Bars and Monitors
The ideal approach could be four monitors or more, with a set of charts for one instrument on each monitor or one large chart per monitor. This way, you see it all in the best view and size. Workspaces work off one monitor for server use as default. VIP workspaces have a lot more features, tabs, and multi-time frames.
Self-Optimizing Bars
Some sessions can scrunch up. You can maximize the chart and check if the bars look better in full view. Ideally, the whole series of bars will fit into one session on screen. The aim is around 150 bars per session; some days are less, some are more. Note: We are not winning prizes for presentation with these bars—function first, form last—but in maximized view, it should make sense. When normalized, the view might not all fit in the same chart window. Self-optimizing bars result from years of experience and research and negate manual optimizing and setting with the market phases.
If bars are scrunched up or have strange wild-looking bars, it's due to data and lack thereof. Sometimes NT does not get all the data from the server, so a routine daily habit of manually downloading bars is essential to keep things in sync and in a good state.
- For DSFG charts: 15 days tick - must be a minimum of 7
- For WSFG charts: 30 to 90 days tick to 120 days 60 min depending on series
- Daily/Weekly Charts: 365 to 10 years 3650
Bars per Session
The number of bars per session will vary from around 100 to 250 depending on the session. The average we aim for is about 150 per session for daily session breakout.
Downloading Data is a Key Routine
Daily in the pre-session, download two days of data to fix ticks and get the backfills. On a weekend, it's best to download the last 15 days to get all data kinks out or reload the data on the chart or market analyzer in one go.
Historical Data Download
- Select the market analyzer - click Ctrl + Shift + R for all instruments in one go.
- Click a chart - click Ctrl + Shift + R for one instrument at a time.
- Use the Historical Data Manager - download 2 to 15 days, etc., depending on the charts.