Data Feed Requirements

 

ScanExpert requires an eSignal data subscription in order to operate. If you are currently running the eSignal Advanced Charts desktop platform then you already have all that you will need to run ScanExpert.

 

ScanExpert utilizes the eSignal Data Manager (WinRos) to access the eSignal data feed in essentially the same fashion as the eSignal Advanced Charts desktop application, and Data Manager must be running in order for ScanExpert to receive data. ScanExpert will start the eSignal Data Manager automatically if it is not already running. However, you should be careful not to inadvertently close the Data Manager while ScanExpert is still operating.

 

Note: On the "General" tab of the eSignal Preferences dialog (File/Preferences on the main eSignal menu) there is an option called Shutdown Data Manager on Exit. Please be sure to uncheck this option. If left checked there is the possibility that the Data Manager will be closed while ScanExpert is still making data requests.

 

To be clear, ScanExpert does NOT require that the eSignal Desktop charting application be installed on your computer. It only requires the eSignal Data Manager (WinRos). However if the eSignal Desktop charting application is installed and running at the same time that ScanExpert is running, you can take advantage of symbol linking between ScanExpert and the eSignal Desktop charting application (i.e., double-click on a symbol name in ScanExpert and automatically pull up a chart of that symbol in the eSignal application.)

 

The data available to ScanExpert is entirely dependent upon your eSignal subscription. If you can load a security into the eSignal Advanced Charts application, then you can load that security into ScanExpert as well. Conversely, if a particular security is not available to you in the eSignal Advanced Charts application, then that security will not be available in ScanExpert. The maximum number of symbols you can access at once is also controlled by your eSignal subscription. ScanExpert has the capacity to process information for up to 500 symbols concurrently, but your eSignal subscription may have a lower limit.

 

ScanExpert can also access price/volume data from multiple bar intervals. See the MultiTimeframe section for more information.

 

For more information on the eSignal family of products as well as for eSignal data feed subscription information, please visit the eSignal Web Site.

 

 

 

Hardware Requirements

 

 

 

How much processing power and RAM you will need for ScanExpert depends primarily upon the number of securities and studies that you load. ScanExpert can accommodate up to 500 symbols with up to 40 columns of data per symbol (columns can contain data points such as open, high, low, close, volume as well as basic studies such as moving averages and oscillators, or more complex studies such as studies derived from other studies). If you plan on monitoring 100 or fewer symbols with 15 or fewer columns then you can probably get by with a very basic hardware configuration. To effectively monitor larger baskets of securities, or a larger number of columns per security, will require more RAM.

 

In terms of your internet connection, a wireless or dial-up connection is not recommended. Instead we recommend a wired connection such as DSL or Cable Modem.

 

In general, you will find that despite the calculation-intensive nature of the task that it performs, ScanExpert is quite fast and has a relatively small processor footprint. During the initial data load, cpu utilization can reach the 80%-90% levels but this should only last for a few seconds. Once up and running, the ScanExpert cpu utilization should remain at around 10% or below. You can also tweak the program's processor bandwidth by adjusting the the Update Priority option in the Configuration Manager dialog. When monitoring smaller baskets of securities you can safely select the Highest priority setting. With larger baskets of securities you will probably obtain a better ratio of performance to cpu utilization by selecting the Higher or Normal priority setting.

 

 

 

Processing Speed

 

The longest wait you are likely to experience is when you load a script that is using a new portfolio of symbols. In this situation, ScanExpert must download all historical data for all symbols in the portfolio, as well as historical data for any alternate bar intervals used in the script. For a large basket of securities running in a script that must calculate study formulas on a multitude of bar intervals, this can take some time (i.e., from several seconds to several minutes). In this situation it is advisable to load the script pre-market when the eSignal data servers are the most responsive and are running under minimal load. The next time you load this same script, though, things will happen much faster. This is because ScanExpert will only need to freshen the existing data which is a much less time-consuming process.

 

To avoid a data bottleneck at market open it is recommended that, whenever possible, you load your ScanExpert script 30 to 60 minutes prior to the open.

 

See also:

 

FAQ/Troubleshooting