I'm trying to do a simple scan for either all time highs (1st choice), or at least closing at the highest of the 500 bars on the chart (2nd choice). MAXC500 seemed easy enough, but it doesn't return a value if there are less than 500 bars of history, like an IPO. Suggestions?

MAXC500 cannot return a value if there are not 500 bars of data to calculate. I don't know any way around this.

There is a limit on the number of bars used on screens and that may be the limit in calculations also.  I think I remember a support person saying it was 200 bars, but I am sure they will clarify this. In TC2000 v12 you can specify daily, weekly, monthly as your length. So less bars with a longer time signal might do just what you want.

The question here is the simple screen I was looking for. How do I get the all-time high for WHATEVER number of bars happens to be available?  Once again - suggestions please.

You could do this in StockFinder, but I cannot think of a practical automated method of doing this in TC2000. The Personal Criteria Formula Language doesn't have a way to check for the number of bars available and then adjust the formula to check only that number of bars. If a PCF is written to check for a certain number of bars, it will not calculate if there isn't enough data available.

Alas, what should be so simple indeed proves to be not simple at all. Thanks for confirming Bruce, at least I can quit racking my brain. Work-around will be to import symbols from someplace that does have the capability.

You're welcome.