VersionLab™ Manual

1. System Requirements
2. Obtaining VersionLab™
3. Installation
4. Upgrade
5. Initial Setup
6. Daily Monitoring
7. VersionLab™ Usage
8. VersionLab™ Comparison Tool
9. Demo Limitations
10. VersionLab™ Purchase
11. Frequently Asked Questions
12. Acknowledgements
13. Copyrights
14. Version History

System Requirements

VersionLab™ requires Windows XP and the Microsoft.Net Framework version 2.0 and either Wealth-Lab Developer or Wealth-Lab Pro.  You can download the .net framework from the following website (be sure to download the version 2.0 redistributable):

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/downloads/default.aspx

Obtaining VersionLab™

VersionLab™ can be downloaded from the following link: http://www.aronowsoftware.com/versionlab/versionlabinstall.msi

Installation

VersionLab™ is installed via an automated installation process.  Once the installation package completes VersionLab™ will be fully installed. During the installation process you must agree to the licensing agreement before you can install VersionLab™. Please read the license agreement before agreeing to it.

Upgrade

Follow these steps to upgrade an existing installation of VersionLab™:

1. Close all running copies of VersionLab™.  This includes the VersionLab™ monitoring tool (VersionLabMonitor.exe) which can be closed by right-clicking on the VersionLab™ icon in the system tray and choosing Exit.  If you do not close these programs the upgrade installation will still run but you will need to reboot for the upgrade installation to complete. 
2. Run the upgrade installation file obtained from the download link above.
3. The upgrade installation package should automatically uninstall earlier versions of VersionLab™ and install the upgrade.  In some rare instances the upgrade installation package will not be able to uninstall the earlier version and will prompt that you will need to use the Add/Remove Programs feature in the Control Panel.  If you encounter this message follow these instructions:
   
   
   1. Open the Add/Remove Programs applet in the windows control panel
   2. Choose VersionLab™ from the list of programs from the list of programs
   3. Click the Remove button
   4. Choose Yes when asked if you are sure you want to remove VersionLab
   5. Follow the Installation instructions above

Initial Setup

Registration Key

VersionLab™ defaults to demo mode.  The demo mode does not have a time limit but is subject to demo limitations (see below: Demo Limitations).   If you use the demo and decide to purchase VersionLab™, submit your purchase via the automated Paypal system, then email you receipt to support@aronowsoftware.com along with your Wealth-Lab machine key (found in Wealth-Lab on the Help menu under "View Machine Key"). 

Wealth-Lab Backup Folder

Once your key has been entered VersionLab™ will start and will attempt to auto-detect your Wealth-Lab backup folder, then launch the VersionLab™ options form (if this form does not launch you can manually launch it by opening the Tools Menu and choosing Options, then selecting the Monitored Folders tab) to verify the backup folder was auto-detected correctly. 

• Wealth-Lab Developer

Wealth-Lab Developer's backup folder will be a sub-folder of the installation folder, such as "C:\Program Files\Wealth-Lab, Inc\Wealth-Lab Developer 3.0\Database\Backup". 

• Wealth-Lab Pro

Wealth-Lab Pro's backup folder will either be under the installation folder (usually C:\Program Files\Fidelity Investments\Wealth-Lab Pro) or for version 4.3 or higher may be found in the Application Data folder of your Documents and Settings folder (for example C:\Documents and Settings\MYUSERNAME\Application Data\Fidelity Wealth-Lab Pro\Database\Backup). 

• Last Resort

If you cannot find the backup folder, be sure you've run a backup in Wealth-Lab (from the File Menu select Backup), then do a file search for the file "TradingSystems.DAT".  You will see two copies of this file, one in the main Wealth-Lab database folder, the other in the backup folder (the backup folder will be named Backup and will be a sub-folder of the Database folder).

Click Tools and choose Options

Verify Wealth-Lab backup folder

Once you have verified the Monitored Folder(s), save your new settings by clicking the Save Settings button.

Wealth-Lab Backup and Post-Backup Capture

Next, run a full backup from Wealth-Lab (from the File menu select "Backup") if you didn't do this earlier in the setup (or if you've used Wealth-Lab since your last backup).  When the backup is complete, close Wealth-Lab and re-open VersionLab™.  From the Tools menu, choose "Post-Backup Capture".  VersionLab™ will then take a snapshot of all existing Wealth-Lab scripts which will be used as a baseline going forward.  This process takes anywhere from five to twenty minutes depending on the number of scripts you have, the speed of your machine, etc., but is a one-time process. 

Enable AutoBackup of Chartscripts

In Wealth-Lab, open the Options dialog (F12) and check the option "Enable AutoBackup" as shown below.  If this option is not selected, VersionLab™ will not be able to monitor changes to your scripts.

Daily Monitoring

VersionLab™'s monitoring tool (VersionLabMonitor.exe) is a lightweight application that will run in your system tray and capture script changes in the background as they occur.  For best results a shortcut to VersionLabMonitor.exe should be placed in your Windows startup folder. 

VersionLabMonitor Options

Enter your desired settings here, then click "Save Settings":

• Confirm on Exit - when checked this option will ask for confirmation before VersionLabMonitor shuts down.  This can prevent accidental shutdown.
• Begin Monitoring on Startup - when checked this will turn on monitoring when VersionLabMonitor is launched.  Note this will not cause VersionLabMonitor to launch on Windows startup -- you must add a shortcut to the startup folder if you want this.
• Confirm before removing a monitored folder - when checked this will ask for confirmation before you can remove a folder from the list of monitored folders (to prevent accidental removal)
• Start VersionLab Monitor Minimized to System Tray - when checked this will start VersionLabMonitor as an icon on your system tray instead of as a full application on the Windows task bar.  Right-click on the system tray icon to restore the full VersionLabMonitor form.
• Ignore duplicate changes to a script made within N seconds - Wealth-Lab updates a file twice when saving to it (as do many other Windows programs such as Windows Notepad).  Use this option to prevent the detection and capture of the same change when this double file-write occurs.  1 second should be adequate for most users.  Note that changes which are identical to the prior version are not actually recorded in VersionLab™, so this setting will help to reduce the load on your machine but will not impact the actual VersionLab™ database.                          
 

VersionLab™ Usage

Searching for Scripts

VersionLab™ stores each chartscript change as it occurs under the chartscript's name and the current datetime.  To retrieve an earlier version of a script stored in VersionLab™, enter part of the name or the full name of the chartscript exactly as it appears in Wealth-Lab (note that if your script uses special characters in the name, such as a slash or question mark you may need to search using just part of the name).  Optionally you may choose the date range to search as well by checking the start and/or end date boxes and selecting the start and end date to search for.  If start/end dates are selected VersionLab™ will only retrieve scripts modified during that time period that match the name you entered. 

Search Results

After you click the Search button the results will return and are loaded into the list.  Each script returned can be expanded to show all versions of the script that are stored.  Click on a timestamp to view the script stored on that date. 

• Copy to Clipboard - this option copies the contents of the script pane to the clipboard so they can be pasted into Wealth-Lab (or anywhere else)

• Copy to Backup File - this option copies the contents of the script pane to the backup file for the selected script.  A restore of the Wealth-Lab database would then restore the selected version.  Note that a Restore would also wipe out any changes to other scripts since your previous backup.  This option is provided as a convenience but is not the recommend option.

• Copy to Backup File Restore to Wealth-Lab Database - choosing this option writes the selected version of the script directly to the Wealth-Lab trading systems database using the Scripts.Dll file provided by Wealth-Lab.  Use of this option is not recommended while Wealth-Lab is running.

VersionLab™ Comparison Tool

The VersionLab™ Comparison Tool can be used to compare two different scripts, or two versions of the same script (or two identical scripts!).  Choose Compare Scripts from the Tools menu to open the comparison tool.

Comparison Options

• Difference Shading Color - The color used to highlight differences between scripts is displayed as the background color of the Difference Color text box.  Click the Edit button to customize the highlighting color.
• Use Autocomplete with Script Names - when this option is checked you can click on the dropdown list of script names and type the name of the script you want, and the form will find the first script in the list matching the letters you've typed so far. 
• Synchronize Script Selection Trees - when this option is checked, the selection of a script on the left selection tree will cause the same script to be selected in the right selection tree.  If you have a significant number of folders this can eliminate the need to scroll through them all when comparing two scripts in the same folder (or different versions of the same script).

Comparison Usage

The comparison tool is divided into two identical sides, each of which can load a script for comparison.  On each side you can:

• Choose to load an archived script (choosing the specific archived version) or the current version of a script contained in the Wealth-Lab database.
• Choose an archived script by:
  • browsing through folders using the tree selection control.
  • scrolling through the list of scripts sorted by name.
  • typing the name of the script you want to compare (if the AutoComplete option is turned on)
• Choose a script in the Wealth-Lab database by:
  • scrolling through the list of scripts sorted by name.
  • typing the name of the script you want to compare (if the AutoComplete option is turned on)

Once a script is selected, click the Load button to load the script to that side of the window.  If you have AutoComplete enabled and are typing the name of the script you want, hit Enter to load the script once you have found.  Then choose a second script on the other side to compare to the first script. 

• Click the hide button to collapse the selection controls for better viewing of the script comparison. 
• Click the ellipsis button (...) to expand the selection controls. 
• Scrolling is synchronized between the two script viewing windows for ease of comparison.

Demo Limitations

The demo version of VersionLab™ contains limited functionality.  Script version capture is fully functional, however the following limits apply:

• Only the first 100 characters of a script can be viewed by the demo version.                      
 
• Script copying (to clipboard, backup files, and directly to the Wealth-Lab database) is disabled
• VersionLab™ comparisons are disabled.
• Only five versions of a script will be captured.  Once five versions of the same script are stored VersionLab™ will no longer capture changes to that script unless a full version license is purchased.

Once the demo version has been upgraded to the full version (by applying the full license key as shown below) the full version will have access to all features, and will contain the scripts captured during the demo period.  The demo period has no time limit.

VersionLab™ Purchase

VersionLab™ can be purchased through PayPal by clicking on the button below. The purchase price of $29.00 USD includes technical support and free upgrades to future releases of VersionLab™.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q:  How are the scripts stored?
• A:  Scripts are stored in compressed binary format in the VersionLab™ database. 

• Q:  I need to move my installation to a new machine.  How do I do this?
• A:  First install Wealth-Lab on the new machine.  Then email the Wealth-Lab hardware key to support@aronowsoftware.com.  Once you receive your new key, install VersionLab™ on the new machine, then copy the file VLab.db from your old computer (from the VersionLab™ install folder) to the new one.  Entry your new key when you run VersionLab™ for the first time.

• Q:   VersionLab™ stopped monitoring my script changes.  What is wrong? 
• A:  First verify that VersionLabMonitor is running.  You should see the VersionLab™ icon on the system tray (or see VersionLabMonitor.exe in the Windows Task Manager).  If VersionLabMonitor is not running, verify the option to run automatically at windows startup is selected. If VersionLabMonitor is running, verify your Folder Monitoring settings as shown above.

• Q:  I installed the VersionLab™ demo but I decided my scripts are so perfect I don't need to improve them ever again.  How do I uninstall VersionLab™?
• A:  VersionLab™ can be uninstalled from the Add/Remove Programs applet in the Windows Control Panel. 

• Q:  I run Wealth-Lab on my desktop and my laptop. Can I install VersionLab™ on both?
• A:  Yes, your purchase entitles you to two licenses. Just send the Wealth-Lab hardware key from your laptop with your purchase information. Doesn't everyone have two PCs nowadays?

• Q:  I have a "stupid" question. Will you still answer it?
• A:  We used to think there was no such thing as a stupid question -- the only stupid question was the one not asked. Then after a short period of time working in technical support we know better. Nevertheless we will answer any questions, even "stupid" ones.

• Q:  VersionLab™ is wonderful. I would pay $200 for this. Why are you only charging $29?
• A:  We will certainly accept donations if you are interested in sending us money beyond the purchase price, but VersionLab™ started as a project for personal use and developed into a commercial project. The nominal cost will offset distribution and technical support costs.

• Q:  I have a suggestion for an enhancement to VersionLab™. How can I submit an enhancement request?
• A:  Send enhancement requests to support@aronowsoftware.com. They will be evaluated and considered for a future release.

• Q:  I have another question.  How can I contact technical support?
• A:  Send an email to support@aronowsoftware.com.

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to WL Systems, Inc. for their wonderful Wealth-Lab product.  Thanks also to Cone for his assistance and Aleksey for creating the Scripts.dll tool. 

Extra special thanks to Sam Sternlight for his testing and implementation suggestions.

Copyrights

VersionLab™ Copyright © Aronow Software. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable law.

Version History