A Chart is a common panel that you will frequently add to your workspace. There are a number of sections on a chart that you need to be familiar with:
Search For Symbol - Allows you to change the symbol on the chart
Events- Ability to have Dividends. Earnings and splits displayed directly on the chart
Time Interval (Daily above) - Sets the chart aggregation (period) that each bar on the chart represents
Studies - Add a study / technical indicator to the chart
Draw - Add drawing tools such as trendlines
Plot Type (Candlestick) - Change the type of bar
Compare - You can add up to three other symbols for price comparison directly on the chart.
f(x) - You can plot an expression or common futures spread by clicking on the "f(x)" button
Save chart (camera) - Download or share the chart image via Twitter
Settings (Cog Wheel) - Opens up the Settings window
Trade - Opens the trading interface, allowing you to execute directly from the chart
Right Click Options
A menu will display that will allow customization of the chart after right clicking anywhere inside the chart.
Many of the chart’s Toolbar features can be accessed using the right click menu. This menu will allow you to remove the crosshair (is applied as default) and change how bar data is displayed using the Tooltip menu. Floating tooltip will display the bar’s data in the upper right corner of the chart by default.
As you key in a symbol, a list of suggested symbols will display below the search field.
You can opt to display dividends, earnings and splits on chart when applicable (Securities only).
When selected, you can hover your cursor over the D (dividends), E (earnings) or S (splits) boxes and display that symbol’s event data on that day.
You can also right click on the chart and apply Events as well.
The Interval (sometimes referred to as the period) defines the amount of data represented by each bar. For example, selecting a Time Interval of "15 minutes" results in a chart with a bar drawn at every 15 minute interval. lick the Interval drop-down list at the top of the chart (this appears just to the left of the Study button) and select from an option shown.
When setting the Interval for a commodity or futures symbol, be aware of the options available for long-range charts:
For Daily / Weekly / Monthly / Quarterly / Yearly: Shows the historical trading activity only for the contract specified.
For Daily Nearest / Weekly Nearest / Monthly Nearest / Quarterly Nearest / Yearly Nearest: Builds a historical chart using the nearest contract. The nearest contract is the closest unexpired contract for the underlying commodity, where every chart bar represents the front month at that point in history.
For Daily Continue / Weekly Continue / Monthly Continue / Quarterly Continue / Yearly Continue: Builds a historical chart using the same month specified for the original contract. For example, if the symbol is ZSX13 (Soybeans November 2013), the chart is built using all previous November contracts for Soybeans (ZSX13, ZSX12, ZSX11, ZSX10 etc).
cmdtyView has a Custom bar feature that will allow you to create bars based on a predetermined number of minutes. Below is a 120 minute (two hour) chart.
You can also right click on the chart and change the time frame as well.
cmdtyView allows you to add an unlimited number of studies on a chart. Studies are classified as either Overlay studies (plotted in the same pane as the symbol data) or Stand-alone studies (a study that uses a different price scale than that of the underlying symbol). When you add a study to a chart, It is added using default parameter and color settings. You may change these settings by editing the study. After clicking on the Studies button, overlay studies will appear first and you can scroll through the list using the scroll bar. You can search for s specific study by using the search for study box.
You can also right click on the chart and select Add Study to apply an indicator.
Once a study is applied, you can change the settings by clicking on the Study name in the upper right corner of the chart (for overlaid studies) and below the chart for standalone studies.
Note: A tool tip option must be selected in order for the chart study to be edited.
When viewing a study’s Parameters, the periods can be customized and the colors displayed can be changed or hidden.
To remove a study you can click on the “x” next to the study name.
When a Stand-alone study is added, it appears as a separate pane underneath the symbol's data. Chart panes are divided by a separator (or padded bar), which can be dragged and dropped to change the size of each pane.
When you hover over the Draw button in the chart menu you will see the available tools that can be added to the chart.
You can also right click on the chart to add drawings as well.
Once a tool is selected, place your cursor where you wish the line to start, left-click and drag over the chart, releasing your mouse where the line should end.
You can left click and drag anywhere on the tool and move it to your desired location.
After right clicking on a tool a menu will display.
You can change the the tool (when applicable) to dashes using the first line button.
The width of the tool can be changed using the second line button.
The color can be changed by clicking on the color button (default color is orange).
The More button will allow you to display the tool’s prices, bar count, percent difference and extend either end of the tool.
You can remove a tool by left clicking on the Tool and then hitting the delete button on your keyboard.
Note: Once left clicked on, “handles” will appear on either end of the tool.