Charts Panel, Using Workspaces and Study Templates

August 31 , 2005

16:30 @Ensign_Kimball: Hello... and Welcome to the Ensign Training Class. Today we will discuss 3 topics. Please hold your questions until the end.

16:31 @Ensign_Kimball: The topics will be using the 'Charts Panel'......'Using Workspaces'.....and 'Using Study Templates'

Chart Panels

16:31 @Ensign_Kimball: In order to get the max out of your Ensign use, you need to know how to access your charts. Opening Charts should not be a difficult task. There are many different ways to open an Ensign chart. Today we will focus on the 'Charts Panel'. Click the 'Charts' button on the main toolbar to view the Charts Panel

16:34 @Ensign_Kimball: The Charts panel displays 5 columns, plus some other buttons and entry boxes. The first Column is a 'Symbols' column. This is where you want to enter your customized list of Symbols.

16:34 @Ensign_Kimball: The Symbols that you want to CHART-- The symbols that you look at everyday. If there are symbols on the list, that you want to REMOVE, simply click on the symbol (to highlight it), then click the DELETE button. The symbols must be actual traded symbols like IBM or MSFT or $INDU or ES #F etc. Do not include the Chart Time Frame.

16:37 @Ensign_Kimball: To re-arrange the Symbols in the list.....use the BLUE up and down arrows in the bottom right corner of the panel. For example, in the screen capture above, the XOM symbol is highlighted. If I click the blue UP arrow several time, the symbol will move to the top of the list

16:38 @Ensign_Kimball: To add a new symbol to the list, do the following: Click the mouse into the 'Enter Symbol or TF' box -- Then type the Symbol..... like ES Z5 -- Then click the 'Add' button

16:39 @Ensign_Kimball: When you click the 'Add' button, the symbol will be added to the list. You can add all of your favorite symbols to the list in this manner. Once you have all of your favorite symbols in the list, you can quickly open a chart. However, you need to specify the chart TIME FRAME (like a 1-minute chart, or Daily chart, etc)

16:41 @Ensign_Kimball: The other 4 columns on the 'Chart Panel' are used to specify different Chart TIME FRAMES. The 'TIME' column is used to enter Intraday Chart times. For example: 20-minute 30-minute 1-minute etc. To remove a Time Frame, just click on the Time to highlight it, then click the DELETE button. You can also re-arrange the TIMES by using the blue UP and DOWN arrows

16:44 @Ensign_Kimball: To add new Time Frames, simply enter a NUMBER in the 'Enter Symbol or TF' box and then click the 'Add' button. For example, if you want to add a 7-minute chart Time Frame, just enter the number 7 in the box and click 'Add'. The number 7 will be added to the bottom of the 'Time' column. Use the blue arrows to move it on the list to where you want to position it.

16:46 @Ensign_Kimball: The next 3 columns on the screen are used to display specialized Time FRAMES.

16:46 @Ensign_Kimball: The 'Tick' column is used to specify 'Constant Tick' charts. You must use a minus sign ' - ' before the TICK count. For example, a -10 Constant tick chart will create a new bar on the Chart after 10 ticks (prices received). A -55 Constant Tick chart will create a new bar on the chart after 55 ticks have been received. So each bar on the chart would contain 55 ticks. These charts do not pay attention to TIME. They count ticks. To enter a new 'Constant Tick' entry in the colume, just type a minus sign and a number, like -200 then click 'Add'. To open an IBM -10 chart, you would first click on the IBM symbol in the Symbols column, then click on the -10 in the 'Tick' column. Then click the OPEN button. Or....you could double click the mouse on either the IBM or the -10

16:50 @Ensign_Kimball: Once the items are highlighted, you can double click the mouse on them, to open the chart

16:50 @Ensign_Kimball: The 'Range' column is used to specify Constant Range charts. These entries must begin with the letter 'R' for RANGE. An entry of R100 would specify that each bar must have a High/Low price range of 100 points. R300 would open a chart, where each bar has a High/Low price range of 300 points. Again....TIME is not a factor with RANGE charts. A new bar will not be created until the bar is 300 points in size

16:52 @Ensign_Kimball: You would ADD, DELETE, and Re-arrange items in this column....just like the other columns

16:52 @Ensign_Kimball: Lastly, the 'Volume' column is used to specify Volume Chart entries. The entries in this column must begin with the letter 'V' for Volume. To Add a new entry type something like V2000 in the 'Enter Symbol or TF' box, and then click 'Add'. A volume chart will not create a new bar until the Volume of the current bar has reached the specified volume amount. For example, if I were to display an IBM V1000 chart, each bar on the chart would have 1000 shares of volume. Once the current bar has accumulated 1000 shares, then a new bar would be started

16:55 thirsty: @Ensign_Kimball, I unintentionally deleted "D" from the time column and it won't allow me to add it back. 16:55 thirsty: how would you do that?6:56

@Ensign_Kimball: I think that it will add itself back if you exit and rerun. The T D W and M will always be displayed in the 'Time' column.

16:57 @Ensign_Kimball: Use the 'Charts' panel to group together your favorite symbols and TIME FRAMES. Use the panel to quickly open a chart. It is true that Workspaces can open Groups of Charts much quicker. However, there are many times, when you just want to quickly open a chart and check it out. If you have setup your 'Chart Panel' then it will be a great resource to quickly view your favorite charts. A selection box on the 'Chart Panel' allows you to specify if you want a NEW chart window to open or not. Select 'New Chart' to always open a New chart. Select 'Replace' to replace a currently opened chart window, with your new selection. Place a check mark in the 'Template' box, if you want the 1st Template in your Templates list to always be applied to a Chart, when a chart is opened from the Chart Panel.

Workspaces

17:00 @Ensign_Kimball: We are now going to move on and talk about WORKSPACES

17:01 @Ensign_Kimball: The idea behind a Workspace is to be able to restore several open windows to a memorized location and all settings included. For example, perhaps you like to watch 4 Charts. You always open them to the same locations and symbols each day. You always use the same studies and chart settings. It would be a waste of time to manually open the 4 charts each day and then position them, and then apply your studies, etc. Instead you should save your opened Charts as a WORKSPACE. Then, will one click of the mouse you can restore all the charts to your exact settings

17:03 @Ensign_Kimball: Click the 'Workspaces' button in the Top right corner of the screen (on the main toolbar ) to view the Workspaces panel.

17:04 @Ensign_Kimball: In some ways, the Panel looks a lot like the Chart panel. The Workspaces list, contains all the saved Workspaces that you have setup. You can do as many Workspaces as you like.

17:05 @Ensign_Kimball: Here are the steps to setup and Save a Workspace

1) Open all the charts and other screens that you want included the Workspace

2) Setup all the studies, colors, parameters, window locations, etc. just the way you want them.

3) Click the Workspaces button to open the Workspaces panel

4) Click the 'Save As' button and then Type a name for the Workspace....like MyStocks. The Workspace named 'MyStocks' will then appear in the list. You could then Close all the windows7:08 @Ensign_Kimball: And then restore them all, by clicking on 'MyStocks' and then the 'Open' button. All of you windows would then open and re-appear exactly as you had memorized them. If you are not currently using Workspaces.... then you are overlooking this powerful feature

17:10 @Ensign_Kimball: To remove Workspaces from the list, just Highlight an entry, and then click the DELETE button

17:10 @Ensign_Kimball: If you place a check mark in the 'Auto Open' button, then the 1st Workspace in your list will automatically be displayed when Ensign Windows is first run. (Not Recommended)

17:11 @Ensign_Kimball: If you make changes to charts, or windows in your Workspace, you will need to save your Changes.

17:11 @Ensign_Kimball: Select 'Manual' if you want to manually save your own changes

17:12 @Ensign_Kimball: Select 'Prompt' if you want to be prompted "Do you want to save changes to the Workspace" (Recommended)

17:12 @Ensign_Kimball: Select 'Automatic' if you want Ensign to automatically resave your Workspace, if you ever make a change to it.

17:13 @Ensign_Kimball: Most Ensign users like to use Workspaces....and have several Workspaces setup for different Symbols and screen layouts.

17:14 @Buffy: Many also like the ability to layer the rows too so a lot is in just one workspace and use the scroll bar to go up and down the workspace (or left / right).

17:14 @Ensign_Kimball: It is easy to switch back and forth between different Workspaces to look at a variety of different charts and windows.

17:15 thirsty: is it possible to have data in an inactive workspace update?

17:15 @Ensign_Kimball: I have seen some users who have 8 monitors. One workspace is used to apply dozens of charts and studies into all the monitors. It would be a lot of work to do this manually each day.

17:15 @Ensign_Kimball: Just because a Workspace is not open, doesn't mean that data is not being collected. However, the charts themselves are only updated, when the Workspace is opened.

17:17 thirsty: when I switch to a second workspace, and then go back to original, my bars are not showing the ensuing data and must wait for refresh (IB)

17:17 @Ensign_Kimball: Correct, the Refresh will update the chart.

17:18 @Ensign_Kimball: Lastly....we are going to discuss briefly how to use Study Templates

Study Templates

17:18 @Ensign_Kimball: What is a Study Template ?

17:19 @Ensign_Kimball: When you open a chart for the first time....it will not contain any studies. If you like to use 5 studies, it would be a slow chore to have to always apply your 5 studies, whenever you open a chart. And then....have to change all the Study Parameters and Colors to your liking

17:20 @Ensign_Kimball: The Answer......Study Templates

17:20 @Ensign_Kimball: Study Templates are similar to Workspaces.....A study template is used to MEMORIZE all the Studies and settings that are currently on a chart

17:21 @Ensign_Kimball: For example, if I were to apply 3 moving averages, a Stochastic Study, and an RSI study on a chart, I could memorize these 5 studies, along with all their settings, locations, and colors by doing the following.

1) Click the Templates button

2) Then click the 'Save As' button and type a Name for the Template....like My5studies. This Template of 5 memorized studies can then be applied to any chart.....at anytime.

17:23 @Ensign_Kimball: If you place a check mark in the 'All Charts' box, then the Template will be applied to ALL CURRENTLY OPEN CHARTS (not usually used)

17:24 @Ensign_Kimball: Place a check mark in the 'Replace' box, if you want the Template to remove any current studies and the Chart, and replace it with only the Template items. (Recommended) Uncheck the 'Replace' box, if you want the Template to be ADDED to the chart, and leave anything that is already there. Remove Templates from the list, by clicking on an entry, and then clicking the DELETE button

17:25 @Ensign_Kimball: Some customers had designed and save so many Templates, that they requested the ability to group Templates into different lists. We have added 8 TABS at the bottom of the Template window to handle this request. You can click on a TAB and save different Templates into each of the 8 TAB lists. Use the WHITE arrows to move a TEMPLATE to a different TAB list. Use the BLUE arrows to re-arrange a TAB list....moving the Templates up and down within the list.

17:27 @Ensign_Kimball: Today we have discussed 3 topics....The CHART PANEL....Using WORKSPACES.....and Using TEMPLATES

17:28 @Ensign_Kimball: All 3 of these features are tied to each other in way. They each allow you to save custom lists of Chart Symbols, Workspaces, and Study Templates. All of these features help you to speed up your Ensign use. You can open Charts faster. You can quickly apply complicated Study Templates in a flash.

17:29 @Ensign_Kimball: True....that it requires a little bit of setup and saving...but, once you have your favorite charts and studies saved....you can view them quickly....and be able to view and Analyze the markets efficiently.

17:30 @Ensign_Kimball: I hope that you have enjoyed the class today. Hopefully you have learned a trick or 2....

17:30 cc_k: thank you

17:31 Biggo: Thanks Kimball7:32 lw43: Kimball, thanks for good presentation. In a related matter, would you please explain how to add data from an obsolete symbol to a new chart? For example, the stock TFS is now TFSI, but the data ends on TFS where it starts on TFSI.

17:34 @Ensign_Kimball: lw43....use the File Manager | Merge tool to merge the charts together. Look for MERGE in the Help files.

17:34 lw43: Excellent, Kimball. Thanks

7:35 @Ensign_Kimball: lw43....look at the screen capture above. It would merge all the Daily bars from TFS.D into TFSI.D from the beginning of the chart file until 08-01-05 (you can edit this date). Click the MERGE button to make it merge.

17:31 thirsty: Am I to understand that when I move to a different workspace, with a refresh I will have all the data up to that point and will not have to wait for the dtn delay period to elapse?

17:32 @Ensign_Kimball: Thirsy....If you are collecting data in real-time....then the Charts will be up to the minute. Refressh once per symbol for tick, range and volume charts.

17:32 @Buffy: So they will auto update if an ib user and setup manager set to one day? This has been confusing for me

17:34 @Ensign_Kimball: Yes Buffy. Unless the charts are TICK charts, then you must refresh them manually.

17:35 @Buffy: Thanks Kimball

17:34 thirsty: Is there a way to refresh all the charts in a workspace rather than having to do each individually?

17:35 @Ensign_Kimball: thirsty....the charts will all refresh automatically if they are Intraday time frames, or Daily, weekly, or monthly. If the charts need to use Tick by Tick data, then you must manually refresh them.

17:37 @Ensign_Kimball: Ok. I have to run. Thanks for coming today. If you have questions you can e-mail me at Kimball@ensignsoftware.com Have a nice day. Bye

17:37 @Buffy: Bye :-)

17:45 cc_k: I am thoroughly confused about this whole refresh thing, its settings and how it should be working for IB feed users. I did a refresh during the day today and was amazed at the difference in my charts, indicators, their values, alerts,etc. I normally upon getting up early a.m. do a refresh since TWS closes during the night. But I wasn't manually refeshing all of my tick charts - rather using main menu/charts/refresh. Thirsty's conversation with Kimball right here now makes me think I should have been manually updating each one of the dozen or so tick charts I watch. But more importantly, I want to find out if I should get DTN or Esignal feed insead of this IB feed.

17:48 lw43: I've been using the DTN feed for 2 years and was looking to cut expenses by going to the IB feed. After reading about the problems with the IB feed I've decided to stay with DTN

17:50 thirsty: My experience using ib and another feed suggests that ib is inadequate for data.

17:51 thirsty: if you are trading seriously, data cost should not be that big a factor and then have a backup

http://elitetrader.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=53426&highlight=IBs+tick+transmission