How to learn "Using excel for trading"

N

Nana Trader

Is there any benefit to using excel these days?

I know this might be beginner stuff to most of you,
but i really don't know anything about using excel
for trading.

I am sure learning excel things like strategy codes, macros,
building order entry, spreads, pairs, other calculations
that all done from data links....... , is much easier than
learning a scripting languages, So i can pick up quickly.

Can someone help me, with some useful tips on quickest
way to get started, i don't want just few internet links
, because i can search google or yahoo for this, so I am
looking for a shortcut to avoid learning unnecessary
things that are not used or related to trading

I need easiest step by step guidance, Thank you
p.s. You can pm me also.
 
Excel has some formulas that are perhaps easier to use than coding the same thing in TradeStation. But the more sophisticated stuff still requires code. In Excel, it's Visual Basic for Applications (VBA).

Since you already have at least some knowledge of EasyLanguage, I'd suggest you leverage that rather than learn something brand new. Even if a new trader knew nothing about either one, I'd still recommend tradestation or wealthlab or any of that over Excel.

I'd make an exception for the options folks who do extensive calculations. But I'm sure there are option packages that do most of that already.
 
I would never use excel for anything: - too unreliable! Using something like Ensign ($40 a month) is much better alternative.
 
since i know excel won't be hard, & there might
be few benifits to learning it, i still don't mind
learning it.

I need to have more opinions, so far thanks to
all replies
 
i was thinking about using excel through IB but have not started yet.

I also have wealth lab through fidelity.... i was wondering if anyone finds in more difficult or easier to use then a excel based VBA A\T

I am assuming that weathlab is more powerful but was considering using both of them.
 
Quote from Nana Trader:

since i know excel won't be hard, & there might
be few benifits to learning it, i still don't mind
learning it.

I need to have more opinions, so far thanks to
all replies
More...

nana do you know of a specific book that caters to traders using vba/excel?? i was going to use it with IB's API
thanks
 
Quote from Moreagr:

nana do you know of a specific book that caters to traders using vba/excel?? i was going to use it with IB's API
thanks
More...

I guess this is the question i should ask you and looking
for answer? I know very little about excel/VBA

I am not looking for any books as there are tons of
book on excel ( i am not sure directly related to trading,
but this would be good, if such book exist).
 
Quote from Nana Trader:

Is there any benefit to using excel these days?
More...
We use Excel to do a SP600, SP500, SP400 Index and sector breakdown that gives each sectors: Adv/Dec, %Stks Up/Dn, Projected Volume, Average Value of each sector stock... This is very hard to do using an API but since Excel has a built in Auto Calculation Engine and will update cells many times a second even in legacy DDE format...

So yes, Excel will do stuff that API's choke on... so it has its benefits...

<i>Quote from Nana Trader:</i>

Can someone help me, with some useful tips on quickest way to get started, i don't want just few internet links , because i can search google or yahoo for this, so I am looking for a shortcut to avoid learning unnecessary things that are not used or related to trading.

I need easiest step by step guidance
More...

Step 1. Write down <b>EXACTLY</B> what you want your finished excel or coded project to look like... down to the nth degree...

Step 2. Break it into pieces you want to develop step by step.

Step 3. Take the explanation of each piece and post it in MS Excel Newsgroups or Forums and ask anybody if they have code that will match what you have written down...

Step 4. Take each piece of freely submitted code and what doesn't work or fit take back to another forum or same one and repost asking for clarification on how to make it fit your specifications... and read up book and online docs on how to code VBA projects... 3-8 months later you should have what you want...

... hope some of this helps...

cj...


:)

__________________
HAVE STOP - WILL TRADE

If You Have The Vision We Have The Code
 
EdgeHunter, thanks a lot. Is VB and VBA same?

I have some questions:
-Few trading platforms out there that supports VB/excel?

-How easy is it to creat functions in VB? Though easy
language is easy to learn, but creating functions are
painindaass, but most needed function are already
build in EL, and more available for 3rd EL supporter?
How about VB, can you easly get access to many functions?

-How do you instruct to "buy" in VB? I am asking
because in easylanguage it's already build for
you as part of system variables, and many other
startegy component are ready, How about VB?

-Is there any good trading forum for VB/excel?
 
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