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  • #1
  • First Post: Jul 25, 2009 7:50am Jul 25, 2009 7:50am
I have come to the conclusion that during the next few years, I will probably be joining a trading desk fulltime.

During which time I want to try and maximise my chances of:

A) Getting an interview.
B) Getting a position.

So I have decided to set the task of getting these things done:

1) Get a full track record for all accounts, all in pdf and excel with equity curves, hit rates, ratios etc.
2) Become proficient in institutional programs and programming applications; CQG, excel, C++ etc [if you have any major programs which I should add please tell me!]
3) Get an internship during holidays, these are pretty easy to come across and partially the reason why I'm writing this.

_____________________________________________________


Ok, here's my point.


In some of the applications it says "Applicants must have an advanced level of excel experience". I know how to set up most of the basic functions, although I haven't learnt to set up macro's etc.


I was hoping you kind people could point me in the direction of what is the most commonly used functions of excel in trading (I think it would be exporting data from programs such as CQG so you can produce data which could be analysed).


I would be most grateful if experienced traders of this board could help a little guy along and start a deep discussion about this somewhat dull subject!


Few things to discuss:


Valuable books to read
Most commonly used functions of excel
What institutional traders/firms use excel for
Etc


Thanks Again!
Phil.

  • #2
  • Jul 25, 2009 4:53pm Jul 25, 2009 4:53pm
You ready Phil? Roll your sleeves up...

For analysis, Excel is really your poor man's database (I use it, I'm not knocking it, but you'll come across its limitations pretty quick). Simple excercise for you - export data from Metatrader, import into Excel, and find out the most common time of the high/low of the day over the past 6 months.
I'll swap answers once you've done it.

But Excel's real strength is in automating trading. For example, all Currenex brokers allow you to hook into their back end using Excel, as well as a few other ECNs. Why Excel rather than C++ or other languages? Because everyone knows Excel, and it's easier to get something up and running; simple as that.

VBA is what you need to learn to do that. If you record a macro and view the code (alt+f11) you'll see how it's structured. I'd start with reading VBA for Dummies. It's useful if you've got something real to play with mind, so try opening up a demo with Interactive Brokers - they allow algo trading through Excel.

I'm no VBA expert by the way; I ended up commissioning out the bulk of my work, but I've learnt to tweak the code and understand what's going on. It has made me far more knowledgeable of Excel than I ever wanted to be though...
  • #3
  • Jul 25, 2009 7:42pm Jul 25, 2009 7:42pm
lots of samples:
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/xltraders/
  • #4
  • Jul 26, 2009 6:11am Jul 26, 2009 6:11am
Quoting triphop
You ready Phil? Roll your sleeves up...

For analysis, Excel is really your poor man's database (I use it, I'm not knocking it, but you'll come across its limitations pretty quick). Simple excercise for you - export data from Metatrader, import into Excel, and find out the most common time of the high/low of the day over the past 6 months.
I'll swap answers once you've done it.

But Excel's real strength is in automating trading. For example, all Currenex brokers allow you to hook into their back end using Excel, as well as a few other ECNs....
Thanks for the advice and the work task set out, I'll report back later today when I have more time to check up! I used to code in visual basic, so hopefully this is pretty similar.

I searched for VBA for dummies, googlebooks has a small preview but I found some good sources of information on www.pdf-search-engine.com (just search "VBA" and you'll get some introductionary notes to things like Black-Scholes and how to implement these into excel).

I'll report back later tonight with what I've learnt and come up with, thanks again!

Quote
lots of samples:
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/xltraders/

Great resource, I'm going to have to look through it later on. All seems to be messages so I'll decipher out the navigation later on. With 4500+ members and 9000 posts there will be great stuff in here.

Thanks very very much!
  • #5
  • Jul 26, 2009 7:52am Jul 26, 2009 7:52am
Hi KillPhill08.

I don’t know how far along you are with your understanding of importing from MT4 to Excel.

This thread may help.

http://www.forexfactory.com/showthread.php?t=115014.

You don’t really have to understand the trading technique... it might help though ... but it does give a detailed example of ONE method of importing from MT4... the possibilities from then on are discussed further down the thread... i.e. a script/EA that creates the export files every few seconds.

The Spreadsheet was built for FxPro import ... but should work with others depending on the pairs they have .... but the general technique of importing the data is not broker specific.

Also this site has some great stuff on Excel Trading.

http://www.forex-tsd.com/tools-utili...version-2.html

I never got round to playing with them ... but it does seem the possibilities are endless.

Hope this helps and good luck with your endeavour.

Cdavid.
  • #6
  • Jul 26, 2009 4:41pm Jul 26, 2009 4:41pm
Quoting Cdavid
Hi KillPhill08.

I don’t know how far along you are with your understanding of importing from MT4 to Excel.

This thread may help.

http://www.forexfactory.com/showthread.php?t=115014.

[color=black][font=Verdana]You don’t really have to understand the trading technique... it might help though ... but it does give a detailed example of ONE method of importing from MT4......
Cheers for the reply David, that forex-tsd forum thread is great too. I'm getting somewhat overwhelmed with information lately, this is all great!

Triphop, I got a bit busy today but will hopefully have my macro finished by tomorrow. I have written the pseudocode and pasted it below, hopefully i'm along the right path. I was thinking it needs some Do While loops to get it going. It's bringing me back to my VBnet days 4 years ago. Shame I can't remember everything.

Inserted Code
Sub FindHighLow()
Dim MsgBox As String
Dim MostCommonDailyHigh As Integer
Dim MostCommonDailyLow As Integer
'Find the time of the highest number in each daily date
    'Find rows with same date
        'Sort through row dated cells to find high and the low
            'Find the time of the highest and lowest number
                'Return TimeHigh + TimeLow
'Find the most frequent time for the high and low
    'Add up times
        'Find most frequent by number
 
 
 

MsgBox = "The most common daily high is " + MostCommonDailyHigh + ". The most common daily low is " + MostCommonDailyLow
End Sub

Now to fill in the gaps. I will report tomorrow in between calm trading times.

Thanks all of you again, any little detail can make the biggest change! Great stuff chaps!
  • #7
  • Jul 26, 2009 5:49pm Jul 26, 2009 5:49pm
  •  FxChi
  • | Joined Dec 2007 | Status: Cash Rules Everything Around Me | 749 Posts
Good job learning Excel KillPhil08...it's really a powerful tool to analyze data and quite underrated by traders IMO. I guess bc it's not as colorful as those pretty charts.

It's perfect timing I came across this thread as I've recently been doing a lot more work in Excel. I've seen threads about importing from MT4 to Excel, is there a way to export data into MT4?

What I'd like to export are support/resistance lines I calculate and sometimes I may have to input 60-70 lines per week. If backtesting over a year on a weekly basis you can imagine it's quite time consuming copying/pasting, double clicking horizontal line parameters and pasting, and doing that 60-70 times.

Links, suggestions, idea's much welcome.
"Wishful thinking dies hard." Igor T.
  • #8
  • Jul 27, 2009 1:39am Jul 27, 2009 1:39am
Quoting FxChi
Good job learning Excel KillPhil08...it's really a powerful tool to analyze data and quite underrated by traders IMO. I guess bc it's not as colorful as those pretty charts.

It's perfect timing I came across this thread as I've recently been doing a lot more work in Excel. I've seen threads about importing from MT4 to Excel, is there a way to export data into MT4?

What I'd like to export are support/resistance lines I calculate and sometimes I may have to input 60-70 lines per week. If backtesting over a year on a weekly basis you can imagine...
I know you can import the same data that you can export. It's in the same "history center" area under tools. However what you do sounds like you need to write a basic indicator which draws straight lines, but calls the data for the lines from excel. Not sure if this helps, I'm a really mt4/excel newbie.

Hope you find what you're after !
  • #9
  • Jul 27, 2009 1:45am Jul 27, 2009 1:45am
Phil, you're already streets ahead. I do calculations like this using in-built functions; I only use macros for hooking up to the API. The way you're doing it will doubtlessly be more efficient, and your tech background will serve you well.

You interpreted the task slightly differently - will still be valuable, but what I found useful from a trading perspective is more like:
* Take hourly data (minute will grind Excel to the ground for this task)
* If time = midnight, look at high-open & open-low.
* Take max figure, note time
* In another column, take time of the Min figure
* Calculate distribution of hours of the day in %

You're left with a graph showing the frequency of hitting max and min movements of the day - literally showing you the highest probability of the maximum movement of the day. Good luck!

FXChi, the most recent build of MT4 can export CSV data out the box, but only the version downloadable from Metaquotes, not a broker. Not sure about exporting S&R lines mind. Hanover & Ronald Raygun would be my best bet to know...
  • #10
  • Dec 17, 2009 5:15am Dec 17, 2009 5:15am
i know excels in an astonishing tools that has been used by meta trader 4 for the preparation of strategies and highlight the indicators with graphs and charts. i would love to know more about this application of meta trader 4.

with regards
dave
  • #11
  • Dec 17, 2009 6:10am Dec 17, 2009 6:10am
The problem is not what EXCEL can't do, it's the limited DLLs available from MT4 to retrieve data real-time for use with EXCEL.
  • #12
  • Jul 13, 2010 11:25am Jul 13, 2010 11:25am
DLLS have to be custom made as Meta Trader 4 is a closed platform. There are very few options here
  • #13
  • Edited Sep 26, 2010 12:17am Sep 25, 2010 12:59pm | Edited Sep 26, 2010 12:17am
Hi...I have been using excel as my daily trading signal.It's a basket trading strategies and it has produce good result.However,I can't use it to others broker because the link was encrypted with password.I need the VBA password to be default.I've try to upload it but the file is too large,7.73 MB.Anybody able to do it,please PM me with email.

There's 3 version.This is the sample of actual layout.

Silentrader
[email protected]
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  • #14
  • Sep 26, 2010 2:02am Sep 26, 2010 2:02am
I'm sorry pal, but you seem like a spammer to me, or maybe I'm just spam-paranoid.. (as I have replied to you in your PM)


Quoting silentrader
Hi...I have been using excel as my daily trading signal.It's a basket trading strategies and it has produce good result.However,I can't use it to others broker because the link was encrypted with password.I need the VBA password to be default.I've try to upload it but the file is too large,7.73 MB.Anybody able to do it,please PM me with email.

There's 3 version.This is the sample of actual layout.

Silentrader
[email protected]
  • #15
  • Mar 15, 2011 1:16pm Mar 15, 2011 1:16pm
Quoting silentrader
Hi...I have been using excel as my daily trading signal.It's a basket trading strategies and it has produce good result.However,I can't use it to others broker because the link was encrypted with password.I need the VBA password to be default.I've try to upload it but the file is too large,7.73 MB.Anybody able to do it,please PM me with email.

There's 3 version.This is the sample of actual layout.

Silentrader
[email protected]

I dont know if you are spamming or not but that is badass!!! Where did you get it? I am also using Excel to trade.
  • #16
  • Last Post: Jan 4, 2013 5:25am Jan 4, 2013 5:25am
You're welcome KillPhil. Your PM's off so thought I'd trash this thread instead
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