Each month in this Journal, our technical support staff addresses issues of interest to many CSI subscribers in a question-and-answer format. 

Notice:
  The views and information expressed in this document reflect the opinions and experience of the author Robert C. Pelletier.  Neither CSI nor the author undertake or intend to provide tax advice or trading advice in any market or endorse any outside individual or firm.  All recommendations are provided for their informational value only.  Readers should consult competent financial advisors or outside counsel before making any software purchase or investment decision.  CSI does not stand behind or endorse the products of any outside firms.

Copyright (c) 2001 Commodity Systems Inc. (CSI).  All rights are reserved.

Q.
    Unfair Advantage® (UA) successfully updates my database each day through an Internet connection, but it always ends with an error message saying: "Program Not Found. Windows cannot find PROGRAM.exe. This program is needed for opening files of type 'URL:HyperText Transfer Protocol'. Location of PROGRAM.exe: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Internet." How do I fix this? 

A.
    It sounds like UA is searching for a browser that does not exist in an attempt to display the daily news headlines from our website. This problem might occur if you switched browsers from Netscape Navigator® to Microsoft Internet Explorer® (or vise versa), but did not reset the default browser on your system.

    If you are using Internet Explorer and have this problem, click "Tools/Internet Options/Programs" then click the box saying: "Internet Explorer should check to see that it is the default browser." You can also set the default web browser through your computer's Control Panel, reached through "Settings" on your Start menu.

Q.
    I like to use Gann angles, and I find it very frustrating when new data is added to my UA charts because the scale changes and my lines are no longer correct. Isn't there anything I can do?

A.
    While CSI does not endorse a non-scaling charting method, starting with version 2.4.0, you have the option to not "Scale By Visible Data Only". To use this feature, simply create the chart of your choice, right-click your mouse and uncheck "Scale By Visible Data Only" from the menu. Your chart will then be redrawn using rounded values of the highest high and lowest low for the whole series. The scale will still change if new highs or lows are encountered, as the canvas must be enlarged to include the new values.

    Traders are warned to beware of hindsight testing on historically scaled charts, which tend to minimize current or historical volatility. This tendency makes historically scaled charts virtually useless for some markets. For example, the major trends in Corn before 1971 tended to be about 20 cents/bushel, but major trends after 1971 tended to be about 100 cents/bushel. Historical charts of Corn, with this option selected, show flat periods of stable prices, even though a trader at the time would not have found them so!

Q.
    Is it possible to automatically start UA and download quotes at a set time, even if I am away from my computer?

A.
    Yes. For those UA subscribers who run automated market analysis systems or who just want to automate updates, we have added an executable file that will, with the help of Windows'® Task Scheduler, automate the daily update procedure (instead of using the automatic download timer in Communications Settings which requires that UA be left open). It automatically launches UA, downloads all necessary data to bring your database current and updates the files listed in your UA portfolio(s).

    The basic setup involves placing the file called "InitiateUADownload.vbs" on the list of scheduled tasks in your Windows Task Scheduler and customizing the desired retrieval time. Full instructions are available in the updated online manual (see Third Party Software - Initiating an Update from Outside of UA) or from CSI's technical support staff.

    If you are paying line charges to be on the Internet, then it is recommended, as with the internal UA scheduler, that you only schedule downloads early weekday mornings so that if your Internet connection fails to disconnect, you will see the problem after only a short wait. UA simply shuts off its connection to Windows; and UA has no way to ensure that your Internet connection has definitely shut down.

    To assure proper functioning within UA, the "Prompt between download and distribution" and "Prompt between each day's distribution" options on UA's Daily Distribution screen of General Settings (on the Options menu) must be disabled (not checked). The "Append Data Files When Possible" option should be activated (checked). Other options on this screen may be disabled to reduce open windows on your computer that must be closed manually. The option to automatically launch another program may also be useful with automated retrieval sessions.

    This feature can only work if your computer is turned on at the selected retrieval time, and the scheduler is running. Your normal method of access must also be available to the system. This means that for Internet access, your computer must be online at retrieval time, or your browser must be set to automatically connect when a URL is requested. For direct dial access, the phone line must be connected and not in use. For browser users, UA will complete the download, but will not automatically choose "Manual Database Distribute" for you. If your normal daily routine involves manually prompting UA to distribute data, then this manual step will still be necessary. Further, if UA is left in the middle of setting or editing anything, it will continue to wait, and the scheduler will report an error.

Q.
    Does CSI pass along exchange fees for all the data I download each day?

A.
    Not directly. We do pay exchange fees for the data when we receive it, but additional fees are not normally required for after-the-close postings, when the data has already reached the public domain. These expenses are not insignificant, but when spread out over thousands of subscribers, the cost per user is manageable within our normal rate schedule.

    Only the SGX-DT exchange in Singapore has made the unprecedented demand for hefty exchange fees of each end user. Although they may hope to enhance their revenue through this practice, we expect it will likely have the opposite effect.
 

Important Announcement About Data From Singapore

    The SGX-DTT Exchange (formerly Simex of Singapore) has asked CSI to pay them $13 per month for each end user who receives any end-of-day data from their exchange. This demand is made despite the fact that we release the data almost a full day after their exchange releases it to media sources and long after it is in the public domain. Affected markets include the SGX-DT (Simex) contracts for the Nikkei 225 and 300 Indexes, Eurodollar, Euroyen, Hong Kong Index, Japanese Govt. Bond, Brent Crude Oil and others.

    We can handle the payment request for our commercial customers by simply passing on the exchange fee, but the accounting of this arrangement for UA and QuickTrieve® users is quite complicated. If you are receiving CSI's World Futures Database and wish to continue having access to SGX-DT (Simex) data, please tell us in an e-mail to bookkeeping@csidata.com. If there is sufficient interest in SGX-DT data at a $13 monthly surcharge, we will make the necessary changes to continue providing this data.