Symbol Dictionary or Custom settings for BPV in QM

There are two main approaches to put settings in QM - either use a custom setting or a symbol dictionary setting. (ignoring Use exchanges and ECN's settings here).
Example: consider ES contract. Using symbol dictionary setting:
Approach 1- Symbol Dictionary Setting Approach 2 - Using Custom Settings Approach 1 will display strategy profits in USD and commissions should also be set in USD. Approach 2 will display strategy profits in points and commissions should also be set in points.

I have been trading just a few (3-4) contracts and have always followed Approach 1. However, now I am beginning to test many more futures contracts (like 50+) and am wondering if following approach 2 would keep things clean, clear and will cause less confusion, as all the output results will be in points.

Does anyone has any recommendations. Other experienced users/traders and especially MC team members, please offer your preference and suggestions, I am all ears. Thanks.

Hello Hilbert,

You are welcome to use both of them (in general). The thing is that each symbol should have a particular set of parameters (Price Scale, Min. Movement, Big Point Value. Daily limit is not used in any part of the software, it was originally added for backward-compatibility with TS).
When a symbol is added to the database it should obtain these parameters somehow. If the category is "futures", the system tries to parse a symbol root from the symbol name and compare it to existing symbol dictionary. If there is a match, the symbol dictionary settings are used. In all other cases the exchange settings are used. It is also important to understand that exchange settings are general settings for instruments traded on this exchange, so they may differ from correct settings for a particular symbol. For example in your case the exchange settings not correct, while the symbol dictionary settings are correct: BPV should be 50.
We recommend to check symbol settings in QM and manually adjust them if needed before start charting and especially trading.

Hello Hilbert,

You are welcome to use both of them (in general). The thing is that each symbol should have a particular set of parameters (Price Scale, Min. Movement, Big Point Value. Daily limit is not used in any part of the software, it was originally added for backward-compatibility with TS).
When a symbol is added to the database it should obtain these parameters somehow. If the category is "futures", the system tries to parse a symbol root from the symbol name and compare it to existing symbol dictionary. If there is a match, the symbol dictionary settings are used. In all other cases the exchange settings are used. It is also important to understand that exchange settings are general settings for instruments traded on this exchange, so they may differ from correct settings for a particular symbol. For example in your case the exchange settings not correct, while the symbol dictionary settings are correct: BPV should be 50.
We recommend to check symbol settings in QM and manually adjust them if needed before start charting and especially trading.

Hi Andrew, Thanks for your reply. Yes, I know both the approaches can be equally used, but from a practical perspective and to make things less confusing and more orgainzed, I am curious what other traders have been using.

In the above spirit, let me ask you this -- If you have to track and develop strategies on 50 futures contracts across equity, bonds and commodities from CME, HKSE, Eurex - with different BPV for each, which approach will you use?Thanks v much.

In the above spirit, let me ask you this -- If you have to track and develop strategies on 50 futures contracts across equity, bonds and commodities from CME, HKSE, Eurex - with different BPV for each, which approach will you use?Thanks v much.

Well Hilbert, if i understand your question correctly, i would search in web or in broker platforms the info for each of the security to make sure the symbol settings are correct on my end in order to get correct results.