Operating Symbol List

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Operating Symbol List

<note>Symbol List is a list of commonly used financial instruments. </note> Modern-day investors need easy access to any of the trading vehicles.

To open the Format Instruments window, click the Format Instruments icon on the main toolbar;
if the Format Objects window appears, select the symbol and click the Format button.

The Format Instruments window can also be opened by one of the following methods:
  - Position the mouse pointer over the symbol's data series; double-click once the Pointer changes into a Hand ;
  - Position the mouse pointer over the symbol's data series; once the Pointer changes into a Hand right-click and then click Format Symbol Name;
  - Right-click on an empty area of the chart and then click Format Instruments; if the Format Objects window appears, select the symbol and click the Format button;
  - Select Format in the main menu and click Instrument; if the Format Objects window appears, select the symbol and click the Format button.

QM has been developed based on those needs, the basic requirements being:

• The program must function with numbers of symbols in tens of thousands
• Rapid data access, which means powerful search, sorting, and selection capabilities
• Convenient adding and editing of data
• Simple data backup and restore
• Minimal setup and maintenance effort

<a href="#" class="DropDown" onclick="Outline2()" id=1>Adding Symbol(s) to Symbol List</A>

To start working with a symbol, the symbol must be added to the symbol list. Adding can be done manually or from a list, downloaded from the data vendor.

Adding symbols manually is appropriate when the exact symbol name is known and the list of symbols is not available from the data vendor. For instance, with DDE there is no way to download a list, and the user is supposed to know the exact name for the query.

In all other cases, adding symbols manually is not recommended, as parameters in addition to the symbol name may be required by the data vendor. When a symbol is added from a list, provided by the data vendor, all required parameters are set automatically.

For details on specific data vendor symbols, see <a href="../01_QM/102_Builtin_DataSources.html" onclick='window.name=""; return true;' >Built-in Sources</a>     

<a href="#" class="DropDown" onclick="Outline2()" id=11>Adding Symbols in Manual Mode</A>

To add a symbol:

1. On the Symbol menu, select Add Symbol, then click Manually, or Click the Add Symbol icon on the toolbar.
2. Select a Data Source from the list. If the desired data vendor is not listed, it could be that the vendor is not installed. See <a href="../01_QM/103_Data_Sources.html" onclick='window.name=""; return true;' >Data Sources</a> for additional information.
3. Enter the Symbol name.
4. Select the Category from the list.
5. Select the Exchange from the list. If the desired exchange is not listed, see the <a href="../01_QM/104_Exchanges.html" onclick='window.name=""; return true;' >Exchanges</a> section.
6. Click OK.
7. Enter the symbol Root.

   Tip:	Stock root is the same as the stock's name.

8. Click OK to add symbol with current properties or set <a href="../01_QM/101-01_SettingIndProp.html" onclick='window.name=""; return true;' >Symbol Properties</a>.

    

<a href="#" class="DropDown" onclick="Outline2()" id=12>Adding Symbol from Data Vendor Supplied List</A>

To add a symbol:

1. On the Symbol menu, select Add Symbol.
2. Select From Data Source.
3. Choose a data source from the Data Source list; the Insert Symbols into Portfolio window will open. If a data vendor is not in the list:
   • data source does not support a symbol list (the symbol must be <a href="../01_QM/101_Symbol_List.html" onclick='window.name="1=11"; return true;' >added manually</a>)
   • data source is currently deactivated (the data source should be <a href="../01_QM/103_Data_Sources.html" onclick='window.name="2"; return true;' >activated</a>)
   • data source is not supported (<a href="../01_QM/102_Builtin_DataSources.html" onclick='window.name=""; return true;' >Built-in Datafeeds</a> should be used).
4. Select a tab, corresponding to the type of symbol to be added.
5. Enter all or part of the symbol name into the Symbol box and click Lookup.

   Note:

   Additional search options may be available depending on data source selected.

6. Select the desired symbol(s).
7. Click Add.
8. Click Close or continue to search for symbols.

   Note:

   If necessary, <a href="../01_QM/101-01_SettingIndProp.html" onclick='window.name=""; return true;' >Symbol Properties</a> can be changed (not recommended).

<a href="#" class="DropDown" onclick="Outline2()" id=2>Selecting Symbol(s) in Symbol List</A>

Symbols can be selected by using the keyboard or a mouse.

Using the keyboard, move the selection pointer to the line containing the symbol. If the selection is not visible, press the Down Arrow button twice, the selection will be visible on the uppermost symbol; selection with the mouse is simpler and can be achieved by left-clicking the line once.

To select several sequential symbols at once keep Shift pressed and select with Up or Down Arrow buttons.

To select several sequential symbols at once with the mouse keep Shift pressed, scroll using the Vertical Scroll Bar to the required position, and click it.

To select many sequential symbols at once, select the starting symbol, keep Ctrl pressed and move the selection with the Home/End or Page Up/Page Down buttons, then release Ctrl, press Shift and press Up/Down arrow buttons depending on the direction of selecting.

To select many sequential symbols at once with the mouse keep Ctrl pressed and click the symbols.

If you need to select several non-sequential symbols using the keyboard, start on the first symbol, press and keep down Ctrl and move the selection border to the desired position using the Up/Down Arrows, Home/End or Page Up/Page Down, then press Space. To perform such selection with the mouse keep Ctrl pressed and click the symbols to be selected.

Note:

To select all symbols, select Edit in the main menu and then click Select All, or use the Ctrl+A keyboard shortcut.

<a href="#" class="DropDown" onclick="Outline2()" id=3>Deleting Symbol(s) from the Symbol List</A>

To delete one or more symbols:

1. Select the symbols to be deleted.
2. Selected symbols can be deleted by one of the following methods:
   • Click the Delete Symbol icon on the toolbar
   • Right-clicking on the selected symbols and then clicking Delete Symbol
   • Selecting Symbol on the main menu and then clicking Delete Symbol
   • Pressing the Delete key on the keyboard

<a href="#" class="DropDown" onclick="Outline2()" id=4>Sorting the Symbol List</A>

The list is sorted based on the contents of one of the available columns. For example, text data is sorted alphabetically, but months in calendar order.

For sorting:

1. On the View menu, click Sort By.
2. Select the column to sort by, i.e. Symbol.
3. Select the sorting direction - Sort Ascending or Sort Descending.

-or-

1. Click the corresponding column heading to sort by that column.
2. The arrow on the heading indicates the sorting direction; click the column to reverse the sorting direction.
3. Right-click a column heading to call up a context menu with sorting options. See <a href="../01_QM/101_Symbol_List.html" onclick='window.name="2"; return true;' >Selecting Symbol(s) in Symbol List</a> section.

<a href="#" class="DropDown" onclick="Outline2()" id=5>Finding Symbol(s) in Symbol List</A>

Two types of a search can be performed: an Incremental search and a Full String search.

An Incremental search locates a symbol as the symbol name is typed. Please note that an incremental search can be performed by the signal name only, and not by any other attributes.

To perform an Incremental search:

1. Select All Symbols in the left panel to search a list of all symbols, or select a particular symbol category.
2. Click on any symbol in the right panel.
3. Start typing the symbol name; as the name is being typed, the selection will move between symbols seeking for a match.

Note:

Each consecutive character in a symbol name must be typed with an interval of no more the one second; if you pause for more then one second, a new search will be started, for a symbol name beginning with the first character that was typed after a pause of more than a second.

To start a new search without waiting for the second to be over, simply press the ESC key.

Example:

To search for AMD, type a m d with an interval of less than a second between each character; if you pause for more than a second after typing a, once you type m, the first symbol, beginning with the character “m”, will be located instead.

A Full String search can be used to find multiple symbols that satisfy the search criteria.

To perform a Full String search:

1. Select All Symbols in the left panel to search a list of all symbols, or select a particular symbol category.
2. Select Edit in the main menu, and then click Find, or use the CTRL+F keyboard shortcut; a Find dialog box will open.
3. In the Find what text box, enter a string to search for.
4. In the In column list box, select the column to search in.
5. Click Find Next to begin the search.
6. To continue the search, click Find Next again.

A previously performed search can be repeated by simply pressing the F3 key, without opening the Find dialog box.

<a href="#" class="DropDown" onclick="Outline2()" id=6>Customizing the Symbol List</A>

The program supports workspace customization. The user can select the data columns and set their widths, including: Symbol, Description, Exchange Listed, Data Source, Contract Month, Price Scale, CUSIP, Root, Margin, Contract Year, Expiation Date, Expiration Rule, Expiration Status, Daily Limit, Min. Movement, Big Point Value, Strike Price, and Option Type.

To customize the Symbol List:

1. On the View menu, click Columns.
2. Select the checkboxes, corresponding to the columns to be displayed.
3. Use the Move Up and the Move Down buttons to change the order in which the columns are displayed.
4. Enter the desired width, in pixels, in to the The selected column should be N pixels box.

Note:

Column width can also be resized by using the mouse.

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