Using old .dat files

[ThomasK]

Hi Mark,

I've switched brokers and am getting back into active trading and thus decided to start fresh for 2022, so I'm messing around with FM to explore its functionality and get back into the saddle. So, as I fiddle with the program I'm coming upon questions that I cannot resolve from the Help files or trying things out in FM. I'm taking time to come up with helpful Subject lines!

With regards to old .dat files:

1. Am I correct in my understanding that if a portfolio is "closed" the investment data is not deleted? In fact it appears that even closing an investment doesn't delete the data?

2. I'm wondering, can we use these remaining undeleted data files in the future to populate a new or recreated portfolio, for example if we in error closed a portfolio or wanted to include old data into a new portfolio? I see how we "could" rename the .dat file so that "SYM_ACCOUNT.dat" would seem to make sense to FM.

3. Is there any advantage to do 'housekeeping' when we Close a portfolio or do you think it is best practice to simply let the data folder increase in size over the years even with unused .dat files?

Thanks,
ThomasK

[Mark]

Hi ThomasK,

1 & 2) Yes, closing an investment just removes it from your portfolio, but doesn't delete the *.dat data file from the hard drive. You could at some point re-open that investment file if you want. Sub-portfolios are saved as part of the *.mm4 file, but each investment is saved as its own *.dat file. If you close a sub-portfolio, you are also closing all the investments in that sub. When you save your portfolio file, you are saving it without any subs you've closed.

If you decide to re-open an investment, you can just open it. There is no need to rename it.

3) I would suggest never closing an investment. Instead, just hide things you've sold. See the tutorial on Hiding Investments.

[ThomasK]

Thanks Mark,

I understand how never closing an investment makes sense (hide it instead).

1. If I wanted to close a portfolio I would then move the investments into another portfolio, for example one named "Archived Sold Positions"?
or,
2. would I just hide the sold investment and leave it in the portfolio?

I'm guessing #2 works whereas #1 would not?

Thanks,
Thomas

[Mark]

Hi Thomas,

If you move the investments out of a portfolio, they won't be included in that portfolio anymore. You generally want to leave them where they belong, and just hide them.