Data mining with the DATFRA system to discover trading strategies

So, continuing my perambulations on discovering trading strategies...  My only real reason for compiling these notes is for my own benefit.  Making notes seems to focus the mind...

My original trials with DATFRA centred around the DATFRA-FREE system.  I picked this as it performed automatic walk forward analysis of all systems found.

The software was, and is still, alpha-stage.  That is to say not production.  Having said that, it worked fine after a little tweaking and manual setting up of paths within initialisation files, and copying over of data into folders where the software would find it.  Occasionally the software crashed, but on the whole, it performed well.

• After initial set-up niggles, the software worked fine, and Fabian Langer (the author) was very helpful
• Occasional crashes, but not detrimental to operation
• It found several systems, and I was able to replicate the results found by DATFRA-FREE in MetaTrader4 (MT4)

After using DATFRA-FREE for a while, and a little correspondence with Fabian, I was persuaded to move over to use DATFRA-M.  The reason was that Fabian said nearly all of his users were using this one, and DATFRA-FREE wasn't going to be developed further for the time being.

• DATFRA-M installed easily
• One or two non-detrimental crashes
• It found many systems, which I could replicate on the MT4 platform
• BUT - and a very big one - no automatic walk forward analysis

The absence of automated walk forward analysis was a deal-breaker for me.  Without it, I had to do this manually, and that took up far too much time.  In the end I moved back to working with DATFRA-FREE.

Fabian has now made DATFRA-M a subscription service.  That's perfectly OK, of course.  What I'm not so sure about is the lack of action at the ForexFactory blog.  Fabian made himself a commercial member there, but according to the ForexFactory page, hasn't been on-line since 10th April 2015:




In addition, the license key for DATFRA-FREE died on the 1st June 2015, and as of today (25th June), hasn't been updated:




So I took it upon myself to send an email to the Contact page for DATFRA-M, the paid for version, enquiring what the position is.  That was two business days ago, and no response - yet.

Conclusions

I really liked DATFRA-FREE.  It did a good job, and even better, it was free.  I wouldn't have minded paying something for it, of course, and maybe £150 would have been reasonable.

What I'm not sure about is the commitment of Fabian to support and continue the development of DATFRA.

Very disappointing.  Such a promising start with DATFRA-FREE.

UPDATE 29th June 2015

Fabian has today replied to my email.  There is a new license key on DATFRA-FREE. A most welcome development.  I do hope he continues to develop the software.