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Things to check if your moving averages don't "seem right" or "seem to match" Rate this Topic:
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Craig_S
Posted : Sunday, November 13, 2005 11:05:59 AM


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There are times when your moving averages don't seem to match other charting services, match your scan/PCF results or just "don't look right".

Here is a list of things to check.

1) Are you on a daily chart?

Click the EDIT button on your chart to bring up the template settings.

Also check the following:

2) Are your averages the type required. For example, are they simple but the other charting service uses exponential? Are they exponential but your PCF/EasyScan is looking for simple averages?

3) Are all of the averages of price OR are they averages of something else (like another average)?
Look at the averages under price. They SHOULD be indented under price. They should be indented BUT flush left with each other (all of the averages should be indented the same distance under price, one should not be indented more than the other).

If they are not equally indented, delete all the averages indented more than the first average under price (use the trash can icon). Add the averages you deleted again but BE SURE to hit the PLUS icon next to PRICES each time so that each average added will be of price. If you do it correctly you should have all of your averages indented equally under price and flush-left with each other.



- Craig
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Doug_H
Posted : Sunday, November 13, 2005 11:08:25 AM


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Two more items:

1. Have your PCF's been updated for All Items in System?
2. Have you inadvertently scrolled back to a past chart so that the last date on your chart is in the past? (Yellow Past Chart indicator will be flashing in the upper right of your chart.)

- Doug
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ianlin
Posted : Wednesday, November 16, 2005 10:24:55 AM
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Posts: 7
Hi

why do you need to be on the Daily Chart to see the correct moving average. When I switch to 1 hour chart the moving average lines change.

Thanks

Ian
Bruce_L
Posted : Wednesday, November 16, 2005 10:29:13 AM


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Charted Moving Average Periods are in Bars, not Days. One thing that doesn't appear to have been mentioned previously is that the Shift Left option can also cause apparent discrepencies.

-Bruce
Personal Criteria Formulas
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Doug_H
Posted : Wednesday, November 16, 2005 10:38:07 AM


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The reason we mention daily charts is because, when you write PCF's to find crossovers, etc., the PCF's are based on daily data. If you use PCF's in an EasyScan to find those crossovers, but you are looking at your moving averages on something other than a daily chart, your results will not be as expected.

If you're not using PCF's, you can view moving averages using any time frame you wish.

- Doug
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Steelman1950
Posted : Saturday, December 10, 2005 2:03:55 PM
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Is there a Phone # I can call you guys?
Steelman1950
Bruce_L
Posted : Saturday, December 10, 2005 4:41:05 PM


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No. Phone numbers are available for Sales (800-776-4940) and Technical Support (919-408-0542), but the trainers are only available on the forums.

-Bruce
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dbentz40
Posted : Tuesday, December 20, 2005 6:07:17 PM
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I have tried repeatedly to write the pcf 10 crossing the 30 ma
--even followed the movie illustration exactly, but the scan does not work properly--Help?
Craig_S
Posted : Tuesday, December 20, 2005 7:39:14 PM


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Try this PCF and tell me what it comes up with:

XAVGC10>XAVGC30 AND XAVGC10.1<XAVGC30.1

- Craig
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henrietta
Posted : Monday, June 12, 2006 1:25:40 PM
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tx
Bruce_L
Posted : Monday, June 12, 2006 1:28:04 PM


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You're welcome.

-Bruce
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harveyc
Posted : Wednesday, September 6, 2006 10:50:18 PM
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Joined: 4/19/2005
Posts: 4
Having averages line up in the chart templet was the other problem. Every thing is now working great.
Thanks to all.
It's great to have help from such giving and knowlagle people.

Thank again!

Harvey
Craig_S
Posted : Thursday, September 7, 2006 6:33:43 AM


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Glad to see you got it working.

- Craig
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flash1
Posted : Friday, March 28, 2008 3:08:22 PM
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Posts: 45
I don`t really understand the items in # 3 of your explanation,for "Things To Check..." ,like "indented', "flush",, ...indented the same distance under price..., 
I think all averages are based on price.  
Sorry to bother you about this.
Bruce_L
Posted : Friday, March 28, 2008 3:16:43 PM


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flash1,
Select Chart Template | Edit.

You'll have something like the following in the Window:
Top
-Price
--Moving Average
---Moving Average
--Moving Average
Middle
Bottom

In the above case, the first and third Moving Averages would be Moving Avergaes of Price, but the second Moving Average would be a Moving Average of the first Moving Average.

The first and third Moving Average are indented one level further than Price, but the second Moving Average is intended two levels further than Price.

-Bruce
Personal Criteria Formulas
TC2000 Support Articles
ar1999
Posted : Thursday, October 7, 2010 4:13:20 PM
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Posts: 61
QUOTE (Doug_H)
The reason we mention daily charts is because, when you write PCF's to find crossovers, etc., the PCF's are based on daily data. If you use PCF's in an EasyScan to find those crossovers, but you are looking at your moving averages on something other than a daily chart, your results will not be as expected.

If you're not using PCF's, you can view moving averages using any time frame you wish.


Is there a way to find conditions on the weekly data?
I have made a a PCF to show me stocks that have a 26 EMA going up but it is showing only with daily data and I need it to use weekly data.
Bruce_L
Posted : Thursday, October 7, 2010 4:29:18 PM


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ar1999,
A Personal Criteria Formula for the 26-Period Exponential Moving Average on a Weekly Chart increasing from the previous Bar to the current Bar could be written as:

C > .0741468444601841 * (C5 + 25 / 27 * (C10 + 25 / 27 * (C15 + 25 / 27 * (C20 + 25 / 27 * (C25 + 25 / 27 * (C30 + 25 / 27 * (C35 + 25 / 27 * (C40 + 25 / 27 * (C45 + 25 / 27 * (C50 + 25 / 27 * (C55 + 25 / 27 * (C60 + 25 / 27 * (C65 + 25 / 27 * (C70 + 25 / 27 * (C75 + 25 / 27 * (C80 + 25 / 27 * (C85 + 25 / 27 * (C90 + 25 / 27 * (C95 + 25 / 27 * (C100 + 25 / 27 * (C105 + 25 / 27 * (C110 + 25 / 27 * (C115 + 25 / 27 * (C120 + 25 / 27 * (C125 + 25 / 27 * (C130 + 25 / 27 * (C135 + 25 / 27 * (C140 + 25 / 27 * (C145 + 25 / 27 * (C150 + 25 / 27 * (C155 + 25 / 27 * (C160 + 25 / 27 * (C165 + 25 / 27 * (C170 + 25 / 27 * (C175 + 25 / 27 * (C180 + 25 / 27 * (C185 + 25 / 27 * (C190 + 25 / 27 * (C195 + 25 / 27 * (C200 + 25 / 27 * (C205 + 25 / 27 * (C210 + 25 / 27 * (C215 + 25 / 27 * (C220 + 25 / 27 * (C225 + 25 / 27 * (C230 + 25 / 27 * (C235 + 25 / 27 * (C240 + 25 / 27 * (C245 + 25 / 27 * (C250 + 25 / 27 * (C255 + 25 / 27 * (C260 + 25 / 27 * (C265 + 25 / 27 * (C270 + 25 / 27 * (C275 + 25 / 27 * (C280 + 25 / 27 * (C285 + 25 / 27 * (C290 + 25 / 27 * (C295 + 25 / 27 * (C300 + 25 / 27 * (C305 + 25 / 27 * (C310 + 25 / 27 * (C315 + 25 / 27 * (C320 + 25 / 27 * (C325 + 25 / 27 * (C330 + 25 / 27 * (C335 + 25 / 27 * (C340 + 25 / 27 * (C345 + 25 / 27 * (C350 + 25 / 27 * (C355 + 25 / 27 * (C360 + 25 / 27 * (C365 + 25 / 27 * (C370 + 25 / 27 * (C375 + 25 / 27 * (C380 + 25 / 27 * (C385 + 25 / 27 * (C390 + 25 / 27 * (C395 + 25 / 27 * (C400 + 25 / 27 * (C405 + 25 / 27 * (C410 + 25 / 27 * (C415 + 25 / 27 * (C420 + 25 / 27 * (C425 + 25 / 27 * (C430 + 25 / 27 * (C435 + 25 / 27 * (C440 + 25 / 27 * (C445 + 25 / 27 * (C450))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Cascades of Moving Averages
How to create a Personal Criteria Forumula (PCF)
PCF Formula Descriptions

-Bruce
Personal Criteria Formulas
TC2000 Support Articles
ar1999
Posted : Friday, October 8, 2010 3:48:15 PM
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Posts: 61
QUOTE (Bruce_L)
ar1999,
A Personal Criteria Formula for the 26-Period Exponential Moving Average on a Weekly Chart increasing from the previous Bar to the current Bar could be written as:

C > .0741468444601841 * (C5 + 25 / 27 * (C10 + 25 / 27 * (C15 + 25 / 27 * (C20 + 25 / 27 * (C25 + 25 / 27 * (C30 + 25 / 27 * (C35 + 25 / 27 * (C40 + 25 / 27 * (C45 + 25 / 27 * (C50 + 25 / 27 * (C55 + 25 / 27 * (C60 + 25 / 27 * (C65 + 25 / 27 * (C70 + 25 / 27 * (C75 + 25 / 27 * (C80 + 25 / 27 * (C85 + 25 / 27 * (C90 + 25 / 27 * (C95 + 25 / 27 * (C100 + 25 / 27 * (C105 + 25 / 27 * (C110 + 25 / 27 * (C115 + 25 / 27 * (C120 + 25 / 27 * (C125 + 25 / 27 * (C130 + 25 / 27 * (C135 + 25 / 27 * (C140 + 25 / 27 * (C145 + 25 / 27 * (C150 + 25 / 27 * (C155 + 25 / 27 * (C160 + 25 / 27 * (C165 + 25 / 27 * (C170 + 25 / 27 * (C175 + 25 / 27 * (C180 + 25 / 27 * (C185 + 25 / 27 * (C190 + 25 / 27 * (C195 + 25 / 27 * (C200 + 25 / 27 * (C205 + 25 / 27 * (C210 + 25 / 27 * (C215 + 25 / 27 * (C220 + 25 / 27 * (C225 + 25 / 27 * (C230 + 25 / 27 * (C235 + 25 / 27 * (C240 + 25 / 27 * (C245 + 25 / 27 * (C250 + 25 / 27 * (C255 + 25 / 27 * (C260 + 25 / 27 * (C265 + 25 / 27 * (C270 + 25 / 27 * (C275 + 25 / 27 * (C280 + 25 / 27 * (C285 + 25 / 27 * (C290 + 25 / 27 * (C295 + 25 / 27 * (C300 + 25 / 27 * (C305 + 25 / 27 * (C310 + 25 / 27 * (C315 + 25 / 27 * (C320 + 25 / 27 * (C325 + 25 / 27 * (C330 + 25 / 27 * (C335 + 25 / 27 * (C340 + 25 / 27 * (C345 + 25 / 27 * (C350 + 25 / 27 * (C355 + 25 / 27 * (C360 + 25 / 27 * (C365 + 25 / 27 * (C370 + 25 / 27 * (C375 + 25 / 27 * (C380 + 25 / 27 * (C385 + 25 / 27 * (C390 + 25 / 27 * (C395 + 25 / 27 * (C400 + 25 / 27 * (C405 + 25 / 27 * (C410 + 25 / 27 * (C415 + 25 / 27 * (C420 + 25 / 27 * (C425 + 25 / 27 * (C430 + 25 / 27 * (C435 + 25 / 27 * (C440 + 25 / 27 * (C445 + 25 / 27 * (C450))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Cascades of Moving Averages
How to create a Personal Criteria Forumula (PCF)
PCF Formula Descriptions


Thanks for your help Bruce, but I copy and pasted this formula to my Telechart PFC and I got an error message. It says:
"Error in formula syntax"
"Criterion information:
"Market Days Needed to Calculate Criterion: 451
"Criteria that require more than 250 days of history are slower to calculate"
OBS: Ticker used was IBM and my data is updated (I can see my weekly chart from 1988 until today)
Can you help me solve this please?
Also I forgot to mention it should be an Exponential Moving Average.
Bruce_L
Posted : Friday, October 8, 2010 3:58:38 PM


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Joined: 10/7/2004
Posts: 65,138
ar1999,
It is an Exponential Moving average and there is nothing wrong with the formula as posted.

I get all of the same messages as you execpt for not getting an Error in formula syntax. None of the other messages are error message. They are informative messages letting you know that the formula will not calculate for symbols with less than 451 trading days of data.

The error in formula syntax is likely the result of either copying more than just the formula or not copying the entire formula from the forums into TeleChart (missing a single parenthesis would cause the error).

-Bruce
Personal Criteria Formulas
TC2000 Support Articles
ar1999
Posted : Friday, October 8, 2010 4:01:48 PM
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Joined: 10/24/2004
Posts: 61

Here is a pic of my screen...
ar1999
Posted : Friday, October 8, 2010 4:05:18 PM
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Joined: 10/24/2004
Posts: 61
I have double check the syntax and copy / pasted again, but got the same message...
Bruce_L
Posted : Friday, October 8, 2010 4:12:20 PM


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Joined: 10/7/2004
Posts: 65,138
The formula is definitely correct. This is what the formula test looks like on my computer.



The only thing I can think of then would be not using US Regional Settings on your computer. If so, changing the .0741468444601841 to ,0741468444601841 might help but TeleChart is only compatible with US Regional Settings, so you will probably have other issues besides this particular PCF is this is the case and I would suggest switching the settings of your computer for the best operation of TeleChart.

Attachments:
Formula Test.gif - 52 KB, downloaded 2,305 time(s).



-Bruce
Personal Criteria Formulas
TC2000 Support Articles
ar1999
Posted : Friday, October 8, 2010 4:13:13 PM
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Joined: 10/24/2004
Posts: 61
I think I found the problem here: I am using Brazilian number format. That means we use a "," instead of a "." for fraction numbers.
So I changed the "." to "," and it seems it is working now.
I got a "Result: True" message now.
Now I will check the weekly charts!
Thanks a lot for your help Bruce!
Bruce_L
Posted : Friday, October 8, 2010 4:14:54 PM


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You're welcome.

-Bruce
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ar1999
Posted : Friday, October 8, 2010 4:21:29 PM
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Joined: 10/24/2004
Posts: 61
Yes you are right Bruce! I found this here at the same time you were typing! Thanks a lot again!
Now could you explain a little more about that formula so I can understand it?
What should I change if I want to change the EMA to lets say a 25 period?
I didnt understand what does that particular number .0741468444601841 (or ,0741468444601841 in my case)  means for the formula?
ar1999
Posted : Friday, October 8, 2010 4:31:58 PM
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Joined: 10/24/2004
Posts: 61
Something is still wrong here... :(
The scan got 0 results...
Here is a pic of my screen now:
Bruce_L
Posted : Friday, October 8, 2010 4:37:18 PM


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Joined: 10/7/2004
Posts: 65,138
ar1999,
The 25 / 27 fractions in the formulas are based on (Period - 1) / (Period + 1). This represents how much less older terms contribute to the Exponential Moving Average than newer terms.

The first term is based on 2 / (Period + 1)  but is rounded up so that the sum of the factors for the terms equals 1. So the more terms used, the less it needs to be rounded up and the more accurate the approximation.

The number of terms used was designed so that the sums of the factors used for all of the terms before rounding up 2 / 27 to .0741468444601841 was greater than .999.

-Bruce
Personal Criteria Formulas
TC2000 Support Articles
Bruce_L
Posted : Friday, October 8, 2010 4:43:13 PM


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ar1999,
The formula returns True for me for 5062 of the symbols in the All Items in System WatchList when updated through 10/08/2010 04:38 PM ET (Data delayed at least 20 min).

Select Databank Personal Criteria Formulas. Make sure Calculate For is set to All Items in System and Include criteria which require more than 250 days of history (slower) is checked. Then select Update All Criteria Formula to manually update all of your PCFs.

-Bruce
Personal Criteria Formulas
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ar1999
Posted : Friday, October 8, 2010 4:59:37 PM
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Posts: 61
I did that but my scan is still returning 0 results.
I see my PCF number results are different than yours.
Here is a pic:
Bruce_L
Posted : Friday, October 8, 2010 5:02:26 PM


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Joined: 10/7/2004
Posts: 65,138
Please contact technical support.

All e-mail communication sent to support@worden.com during business hours (Monday through Friday 9AM-11PM and Saturday and Sunday 9AM-3PM ET) should be answered within 20 minutes of arrival.

For an even quicker response to tech support questions, we recommend calling our voice line at (919) 408-0542 (there is no phone support on Sundays, some Market Holidays or after 9PM ET on weekdays).

You can also contact us using Live Chat Support during business hours.

-Bruce
Personal Criteria Formulas
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ar1999
Posted : Friday, October 8, 2010 5:03:56 PM
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Joined: 10/24/2004
Posts: 61
Note that it says:
"138,00,72,00 > ,741468444601841,00 * (134,00,14,00 +"...
That seems strange to me...
ar1999
Posted : Friday, October 8, 2010 5:48:14 PM
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Joined: 10/24/2004
Posts: 61
I changed my windows regional settings to USA settings and it now seems to work all right here!
Thanks again Bruce for all your efforts in helping me with this!
You are a true genius!
I couldnt come up with that formula in a thousand years!
Bruce_L
Posted : Friday, October 8, 2010 5:50:48 PM


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I'm happy to read adjusting the regional settings resolved the issue.

-Bruce
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commtrd
Posted : Thursday, September 22, 2011 9:55:42 PM
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Joined: 5/8/2006
Posts: 6
Hi Bruce,
How could I write a formula (very simple probably) to show me a true condition to use for scans where the 5 period simple moving average is equal to or close to the 20 period exponential moving average? I see plenty of examples of MA's crossing but that is not my criteria. Say the 5 and the 20 are equal and their difference is zero or less than 0.25% apart. Relative position of one line to another not important.

Not important which line is above or below the other, just the proximity being within a given tolerance (whether percent or a dimensionless number) so that this is an attempt to utilize pattern recognition by proxy using this formula in conjunction with other criteria. I have been beating my head against a wall trying to figure this out and finally relent to ask for help from a guru...

In other words I want to see the proximity of one line to the other and not a crossing type scenario. I just can't seem to get the syntax right to successfully make the pcf. Any help on this greatly appreciated.
Bruce_L
Posted : Friday, September 23, 2011 8:52:45 AM


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commtrd,
A Condition Formula for the 5-Period Simple Moving Average being within 0.25% of the 20-Period Exponential Moving Average could be written as:

ABS(AVGC5 / XAVGC20 - 1) <= .0025

Moving Average PCF Templates
PCF Formula Descriptions

-Bruce
Personal Criteria Formulas
TC2000 Support Articles
mconnolly69
Posted : Thursday, December 22, 2011 2:24:34 PM
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Posts: 6
Thank you. There is a lot to be aware of. Thanks again.
Bruce_L
Posted : Thursday, December 22, 2011 2:26:23 PM


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You're welcome. Our pleasure.

-Bruce
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