Follow these instructions to open an existing Map in VisualTrader.

1. To open a Map, click File » Open. The Open Map dialog box appears with a list of VisualTrader Map (.vtp) files. The pre-designed Maps are located in the VisualTrader\Profiles subdirectory.

2. Select the Map you would like to open and click Open. VisualTrader displays and populates the selected Map.

A Cylinder's shape and color will change depending on various factors. The Cylinder's characteristics are illustrated in the example below.

The factors that control the change in a cylinder’s characteristics are known as Measurements. The color of the plate is also controlled by a Measurement.

If you place your mouse cursor over a cylinder, you will see a display that tells you the stock it represents. You can place your mouse cursor over a plate to see which industry group it represents as well.

You can use your mouse or the arrow keys on your keyboard to move within the VisualTrader Map. To move the Map left, right, forward or back with your mouse, simply click on the Map floor and drag in the direction you want to move.

This example shows how to move forward to an area of the Map by clicking and dragging the Map floor.

You can zoom in or out of the Map by using the <+> or <-> keys on your keyboard. If your mouse has a scroll wheel, you can use this to zoom in or out of a Map as well.

You can rotate VisualTrader Maps by right-clicking on the floor, holding the mouse button down, and then dragging in the direction you wish to rotate. You can also use the keyboard to rotate your view by holding the key down and then pressing the <+> or <-> buttons on your keyboard.

Note: You can also double-click on the Map floor to have the Map automatically rotate 180 degrees.

As you navigate through a VisualTrader Map, there will be times when you want to return to the default view as quickly as possible. This can be done pressing the or keys on your keyboard. You can also select Tools»Reset View from the VisualTrader menu.

Follow these instructions to create a new Map in VisualTrader.

1. To create a new Map, click File » New. The New Map dialog box appears.

2. If you want to save the Map in a different folder, locate and open the folder.

3. In the File name field, type a name for the Map.

4. Click Save, and you will be presented with a blank Map. Once you have saved your new Map, you can make changes to the group definitions and symbols.

You can edit the symbol list of any existing Map in the Edit Map dialog box. Make sure that you are in the Map you wish to edit in order to access its list of symbols. Follow these instructions to edit an existing Map in VisualTrader.

1. To edit group definitions and symbols in existing Maps click Edit » Symbol List. The Edit Map dialog box appears.

2. From the Edit Map dialog box, you can add groups to the map.

You can also add your own groups or symbols in VisualTrader. It is important to remember that you need to have the correct group highlighted before adding the symbol. From the Edit Map dialog box, complete the following steps:

1. Enter the name of the group or symbol you want to add into the Add Group or Add Symbol field. You will see it added to the list below.

Note: If you are adding a symbol to the map, first select a group from the left column. If you do not select a group from the list, VisualTrader will add the symbol to the highlighted group.

2. You can customize groups you add by adding symbols.

A quick way to add one symbol to a Map is type it into the Quick Chart field at the top of your VisualTrader Map screen. The chart will be immediately displayed for that symbol, and a cylinder for that symbol will be added to your Map on the Miscellaneous plate. If you do not already have a Miscellaneous plate on your Map, one will be automatically created for you.