TradeStation Made Easy!

Customize your trading plan for greater profits using the mostpopular charting software

The majority of professional and individual traders use somekind of trading software on which to base their strategies. Withover 100,000 users, the most popular trading software today isTradeStation, published by TradeStation Technologies. While thissoftware is favored by many, TradeStation's computer language canbe confusing, especially for the novice.

TradeStation Made Easy! is the first and only book to explainexactly how to use the unique computer language behind thisbestselling software program. It is not meant as a replacement forthe TradeStation manuals, instead it will cover the essence ofprogramming in EasyLanguage and focus on a consistent set of dataand an elementary system throughout.
* An easily understood guide to TradeStation that also providestips for the user in designing a personalized trading system
* Endorsed by the software provider TradeStationTechnologies
* Written in a straightforward manner, that is accessible evenfor those with little computer experience

TradeStation Made Easy! fills a much-needed gap in thisarea and puts the basics of EasyLanguage in perspective. With it,you'll be able to write simple and intermediate programs that willaccurately express your theories and ideas about whatever marketinterests you.

Foreword xi

Preface xiii

Acknowledgments xvii

Author’s Note xix

Chapter 1 Introduction to EasyLanguage 1

Chapter 2 Quick Start 7

Chapter 3 Understanding the Process 27

Chapter 4 Basic Use of TradeStation 59

Chapter 5 Basic Math 137

Chapter 6 Basic EasyLanguage 157

Chapter 7 Programming Conventions 173

Chapter 8 Statements 199

Chapter 9 Ifs, Ands, and Buts 209

Chapter 10 Begin and End (Block Statements) 219

Chapter 11 Loops 241

Chapter 12 Analysis Techniques 247

Chapter 13 Buying and Selling 283

Chapter 14 Functions 307

Chapter 15 Tricky Math 325

Chapter 16 TradeStation Tricks 333

Chapter 17 Optimization 355

Chapter 18 System Performance 383

Chapter 19 Conclusion 399

Appendix A Styles 407

Appendix B Reserved Words 415

Appendix C Formulas 563

Appendix D Full Code for the System and Studies in This Book 567

Appendix E Baskets 573

Appendix F Where’s the Command? 577

Appendix G.1 Built-in Functions and Indicators (Alphabetical Listing) 585

Appendix G.2 Built-in Functions and Indicators (Functional Listing) 589

Appendix H TradeStation Add-on Products and Services 707

Appendix I TradeStation User Groups 717

Appendix J Error Messages 723

Appendix K What’s Wrong with This Code? 727

Bibliography 733

Index 735

SUNNY J. HARRIS??is a professional trader and President of Sunny Harris Enterprises, Inc. A former member of the Market Technicians Association, she is also publisher of the popular Trader's Catalog and Resource Guide (TC&RG). Ms. Harris was the number one trader two years in a row in the under-$10 million category rated by Stark Research, achieving a 365% profit in 1993 and 178% in 1994. She is the author of four other books: Trading 101, Trading 102, Electronic Day Trading 101, and Getting Started in Trading.

Praise For TradeStation^® Made Easy!

"Sunny Harris has been a TradeStation^® user and advocate since its inception in 1991. Her back-testing methodologies using TradeStation^® have remained widely popular over the years with online strategy traders. Sunny's writing is thorough and easy to read. We think this is a valuable book for anyone who is interested in learning more about strategy trading." —SALOMON SREDNI, Chairman and CEO, TradeStation Group, Inc.

"One of the early users of TradeStation^® software, Sunny Harris has been studying and programming trading strategies for more than thirty years. . . . Through the many examples Sunny walks you through in this book, you'll have a much better understanding of how to use EasyLanguage^® to create your own strategies." —From the Foreword by BILL CRUZ, founder and former CEO, TradeStation Group, Inc.

With over 100,000 users, TradeStation^® has become one of the most popular tools for both professional and individual traders. While the software allows traders to design their own strategies, back-test them on years of historical data, and then computer-automate them, it's the power of EasyLanguage^® —TradeStation^® 's proprietary programming language—that makes all of this possible. By mastering EasyLanguage^® you have the power to test, and potentially profit from, any idea you can imagine.

TradeStation^® Made Easy! is the first and only book to explain exactly how to use the unique language behind this bestselling software program. Written by self-taught EasyLanguage^® programmer Sunny Harris, this one-of-a kind guide covers the essence of programming in EasyLanguage^® and provides valuable real-world insights from years of author experience in this field. Along the way, Harris also walks you through the process of installing TradeStation^®, using it for the first time or two, and writing your first several indicators and strategies. And while new versions of TradeStation^® are always released, there's no need to worry. The concepts found throughout these pages are applicable to whatever version of TradeStation^® you may be using. It also works on MultiCharts.