Premium Data Frequently Asked Questions

The Stocks Database

I've installed a trial history and noticed that some stocks have a full history whilst most don't. What's the pattern?
For the ASX, the \Equities\A folder contains full histories - otherwise the trial data goes back 12 months. A similar pattern applies to the SGX and US trial histories.

Where can I find the World Indices?
The default installation path for a Stocks history is c:\Trading Data\Stocks -
c:\Trading Data\Stocks\ASX
c:\Trading Data\Stocks\SGX
c:\Trading Data\Stocks\US

Irrespective of which market history you install, the World Indices folder is located directly under the Stocks folder -
c:\Trading Data\Stocks\World Indices

I don't want alphabetical sub-folders in my stocks database. Can I get rid of them?
Yes. Click on the "Configuration" tab in Premium Data and then on the "Database Structure" button at bottom right. Untick an exchange to eliminate the alphabetical sub-folder structure for that exchange. Then click "Save". If you need to revert back, just tick the exchange(s) again.

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The ASX and US databases are installed with alphabetical sub-folders by default. This is because many older charting programs (and even some newer ones) can't handle more than 2,000 files per folder. The MetaStock™ program has been able to read up to 6,000 files per folder since version 8.

How do I delete a Custom Folder?
Unwanted Custom Folders can be deleted using Windows in the same way that you would delete any folder. Custom Folders can be found under the relevant exchange folder under the main "Stocks" folder.

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Assuming that the ASX history has been installed along the default path, any ASX Custom Folders you have created will be found under - C:\Trading Data\Stocks\ASX\Custom Folders\.

Why aren't US Stocks adjusted for ordinary dividends?
Our stocks data is adjusted for all capital-related corporate actions - splits, reverse splits, capital returns, special dividends, stock dividends, demergers and spin-offs. The methodology we use is the same as that used by index providers (such as Standard & Poors) for benchmark indexes such as the S&P 500, NASDAQ 100, Russell 2000 etc. These indexes are not adjusted for ordinary dividends. By using the same methodology as the index providers, we keep our stocks data "in synch" with the indexes.

Updating

What time is the data updated?
Click on the relevant link(s) below to see full details:
Australian Market Update Schedule
Singapore Market Update Schedule
US Market Update Schedule
World Indices Update Schedule

My updates seem to go very slow. What could be the cause?
There are 4 possible causes.

1. You are subscribed to ASX\Derivatives, which increases the number of securities that need to be updated each day by a factor of about 10.
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There are about 3,000 Equities and Indices in the ASX database and about 27,000 ETOs.

Tip: If you are also subscribed to "intraday snapshots" and only wish to see ETO prices on an end-of-day basis, you can configure the program accordingly. Click the Configuration tab, go to the section called "Update ASX Securities of Type" and untick Intraday for any items that you only want updated after market close.


2. You have created a large number of Custom Folders, which need to be updated in addition to your standard database.
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Custom Folders are physical folders on your machine rather than "virtual folders" in a charting package. The more you create, the longer it will take to complete an update. To remove unwanted Custom Folders, just delete them in Windows as you would delete any folder.


3. You may have "real-time" virus scanning enabled in your Antivirus software.
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If real-time virus scanning is active, each small data file gets checked during the distribution phase of an update, which can slow it down enormously. If you would prefer to keep real-time virus scanning enabled in general, one solution is to selectively exclude your Stocks folder from the process. Open your Antivirus program or Security Suite and configure it to either –
1.  Exclude *.DAT and *.MWD files from real-time scanning, or
2.  Exclude the c:\Trading Data\Stocks folder (or whichever folder holds your Stocks database) from real-time scanning.


4. Your database files may be quite fragmented.
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File system fragmentation and the performance degradation it causes are inevitable consequences of computer usage. Your Stocks database consists of a large number of small files that are being constantly modified, and therefore fragmentation may be a significant issue.

Tip: To make a "fresh start", you can delete or uninstall your Stocks history, perform a disk defragmentation and then re-install the history by downloading the installer from our site. History installers are always available to current subscribers.

See also: Re-installing a history

If a slow update "can't be helped", consider using the Windows Task Scheduler to perform updates when you are away from your computer.

Can I automate the updates?
Yes. You can create a task in Windows Task Scheduler to run updates automatically at a preferred time. Click on "more information" below for full instructions.

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XP
1.  Go Start > Control Panel > Scheduled Tasks
2.  Click "Add Scheduled Task"
3.  Find "Premium Data" in the list and highlight it. [Next]
4.  Enter a name for the task and select Weekly. [Next]
5.  Select a start time. Then select days Monday to Saturday (typically). [Next]
6.  Enter your Windows password (don't enter your Premium Data password). [Next]
7.  Tick the box that says “Open advanced properties for this task when I click Finish”. [Next]
8.  Click Finish
9.  In the “Run” box, add the following parameters to the end of the existing entry: autoupdate=1 autoclose=1

After you edit the Run entry, it should read something like :
C:\TRADIN~1\bin\DATAUP~1.EXE autoupdate=1 autoclose=1
or (in full)
C:\Trading Applications\bin\DataUpdater.exe autoupdate=1 autoclose=1

Vista
1.  Go Start -> All Programs Files -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Task Scheduler
2.  Task Scheduler - under "Actions" on the right, click Create Basic Task.
3.  Create Basic Task - enter a suitable name (and description). [Next]
4.  Task Trigger - select Weekly. [Next]
5.  Weekly - select days Monday to Saturday (typically). [Next]
6.  Action - select Start a Program. [Next]
7.  Start a Program - click Browse. Then navigate to the c:\Trading Applications\bin folder and open it. Find "DataUpdate.exe in the folder, highlight it and click "Open" (or just double-click it). If Premium Data has been installed elsewhere, navigate to the \bin folder on your chosen installation path to find "DataUpdater.exe". [Next]
8.  In the "Add Arguments (optional)" box, enter the following text: autoupdate=1 autoclose=1. [Next]
9.  Summary - click "Finish".

When I click the "Update" button in Premium Data nothing seems to happen.
It could be that you don't have a Stocks history installed. If you've taken out a trial, make sure to download and then run a trial history installer.

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If a Stocks history has been installed, it could be that Premium Data has lost track of its location. This could be because -
a) the entire history (or a critical part of it) has been accidentally deleted or dragged away, or
b) The history has been deliberately moved to a new location without Premium Data being informed.

The database location is recorded in Premium Data as the entry for "Data Folder" under the Configuration tab. Upon a default installation, this entry will read - c:\Trading Data\Stocks.

If you have moved your data history to a new location, enter the path to the "Stocks" folder accordingly.

If you think you may have lost a critical part of your database, download and re-install a fresh history.

I can't seem to connect to your servers to get an update. What can I try?
Click on the Update tab in Premium Data and go to the Server Selection menu. Try updating from Servers 1, 2, 3 and 4 in turn.

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We employ multiple servers in case one of them goes down. Normally (when Server Selection is set to "Automatically Cascade") the program will move to the next server automatically if it can't get a connection. However, occasionally the cascade fails, or times out. Try increasing the "Time Out" setting under the Configuration tab, or try updating from each individual server in turn.

Still no connection. What's next?
Make sure that your Personal Firewall is not blocking "DataUpdater.exe" from accessing the internet. See the next answer below.

I think my firewall asked me whether I should allow "DataUpdater.exe" to access the internet and I answered "no". What can I do now?
Some Personal Firewall applications prompt you to re-confirm permission for internet access whenever they notice that a program has changed (for instance, because of a component upgrade).

"DataUpdater.exe" is the engine behind Premium Data and needs to be able to access the internet. If you have inadvertently blocked it, you'll need to take steps to un-block it.

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"Security Centres" or "Security Suites" or "Personal Firewalls" can generally be accessed from the Windows System Tray at the bottom right of the Windows screen.

Open your Personal Firewall and look for a tab called "Programs" or "Program Control" or "View Applications" (or something similar). The idea is to find where the Firewall keeps the list of programs that it knows about. Find "DataUpdater.exe" in the list and then click "Permit" (or "Allow Full Access" etc).

I have checked my firewall settings (or I have no firewall installed), but I still can't seem to connect.
Check your internet connection settings under the Configuration tab.

The default connection option for Premium Data is to use your settings from Internet Explorer. This option is o.k. even if you use Firefox or another browser to access the internet, as long as Internet Explorer is actually installed on your machine. If Internet Explorer is not installed, select Direct Connection. If Internet Explorer is installed, make sure that its not currently set to "Work Offline". Start Internet Explorer and click the File menu. If "Work Offline" is ticked, click on it to untick it.

If you are using a proxy server on a LAN, please configure the proxy settings within Internet Explorer (Tools -> Internet Options -> Connections -> LAN Settings). Otherwise, try the Direct Connection option.

Re-Installation

I’ve had to re-format my hard drive. How do I re-install Premium Data?
The easiest way is to download the program installer + history installer(s) from our website at the downloads area (if you are entitled to a full history, there is no need to download the installer for the trial history).

Save all installers to the same place on your machine – e.g. to your Windows Desktop. Then find the program installer, run it and follow the prompts. The program installer should “recognise” any history installers and offer to install the history for you as part of the process. The program and history installers can also be run independently.

I've bought a new computer and I want to transfer Premium Data across to it. Is there anything in particular I need to know?
The Premium Data program itself can't be copied across - it needs to be installed via the program installer available from our Downloads area. On the other hand, existing data histories can be copied across.

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Given that your existing history is found under c:\Trading Data\Stocks, copy the entire "Trading Data" folder across to your new machine. After installing Premium Data, you will be taken to the Configuration page. Under General Settings > Stocks Folder, enter "c:\Trading Data\Stocks".

The entry for "Stocks Folder" needs to reflect the path to whichever folder holds your ASX, SGX or US exchange folder(s).

For instance, if you decided to copy your ASX and US folders to a folder called "MSData" on the "d" drive of your new machine, the entry for “Stocks Folder” should be - "d:\MSData". However, it is strongly recommended that exchange folders be kept directly under a folder called “Stocks” - e.g. under d:\MSData\Stocks instead of just d:\MSData. This avoids potential issues with un-installation where other files may also be located under “MSData”.

* MetaStock™ is a registered trademark of Equis International, Inc.