Premium Data Frequently Asked Questions

The Stocks Database

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\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
US Market Update Schedule
World Indices Update Schedule

When I click the "Update" button in the Premium Data program nothing seems to happen.
There are 2 possible explanations - you may have installed an "out-of-date" data history or the program has lost track of where its history is located. For detailed explanations and how to recover, see "More Information" below:

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1. You may have installed an "out-of-date" history. We keep update files on our servers for 6 months. If you install a history that's older than that, it cannot be updated. Open the program to its "Update" window and check "Last Edition Updated" at bottom right to see whether any exchanges are marked as "Out-of-date". If so, you will need to re-install the relevant history. After downloading the latest history installer from our site, make sure to run that installer and not an old one that's still left on your computer.

2. You may have moved a data history to a new location without informing the program. Or a history folder may have been accidentally dragged to a new location or a critical configuration file accidentally deleted. Open the program to its "Update" window and check "Last Edition Updated" at bottom right to see whether any exchanges are marked as "No Data History".
The history location is recorded in the program under the Configuration tab as the entry for "Data Folder". Upon a default installation, this entry will read - c:\Trading Data\Stocks. Market folders ("ASX" and/or "US" and "World Indices") should be located directly under the "Stocks" folder. If you have deliberately moved a data history to a new location, enter the new path to the "Stocks" folder accordingly. If the database has otherwise become broken beyond repair, delete the Market folder (or the entire "Stocks") folder and then install a fresh instance of the history.

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 "Progressive 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 the Windows Task Scheduler to run updates automatically at a preferred time. Click on "more information" below for full instructions.

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Windows Vista and 7
1.  Go Start -> All Programs -> 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 - set the Start date and time.
6.  Weekly - select days Monday to Saturday (typically). [Next]
7.  Action - select Start a Program. [Next]
8.  Start a Program - click Browse. Then navigate to the c:\Trading Applications\bin folder and open it. Find "DataUpdater.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]
9.  In the "Add Arguments (optional)" box, enter the following text: autoupdate=1 autoclose=1 [Next]
10.  Summary - click "Finish".

Windows 8 and 10
1.  Go Start and type "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 - set the Start date and time.
6.  Weekly - select days Monday to Saturday (typically). [Next]
7.  Action - select Start a Program. [Next]
8.  Start a Program - click Browse. Then navigate to the c:\Trading Applications\bin folder and open it. Find "DataUpdater.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]
9.  In the "Add Arguments (optional)" box, enter the following text: autoupdate=1 autoclose=1 [Next]
10.  Summary - click "Finish".

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 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.
Therefore, when installing on a new machine, you can either install a completely fresh history or transfer the existing one.

Transferring a history
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 contains the "Stocks" folder which in turn holds the ASX and/or US exchange folder(s).

For instance, if you decided to copy your existing Stocks folder to a folder called "MSData" on the "D" drive of your new machine, the entry for "Stocks Folder" should be - "d:\MSData\Stocks".

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