System parameters

Under Parameters, you can define constant float values for use in Symbol definitions, in system Rules and in the Optimizer.

Parameters are a special kind of symbols. Like other symbols, they can be referenced in expressions throughout the Systems view, but they are not themselves defined using expressions. Instead, each parameter's value is specified explicitly in the Parameters grid.

There are two reasons to use Parameters instead of Symbols: parameters are slightly more efficient (since no expression evaluation is required to obtain their value) and they can be automatically optimized.

The toolbar contains five control groups. They can be repositioned by dragging their beveled "grip"

and hidden by unchecking the corresponding entry in the pop-up menu's Toolbar submenu (right-click the grid or the toolbar to open it). All buttons also have functional equivalents in the pop-up menu.

"Parameters" group

	New. Click to define a new parameter. A new entry will be added to the Parameters grid after the selected parameter, if any; after existing parameters otherwise.
	Copy. Click to insert a copy of the selected parameter record after the original.
	Delete. Click to delete the selected parameter record.

"Orientation" group

Standard grid orientation buttons:

	Rowwise display. When this button is depressed, each parameter record is displayed in a grid row (record fields map to grid columns).
	Columnwise display. When this button is depressed, each parameter record is displayed in a grid column (record fields map to grid rows).

"Position" group

Standard grid position buttons:

	Move up / left. Click to move the selected parameter record toward the beginning of the list.
	Move down / right. Click to move the selected parameter record toward the end of the list.

Grid position does not affect system execution.

"Optimize" group

Optimize. Click to open the Optimizer window.

At least one parameter must have a non-trivial range (High > Low, Steps > 1) and be un-Locked for the button to be enabled. Only parameters satisfying these conditions are considered by the Optimizer.

"Changes" group

	Commit. Click to commit to all changes made in the Parameters grid since the System view was last selected or since the latest Parameters Commit operation (if more recent). Leaving the System view causes an implied Commit.
	Discard. Click to discard all changes made in the Parameters grid since the System view was last selected or since the latest Parameters Commit operation (if more recent).

	The parameter Symbol can be used in references throughout the System view. It should be unique within the portfolio and follow the usual symbol naming conventions.
	The parameter's Value is a float constant.
	Low is the lowest value which the Optimizer will consider for the parameter.
	High is the highest value which the Optimizer will consider for the parameter.
	Steps is the number of evenly spaced values (starting at Low and ending at High) which the Optimizer will consider for the parameter.
	Check Locked to exclude the parameter from optimization scans. This can save a great deal of computation time, since the number of operations in a scan is roughly proportional to the product of the number of steps in each parameter being optimized.
	The Comment can be any text; it has no effect on system execution.