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) 2002 Commodity Systems Inc. (CSI).  All rights are reserved.

Q.
    How often can I download daily prices from the CSI database?

A.
    That depends upon the scope of data you receive from CSI. Our published rates for both Unfair Advantage North American data and QuickTrieve® portfolios reflect once-a-day updates. Additional accesses are allowed, and are available at a 40% discount off the normal rates. For example, if you regularly pay $40 per month for daily updates, you could update a second time each day for an additional $24 per month. A third daily update would add another $24 to your bill. Subscribers to Unfair Advantage's World database offerings may download three times daily for futures or twice daily for stocks without incurring extra charges. These multiple accesses facilitate tracking markets as they close around the world.

    You can now avoid unnecessary updates that may be prompted by incomplete downloads. To make sure the markets of interest to you have been updated, check the Current Posting Status page from the Support screen of the CSI website or go directly to www.csidata.com/ua/PostingStatus.htm. This dynamic screen shows which markets have been updated, and which (rarely) might be running behind schedule. 

Q.
    Does CSI provide a daily report showing the current market statistics and net change?

A.
    Unfair Advantage users can view a daily "Snapshot" of today's closes and the net change for everything in any or all of your portfolios or for all futures markets. Simply click the snapshot icon (it looks like a camera) on the UA toolbar, make your selections and click [Build]. To view a chart of any of the listed markets, simply double-click it from the snapshot output screen. You can save or print this screen as desired, except when the full futures database is displayed.

    Additional daily summaries and in-depth fundamental information on stocks are available through Unfair Advantage's Online Newspaper. Click on "Read Tomorrow's Newspaper" from the Trading Tools menu or during the daily distribution process.

    QuickTrieve users can request a distribution printout that includes a full summary of the day's activities for markets within your portfolio.

Q.
    I noticed the "Data" page on the CSI website says that special software is required and that it is not for Unfair Advantage or QuickTrieve users. What is this screen for?

A.
    This interface is used to support some of our large commercial accounts. The data they receive is formatted in a way that is suitable for mainframe applications, including redistribution through websites. For more information on commercial services, please contact Ms. Nassrin Berns at (800) 274-4727.

    We do have data on the website that is appropriate for individual investors. for access to factsheets, exchange listings, format documentation and past issues of the CSI Technical Journal. Go to the "Support" screen to access replacement database files or to receive updated software. 

Q.
    How do you use Unfair Advantage's Trend Line feature?

A.
    First, create your chart. Next click the Chart Tools menu and then choose "Apply Tool." Click "Trend Line." Trend lines are often used to mark support or resistance levels within a trending market, so you might want to start by linking significant peaks on the high side of your bar chart. Click on a high value near the beginning of a trend and then hold the mouse button down as you drag your newly forming line to the desired ending point (usually a recent or mid-term high). Release the mouse button, and the trend line is set. You might prefer to draw the line past the selected point, intersecting it, and then projecting the line to future values.

Erasing trend lines is done through the "Right-Click" menu. Position your cursor anywhere on the chart and click your right mouse button. Then choose "Clear Annotations." This simultaneously removes all features added through the "Apply Tool" menu, including trend lines, ellipses, rectangles and text.

Q.
    How can I see the numerical values of the study lines that appear on my UA chart?

A.
    Use the scale at the edge of the window as a general guide, or see the specific values on the crosshair data screen. Click the Crosshair icon from the UA toolbar and then read the study values from the bottom of the accompanying screen of text information. The values shown correspond with the location of your cursor on the chart.

Q.
    I just tried to add a new stock (an IPO) to my Unfair Advantage portfolio, but the Portfolio Editor says it doesn't exist. How should I handle this?

A.
    If an IPO started trading today, chances are good that we made it available on this, the first day of trading. However, Unfair Advantage won't acknowledge the existence of your new stock until after it has been retrieved in a daily update. Please download new quotes and allow UA to distribute the data before attempting to add an IPO to your portfolio. If it still isn't there, please send us an e-mail with a request to add the issue.