# TSeries: Time Series Data Container ## What It Does `TSeries` is a high-performance, memory-efficient container for time-series data. Unlike standard collections (like `List`), it uses a **Structure of Arrays (SoA)** layout internally. This means it stores timestamps and values in separate contiguous arrays, optimizing memory access patterns for numerical processing and SIMD vectorization. ## Design Philosophy Standard object-oriented collections (Array of Structures - AoS) are cache-inefficient for numerical algorithms. When calculating a moving average, the CPU only needs the values, but an AoS layout forces it to load interleaved timestamps into the cache, wasting bandwidth. `TSeries` solves this by decoupling time and value storage: * **Cache Locality**: Iterating over values loads only values. * **SIMD Readiness**: The internal value array can be exposed directly as a `Span` for AVX/SSE processing. * **Zero-Copy Views**: Data is accessed without defensive copying, ensuring maximum throughput. ## How It Works `TSeries` maintains two parallel internal lists: 1. `List _t`: Stores timestamps. 2. `List _v`: Stores values. It implements `IReadOnlyList`, allowing it to be treated as a standard collection of `TValue` structs when needed, but its true power lies in its column-oriented properties (`Values`, `Times`). ## Structure ### Definition ```csharp public class TSeries : IReadOnlyList, ITValuePublisher ``` ### Core Properties | Property | Type | Description | | ------ | ------ | ------ | | `Values` | `ReadOnlySpan` | Direct access to the value array (SIMD-ready). | | `Times` | `ReadOnlySpan` | Direct access to the timestamp array. | | `Last` | `TValue` | The most recent time-value pair. | | `Count` | `int` | Number of elements in the series. | | `Name` | `string` | Optional identifier for the series. | ### Events | Event | Type | Description | | ------ | ------ | ------ | | `Pub` | `Action` | Fired whenever a new value is added or updated. | ## Usage ### Creating and Populating ```csharp var series = new TSeries(); // Add a new bar (isNew = true by default) series.Add(DateTime.UtcNow, 100.0); // Add multiple values series.Add(new List { 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 }); ``` ### Streaming Updates (Real-time) `TSeries` supports "bar updates" where the last value changes until the bar closes. ```csharp // New minute starts series.Add(time, 100.0, isNew: true); // Price updates within the same minute series.Add(time, 101.0, isNew: false); // Overwrites last value series.Add(time, 102.0, isNew: false); // Overwrites last value ``` ### SIMD Processing ```csharp // Calculate average using SIMD (via Span) double sum = 0; foreach (var v in series.Values) { sum += v; } // Compiler vectorizes this ``` ### Reactive Subscription ```csharp series.Pub += (item) => Console.WriteLine($"New value: {item}"); ``` ## Performance Profile * **Memory Layout**: SoA (Structure of Arrays). * **Access Speed**: O(1) for random access. * **Iteration**: Cache-friendly linear scan. * **SIMD**: Fully supported via `Values` span. ## Integration `TSeries` is the standard output format for all indicators in QuanTAlib. * **Input**: Can be fed into indicators via `Update(TSeries)`. * **Output**: Indicators return `TSeries` from their `Calculate` methods. * **Visualization**: Easily mappable to charting libraries due to separate Time/Value arrays. ## Architecture Notes * **CollectionsMarshal**: Uses `CollectionsMarshal.AsSpan` to expose internal list storage as spans without copying. This is unsafe if the list is modified during span access, but provides maximum performance for single-threaded algorithms. * **Virtual Methods**: `Add` is virtual to allow derived classes (like `TBarSeries` components) to intercept updates if necessary. ## References * [Data-Oriented Design](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data-oriented_design) * [SIMD in .NET](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/standard/simd)