Sometime about 8/8/2005 the format for AB playback files changed:

The scaling changed from ###.## to ##.##

dpg has created two ESPL scripts which will go between the "old" and "new" formats:

abtruncate.spt truncates old AB files to agree with new format

abuntruncate.spt converts new AB files to agree with old standard

If you have old Ensign, use untruncate to make new files work, and if you have new Ensign use truncate to make old files work.

Explanation from Ensign:

The issue with AB is this. There has been a debate over whether the price format should show 2 decimals or 1 decimal. I think in the past I uploaded files for a 2 decimal format and thus the Min Tick size on the Playback form needed to be entered as 10. Around 8/8 I changed to 1 decimal format to accommodate the eSignal folks because AB format is better to be ####.#. Thus the Min Tick size is now a 1. All of the files for AB on my web site were reposted to be the ###.# format and use the tick size of 1. I do not know the format being used by your web site contributors.

Whether the user has an AB file for ####.# or ###.## format does not really matter. Which ever they have will playback the same chart. The only issue for getting them to work is to use the right Min Tick size. Use 1 for the 1 decimal format and use 10 for the 2 decimal format. The format is a selection in the Setup | Symbol Property table for the AB entry, and I encourage all AB users to be standardized on the 1 decimal format. That is the format we distribute for playback and in the initial installation of Ensign by new users. Sorry it has been a source of confusion for you and those who join you in doing playbacks.

Sincerely, Howard Arrington

Last updated 09/15/2005