Support Board
Date/Time: Mon, 16 Jun 2025 11:19:39 +0000
[User Discussion] - Feature proposal : storing settings as clear text
View Count: 456
| [2025-04-28 20:49:47] |
| cgavachart - Posts: 15 |
|
Hello Sierra chart has many configuration parameters (either at char level or global level). Putting this configuration into binaries (cht for examples) in data does not enable good version control. Having all these configurations in plain text (like any configuration file on Linux, or in JSON) would enable this. Yet there can be many good reason to stay with binaries (like not breaking backward compatibility). At least, would it be possible to have some kind of import/export configuration feature for Sierra Char global settings and chartbook settings ? If some are interested, please respond or hit thanks button BR |
| [2025-04-29 05:49:44] |
| cgavachart - Posts: 15 |
|
Whaou amazing !! it would enable to see the refresh rate if all the charts at a glance, by just searching or greping text, instead of opening the configuration window for each chartbook .. Wooooo so useful |
| [2025-04-29 14:09:02] |
| John - SC Support - Posts: 40422 |
|
We are not sure if this is what you are referring to, but there is the ability to copy the Global Graphics settings to/from the Chart Graphics settings. Refer to the following and the item below it: Graphics Settings: Copy to Global (Chart >> Graphics Settings - Chart) For the most reliable, advanced, and zero cost futures order routing, use the Teton service: Sierra Chart Teton Futures Order Routing |
| [2025-04-29 21:06:31] |
| cgavachart - Posts: 15 |
|
Hello John Thank you for your answer. Unfortunately that's not my need. I've asked grok to help me write my feature request : I would like to propose a feature to improve how Sierra Chart handles configuration files. Ideally, I suggest storing configuration files in a text-based format (e.g., JSON, XML, or YAML) instead of the current binary format. This would enable users to: * Easily read and edit configurations manually instead of doing a lot of click in the different configuration windows * Use version control systems (e.g., Git) to track changes. * Share or automate configuration updates more effectively. If transitioning to text-based configuration files is too complex, an alternative could be to add an option to export and import configurations in a human-readable plain text format. This would still provide similar benefits for managing and sharing settings. Thank you for considering this feature request. Please let me know if you need further clarification or details! |
| [2025-04-30 11:22:35] |
| User925540 - Posts: 75 |
|
I tried to ask for something similar before, I was trying to copy study settings from one study collection to another, ended up having to manually set everything from scratch. I raised that point in this thread: Copying study settings Apparently the dev/engineering team thinks that having config files in a text/json/xml/yaml is a performance impacting change and is "definitely no changes that will ever happen with this" :D |
| [2025-04-30 12:17:30] |
| cgavachart - Posts: 15 |
|
Thanks for the heads-up about the dev team’s response on text-based configs and for sharing your experience! I completely understand their focus on performance—Sierra Chart’s speed is a big reason I use it, so I respect their call to avoid changes that could slow things down. As a potential workaround, what if they added an offline import/export module for configurations in a readable text format (like JSON or YAML)? It could let us edit, share, or back up settings without touching the core binary format used during trading, keeping performance intact. I think this could give us the flexibility we’re after while aligning with their performance goals. Curious to hear their thoughts about this suggestion |
| [2025-04-30 23:00:02] |
| User925540 - Posts: 75 |
|
Well, that is EXACTLY what I suggested in the last post of the same thread Copying study settings Export to text, then import again into whatever format that makes SC extremely fast :) Doesn't have to be of any impact to performance. It can be something that can be exported into a text based format, modified/copied then imported again (if needed) into the compiled format that you are referring to as a source of a better performance.
Maybe you'll have better luck than I did ... let's see. |
| [2025-05-05 15:53:51] |
| cgavachart - Posts: 15 |
|
Hi another solution, with maybe better cost for Sierra : provide the API for accessing the configuration // or simply externalize the lib and the header, so we can open // manipulate configuration with external program: so the dev team does not spend too much time on a feature that is not a value priority for SC, and linux brained people like me can manipulate the SC configuraiton without spending too many clicks. I had another use case for this feature today : I copied the Graphics Setting from a chart with good DOM and tape look and feel (which I spent a lot of time to tune) to my global settings, to propagate the configuration... unfortunately this copy modified the look and feel of my other candel charts :(... Now I have to test manually each font//global graphical setting to find which one I should set back to the original value :(... Any DEV answer ? Date Time Of Last Edit: 2025-05-05 15:54:04
|
| [2025-05-05 16:03:47] |
| User431178 - Posts: 713 |
|
provide the API for accessing the configuration // or simply externalize the lib and the header, so we can open // manipulate configuration with external program
Many of the platform and graphics settings are available from within ACSIL. A dev made an external GUI app for controlling various settings within SC, it does however require that a study is added to the chart to act as an interface. https://sierra-pp.com/ You can check in sierrachart.h to see what is available. |
| [2025-05-05 19:53:36] |
| cgavachart - Posts: 15 |
|
@User431178 thank you for the tip That's sounds a little crazy for me : an interface available in the software to serialize/deserialize settings from configuration file is recreated by an external developer, with many limitations (it configures only charts and with limited amount of parameters) and with an additional price.. I understand SC devs to refuse changing settings storage from binary to text. Its seems deep coded, and has no value to change. But providing additional capability to import/export to visible text or fully exposing an interface in ACSIL to do so would not break the inner performance of SC and enable real configuration management. I've already provide many use cases. I still wait for SC dev answer Date Time Of Last Edit: 2025-05-05 19:57:44
|
| [2025-05-06 08:45:24] |
| User431178 - Posts: 713 |
|
Yes, though the point of my comment was not that there is software available, but that it is feasible. If you check sierrachart.h in the acs_source folder you will be able to see what is accessible to you via ACSIL. Maybe everything you want is already there, you just need to create a study to export/import using your desired format. |
| [2025-05-06 11:34:53] |
| cgavachart - Posts: 15 |
|
Thank you all for your contribution to this post. @User431178 : I've quickly overview the sierrachart.h header and, from what I've seen, it is meant to be an interface for something periodically run at runtime, and therefore putting stress on execution. And as a retired dev, doing configuration using such interface would be bad design. I won't do this. Anyway, thank you anyway for the proposal. @Sierra Dev : I summarize here the proposal Either A an import/export configuration menu (both global and chart) - with, maybe, some minor adjustement like not exporting the credentials B exporting the interfaces to configure charts and sierra chart parameters, so we can achieve the import/export feature A is more work than B, yet I know B is not zero dev effort for you. In the end, if it is reliable, Sierra will look even more linux friendly the day you will be able to build it for native Linux platform, without using wine :)... @Sierra dev : please say YES :D Date Time Of Last Edit: 2025-05-06 11:36:23
|
| [2025-05-06 19:35:26] |
| Sierra_Chart Engineering - Posts: 19924 |
|
This is never going to happen. With all of the work we have to do, this will just simply never happen. There is no available time and we would never get anyone else involved ever do this and start creating further issues. It simply is out of the question. We have massively other higher priorities.
Sierra Chart Support - Engineering Level Your definitive source for support. Other responses are from users. Try to keep your questions brief and to the point. Be aware of support policy: https://www.sierrachart.com/index.php?l=PostingInformation.php#GeneralInformation For the most reliable, advanced, and zero cost futures order routing, use the Teton service: Sierra Chart Teton Futures Order Routing Date Time Of Last Edit: 2025-05-06 19:35:48
|
| [2025-05-07 21:05:31] |
| cgavachart - Posts: 15 |
|
Thank you for your answer, I understand the root cause. I know how it feels to have a huge backlog, and not enough manpower. Have nice day |
To post a message in this thread, you need to log in with your Sierra Chart account: