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24
1.17 Technical Tools
The Techsignal™ program offers five standard technical studies, a proprietary Techsignal™ seasonal study and
two moving average methods. The studies are plotted, one at a time, on a separate axis below the price chart
except the moving averages which plot with the price data.
Stochastics, MACD, RSI and Oscillator
These four technical studies use standard parameters which can be modified through the Graph Defaults
button. The user can readily find plentiful information written about these basic tools.
Seasonal Study
This tool is a proprietary tool from the Foundation for the Study of Cycles that studies the average behavior
of data over a time series. This study requires at least 1700 data points to run. It will not work on anything
but daily data. The reason for this requirement is that most monthly series do not contain enough data.
Weekly data are unseasonal because there are more than 52 weeks in a year (52.14) and that difference
would change the placement of the comparative seasonal data over time.
The seasonal study data began in 1992. If there is not enough of your price data to begin your seasonal
study from 1992, then you will be prompted for a later year. The actual beginning date of your data series
will be shown on the prompt. Enter the beginning year of your data, e.g., 1998 in the year format YYYY.
We use this study as a way of corroborating the cycles and other technical studies by looking at seasonal
tendencies for prices to rally or decline.
Moving Averages
The program allows you to plot a moving average. It can be simple or displaced. The default is "Simple". To
change to displaced type "Displaced" without quotes. If you change the default the program will prompt you
to put in the number of data points to displace the Moving Average. It can be a positive, negative number or
a zero. If you make it displaced and zero then it will produce a simple moving average.
Graph Defaults (for the technical studies)
The Techsignal™ program has set default values for its Technical Studies. These default values can be
accessed through the Graph Defaults button on the graphical screen, and changes can be made. There is
also a button to “Restore Defaults.” This Restore Defaults button restores all studies to their default
settings. The basis for these default values and for possible modifications is available in many books and
articles on technical and statistical analysis. Please refer to these sources for guidance.
1.18 Right Clicks on a Graph
There are many format functions, customization tools, and help that can be accessed from right clicking on
the graph window. A customization dialog box opens up upon right clicking in the graph area.
1.19 Putting Dates on a Graph
On the right hand toolbar at the bottom is an icon with the numbers 1 and 2 that look like a date on a
calendar. This icon allows you to put dates on any graph at any time. You must first double click anywhere
on the graph and then click the Date icon. Once the blue-colored date appears on the chart, you can left
click and drag it to any position you wish. You can use the Clear Technicals to the date but clicking that
button will also clear every other date on the chart as well as every technical study except the cycles.
Print and Export
1.20 Print and Export Options
Export Dialog Box
From the graphical screen, click the Print and Export icon on the right toolbar. This choice allows the user
to print a Techsignal™ graph, or to export the graph and its cycles and studies to a file or to the clipboard
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