When the download/export process is finished, the screen in the screenshot #2 should appear, showing the content of the CALENDAR.DAT file. You can also press Esc and then F9 to obtain this screen.

Please also see the info on FFcal.EXE in the appendices of the attached document. You can also find info scattered throughout this thread.


Hope the above helps.

David

Hi all,

Seriously fantastic indicator!!!

I have two issues and it would be great if i could get a couple of pointers.

1, when i try to set the calender from 6 months ago from todays date and type in 26 weeks - it only plots from January 2012?

2nd, How can i remove the upcoming news titles on the right hand of the screen. I'm watching 6 pairs and only need to see it on one not all 6

Many, many thanks for your help.

Hi,

Glad you like the indy.

1. Even though it's possible to plot news back several months, I don't recommend it, as plotting too many objects will likely affect MT4's performance. However, if you want to try it (my comments refer to the screenshots in post #242):

i) Press Esc and then F9 in FFcal to see which events have been downloaded into FFcal's database (2nd screenshot). Any news events that haven't been downloaded into this database can't be plotted. Note: to save both time and internet traffic, you only need to download historical news events once. Once in the database, they stay there forever.

ii) Press Esc and then F5 in FFcal, and check that when you output the news the dates entered in "Output only events between...." (blue box in 1st screenshot) cover your required date range.

iii) When you attach the Recent News indy to your MT4 chart, ensure that the "From date" and "Thru date" settings likewise cover your required date range.

2. Change the Recent News indy's parameter "Show upcoming events" to 0, to stop the display of the 'rolling window' of upcoming events.

I would suggest attaching the indy to one chart only, as it can seriously slow MT4 performance, especially if you're plotting a large number of events (objects).

David

Thanks alot.

I have two things to thank you about actually - first is the indicator and second for inadvertantly introducing me to the FF calender. I hadnt realised what a brilliant calender it is. I was using the DailyFX but not anymore.

One thing i have seen is the SMQ (olsen scale) next to news item. What do you make of that? it seems a bit too complicated to fit into a strategy but a neat tool anyway.

Also, i havnt noticed the MT4 slowing down. Would it be the price feed and chart movement which slows?

Thank you for plot news indicator. It is very helpful tool.

I try to use it on GOLD chart. And it put all news symbols one on each other which are under the same candle.
Same time on defined currency pairs they are organized one below each other as they should be.
I did try change clearance factor and it did not help.

Is there anything what can be done with that?


Erlands

Hi,

The most likely reason is that metals gold uses a completely different 'pip scale' to currencies.

All I can suggest is that you set MainChart to false (this feature is available only in v3.10 onward), so that the circular objects plotted don't encroach on the candles, and then experiment with the VertSpacingPips setting until you get the desired spacing between the objects.

If this doesn't work, all I can say is that the indy was designed to be used on currency charts, not metals.

David

ok, i know that the indicator display two time; mt4 time and local time. but i wanna change dat of local time to 12hr system. how can i do dat. pls help

Currently this is not possible. I will look at the possibility of changing it in the next release. Not sure when or how at this point.

I decided it wasn't worth updating the 'main' version in post #1. The attached version should display the local time in the help info pop-up in 12 hour am/pm format.

Thankz Hanover, im grateful. Im yet 2 use it, tho

I have completely rebuilt the FFcal news database from FF calendar, and extended it so that it now contains all of FF calendar's news events throughout the period Jan 1, 2007 thru June 30, 2012 (approx 23,000 events). All events are timestamped New York EST; you'll need to make any adjustments to suit your MT4 time zone manually, including adjusting for daylight saving.

Download the zip file in post #1. The zip contains both the CALENDAR.DAT/K01/K02/K03 database and the CSV file.

NOTE: results may be unpredictable if you're running either Windows 7 or Vista. See here for more info.

I just noticed that this indy no longer works correctly. Probable reason: it looks like the Forex Factory calendar HTML format has been changed.

There are other news indys available; here is an example.

But yours is cooler !!! Any plans to try and make it work? If not, I could assist with the changes needed to the parser.

Yes hanovers stuff is always the best.

Glad you like the indy.

I'm too busy with commercial projects to do anything at the moment. Thanks for your offer to help. However, the parser is written in Clarion (it takes MQL4 anything up to 10 minutes to parse a week's worth of FF news, in HTML format).

I might ultimately resurrect the news indicator as part of a commercial package, but I'm undecided at this point.

David

Sad to hear that. I have been a "follower" of your indi since the beginning. Thanks anyway.

Please send me a PM.

Is there any way of downloading the FF calendar as a simple csv file?

I do not use the data on MT. I use it for back testing systems. I have used your system to download data in the past with success.. thanks. However , since April 2012 it produces screwy data, and as you say, you are not supporting the system now.
Downloading directly to excel also seems to be blocked now.

It's Vastly Cooler Hanover! What are we going to do? How could anyone want any format but Plot_News billiard balls after once using it? Have used it since 2006! There is simply no comparison with any of these others: look up at the box; look over at the time; then down at the chart... not for the scatter-brained. (Plot_News the only answer, and I'd wager very few are not scatter-braind when it comes to this...