I've been doing some long-term testing with the DJ before 1900 and WL-4 does not seem to work if there is data back to 1896, while if I eliminate date before 1900, WL works fine.

Does WL have any date limit?

The data I'm using is in CSV file.

Thanks.

I just briefly checked how the ASCII adapter in WL5 (please note - we're in a Wealth-Lab .NET forum) works with dates from 1899 and haven't found no problem in accessing or scaling this data. The same applies to WL4.

So you need to be specific about what "does not seem to work". If you can upload the data file somewhere, we could take a look to be sure it doesn't apply to WL5 (the actual version, as WL4 is not being developed since 2007.)

Eugene - would be glad to upload file, if you have suggestions at to where I can upload it to (I can email it to you if you send me privately your email address). Regarding problems, one of them is, in WL4, one tries to look at data on graph, the dates before 1900 are incorrect and give a display of a number something liek 34742 instead of 4/15/1898 (or something like that). The other, in WL 4, is that I get a data error if I put an end date in the date range, yet no error if I select all data. Very confusing and I have not checked out in WL 5.

Thanks.

Zip and attach the data to a Support Ticket.

Cone - info and screen shots can be found on trouble ticket that was submitted. Thanks for your help.

Thanks for creating the ticket and pointing out the bugs. It comes out there were certain issues with pre-1900 dates in ASCII files in WL4:

* pre-1900 trades not showing up in the Trades tab while they exist on the chart
* "No data available" with certain data loading options

Fortunately, none of them exist in WL5. The ASCII data provider, which was rebuilt from scratch, offers significant improvements such as data caching (serious speed boost for working with very large intraday files), flexible support for different date/time formats and more.

I have to question the use of data from pre-1900 in designing a trading system. If a system works on the data and still works today it definitely shows a robust system. But if it didn't work then and works now I don't think that tells you anything useful.

Many years ago, an Excel 'bug' had surfaced; if memory serves me right, it had something to do with dates before/after 1900 (for Windows PCs; I think it was a slightly different year for Macs). Perhaps its the same thing that has resurfaced?

Just thinking aloud.

Wall - you are correct about EXCEL and it has to do with the calendar did not work with pre-1900 data. There are ad-ins which correct or deal with the problem. This may be what you are talking about.

Eugene - thanks for looking at it and glad WL-5 does not have problem.

Dave - I discovered this while looking at golden cross (50 crosses 200 SMA) and am not trying to develop a trading system going that far back. I was just curious how this simple system held up.