[MAS-discuss] About the new mas executable

[Jim C. <jt...@di...>]

To those who have run into the yahoo data problem and would like the fixed
executable (mas 1.6.6r), I probably won't get around to putting it up on
sourceforge for a while.  But if you would like to get hold of it before
then, just send me an email letting me know and I'll send you a email with
the compressed executable attached.  You should be able to just uncompress
it and replace the old mas executable with this one (though I'd recommend
backing up the old one first, just in case).

I have an "official" Linux version available to send out.  For those using
Windows, if I get enough requests (enough probably meaning some number
larger than one), I will probably have enough incentive to boot up
my NT machine and compile a Windows executable.

Note: If you use the new version you may run into a compatibility
problem re. the indicators_persist and generators_persist files.  If so,
you should read the FAQ entry about that (which I have copied below).
It won't solve the problem if you already have it, unfortunately, but
it provides a method of easily dealing with the problem in the future.
(Yes, this is a weakness of the design of the system that I hope to
address sometime in the future.)


Jim


Here is the FAQ entry about the *_persist files:


I updated to a new version of MAS and when the server starts up it
prints the following error and exits: "Retrieval of indicator library
file indicators_persist failed. The file may be corrupted or you may
have an incompatible version." How can I use the old indicators I have
created with the new server?

This problem occurs when a new version of MAS incorporates a change to
the structure of the indicator code that is not compatible with the old
version. As a result, the old indicator file, indicators_persist, cannot
be loaded when the new version of the server starts up. Once this occurs,
the only way to use your old indicators is to keep using the old version
of the server. (This problem can also occur with market analyzers and
the generators_persist file.) However, there is a preventative method
that can be used to overcome the problem: Whenever you create a new
indicator, start the server in the background (-b option) and use the
command-line client program, macl, to talk to the server and "record"
the conversation with the command:

macl -r output_file <portnumber>

where output_file is the name of the file to which you wish to save
the recorded output and <portnumber> is the port number with which you
started the server. Keep this file in a safe place. It would probably
also be a good idea to keep it backed up.

Whenever you upgrade to a new version of MAS and get the above error
message, you can restore the indicators you have created by running the
following command on each of your recorded output files:

macl -i file <portnumber>

where file is the name of a file created earlier with the -r option
and <portnumber> is, again, the port number with which you started the
server. This solution works for both indicators and market analyzers.