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improved

September 2022 update

about 2 years ago by Zac Yang

Improved Library search, SDK support for importing Excel files and a new "global" entity, improved prediction model training to utilize more data points, and dashboard table downloads "as-viewed".

New features

  • Library
    • We now allow searching for all object types at once!
    • Search results now load additional results when scrolling to the bottom.
    • We also now show the folder an item is in, to help better identify the search result. This was previously only available for signals.
    • Add button to open a drill-down from the Library, for a given company / entity. This requires the drill-down to be defined on a tag of companies or entities. Previously, users had to search for a given company, and then open that drill-down from the company's page.
  • Python SDK version 3.9.0, with:
    • Support for Importing Excel files - this is part of a revamp of the File Uploader, which will use the SDK and Data API under-the-hood (coming soon)
    • Support for a new "global" entity to which time series may be uploaded. This may be useful for macro signals like the DXY (USD dollar index), which do not need to be tied to any particular entity. Note that a raw data signal may only have 1 time series on the global entity.
    • Improvements to better handle duplicate data.
  • Signal explorer
    • We've added a new "Split" view that shows both the chart and table at the same time.
    • There is also a new "Copy table" action under the "Download" button at the top-right of the screen, allowing users to copy the table of charted data points - this may be pasted into Excel etc.
  • Menus: There is a new Help menu for easier access to the User Guide and the API & DSL references. Also moved logout to the user menu for easier access.

Improvements

  • Prediction models: When doing walk-forward backtesting on smaller sets of input (training) data, we now retrain a model for every backtest data point. For larger datasets, we may still end up using a single trained model for multiple backtest predictions, to ensure that training completes in a reasonable time (but we always train a minimum of 10 models). This applies for all model types: Prediction model TS/ML and Classification model.
  • Prediction models: Improved UI handling of long benchmark signal names.
  • Company search: Improve relevance of search results by sorting exact ticker matches above partial matches.
  • Company search: Improve ticker search by matching against Bloomberg tickers, in addition to the existing Factset ticker matching. Bloomberg ticker search is supported with both the listing suffix (eg AAPL UN, for the NYSE listing) and the exchange composite suffix (eg AAPL US).
  • Dashboards - tables: Downloads now give you the dashboard table as-viewed, respecting column visibility / sorting / filtering, and any tag filters that have been applied. Previously, downloads would give the entire dashboard table, including hidden columns and rows that had been filtered out.
  • Dashboards - tables: Add page size option, allowing users to view up to 1000 rows at a time - note that this may cause slowness on your browser if there are a lot of columns, or if viewing 2-level dashboards with many sub-rows (as page size controls the number of parent rows).
  • Dashboards: Remove shortcuts to most recently edited dashboards - this was taking up valuable screen real estate without adding much value.
  • Dashboards & Drill-downs: Speed up loading times. As a result, the list of dashboards in the Dashboards menu now only loads when the menu is opened.
  • Management API: Added a description field to FolderItem, so that all folder items' descriptions may be managed through the API. As part of this, we have added the description property to some item types that were previously missing this (screens and portfolio strategies).
  • Signal explorer: Improve scrolling through large tables in the table view.
  • Signal explorer: Also show warnings/errors for read-only signals.
  • Signal explorer: Introduce helper message when no charts are displayed.
  • Signal explorer: Improve syntax error user experience.
  • Signal Explorer: Allow selecting read-only signal names, for easier copying.
  • Signal Explorer: Further tweaks to UI styling to make better use of space.
  • Signal Explorer: Persist the selected view (chart / table / split) in the URL so that it can be copied when sharing links.
  • Login: Better error message when login fails due to a network error.

Bug fixes

  • Prediction models: Do not block a user from viewing a model if a signal used in the model is deleted or no longer accessible.
  • Library: Bring back distinct icon for user-uploaded signals, from the old Library interface.
  • Library: Renaming items in the Library now uses the correct rules - previously, we were applying the same rules for signals (alphanumeric) to all items, which can be named with unicode characters.
  • Alpha tests: Fix menu not being display properly.
  • Drill-downs: Fix broken scrolling to linked widget.
  • Signal explorer: Fix syntax highlighting of long signal expressions in Firefox.
  • Signal explorer: Keep signal editing action buttons visible while interacting with menus.
  • Dashboards - tables: Make 1st column fixed in place, including sub-rows in 2-level dashboards.