Command Line
Understanding Command Line
The Command Line toolbar allows performing a variety of tasks quickly and efficiently by entering text commands, without relying on the graphical user interface.
Type the appropriate command in the Command Line combo box and press Enter.
By default, the Command Line toolbar is displayed docked to the bottom of the application window. If the toolbar is not displayed, it may have been hidden.
To select a previously used command, use the drop-down function.
Type in "AMD" to change the symbol to AMD.
Command Line commands can be integrated into scripts to automate complex operations and streamline workflows.
The List of Supported Commands
- Increases bar spacing.
.bsi
- Decreases bar spacing.
.bsd
- Calls Strategy Performance Report.
.rep
- Inserts additional symbol into existing chart or creates a new chart. Available parameters: name, df, res, desc, from, to, bfm. “,” is the delimiter. See examples below.
.isy
- Changes symbol (specific data series) plotted on chart to another specific symbol (if there is no chart, this command creates an empty chart window with no data series plotted). Available parameters: dnum, name, df, res, desc, from, to, mute, bfm. “,” is the delimiter. See examples below.
.csy
- Inserts specific indicator to the active chart. Available parameters: name, base, bref, fmt. “,” is the delimiter. See examples below. Subchart parameter defines subchart number where the indicator will be plotted. By default, when subchart=-1 is used, a new subchart will be added at the bottom of the chart window.
.iind
- Inserts specific signal to the active chart. Available parameters: name1, name2. nameN (up to 99). “,” is the delimiter. See examples below.
.isig
- Reloads data on the active chart and on all charts with the same symbol. Available parameters: glob, ResSize ResName, int. See examples below.
.rld
- Reloads data on all charts in the active workspace.
.rldw
- Changes the symbol to a specified one on the active chart. If there is no selected symbol , the symbol that is plotted on data series 1 is changed.
SymName
- Changes resolution of the symbol plotted as data series 1 of the active chart to a specified one. See examples below.
ResSize ResName
- Turns on/off auto trading on the active chart.
.at_toggle
- Switches between different styles for Hint window.
.shs
- Shows the entire data series of the active chart window.
.eds
- Scrolls charts to a set point.
.goto
Available parameters: dnum, bar, date, time.
Table of Parameters for .ISY and .CSY Commands
| Description | Parameter |
|---|---|
| Number of data series | dnum |
| Symbol name | name |
| Data provider | df |
| Resolution of the chart | res |
| Symbol description | desc |
| Starting point of data interval | from |
| Ending point of data interval | to |
| Do not show the Format Instrument dialogue window if there is an error in the request | mute |
| Build daily based charts (days, weeks, months, quarters, years) using minute data instead of daily data. bfm=0 - use daily data, bfm=1 - use minute data. If bfm is not used at all, daily data is used. | bfm |
Table of Parameters for .IIND and .ISIG Commands
| Description | Parameter |
|---|---|
| Name of an indicator | name |
| Name of a signal | nameN |
| Number of data series to base an indicator on | base |
| Maximum number of bars a study will reference, or maximum bars back | bref |
| Show Format Indicator window | fmt |
Table of Parameters for .RLD Command
| Description | Parameter |
|---|---|
| Reloads all charts with all data series in all workspaces | glob |
| Reloads data series on the current chart with the specified resolution | res = ResSize ResName |
| Reloads a specified number of days/weeks/months back | int = ResSize ResName |
Table of Resolutions for Command Line
In the command line, you can define the resolution using various methods as illustrated in the table below.
| Resolution name | Value 1 | Value 2 | Value 3 | Value 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tick | tick | ticks | t | ts |
| Contract | volume | volumes | contract | contracts |
| Point | point | points | pt | pts |
| Point Original | point(original) | orpt | orpts | |
| Change | change | changes | chg | chgs |
| Second | second | seconds | sec | secs |
| Minute | minute | minutes | min | mins |
| Hour | hour | hours | hr | hrs |
| Day | day | days | d | ds |
| Week | week | weeks | wk | wks |
| Month | month | months | mth | mths |
| Quarter | quarter | quarters | qrt | qrts |
| Year | year | years | yr | yrs |
Creating Charts Using the Command Line Toolbar
One new chart (if there are no charts in the current workspace) can be created by entering the symbol parameters into the Command Line toolbar.
If the symbol name is known, the simplest way to create a new chart is to enter the symbol name and all known symbol parameters into the command line. Any omitted symbol parameters will automatically be selected, and the symbol plotted.
Symbol parameters consist of the Symbol Name, Data Source, Category, and Exchange parameters. Depending on the data source and the symbol category, one or more parameters are required in order to precisely identify the symbol to be plotted.
Automatic Selection of Omitted Symbol Parameters
MultiCharts simplifies the process of symbol selection by automatically selecting, whenever possible, any omitted symbol parameters, by analyzing the Symbol Name.
Automatic selection of omitted symbol parameters is based on both the Symbol Name and on the Data Source.
Once specified a single time, the Data Source will be selected automatically if DataSource parameter is not specified.
Entering a symbol name alone is often sufficient to create a chart for a stock. For example, a plot for Google, Inc. can be created by simply typing goog into the command line toolbar; all the other parameters will be selected automatically. However, for some symbol categories and data sources, additional parameters may be required in order to precisely identify the symbol to be plotted.
If the exact symbol name is not known, but only the symbol description or the symbol root, or if plotting the symbol through the command line does not work, QuoteManager can be used to search for and identify the correct symbol.
Entering Symbol Parameters Into a Command Line
Symbol parameters are entered in the following format:
DataSource: SymbolName; Exchange; Category
- If DataSource parameter is not specified, SymbolName parameter does not have to be preceded by a colon.
- In neither Exchange nor Category parameters are specified, SymbolName does not have to be followed by a semicolon.
- If Category parameter is not specified, Exchange parameter does not have to be followed by a semicolon.
- If Exchange parameter is not specified, and Category parameter immediately follows the SymbolName parameter, two semicolons must separate SymbolName and Category parameters (SymbolName; Category).
DataSource – an optional parameter; describes the data source.
This parameter is specified by the Data Source abbreviation:
| Data Source Name | Abbreviation |
|---|---|
| ASCII Mapping | ASC |
| Barchart.com | BC |
| Binance | BNC |
| Binance.US | BUS |
| Bitfinex | BFX |
| BitMEX | BMX |
| ByBit | BBT |
| CQG | CQG |
| CSI | CSI |
| Deribit | DBT |
| Dukascopy | DUK |
| eSignal | ES |
| Free Quotes | F |
| GAIN Capital | GC |
| GlobalServer | GS |
| Interactive Brokers | IB |
| IQFeed | IQ |
| Kraken | KRK |
| LMAX | LM |
| Market Data Sim | SIM |
| MCFX | FX |
| Metastock | MS |
| OANDA | ODA |
| Open E Cry | OEC |
| Poloniex | PLX |
| Quandl | QDL |
| Rithmic 01 | RT |
| Saxo Group | SG |
| TradeStation | TS |
| Trading Technologies | TT |
| Universal DDE | DDE |
A list of available data sources and corresponding abbreviations can also be found in the Data Sources window in QuoteManager. To open the Data Sources window in QuoteManager, click the Data Sources 
icon, or select Tools in the main menu and click Data Sources.
- If DataSource is not specified, the most recently used Data Source will be used.
- If DataSource is not specified and cannot be selected automatically, a Format Instruments window will open.
SymbolName – a required parameter; specifies the symbol name.
- SymbolName parameter is not case-sensitive.
- The maximum symbol name length is 31 characters; longer symbol names will be truncated to 31 characters.
- Symbol name can contain any number of spaces and characters, separated by spaces.
- Spaces at the beginning and at the end of a symbol name are discarded.
Exchange – an optional parameter; specifies the exchange abbreviation.
- Exchange is specified by the exchange abbreviation; the list of available exchanges and corresponding abbreviations can be found in the Exchanges & ECNs window in QuoteManager. To open the Exchanges & ECNs window in QuoteManager, click the Exchanges & ECNs
icon, or select Tools in the main menu and click Exchanges & ECNs. - If the specified exchange abbreviation is not in the Exchanges & ECNs list, a Format Instruments window will open.
- If Exchange parameter is not specified, a default exchange will be selected based on the data source and category (category selection takes place prior to default exchange selection).
Category – an optional parameter; describes the symbol category. It is specified by the category name abbreviation:
| Category | Abbreviation |
|---|---|
| Stock | STK |
| Index | IDX |
| Future | FUT |
| Stock Option | OPT |
| Forex | FX |
| Bond | B |
| Cash | C |
| Spread | SPD |
| Custom Futures | CF |
| Cryptocurrencies | CRY |
| Warrants | WAR |
- If the specified Category is not a valid category abbreviation, a Format Instruments window will open.
- If Category is not specified, the symbol name will be analyzed in order to select the symbol category automatically.
Automatic Symbol Category Selection
Symbol category is automatically selected by evaluating the symbol name according to the following rules, in the order that they are listed; once a symbol name satisfies any one rule, a category is assigned and MultiCharts proceeds to exchange selection.
Symbol category is Futures if any of the following is true:
- Symbol name ends with a number.
- Symbol name ends with a #F, preceded by a space.
- Symbol name begins with an @.
- Symbol name begins with a c# (except TradeStation(R) symbols).
Symbol category is Index if any of the following are true:
- Symbol name begins with a $
- Symbol name ends with a .X
Symbol category is Forex if any of the following is true:
- Symbol name ends with a -FX
- Symbol name contains any two different sets of the following combinations of letters:
EUR, USD, GBP, AUD, CAD, CHF, JPY, HKD, KRW, SEK, MXN, NOK, PLZ, CZK, ILS, HUF, MXP, NZD, PLN, RUR, BRE, USS, SKK, TWD, SIT, SGD, RUB, SON, MTL, LVL, LTL, SEK, HRK, EEK, DKK, CYP
If the Category cannot be selected automatically, Stock category will be selected; category selection takes place prior to default exchange selection.
Sample Entries and Corresponding Parameters
| Command Line Entry | Data Source* | Symbol | Exchange | Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IQ:@ES# | IQFeed | @ES# | UNDEF | Futures |
| IQ:NUH8 | NUH8 | UNDEF | Futures | |
| IQ:ADR.X | ADR.X | UNDEF | Indexes | |
| IB:ESH8 | IB | ESH8 | GLOBEX | Futures |
| IB:MSFT | MSFT | SMART | Stock | |
| IB:EUR.USD | EUR.USD | IDEALPRO | Cash | |
| TS:ESH08 | TS | ESH08 | CME | Futures |
| TS:AUDCAD | AUDCAD | FOREX | Forex | |
| TS:$TSTOP | $TSTOP | NASDAQ | Indexes | |
| TS:@ES | @ES | CME | Futures |
