Displaying more than 5 variables

I have a screen with 6 SetVar’s but when I run a backtest and look at the results I see the values for the first 5 variables but not the 6th. I need to see the 6th variable for some work I am doing. I can’t re-order the variables in the screen. I don’t care what the values for the first 5 variables are. Is there a way to do this?

Thanks
Steve

Also, it seems that SetVar is doing what ShowVar should do… display in the screen results. Is this a bug?

Steve,

I have a screen that shows seven SetVars. One limitation seems to be the length of the name: longer names do not fit the room available at the top. Does shortening the SetVar names help?

Thanks Jim - I rarely use SetVar so I am stumbling my way through this. I shortened the names and I can see the 6th variable when I run a screen, but I still only see 5 variables after running a backtest. I guess I have a (laborious) way forward… entering each rebalance date into the screener and run the screen.

Any idea what the difference between ShowVar and SetVar is? They seem to do exactly the same thing.

I’m also looking into the custom report capability. It seems that I can’t select variables for this feature.

Steve

So now it appears that only the current date allows more than 5 variables to be displayed. Previous dates only allow 5 variables even with running a screen.

Steve

Steve,

You are discovering subtleties I was not aware of. ShowVar is meant to show variables while SetVar is meant to create a usable variable and show the variable. Sounds like ShowVar may create a usable variable also: so probably no real difference.

The help descriptions are as follows:

Show Variable: Sets the variable to @myvar, returns the value of the expression, and can be displayed in the results of a screen.

Set Variable: Sets the variable @myvar to the value of the expression.

The Set Variable SHOULD NOT be displayed in the results of the screen. As it is now, both functions do the same thing and there is no control over what is shown in the report. Perhaps there is one difference: ShowVar “returns the value of the expression”.

Steve

Just thinking out loud:

If you do not want to display the first 5 variables would a custom formula for the first 5 and then ShowVar or SetVar for the last work? I seldom use custom formulas to know their possible limitations in this regard.

Edit: Guessing you are avoiding the nested custom formula problem. If you could make just one of the first 5 formulas a custom formula (no nesting) that might be enough.

Historical reports limit the # of columns to 5 as per our license restrictions

Good point about SetVat vs. ShowVar. I’ve changed SetVar so that it will not display in the Screen Report->Screen Factors. Will go live tonight

The documentation was made clearer too.

Thanks

Marco - I have a screen that works if the first two rules are SetVar but the screen gives an error if they are changed to ShowVar. The screen is here (private):

https://www.portfolio123.com/app/screen/summary/108925?st=1

Later on in the screen, ShowVar works. This is a complicated screen… I need help.

Thanks
Steve

It’s because ShowVar returns the value of the expression. Some stocks are being eliminated by showvar which creates problems. It was supposed to be a “feature” so that ShowVar could be used inline like

MktCap > ShowVar(@MktCapMedian, FMedian(“mktcap”)) to debug a rule

But it turns out nobody is using it that way. The confusion it creates is not worth it. I’ll just have it return TRUE like SetVar. So the only diffrence between ShowVar & SetVar will be that ShowVar puts the column in the report.

Should be live after market close

PS. to workaround your problem add " Or 1 " at the end of the rules with ShowVar

I was seeing the same problem in using ShowVar. I use it all the time in the Screener for ‘debug’ in the Rank or Simulator (to see actual values). Thank you for fixing it.