multichart vs amibroker ?

LeeD · May 22, 2010

mcgene4xpro, given your interest in 100-millisecond bars expresses in a different thread, it's quite interesting that you narrowed the platform short-list to the 2 platforms with the most concise language but the least tools for handling orders and executions at a low level.

I can't comment regarding charting but AmiBroker has amazingly fast back-tester for bar-based trading systems. Its language allows converting backtests into matrix calculations. The drawback is this works on bars only and you need to be very much aware that not minding a few simple rules may lead to forward-looking bias.

Regarding speed, for trading systems of simple to moderate complexity on a dozen of instruments pretty much any platform will be fine. Computers are getting faster and you need a trading platform that will do what you need and will make you the most productive, not something that's marginally faster.

Obviously, some heavy calculations like multidimentional optimisation on every tick or calculations done on hundreds of symbols can stretch modren computers... but 1) it's your strategy code that will be the bottleneck; 2) If you do need hundreds of symbols, make sure the platform can handle this load at all.

A few things to watch out for:
1) There are a few platforms out there with a history of freezing when market activity on liquid instrumenst like S&P 500 E-minis spikes. Some platforms may also develop a few-second lag and don't catch up after activity in the instrument slows. This freezing can happen both in data handling and when updating charts. I don't want to call any platform names hear but earge you to do your own research.
2) Make sure the platform can backtest the same exact code that is going to be used for trading. Having separate "trade execution" code carries potential for difiicult-to-catch errors.

You can get in one platform pretty much every essencial feature except millisecond precision and backtesting on level 2 (market depth) data. So, besides saving a few hundred dollars there is no reson to compromise.

mcgene4xpro · May 22, 2010

Quote from LeeD:

mcgene4xpro, given your interest in 100-millisecond bars expresses in a different thread, it's quite interesting that you narrowed the platform short-list to the 2 platforms with the most concise language but the least tools for handling orders and executions at a low level.

could you please educate me what do you mean by ' least tool for handling orders and executions at a low level". if you please have a better choice you can pm me.

I can't comment regarding charting but AmiBroker has amazingly fast back-tester for bar-based trading systems. Its language allows converting backtests into matrix calculations. The drawback is this works on bars only and you need to be very much aware that not minding a few simple rules may lead to forward-looking bias.

for my strategy, looking into the future during backtesting wouldnot change the outcome. However, my first priority for selecting trading plateform is the execution speed ( signal generating and calcuating, order sending, ..etc). part of my code will work on the tick chart so i need a fast to catch the tick even it is only 1 pip and do moderate calculations before and after to be ready for the next catch.

Regarding speed, for trading systems of simple to moderate complexity on a dozen of instruments pretty much any platform will be fine. Computers are getting faster and you need a trading platform that will do what you need and will make you the most productive, not something that's marginally faster.

Got your point , my hardware is quite fast but i am planning to build or purchase much faster one when needed. i am still looking for GPU based system and multicore based CPUs units. However, i am still in the first stages of automated strategy building but trying to think ahead what will be needed to maximize its potentialiy

Obviously, some heavy calculations like multidimentional optimisation on every tick or calculations done on hundreds of symbols can stretch modren computers... but 1) it's your strategy code that will be the bottleneck; 2) If you do need hundreds of symbols, make sure the platform can handle this load at all.

My strategy for now is to handle one instrument on the very high speed but once i can do this ,, i could exploit that to other instruments later. The strategy code calculations contains simple to moderate calc. level but should be done repetitively inbetween tick interval.

A few things to watch out for:
1) There are a few platforms out there with a history of freezing when market activity on liquid instrumenst like S&P 500 E-minis spikes. Some platforms may also develop a few-second lag and don't catch up after activity in the instrument slows. This freezing can happen both in data handling and when updating charts. I don't want to call any platform names hear but earge you to do your own research.
2) Make sure the platform can backtest the same exact code that is going to be used for trading. Having separate "trade execution" code carries potential for difiicult-to-catch errors.

Please pm if you have something you want to add for this part. however, i appreciate your sharing attitude and thank you for you patience and kind help.
You can get in one platform pretty much every essencial feature except millisecond precision and backtesting on level 2 (market depth) data. So, besides saving a few hundred dollars there is no reson to compromise.

my response inside quote.. thanks man

ET99 · May 22, 2010

Quote from mcgene4xpro:

good advice but actually i have two full jobs,

i am a physician who is doing his PhD in medical genetics in one of the 100 top universities in the world.

so my time is full and trading is my hoppy as chess

however, i am very open to any positive constructive suggestion. so please if you have one , i will be more happy to listen even with harsh too intellegent words.

in that case, don't make initial cost a criteria.

look at the total cost... that includes your time investment in learning the package and getting your strategy up and running.

Amibroker is fast and powerful...
but would take more effort to learn.

MultiCharts uses EasyLanguage.
There are thousands of ready made codes and resources on the internet.

ET99 · May 22, 2010

there's an old thread here with a hot debate between Amibroker and MultiCharts. Lots of fireworks, accusations and innuendos.
don't remember the title tho.

mcgene4xpro · May 22, 2010

Quote from ET99:

in that case, don't make initial cost a criteria.

look at the total cost... that includes your time investment in learning the package and getting your strategy up and running.

Amibroker is fast and powerful...
but would take more effort to learn.

MultiCharts uses EasyLanguage.
There are thousands of ready made codes and resources on the internet.

thank you for sharing

LeeD · May 23, 2010

Quote from mcgene4xpro:
> but the least tools for handling orders and executions at a low level.

could you please educate me what do you mean by ' least tool for handling orders and executions at a low level".

You want the platform to allow your strategies to track individual orders in the market, see partial executions, cancel open orders. Ideally, you want all this mechanics to work in backtests... including partial executions.

I looked at AmiBroker and Multicharts a couple of years ago. So, feel free to correct me if my info isn't up to date.

Quote from mcgene4xpro:
if you please have a better choice you can pm me.

I am sending you a PM....

Quote from mcgene4xpro:
my response inside quote.. thanks man

You are welcome!

ET99 · May 23, 2010

Quote from LeeD:

....

I looked at AmiBroker and Multicharts a couple of years ago. So, feel free to correct me if my info isn't up to date.
...

Your info aren't up-to-date.

pspr · May 23, 2010

AmiBroker used to be called the poor man's Metastock. Since Metastock has serious limitations and doesn't seem to have added important features that other platforms now use, I wonder if AmiBroker has passed Metastock in functionability even though Metastock RT still costs around $1600.

mcgene4xpro · May 23, 2010

Quote from pspr:

AmiBroker used to be called the poor man's Metastock. Since Metastock has serious limitations and doesn't seem to have added important features that other platforms now use, I wonder if AmiBroker has passed Metastock in functionability even though Metastock RT still costs around $1600.

So, it is perfectly suits me

thanks

Sharp2be · May 23, 2010

Quote from mcgene4xpro:

good advice but actually i have two full jobs,

i am a physician who is doing his PhD in medical genetics in one of the 100 top universities in the world.

so my time is full and trading is my hoppy as chess

however, i am very open to any positive constructive suggestion. so please if you have one , i will be more happy to listen even with harsh too intellegent words.

Mcgene -- here's your PhD teacher:

1. it should be hobby, not hoppy
2. "even with harsh too intellegent words" - requires serious revision, MS Word will tell you.
3. it should be intelligent, not intellegent

Back to trading, if indeed you are going for your PhD, stick to it, 80% people on this board haven't made any money for the last 4+ years, 20% made less than 50k a year and the remaining 20% it's still a puzzle...

2c$