Easy Playback (Sierra Version)     back to homepage

This is the old version with the different layout. I keep it just for reference.

Download(latest version 2004-02-15)  FAQ(new)

Bug fixed: support the directory names containing spaces.

Various people have demand the Playback funtion for SierraChart Software. Here is an easy software to fulfill this purpose. Here are some features of this software:

• Playback the historical data files which are compatible with that of  Ensignsoftware
• Tick by tick playback
• Playback can be done with any speed (>0), e.g. you can do playback with 2.5 times faster than actual speed
• Temporarily pause and resume in your playback session
• Resume your last playback session. e.g.  you are interrrupetd during your playback and you have to  turn off  your pc. Next time if you would like to resume your last playback session, then you can use this function
• Load  the previous day data when you start the playback so that you do not have to wait for more than half of a hour, say, before your indicators appear on your chart
• The playback can be done when you are off from the Internet
• The ensignplayback files can be obtained (free of charge) from  dacharts and ensignftp

How to install and use it?

• In fact, there is no real installation. To make everything convenient, make a subdirectory: playback (or other your preferred name) under your Sierra directory. For example: C:\SierraChart\playback. Then  download and unzip the zipped file HERE into  C:\SierraChart\Playback. Finally click the icon: Start_PB.
• After starting Start_PB, you will find a PlayBack pull down menu on your SierraChart that looks like this. If  you do not see this PlayBack pull down menu, then start your SierraChart before starting  this program
• Then click "PlayBack-->StartPB"  to get a pop up form
• Fill in the  form, including the time for market open, market close, ticksize, etc. where the data of your input must be consistent with that of the ensign files. e.g. the starting price of the ensign format file: ES031204.txt ( E-mini SP on 12/03/2004) is 106625. So the ticksize should be 25 rather than 0.25. The time in this file is CST. Hence the day session for ES should be 0830--1515. resume: yes/no. After filling in the form, click next to review you input. If everything is ok, click Next. Then you will see a new pop up window. Note: In some ensign playback file ES may start after 0830 am CST and end before 1515. For example, you can take a look at ES020523.txt which started at 1018 am CST. In this case, your input of market open and close should be within the time interval of the ensign file. So it is wise to use notepad to open the files that you want to use before starting your playback session
• Add the two ensign playback files with two CONSECUTIVE trading days (disregard the order of your adding). Then click Next.
• After loading the historical data, you can start your playback by openning your playfile C:\SierraChart\playback\easyplayback\PBDATA\pbfile.mnd
•        Mouse click the green area to make the Playback window always on top; Mouse click the grey area to disable the function
• To exit the PlayBack session, simply click x on the top right hand side
• How to uninstall the software? Easy! Just delete the subdirectory: "playback" under your Sierra directory. That is it!

 Claim: This software is free and for educational purpose. The author of this software takes no responsibility of any trading loss that might occur.

Acknowledgement: The author would like to thank various people in the bbs board of Sierra for the discussion of the related topics.

Things to do:  Although I can only work on the programming at weekend, there are a few things are on my list: optimize the current version;  playback the tick charts  on Sierra ( regardless of the time stamps ); execution window and spot the buy/sell on Sierra similar to that of Ensignwindows; similar version of the software for tradestation and metastock;

Donation: If you like this software and would like encourage me to continue working on the improvement of the current version, then your donation is very much appreciated: