VisualTrader’s first and most important goal is to automate the market analysis and trading process as much as possible. You can set which strategies and test settings VisualTrader will use in your charts from the Strategies and Test Settings tabs on the Edit Strategy Settings dialog box. To open the this dialog box, select Edit » Strategies.

VisualTrader Edit Strategy Settings Dialog Box

The Opportunity List is the window of information that shows the results of VisualTrader’s analysis for each symbol in your profile. Each time you make a change to the settings in the Edit Strategy Settings dialog box or when you update data, VisualTrader will perform the necessary analysis for your changes and display the results in the Opportunity List.

VisualTrader also displays the following indicators in the status bar at the bottom of your screen to give you statistics on VisualTrader’s analysis.

• A—Specifies the percentage of all analysis VisualTrader has completed on the collected data.

• S—Specifies the average time in milliseconds that it has taken VisualTrader to generate signals for each symbol.

• P—Specifies the average time in milliseconds that it has taken VisualTrader to complete pattern analysis on each symbol.

• Q—Specifies the number of symbols VisualTrader has yet to analyze.

VisualTrader Analysis Status Bar

Strategies are activated individually using the [...] button to the right of the Strategy name in the menu above your Opportunity List. All Strategies is the default selection. The following VisualTrader Strategies come standard with VisualTrader:

• VT Gap—This Strategy identifies gaps confirmed by strong volatility breakouts. It identifies strong gaps in the market. —This Strategy identifies gaps confirmed by strong volatility breakouts. It identifies strong gaps in the market.

Breakout Strategy Applied to Applied Materials

Signal Generator (Trading System)—GAP-B (Gap Breakout), non-optimized

Dynamic Filter—Volatility Breakout Indicator, non-optimized

• VT Breakout—This Strategy looks for volatility breakout signals in the direction of the prevailing trend by confirming against an Exponential Moving Average. It identifies strong breakouts in the prevailing direction of trend.

VisualTrader Analysis Status Bar

Signal Generator (Trading System)—VTY-B (Volatility Breakout), non-optimized

Dynamic Filter—Exponential Moving Average, non-optimized

• VT Trending—This Strategy looks for trending moves identified by Random Walk confirmed by BULL-Power and BEAR-Power indicators. This is a good general purpose strategy in that it will tend to fire signals on strong new moves in the direction of the prevailing trend. It identifies and confirms key reversals within the prevailing trend.

Trending Strategy Applied to Ben-Franklin

Signal Generator (Trading System)—RWI-B (Random Walk Breakout), non-optimized

Dynamic Filter—BULL Power and BEAR Power above zero.

In Real Time Profiles, the data collection, portfolio updates, and testing run continuously. When VisualTrader loads a Real Time Profile, the Real Time Process runs one time through all the symbols in the Opportunity List. As it reaches each one, it contacts the data provider and requests historical bars based on the Data Periods dialog box settings. As data arrives, VisualTrader analyzes it and generates signals in Real Time.

Normally, a Real Time Profile initiates the Real Time process by itself as long as you are already connected to the Internet. When you load a Real Time Profile, it automatically begins the process of analysis and signal generation. When Real Time is running, the miniature-moving chart appears in the lower left corner of the display.

Real Time Process in the Status Bar

To stop the Real Time Process for any reason, click on the moving chart, which will change to a solid red bar (indicating the Real Time process is temporarily disabled). Click the bar again to restart the process.

In End-of-Day Profiles, the data collection, portfolio updates, and testing run each time VisualTrader recognizes a change which would require updates to the analysis results. If you are using OmniData and you want the analysis to occur at more regular intervals, you can select Edit»Data Settings and modify the data settings.

Data Settings Dialog Box

Select Automatically download EOD data to set VisualTrader to automatically update data each time it is available from your data vendor. Select Update EOD quotes every x minutes to specify that VisualTrader gather data at the specified time interval.