Some feedback on FM 2018 beta

[Djobydjoba]

Hello,

Thanks for having released a new version of Fund Manager! It's a big pleasure to see new improvements for this terrific program. You at Beiley Software are doing a great job!

As I am a lot in the graphical stuff, I am pleased to see good improvements in this area. Thanks for having added the auto-scaling options, it is a big improvement. Great job on candlesticks too. The labels on cursor is a great touch. And the much awaited Auto-Update feature for the Create Investments from Investments command will save me nearly an hour per week of tedious manual update work, and the calculated investments (relative strengths) will be now up to date each day, that is awesome! Just to name a few.

Some feedback on the beta (at random):

1) Labels on cursor stay glued on the screen when cycling through windows:
https://img11.hostingpics.net/pics/3541 ... 1h0601.png

2) In a report, when "Display Hidden Investments with Activity" option is checked (right clic > Report Preferences, General Tab), the column headers are misaligned after clicking OK on the Report Preferences Windows:
https://img11.hostingpics.net/pics/4502 ... 1h1201.png

3) In graphs, I am personally not fond of the right Y Axis in %. Fortunately it can be disabled, which I did in the first place. The reasons:
- Not very handy / useful to read IMO. A "ruler" would be handier (as discussed here: viewtopic.php?p=14865#p14865).
- The new [[GRAPHVALPERCCHANGE]] legend field fits the bill for the most part, the Y Axis in % doesn't really add extra value (IMO)
- This right Y Axis in % is not a standard. We don't see that on charts from other stock programs. Given that the standard Y Axis is generally located on the right of the chart rather than on the left (as discussed/requested here: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=4346), this is confusing (especially when sharing graphs with other people). And two Y Axis would normally means two investments plotted (as suggested here: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=4230).

4) In graphs, problem with auto-scaling for some investments. Two examples (all checkboxes unchecked in the Y Axis Autoscale options):
https://img11.hostingpics.net/pics/1145 ... 1h5901.png
https://img11.hostingpics.net/pics/3624 ... 2h0101.png
They are relative strength investments, with variation very low in absolute values, so not enough Y axis steps I guess.

On the contrary, for some investments, the value can be quite extreme on the screen, even thought "Use Exact Min/Max" is unchecked. For example:
https://img11.hostingpics.net/pics/1296 ... 2h0901.png

I can send you related investment files if you wish.

5) When creating a new investment with the Create Investment from Investments command, error messages when the portfolio is saved: "path not found" (in OS native language), followed by "File is marked with the read-only attribute".

6) I was expecting to see this improvement in this new release: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3975
Do you think It could be added without having to wait the next version?

7) I've just closed and restarted Fund Manager, and now I notice a thin vertical grey strip at the right edge of the screen, visible in all windows (Portfolio Editor, graphs, reports):
https://img11.hostingpics.net/pics/2471 ... 3h4601.png

Again, thanks for all the outstanding work you put into this outstanding program.

[Mark]

Hi Djobydjoba,

Thanks very much for the detailed/helpful feedback on the beta. Glad you like a lot of the improvements. Unfortunately, as always there will of course be things too that don't make it in.

1) Thanks, I was able to reproduce this too. It will be fixed for the next release.

2) I could see your report was misaligned, but somehow I wasn't able to reproduce this. Are you still able to reproduce it? Did you maybe also change some other options at the same time? Do you have more than 1 Custom report open at the time of this problem?

3) This feature has always been available on the NAV + DIST graph, and it has been often requested that we make it available on all the other graphs as well. If it doesn't suite your needs, it can be disabled.

4) The auto-scaling is limited to the display resolution you choose. So, if you're plotting prices, the "Price Digits" under "Options / General Preferences... / Display" would limit the minimum step size of a Y axis label. That appears to be the reason in your first 2 examples. In the 3rd, FM tries to find a nice step size, and rounds up the min/max labels based on this step size. You can increase/decrease the general number of labels under "Graphs / Options / Display... / Number of Y Axis Labels".

5) I couldn't reproduce this problem. Can you provide more details? This should create a new investment, just like when you retrieve/import transactions for a new investment that doesn't exist. It will look in your data folder and try to find a filename that isn't in use. After you create a new investment using this command, go look and see what location/filename FM is trying to use. You can look under "Investment Properties... / Statistics" to see it. Is that a valid path and filename? You can reset the folder using "File / File Operations / Set Data Location...".

6) There are many things left on our list of features to consider adding. Unfortunately we weren't able to implement all of the ideas. That doesn't mean they won't still get implemented at some point in the future.

7) Are you running under regular Windows? If you re-start your computer, can you still reproduce this?

[Djobydjoba]

Hi Mark,

2) I can't reproduce this neither anymore. I will tell you if I can. Anyway, no reason to play with this setting once it is set.

3) This was just an insidious recall from me of my wish for a future implementation of regular Y-axis on the right of the chart and dual Y-axis for two investments on the same graph . It can be disabled, yes, so all is good.

4) So I have to display four digits for the prices. Indeed, the auto-scaling is good now. And with the "Number of Y Axis Labels" option this is all good.
This behavior (Y scale resolution on graphs that depends on the price digits general setting) is another argument for this request: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=4377

5) For this one I can reproduce, the error is consistent when I try to save an new investment created with the Create Investment from Investments command. All was good with this command before the upgrade. And when I create a new Investment with File > New Investment, it is OK too.
Here's an image with the steps: https://img11.hostingpics.net/pics/5692 ... 2h4101.png

7) Running under Windows 7 Home 64. This is strange, the strip has disappeared yesterday after a restart of Fund Manager, but has reappeared after.
Here it is: https://img11.hostingpics.net/pics/5445 ... 2h4601.png
If I click on the upper part of the strip, it brings to the foreground a chart currently on the background. Same with the lower part of the strip, its brings to the foreground another chart now on the background: https://img11.hostingpics.net/pics/3822 ... 2h5101.png

I've just restarted my computer, the strip is not there anymore. But it could be back, as yesterday. I will tell you if I can see what action makes it appear.

[Djobydjoba]

7) I found the reason. I have a second monitor, the strip occurs when it is disabled (Windows key + P, then "Computer only") and Fund Manager is maximized in the main monitor.
When the second monitor is disabled, if I close FM and restart it the strip is here too. So the second monitor must be activated for no strip.

Not sure if it is new to FM 2018 as the second monitor is quite new in my computer setup.

[Mark]

Hi Djobydjoba,

5) If you go look on your hard drive at the path/file mentioned does that file already exist? Is that the intended location for your file?

D:\Maison\ etc...

Is the D: drive where you have all your other data?

7) I'm not sure either... If you wanted to track it down you can still download the 2016 version and see if that has the same issue. I would expect it to be the same.

[Djobydjoba]

Hi Mark,

5) I should have paid more attention to your suggestion to reset the folder in File / File Operations / Set Data. Indeed the default folder for New Investments was wrong, it doesn't exist anymore. So problem solved, thanks!

7) I've reinstalled FM 2016, indeed the issue is here too. I hadn't noticed it before. If you can't reproduce, I can live with it.

[Mark]

Hi Djobydjoba,

Issue number 1 should be fixed in Beta2 now available here.

[Djobydjoba]

Yes, seems fixed.
The fading of the labels seems a little bit strange to me though (when switching to another window with ctrl+tab). To niptick.

[Djobydjoba]

When a new investment is created with the Create Investment from Investments command, there is no (*) in the Title bar, although the program asks to save the portfolio at exit. And same when an entry is deleted in the Auto-Update list.

[Mark]

Hi Djobydjoba,

Great, thanks. We'll get both of those fixed.

[Djobydjoba]

Hi Mark

Minor feedback/question: is the drag and drop is effective to move a column in the Portfolio Editor? It doesn't work for me, the column always comes back to its original place.

[Mark]

Hi Djobydjoba,

Yes, you should be able to drag/drop columns in the List portion of the Portfolio Editor. Are you not able to do this in the first place, or when does it revert exactly?

[Djobydjoba]

I can drag any column, but when released at the destination place it reverts to its original location. Only a blinking of the display and... nothing. Anyway, I can move columns with the "Columns to display" window.
Just to notify you of this, not a problem for me.

[Mark]

Hi Djobydjoba,

When you drag the column, do you see the little "snap" vertical line at the top moving, to show you where it will be placed? I'm not able to reproduce this problem here, but maybe there is some other setting/condition you have that I do not.

[Djobydjoba]

Oups, all good after a restart of Fund Manager. Sorry!