BenchMark_ET.xls measures Excel performance with 6 trading related Excel/VBA tests. Once the benchmark is complete, your results can be submitted to the Database (just press “Submit”). All submitted results are available here (all results are sortable). The default view is most recently submitted result topmost (so your result should be on top until you sort). System Information is listed along with each test result (processor name, OS, Clock Speed, Cores, Excel Version, File type). A composite Scoring system is in place, but each individual test result is also listed in the results database. All results can be sorted in ascending/descending order by clicking each result’s title. For best results disable autosave and background error checking in Excel options.

Instructions:

1. Download Benchmark_ET.xls.
2. Open Benchmark_ET.xls and press the button “Start Benchmark”
3. (optional) Submit and view your results.

Below is an explantion of each test:

Test 1: Data Build Time

Measures the time it takes VBA to create 5 columns * 65535 rows of random tick data.

Test 2: MACD VBA Calculation

Measures the time it takes VBA to calculate the MACD indicator for the 5 columns * 65535 rows of data created in test one. (The VBA code for the MACD calculation is here.)

Test 3: Dispayed Ticks (30 Sec)

Measures the number of ticks (price changes) than can be displayed in 30 seconds. In my original benchmark this was the only type of test. The results varied so greatly that newer versions of excel took hours to complete the benchmark while older versions took just minutes making the benchmark annoying to run. By limiting this test to 30 seconds the total time to run the benchmark will be similar among all systems tested.

Test 4: 63000 ticks converted to OHLC

After 63000 ticks are created, this test converts the tick data to OHLC data. The result is measured in time.

Test 5: Live formula Test

This test begins with with 5000 bars of OHLC and a series of formula based indicators. The last price changes in E5000 as rapidly as possible but waits for all formulas to calculate between each price change.  The benchmark result is the number of price changes that can be completed with formula recalculations within 30 seconds.  Below is the list of indicators calculated with live formulas in this test.

1. SMA (100,200,300)
2. RSS
3. RSI
4. Fisher Transform of RSI

Test 6: Live formula Test

This test is identical to test 5 except that all formulas also refer to and are dependent on the changing cell, E5000. Test 6  compared to Test 5  is meant to test the “smart recalculation engine” promoted by Microsoft.  More info can be found in this Microsoft article under the section titles “Understanding Calculation Methods in Excel”.

Scoring:

A composite scoring system is in place and the result is listed in column two on the results data base page and also at the top of the benchmark results form upon completion. With the exception of test 3 all tests are counted equally. Test 3, which tests displayed ticks on a stock chart is counted 3 times because for trading it’s an important result to consider. To establish the composite score 20 tests were run on various systems and excel versions. The best and worst scores for each test were used to establish the benchmark score. The best scores from the initial tests resulted in a score of 100 and the worst scores resulted in a score of 0 therefore scores greater than 100 and below 0 are possible.  On the results page idle processor speed is shown and overclocked systems may not show the true processor speed. If you see two systems that look the same with significantly different scores, the higher score is likely from an overclocked system. Thanks for trying my Excel benchmark and submitting your system’s result!

Both files contain the exact same set of Open High Low Close data. The formula based version should be easier to understand and serves as a way to verify that the VBA code that I wrote is correct. Both methods give the same result for both %k and %D.  The major benefit of using VBA is that the parameters for Stochastics can be easily changed from the input boxes. In addition the VBA method shows only the final result rather than take up five columns.

The VBA based version can be downloaded here.

The formula version can be downloaded here. Below is an image of the formulas used in the formula based version.

Below is the code that I wrote for the VBA based version.

Sub ETstochastic() 'written by Exceltrader www.exceltrader.net
Dim StochSetting As Integer, Ksetting As Integer, Dsetting As Integer
Dim A() As Double, B() As Double, C() As Double, D() As Double, E() As Double
Dim Count As Long
Dim Xcounter As Integer, Xavg As Double
Dim Zcounter As Integer, Zavg As Double
Dim x As Integer, y As Integer, z As Integer
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
''  The below three lines are the Stochastic settings.
''  The Values can either be changed here or uncomment the inputbox lines to be prompted.
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
StochSetting = 14 'InputBox(Prompt:="Enter Stoch settings Number of Periods.", Title:="Stochastic Period", Default:="13")
Ksetting = 2 'InputBox(Prompt:="Enter Moving Average For %K", Title:="%K Setting", Default:="5")
Dsetting = 3 'InputBox(Prompt:="Enter Moving Average For %D", Title:="%D Setting", Default:="6")
Set ws = ThisWorkbook.Worksheets("Svba")
    With ws
    LR = .Cells(Rows.Count, "A").End(xlUp).Row
'does the same as formula =E15-(MIN(D1:D15))
        For Each DataRange In ws.Range(.Cells(2, "A"), .Cells(LR, "A"))
        Count = DataRange.Row
        ReDim Preserve A(1 To Count)
                If Count >= StochSetting + 1 Then
                     A(Count) = .Cells(Count, "E") - Application.Min(ws.Range(.Cells(Count - StochSetting, "D") _
                     , .Cells(Count, "D")))
                End If
        Next DataRange
     'does the same as formula   =MAX(C36:C50)-MIN(D36:D50)
        For Each DataRange In ws.Range(.Cells(2, "A"), .Cells(LR, "A"))
        Count = DataRange.Row
        ReDim Preserve B(1 To Count)
                If Count >= StochSetting + 1 Then
                     B(Count) = Application.Max(ws.Range(.Cells(Count - StochSetting, "C"), .Cells(Count, "C"))) _
                     - Application.Min(ws.Range(.Cells(Count - StochSetting, "D"), .Cells(Count, "D")))
                     End If
        Next DataRange
        '=100*(I50/J50)
        ReDim Preserve C(StochSetting + 1 To UBound(B))
            For Count = StochSetting + 1 To UBound(B)
                   C(Count) = (A(Count) / B(Count)) * 100
            Next Count
        '=AVERAGE(K49:K50)
        ReDim Preserve D(StochSetting + Ksetting To UBound(B))
            For Count = StochSetting + Ksetting To UBound(B)
                For Xcounter = Count - Ksetting + 1 To Count 'just go back and get the first C and go forward to current
                    Xavg = C(Xcounter) + Xavg
                Next Xcounter
                D(Count) = Xavg / Ksetting
                Xavg = Empty
            Next Count
            ReDim Preserve E(StochSetting + Ksetting + Dsetting - 1 To UBound(B))
            For Count = StochSetting + Ksetting + Dsetting - 1 To UBound(B)
                For Zcounter = Count - Dsetting + 1 To Count 'just go back and get the first C and go forward to current
                    Zavg = D(Zcounter) + Zavg
                Next Zcounter
                E(Count) = Zavg / Dsetting
                Zavg = Empty
            Next Count
  x = Empty: y = Empty: z = Empty
  x = LBound(E)
  y = UBound(E)
  'put the stochastics on the workbook. Change column Letter as needed
  .Cells(x - 1, "J") = "%D"
  .Cells(x - 1, "I") = "%K"
  For z = x To y
  .Cells(z, "J") = E(z)
  .Cells(z, "I") = D(z)
  Next z
End With
End Sub
            
            
            

DataConverter.xls allows you to configure the Number of OHLC bars that should be condensed down into a single bar. You also can list the file name, sheet, and columns where your data is located.  The data will almost instantly be transformed into the higher time frame you have requested.

Instructions:

1. Download DataConverter.xls (*last updated 1/1/2011)
2. Open DataConverter.xls. (Quickstart!: Skip the directions below. Just Open file and press “Convert” to see how it works with default settings.
3. If you have OHLC Data in a workbook, open that file (you can also just use the default sample data that is contained on the sample data sheet in DataConverter.xls)
4. Enter the Column letter for each type of data (Time/date, Open, High, Low, Close, Volume)
5. Enter the Name of the WorkBook and worksheet that contain the data. For example, to convert 1 Minute bars to 4 minute bars, simply enter 4. To convert 3 minute bars to 15 minute bars enter 5 (5*3=15) etc etc.
6. Finally press the “Convert” Button.  The converted data will appear in a new workbook. Save as desired.

This is very similar to a version I have been using for my personal trading for years. However this is a much improved version so I am pretty excited to have it completed and am in the process of converting my personal system over to this version. I hope that others find if useful.

The Youtube video below shows both live trading mode and backtesting mode.

“Improves the charting mechanism in Excel 2007. This includes better parity with Office 2003, improved robustness, and targeted performance improvement”

Benchmark.xls is a file I created to keep track of Excel’s performance in various O/S and versions. Benchmark.xls makes heavy use of Excel’s charting capabilities and manipulates data in a way typical for handling live market data/trading.

With SP2, Excel still took roughly two and a half hours to complete what takes Office 2003 five minutes.

Office 2003       : Backtest results: 00:04:56
Office 2007 SP1: Backtest results: 02:29:48
Office 2007 SP2: Backtest results: 02:35:38

See Benchmark.xls for more detailed results or to download benchmark.xls.

MACD example in excel.

This post answers the following question.

“I have recently been trying to chart historical data in Excel in a bar chart format and found the “canned” graph allows only for high, low, and close, but not the open.  Do you have a simple way to add the open tick to a bar chart in Excel?”

There are four types of stock charts included in excel.

High Low Close

Open High Low Close

Volume High Low Close

Volume Open High Low Close

Select the Open High Low Close option.

If you want to also plot volume which I suspect may be the case, I always just used the Open High Low close chart then add in the volume as a new bar chart on the stock chart. To do this:

first setup your stock chart with open high low close. It should look something like this.

Next

click on the outer edge of the chart so that it is highlighted, click on “chart” from the menu bar and select “add data”. Select the volume column as your data.

Now your chart will look messed up because volume is plotted on the primary axis (along with price).

To change this just right click on the volume bar series (on the chart itself) and select “format data series”. next click on the “axis tab” and change to “secondary axis”. Next you may want to change the secondary axis scale so that volume stays way down below price. Once that is done your chart should look something like this.

Sub TWITTER()
Dim symbol As String
Dim Price As String
Dim xml, Username, Password, tweet
Set xml = CreateObject(“MSXML2.XMLHTTP”)
‘change this to your username in quotes
Username = “yourusername”
‘change this to your password in quotes
Password = “yourpassword”
‘let the symbol variable have the symbol name from your excel sheet
symbol = Workbooks(“yourworkbook.xls”).Worksheets(“yoursheetname”).Range(“a1 or your range”)
‘let the Price variable have the symbol name from your excel sheet
Price = Workbooks(“yourworkbook.xls”).Worksheets(“yoursheetname”).Range(“a2 or your range”)
‘contruct the “tweet” this would create “Just bought a gazillion shares of (whatever $SYMBOL you have in A1) @ (whatever price you have in A2)
tweet = “Just bought a gazillion shares of ” & “$” & symbol & ” @ ” & Price
‘post the tweet
xml.Open “POST”, “http://” & Username & “:” & Password & “@twitter.com/statuses/update.xml?status=” & tweet, False
xml.setRequestHeader “Content-Type”, “content=text/html; charset=iso-8859-1″
xml.Send
Set xml = Nothing
End Sub

If added to an existing excel trading system it may be best to set this to run 20 seconds or so after your actual trade is sent to avoid any interference which can be done as follows

Application.Ontime Now() + timeserial(0, 0, 20), “TWITTER”

]]> http://exceltrader.net/180/how-to-post-your-ats-trades-in-twitter-using-excel/feed/ 0 http://exceltrader.net/147/microsoft-excel-as-a-trading-platform/ http://exceltrader.net/147/microsoft-excel-as-a-trading-platform/#comments Fri, 10 Apr 2009 14:34:51 +0000 ExcelTrader http://www.exceltrader.net/?p=147 In this article I discuss the pros and cons of Excel as a trading platform.

A little History

Over the last 16 years of trading, I have used a lot of trading platforms: broker platforms, third party vendor platforms and small applications written by private programmers. One thing all these platforms have had in common is that at some point I had a simple task or feature that was not already built in or impossible to implement.

As a long time user of Microsoft Excel, Excel became an obvious choice once Interactive Brokers began supporting excel with their API. I am not a programmer by formal education; however the learning curve for programming VBA for Excel is very fast. The key for me was buying a few great Excel books and using them for reference.

Why Excel may not be the best choice:

• Even standard (free) broker platforms a capable of a lot. If your trading strategies are not complex for example you only want to be able to enter stop losses and limit orders before going to work, there would be little reason to use excel as a trading platform.

• Excel can be a little too slow for scalping (entering and exiting within seconds), occasionally I have seen lag of a few seconds before excel begins sending the order.

• Although the learning curve is quick it does require a lot of time to program, error proof and test your work.

• For non Windows users or users wanting to change to another operating system, Excel would not be a likely choice.

Why Excel may be the best choice:

• Most people have at least some familiarity with Microsoft Excel. Any previous experience greatly decreases the learning curve.

• You can do almost anything in Microsoft excel. There has never been anything that I wanted to do in Excel that was impossible. I may have initiallythought it was impossible, but in the end I always found a way.

• There are fantastic resources to get help writing code. I have often asked questions on the Mr. Excel forums and received fast answers from professional programmers.

• Contrary to what many believe, you can create great charts in Microsoft excel. (The charts I post on this blog are in Excel!)
  Save Money! If you already own it then you save a lot of money by not having to pay for expensive trading platforms or charting programs

Is it the best choice?
For someone with little or no programming experience but who wants to implement complex trading strategies with a high degree (limitless?) of complexity and customization Excel may be the perfect choice. It certainly has been for me.

1. Excel 2007 Bible - It is important to have one book that just covers excel (not Visual Basic and Macros) so that you don’t unnecessarily use VBA for performing calculations better handled by formulas. The channels and trend lines in my videos of sim trading the ES are formula based not VBA based like most people seem to think. I probably could not have figured it all out without this book.

2. Excel 2007 VBA Programming For Dummies

3. Excel VBA in easy steps by Ed Robinson – By far the best beginner book but often out of stock. It’s only 188 pages but covers a lot of material in a very clear and concise manner. The examples are easy to understand even with no prior programming experience. If you have no prior VBA experience this is a great first book. Barnes and Noble is the publisher. The price on the cover is 9.95, but since it is out of print people are currently selling it used for $50 to $100 :(

4. Excel VBA Macro Programming - If Excel VBA in easy steps is out of stock, this may be a good alternative judging from the reviews. I have not personally used this one though.

Best Intermediate and Advanced books

1. Excel Hacks is filled with original content and examples. I have a lot of Excel books and thought I knew about pretty much everything until I bought this book.

2. Excel 2007 VBA Programmer’s Reference This enormous book should be used for reference. It has a great index so you don’t have to waste time trying to figure out how to do some simple task. If you have used my earnings.xls workbook that automatically downloads stock’s earnings dates, then you have already benefited from this book. I used an example from the 2003 version of this book to learn from!

*Be careful about buying multiple books by the same author because there is a lot of repetition and they often put out practically the same book but with a different co author, book name and Cover!