Preferences

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To access Preferences window, please go to File menu and then select Preferences... The window can also be opened by using ALT+F, ALT+F keyboard shortcut sequence.

Workspaces

Workspaces preferences settings determine which workspaces, if any, will be opened on application startup, whether changes to workspaces will be saved on application exit, and if a confirmation prompt will appear when Chart/Scanner Windows are closed.

To set workspace preferences:

  1. To open Workspaces on startup, select the Open Workspaces on Start checkbox; clear the checkbox to not open any Workspaces on startup.
  2. To show the Workspaces tab on software startup, select the Show the dialog checkbox; clear the checkbox to not display the dialog box.
  3. Specify the workspaces you would like to open:
    • Open last active workspace from previous session
    • Open all workspaces from previous session
    • Open prebuilt workspace
  4. To show Save Workspace dialog box on exit, clear the Do not show "Save Workspace" dialog on Exit checkbox; select the checkbox to not display the dialog box. If the checkbox is selected, there 2 options:
    • Select Save workspaces if you want them to be saved automatically without your confirmation
    • Select Do not save workspaces if you want them not to be saved automatically without your confirmation
  5. Windows Deleting. To prompt for a confirmation when a Chart/Scanner Window is closed (deleted), clear the Do not prompt for confirmation when I want to close a window checkbox; check the box to close all windows without confirmation.
  6. Wizard Options. To open Wizard on software startup, select the Run Wizard on Startup checkbox; clear the checkbox to not launch it on startup.
  7. Saving Data. Select Store Optimization Report to save report with a workspace (file size will be increased); clear it not to save report with a workspace.


Data Server Mode

Data Server Mode settings affect the whole software (MultiCharts, Portfolio Backtester and QuoteManager). This page determines whether the software has access to real-time data from a data provider server or it is limited to use only the data that is already stored in the database.

  1. Select Online: load the locally stored data and connect to a real-time data feed to switch software to online mode and get access to data from data vendor servers.
  2. Select Download missing historical data to access historical data from a data provider server or it is limited to use only the data that is already stored in the database; clear the checkbox to work only with real-time data and locally stored data (no historical backfill from data vendor).
  3. Select Offline: Use only the locally stored data to work only with historical data that already saved in the database.
  4. To show the Data Server Mode tab on software startup, select the Show Data Server Mode dialog box on startup checkbox; clear the checkbox not to display the dialog box.


Charting

Charting settings affect the performance and usability of studies/drawings applied to your charts.

  1. Select Improve visual appearance of drawing tools (no blurriness, but higher CPU usage) to get a better visual appearance but use more resources; clear it to use less resources and get better performance.
  2. Clear Do not require confirmation when removing a study from a chart to prompt for a confirmation when a study is deleted from a chart; select the box to delete signals and indicators without confirmation.


Trading

Exit Strategies Mode

Originally MultiCharts used to work in “All to Positions” mode only, then the new 2 modes were added due to customers’ requests. It is possible to switch between the modes, however to make a mode come into effect, MultiCharts should be completely closed and restarted.

First to Position, then to Orders

This is combination of the 2 modes described below. The first exit strategy order works according to “All to Positions” mode logic, all other exit orders work according to “All to Orders” mode logic.

All to Positions

Whenever an exit strategy is used (whether it is an auto-attached exit strategy or it was manually dragged and dropped it onto an open position on the chart), the number of contracts of the exit strategy always depends on number of contracts of current open position and the exit strategy can be cancelled or vice versa not placed if an open position is closed or there is possibility of overfill (it can be cancelled manually).

Example:
  1. All to Positions mode is used. Stop Loss exit strategy is configured to be auto attached.
  2. You click Buy Market 10 contracts.
  3. Long market position for 10 contracts is opened and 10 contracts stop loss is placed according to its settings. This stop order can be filled, modified or cancelled according to modified or filled number of open contracts or it can be cancelled manually.
  4. It is possible to apply a different exit order to your current open position now. Let’s say, you decide to drag and drop a preset Profit Target onto your open market position. If you do this, you will place a 10 contracts profit target order according to its settings.
  5. The key difference of this mode is that if you manually close 1 long contract out of 10 opened at the moment, both the stop loss and the profit target orders will be modified to reduce their quantities down to 9, because in this mode they are to be dynamically adjusted according to current number of open contracts.
  6. Similar to the described case: if you enter with an order + auto attached stop loss and then you place another order in opposite direction with attached profit target, the position will be closed and both stop loss order and profit target orders will be cancelled, because they are bound to open position in this mode.

All to Orders

Whenever an exit strategy is used (whether it is an auto-attached exit strategy or it was manually dragged and dropped it onto an open position on the chart), the number of contracts of the exit strategy is always fixed and the exit strategy is not cancelled under any conditions, it can be only filled (it can be cancelled manually).

Example:
  1. All to Orders mode is used. Stop Loss exit strategy is configured to be auto attached.
  2. You click Buy Market 10 contracts.
  3. Long market position for 10 contracts is opened and 10 contracts stop loss is placed according to its settings. This stop order can be either filled or you can cancel it yourself, it will not be cancelled or modified any other way because it was bound to your 10 contract buy entry order.
  4. You are allowed to apply a different exit order to your current open position now. Let’s say, you decide to drag and drop a preset Profit Target onto your open market position. If you do this, you will place a 10 contracts profit target order according to its settings.
  5. The key difference of this mode is that if you manually close 1 long contract out of 10 opened at the moment, both the stop loss and the profit target orders will remain with quantity = 10, because in this mode they are not to be dynamically adjusted according to current number of open contracts.

Similar to this case if you enter with an order + auto attached stop loss and then you place another order in opposite direction with attached profit target, the position will be closed, but both stop loss order and profit target orders will stay active, because they are not bound to open position in this mode. This is the case you have already experienced previously.