Symbols are represented as cylinders in VisualTrader. Clicking on a cylinder will immediately bring up a chart for the security it represents. You can also chart a symbol by clicking on it in the Opportunity List.

You can remove a chart from your screen either by clicking on the “X” at the top, right-hand corner of the chart window, or simply by pressing the on your keyboard.

The chart for FWRD was brought up by placing the mouse over this stock's Cylinder and clicking once.

Another quick way to chart a symbol is to type it into the Quick Chart field and press on your keyboard. A chart is immediately displayed, and the symbol is highlighted in the list. If you do not already have that symbol in your current Map, a cylinder will be added to the Miscellaneous Group plate.

The plates in VisualTrader usually represent industry groups, with the components of that group (security cylinders) resting on the plate. Clicking on the plate will bring up a chart for that industry group. This chart is a composite representation of all of the stocks on that plate.

You can also view the composite group chart of a symbol by clicking the Group button in the Chart Toolbar. For example, let’s say that you have a chart for Walmart (WMT) displayed. By clicking on Group button, you will immediately see the composite chart of the Retail Broad Base industry group displayed.

VisualTrader gives you the ability to view a chart for all the stocks in an Industry Group simply by holding down the key and then clicking on the plate of the Industry Group. You can also chart all of the symbols in a group by holding down your key and then clicking on the group in your Opportunity List.

You may view more charts in VisualTrader when you are using multiple monitors.

To plot charts on multiple monitors follow these instructions:

1. Right-click any symbol in the Opportunity List.

2. Select Plot » Floating Chart. A floating chart will appear in the VisualTrader window.

3. Click in the title bar of the chart and hold the mouse button down while dragging the chart to the desired monitor.

4. Close the charts using the X at the top right corner of the chart. The Window » Close All Charts function will not close floating charts.

The Chart tab contains the following options:

• Chart Style—Select from Auto, Bar, Candle, or Line.

• Font—Sets the font, font style, and font size for your charts.

• Price Scale Left—Displays the price scale on the left of the chart. The default is to have the price scale on the right of the chart.

• Display Grid—Plots a price grid on your charts.

• Mark the Backtest Period—Shows the data range that is used for back testing, as defined on the Test Settings tab of the Edit Strategy Settings. The back test period is represented by a dashed line around the back test data set.

On the Colors tab you can change the color of various chart features. To create multiple custom Color Schemes, save your changes as a new template.

VisualTrader contains over 80 of the most popular Technical Analysis indicators.

To add an indicator to your charts, click the checkbox in the Enable column next to the indicator name or right-click in the chart and select Add Indicator. You can disable the indicator in the Chart Options dialog box, or you can right-click on it and select Delete. You can also click on an indicator to highlight it and then press the key on your keyboard. For more information on the indicators in VisualTrader, please refer to the Indicators and Systems Help File. You can access this file by selecting Help » Indicators and Systems in VisualTrader.

You can plot Trading Systems on your charts by enabling them on the Systems tab. The system will remain plotted until you deselect it or click the All Off button.

The systems are plotted with the default parameters. Once you have added it to your charts, you can change the parameters and line styles of a system by double-clicking on it's name or by clicking on the Edit button in the Chart Options dialog box. If you want to change the default parameter values, you can either type in the desired system values or use the scroll bar to adjust the parameters.

For more information on the systems in VisualTrader, please refer to the Indicators and Systems Help File. You can access this file by selecting Help » Indicators and Systems in VisualTrader.

VisualTrader allows you to display various chart statistics, such as Symbol, Exchange, Open Price, Close Price, Volume, etc., at the top of the chart.

To access the statistics, complete the following steps:

1. Select Edit » Chart Options.

2. Select the Statistics tab.

Click in the drop-down menu next to each Statistics Field to select the statistics you want to display on your charts. Remember that this setting, like all Chart Options settings, is template specific.

The chart tools menu gives you the ability to draw line studies on your VisualTrader charts. You can draw Trendlines, Support and Resistance Lines, the Rule of Eighth’s Lines, and Fibonacci Retracements.

By right-clicking on a chart in VisualTrader, you are presented with a menu of Charting Tools.

• Draw Support/Resistance Line—Draws a horizontal support/resistance line that will continue to the right edge of the chart.

• Draw Trendline Segment—Draws a trendline with no extension

• Draw Trendline Ray—Draws a trendline that extends in one direction.

• Draw Trendline (Full line)—Draws a trendline that extends in two directions.

• Trendline with Alerts—Draws a trendline and lets you configure an alert for the trendline.

• Draw Rule of Eighth's—Draws either the Rule of Eighth's lines on the chart. The Rule of Eighth's option divides a drawn line into eight equal segments, using the Rule of Eighth's trade management tool. For more information, refer to the Profiting with Chart Patterns seminar by Ed Downs.

• Draw Fibonacci Retracement—The draw Fibonacci Retracement option plots the 38%, 50%, and 62% retracement levels from user-defined peak and valley levels.

• Add Text—Allows you to annotate the chart.

• Add Signal—Plots a signal and user-defined exits. Exits can be selected and edited by double-clicking on a plotted signal.

• Properties—Allows user to edit line styles of selected line.

You can also select a drawing tool or delete all of the drawings on your chart by right-clicking on the chart and using the menu that appears.

Editing the Properties of a Selected Drawing Tool

There are two methods for accessing the line properties of each drawing tool:

• Right-click on the drawing tool once it's drawn on the chart and select Properties.

• Double-click the drawing on the chart to load the properties window.

The Drawing Tool Properties dialog box will appear on the chart.

There are two methods for accessing the line properties of each drawing tool:

• Right-click on the drawing tool once it's drawn on the chart and select Properties.

• Double-click the drawing on the chart to load the properties window.

The Drawing Tool Properties dialog box will appear on the chart.

• Color—Changes the color of the line study on the chart.

• Width—Controls the width of the line in the chart.

• Alert Line—Allows user to set the line as an active alert.

• Show Line Across All timeframes—Enabling this option will allow the line study to be plotted across all timeframes that are available in the profile.

• OK—Saves the changes made to any of the properties.

• Cancel—Cancels any changes that were made to the property settings.

• Apply—Click this option to save and apply any changes made to the properties.

• Set as Default—Saves the edited properties to be applied each time the edited study is drawn on a chart.

To create a Layout page, right-click on the Charts Form in the bottom right of your VisualTrader screen and select Add Layout. You will see the New Layout dialog box where you can name the new layout.

The display on the screen now has four boxes. These boxes are referred to as Panes, and they serve as placeholders for charts. You can have as many or as few Panes in your Layout as you want. To create additional Panes, click on the outer edge of an existing Pane and, holding your mouse button down, drag away from the edge. You will see a new Pane appear almost immediately. You can also reduce the number of Panes by dragging the inner border of a Pane towards an outer edge.