Enabling you to "See INSIDE the CHART"
by MarketDelta LLCMarketDelta provides traders with an unprecedented level of
trading transparency, providing more confidence and better
precision while trading.
Use this guide to learn more about using the Footprint chart
and other tools included in MarketDelta.
The MarketDelta software and User Manual are copyrighted with all rights reserved. No parts of this work may be reproduced in any form or by any means - graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying,recording, taping, or information storage and retrieval systems - in whole or part without the written permission of MarketDelta LLC. The information contained in this manual is subject to change without notice. No intellectual property rights or title to ownership in and to the software and/or documentation or any copy,compilation, translation or other derivative work are transferred to the end user or any third party hereunder.Products that are referred to in this document may be either trademarks and/or registered trademarks of therespective owners. No claim is made as to these trademarks.The documentation and software are provided "as is" and without any express or implied warrantiesincluding, without limitation, merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. Similarly, there is no warrantyas to performance, accuracy, or functionality. MarketDelta LLC makes no representation, warranty orcovenant concerning the accuracy, sequence, timeliness, completeness or availability of the software and/ordocumentation or any other information or the likelihood of profitable trading uses. The user assumes theentire risk of using the software and/or documentation and accepts full responsibility for any investmentdecision or loss or expense whatsoever relating to the accuracy of the information furnished herein or for theuse thereof or for omissions therein. The user agrees to hold MarketDelta LLC harmless from and againstany such losses or expenses arising from provision or use of the software and/or documentation,
regardlessof cause or form of action, whether in contract, tort, strict liability, statutory liability or otherwise.
Printed: March 2009 in Chicago
©2003 - 2009 MarketDelta LLC. All Rights Reserved.
© 2009 MarketDelta LLC. All Rights Reserved. MarketDelta, Footprint, and See Inside the Chart are Registered Trademarks ofMarketDelta LLC. Microsoft™, Internet Explorer™, Windows™, Windows 2000™, Windows XP™, are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S.A. and/or other countries. Adobe® and Acrobat® are registered trademarks of Adobe. E-Mini S&P 500™ and S&P™ are trademarks of the McGraw Hill Companies, Inc. and have been licensed for use by the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Nasdaq™ & E-Mini Nasdaq 100™ are registered trademarks of the Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. and are licensed for use by the Chicago Mercanitle Exchange. Dow™ is a trademark of Dow Jones & Company and licensed for use by the Chicago Board of Trade. Market Profile® is a registered trademark of the Chicago Board of Trade. Other brand
Table of Contents
Foreword 0
Part I Welcome to MarketDelta
12
... 12 1 Testimonial
... 13 2 Introduction
... 13 Organization of this Document
... 14 Receiving Support ... 15 3 Overview ... 16 4 What's New ... 17 5 Getting Started ... 17 Supported Data Feeds
... 18 Guided Setup
Part II Charts
25
... 25 1 The Basics ... 25 Creating Charts ... 26 Modifying Charts ... 27 Accessing Preferences ... 34 Vertical Scaling ... 39 Horizontal Scaling ... 40 Deleting Charts ... 40 Deleting Instrument from Chart... 40 Saving Charts
... 40 Add Symbol
... 40 Change Symbols on Chart
... 41 Adusting Pane Size
... 41 Editing Chart Data
... 41 Manipulating Charts w/ Keyboard
... 42 Manipulating Charts w/ Mouse
... 43 2 Footprint ... 45 Opening a Footprint ... 46 Footprint Types ... 46 Bid / Ask Footprint
... 48 Delta Footprint
... 49 Total Volume
... 50 Volume (Delta Color)
... 51 % Volume (Delta Color)
... 52 Footprint Profile ... 53 Delta Profile ... 54 Delta Percent ... 55 % of Volume ... 56 Color Only
... 64 Footprint Bar Statistics
... 67 Footprint Price Statistics 2
... 69 Volume Price Statistics
... 86 Footprint Preferences
... 87 Footprint Data Tab
... 89 Footprint Display Tab
... 91 3 Classic Footprint
... 93 Opening a Classic Footprint
... 94 Classic Footprint Types
... 94 Bid / Ask ... 95 Delta ... 97 Total Volume ... 99 Volume (Delta Color)
... 101 % Volume (Delta Color)
... 102 Footprint Profile ... 104 Delta Profile ... 106 Delta Percent ... 109 % of Volume ... 111 Color Only ... 113 Classic Footprint Buttons
... 115 Classic Footprint Preferences
... 116 General Tab
... 119 View Period Tab
... 121 Columns Tab ... 123 Colors Tab ... 124 Lines Tab ... 125 Options Tab ... 127 Classic Footprint Color Shading
... 128 4 Multi-Pane Charts
... 129 Multi-Pane Chart Types
... 129 Bar ... 130 Bi-Color Line ... 131 Candlestick ... 132 Connected Line ... 133 Continuous Line ... 134 Histogram ... 135 Invisible ... 136 Percent Change Bar
... 137 Percent Change Candle
... 138 Percent Change Line
... 139 Wickless Candle
... 140 Point and Figure
... 143 Renko ... 147 Volume Profile ... 148 Premium Indicators ... 148 5 Market Profile ... 149 Market Profile Chart Overview
... 159 Opening a Market Profile
... 160 Preferences ... 161 Profiles Tab ... 164 Letters Tab
... 171 Options Tab ... 173 Letter Colors ... 182 6 Custom Programming (RTL)
Part III Quote Pages
185
... 185 1 Delete Symbols ... 185 2 Add Symbols ... 186 3 Modify Symbols ... 186 4 Add/Delete Columns ... 187 5 Custom Columns
Part IV Menu Functions
196
... 196 1 File ... 196 File | Revert ... 196 File | Duplicate ... 196 File | Save ... 197 File | Share Picture
... 198 File | Import
... 198 File | Export
... 198 File | License Activation
... 199 File | Reconfigure ... 200 2 Setup ... 200 Preferences ... 201 Charts ... 201 General ... 201 Traditional Charts ... 202 Technical Indicators ... 204 Custom Profile ... 205 Day Bar ... 205 Point and Figure
... 206 Raw Tick
... 206 Three Line Break
... 206 Footprint ... 206 Market Profile ... 207 Alarm ... 207 Chart Quote Page
... 208 Chart Setup ... 208 Custom Column ... 209 Custom Indicator ... 209 Custom Instrument ... 210 Equity or Index Options
... 210 Futures ... 210 Futures Options ... 211 Setup Instruments ... 211 Pair Setup ... 212 Quote Sifter
... 217 Signal Action ... 218 Trading Order ... 218 3 Control ... 218 Database Wizard ... 218 Database Management ... 223 Database Utilities ... 224 System Status ... 224 4 Window ... 224 Overview ... 224 Toolbars ... 224 Layout Toolbar ... 228 Chart Toolbar
Part V Technical Indicators
230
... 230 1 Adding Indicators ... 231 2 Modifying Indicators ... 231 3 Removing Indicators ... 232 4 Technical Indicator List
... 232 Accumulation/Distribution
... 235 ADX (Average Directional Movement)
... 238 ADXR (Directional Movement Rating)
... 241 Andrew's Pitchfork
... 245 Annotation
... 250 Arms Ease of Movement
... 253 Aroon Indicator
... 256 Automatic Trendlines
... 259 Balance of Power (BOP)
... 262 Bar Lines
... 265 Bear Power (BEARP)
... 270 Bollinger Bands
... 274 Bull Power (BULLP)
... 279 Candle Codes
... 283 Candlestick Pattern Recognition
... 287 Engulfing Bullish or Bearish
... 289 CCI (Commodity Channel Index)
... 293 Center Of Gravity (COG)
... 296 Chaikin Money Flow (CMF)
... 299 Color Markers ... 303 Correlation Coefficient ... 306 Darvas Box (DB) ... 311 Data Validation ... 312 Delta Divergence Indicator
... 315 Detrended Oscillator ... 318 Directional Indicators ... 321 True Range ... 324 Donchian Channels ... 327 Elastic Volume Weighted Moving Average (eVWMA)
... 330 Elder's Force Index
... 332 Engulfing Bullish, Engulfing Bearish Candlestick Patterns
... 333 Equi-Indicator (EquiVolume)
... 342 Fibonacci Arcs ... 345 Fibonacci Extensions ... 350 Fibonacci Projections ... 353 Fibonacci Retracements ... 360 Finite Volume Elements
... 363 Fisher Transform (FISH)
... 366 Footprint Bar Statistics
... 366 Footprint Price Statistics
... 366 Fractals (FRAC)
... 370 Gann Lines and Gann Angles
... 373 Heiken Ashi
... 374 Indicator Adjusted Average (IAA)
... 377 Indicator Weighted Average (IWA)
... 380 Info Box ... 384 Keltner Channels ... 387 Linear Regression ... 392 Linear Regression Acceleration
... 396 Linear Regression Forecast
... 400 Linear Regression Slope
... 404 MESA Adaptive Moving Average (MAMA)
... 407 Mixed Periodicity Data (MPD)
... 416 Modified Moving Average
... 418 Momentum Indicator
... 421 Money Flow
... 424 Money Flow Index
... 427 Money Flow, Chaikin
... 430 Moving Average Adaptive
... 432 Moving Average Channels
... 436 Moving Average Convergence/Divergence (MACD)
... 439 Moving Averages ... 449 News Markers ... 451 Normalized Price ... 453 On Balance Open Interest
... 455 On Balance Volume
... 458 Open Interest Analysis
... 461 Oscillator/Summation ... 463 The Owl ... 469 Paint Bars ... 474 Parabolic Stop And Reversal (SAR)
... 478 Percent Change Volume or Price
... 480 Pivot Points
... 486 Point And Figure Indicator
... 489 Price Bands ... 493 Price Projections ... 496 Profile Indicator ... 500 QuotePage Statistics (QSTAT)
... 505 Random Walk Index
... 508 Rate of Change
... 510 Rectangle Drawing Tool
... 512 Relative Strength
... 528 Session Statistics (SESST)
... 530 Shapes (PriceTime Cycles)
... 535 Signal Markers
... 541 Signal Statistics
... 548 Spirals (Logarithmic Spirals)
... 551 Stochastics
... 557 Stock Split Finder
... 561 System Simulator (SSIM)
... 564 T3 - Adaptive Smoothing Indicator
... 567 Triple Smoothing
... 569 Tick Velocity Indicator
... 570 Three Line Break Indicator
... 573 Time Series Forecast
... 575 Three Line Break Oscillator
... 579 Tom DeMark Range Expansion Index
... 582 TPO Indicator
... 585 Trade Speed Index Information
... 588 Trading Note Markers
... 590 Trading System Indicator
... 594 Trend Continuation Factor (TCF)
... 597 Trend Detection Index
... 600 Trend Intensity Index
... 604 Trend Lines - Parallel Trend Lines
... 609 TRIX (Triple Smoothed Exponential Oscillator)
... 611 True Range (Average True Range)
... 614 True Strength Index
... 617 Ultimate Oscillator
... 619 Up/Down Volume Ratio
... 622 Up/Down Volume Ratio Slope
... 624 Value Area Indicator
... 628 Vertical Reference Lines
... 631 Volatility Indicator ... 634 Volatility Analysis ... 637 Volume Breakdown (VB) ... 642 Volume Price Statistics
... 643 Volume Weighted Average Price (VWAP)
... 645 Williams %R
... 647 Williams AD (Accumulation/Distribution)
... 650 Zig Zag Indicator
... 653 Zig Zag Oscillator Indicator
Part VI Shortcuts
657
... 657 1 Classic Footprint Tips
... 658 2 Market Profile Tips
... 659 3 Footprint and Multi-Pane Tips
... 664 4 Quote Page Tips
Part VII Tutorials
668
... 668 1 Periodicity
Part IX Company
679
Section
1
Welcome to MarketDelta
Until the lens of experience focuses information, it does almost no good. No matter how much the marketing machines of the Information Age would have us think otherwise, information by itself isn’t power: knowledge is. And turning information into knowledge requires more time, experience, and effort than an afternoon spent staring at a screen full of facts.
Information is passive. To make it knowledge, you need to assimilate it. Put it in context. Understand it. Knowledge streamlines and focuses our relationship with information. Knowledge helps us avoid information we don’t want or need and leaves us with the stuff we can use.
In an age in which endless amounts of bits and bytes are always
available, it’s a daunting task to spot the worthwhile stuff. It’s easy for the Net to overwhelm us or lull us into the misconception that simply having access to something is as good as knowing it.
--Michael Penwarden
We like to think that this is what the Footprint® chart can do for your view of the market. Cleaning the lens of how you see things and providing the clarity & transparency you deserve. How you apply it will be up to you, but rest assured, we will do our best to provide the education and support you need to make the most of this amazing tool. Welcome to MarketDelta®; Welcome to Transparency.
1.1
Testimonial
I just wanted to express my appreciation for bringing MarketDelta® to market. It truly is an important innovation especially for day traders. Its ease of use, flexibility in tailoring the settings, as well as the clarity of its displays are excellent. That said, what is most significant by far is the positive effect MarketDelta® is having on my trading. You talk about MD enabling a better "feel" for the market's action. For me this "feel" has already translated into more confidence and better timing on my entries, less anxiety in staying in my trades, and better results on exits whether it's in cutting my losses or increasing my profits."
1.2
Introduction
What to ExpectThe help manual provides more of a technical overview of how to get things accomplished within MarketDelta®. There are lots of how-to's and examples. This User Manual will not go in depth on strategy and ways to apply MarketDelta® to trading. For strategy and application please download the Strategy Guide, visit the Strategies page on the website, visit or blog, or get involved in the MarketDelta® Community
on the website.
Contents
While every effort has been made to cover all functionality, there may be a few things that got left out or have been added since the last
update. This could be intentional because they are mentioned elsewhere in the Manual or Strategy Guide or they are simple and fundamental concepts that do not need discussion. Please bring anything to our attention you feel was grossly overlooked.
1.2.1 Organization of this Document Document Organization
This User Manual has been created as a guide that describes features and functionality within MarketDelta®. For Quick Start Guides please visit the Introduction | Getting Started section of the Knowledge Base. The first section entitled Charts provides information on how to interact with charts in The Basics chapter, then it proceeds to provide
information on each chart type, including the Footprint®, Classic Footprint®, Multi-pane, and Market Profile®. Focus is given to the
primary features of each type and how to use them. The next chapter in this section is about the custom programming language called RTL and how it can be applied within MarketDelta®.
The second section entitled Menu Functions section explains many of the menu items available within MarketDelta® and provides a
screenshot of what to except if clicking on it. Some of these topics will have further explanation of what to expect when interacting with the menu.
The third section entitled Shortcuts provides useful keyboard short cuts and menu options to quickly navigate and make use of MarketDelta® efficiently.
The fourth section is a listing of the technical indicators within MarketDelta® with a description and example of each. This same information can be found in the Knowledge Base.
The fifth section entitled Tutorials offers selected tutorials for common questions we receive.
The remaining sections are all self explanatory in what they cover.
After reviewing this manual you should be able to do the following:
· understand the pieces of functionality available within MarketDelta®. · understand and be able to utilize the core features of MarketDelta®,
including but not limited to the Multi-pane and Footprint® charts, Market Profile®, and quote pages.
· Make a connection to your chosen data provider and be receiving real time data.
· Know where to go to get further help and/or support.
1.2.2 Receiving Support
We have to gone great efforts to empower our users 24/7 by investing and continuing to invest in our online Knowledge Base. The Knowledge Base is located under the Support tab on www.marketdelta.com. The Knowledge Base has an excellent search tool to help find relevant answers to your questions.
Technical Support Policy
Contact us via phone OR email for issues listed below. These issues generally require a remote login session and have an urgency associated with them. RULE OF THUMB: They are NOT How-To questions. Please try the FAQ's first.
Connection Problem (FAQ) Software will not launch (FAQ) Database Errors/Crashes (FAQ) Data not backfilling (FAQ)
Non-Urgent Technical Support Policy
Contact us via email for issues listed below or non urgent inquiries. These types of issues usually have a specific video, FAQ, or blog article that we can provide to you. The benefit of this is more consistent
answers for non-urgent needs and open phone line for urgent matters. RULE OF THUMB: They ARE How-To questions.
Anything "HOW TO" related
Applying/modifying technical indicators (FAQ) Working with charts (FAQ)
Professional Services / RTL Questions
For RTL (Real Time Language) or custom programming of indicators and systems we have a professional services team that can assist for an hourly fee. The rate is $150/hr. There is an extensive section in the Knowledge Base about RTL. It includes tutorials and videos. Contact ps [at] marketdelta.com to schedule a project. Most projects 1 hour.
If answers cannot be found contact us via email at support [at]
marketdelta.com or call 1.312.922.7800 or at one of the numbers below. We respond within a few hours, but will strive to turn your request
around as fast as possible!
Contacting Support
By Email - this is the preferred method since these can be looked at after hours and from multiple technical support sites.
· [email protected] or
· Click Help | Email Support and submit a ticket By Phone · +1 312 922 7800 U.S. · +44 20 3287 9954 U.K · +61 2 8003 4996 Asia / PacRim Community
The MarketDelta® Community environment can be found at http://www. seeinsidethechart.com. This is a great place to network and learn from what others are doing and see charts and videos they may post.
The MarketDelta® Blog is an excellent place to receive timely information and learn more about using MarketDelta® to its fullest potential. http://blog.marketdelta.com
Sales, licensing, and billing answers can be found here or by emailing [email protected]
1.3
Overview
MarketDelta®'s exists to provide traders and portfolio managers unparalleled transparency into markets they trade by using our unique Footprint® chart and
accompanying technical analysis tools. The Footprint® chart is a display we created in order to leverage electronic trading data and give traders a better view of market activity.
MarketDelta® offers functionality that no other programs offer. This comes in the form of our unique Footprint® chart, related studies and analytics. Electronic markets and the need for better tools to quantify the data is was the driving factor behind the creation of the Footprint® chart.
MarketDelta® Competency
From the beginning MarketDelta® has been focused on analyzing volume and its impact on price. Combining the Footprint® chart with all the traditional tools creates a very powerful tool for tracking price and volume, and qualifying trading opportunities..
MarketDelta® Technology
While many who first experience the Footprint® chart will dismiss it as just another novel tool, they would be terribly mistaken. It is a piece of technology that traders will need to become familiar with in order to stay competitive and keep their edge. It is also something brought about through the evolution of technology in our industry and the changing needs of those involved.
What Else is Included in MarketDelta®
Beside the Footprint® chart, MarketDelta® offers all the traditional tools and features you would expect in a premium technical analysis program.
· Market Profile® - officially licensed from the CBOT (now CME Group) and contains all the features and functionality you would expect, plus lots more.
· Traditional charting - 13 different types of charts, include Point and Figure, Renko. · Backtesting and system optimization.
· Customizable quote pages. · Drawing and annotation tools. · DDE linking.
· Floating windows for multiple desktop support. · Alerts and signals.
· Floating windows so that you can configure multi-monitor setups easily. · Custom build your own studies for analysis.
· Customer support from people who have traded and understand the needs of traders. · Much, much, more. Take the trial to experience it!
1.4
What's New
Version 9.2
Version 9.2 brings many exciting improvements to MarketDelta® subscribers. Here is a short list with links to more information about each improvement.
· Footprint® chart has been ported over to multi-pane chart windows. This allows for indicators to be added, custom studies/signal markers, and other panes including market stats or other instruments.
· Bloomberg® compatibility. MarketDelta® now works with Bloomberg Professional®. If you have a Bloomberg terminal then you already have everything in place. MarketDelta® connects to Bloomberg® through the API and the data flow instantaneously from Bloomberg® to MarketDelta®. This will offer all Bloomberg® users the unique analytics and graphing capabilities that MarketDelta® offers without sacrificing the level of support they are used to with Bloomberg. · Improvements in the Market Profile® chart to allow for much easier
building of long term Market Profiles®. See the special duration options listed here.
· New Layout Toolbar to better manage layouts and quickly go from one layout to another. It can be accessed in MarketDelta® under Window | Toolbars | Layout Toolbar.
1.5
Getting Started
1.5.1 Supported Data Feeds
MarketDelta® consumes data from another source to creates it charts. This is done by connecting to the API of the supported data feed. MarketDelta® requires data from one of the supported data providers below. The most current list of supported data providers can be found at here. You must be signed up with one BEFORE signing up for the MarketDelta® trial or purchasing a MarketDelta® license.
If you already have one of the data feeds, then go to www.marketdelta. com and either sign up for a trial or subscribe to a monthly software license.
Current list of support data providers
· Bloomberg · CQG
· eSignal · DTN IQFeed
· TransAct/Infinity (Futures data only) · Interactive Brokers
Information on data feed pricing and contact information can be found
1.5.2 Guided Setup SIGNING UP
If you do not currently receive data from Bloomberg, DTN IQFeed, eSignal, TransAct, CQG, or Interactive Brokers (TWS) click here and get signed up with one BEFORE signing up for the MarketDelta®trial. If you already have one of the data feeds, then go to www.marketdelta. com and either sign up for a trial or subscribe to a monthly software license.
NOTE: Before proceeding down these instructions, we have constructed data feed specific Quick Start Guides that can be found in here in our Knowledge Base.
DOWNLOADING
Upon completing the Trial form or Order form, you will be prompted to download the software. Download the software but you may want to wait on installing it until you receive a software registration key via email. This key is what unlocks the software so you can use it with real time data using your selected data vendor.
INSTALLATION
To install double click the installer and step through the various
installation
screens. Create a desktop icon when asked. For
everything else use the default
installation
preferences unless you are an
advanced user. After installing and launching for the first time this window will pop up. Follow the instruction and choose your vendor.
The next screen to popup will be the registration screen below.
Open your email and find the
registration key email that was send from [email protected]. Follow the instructions in the email or below: 1) Click the registration email so it is the active email you are viewing. 2) On your keyboard hit CTRL+A to select all the text in the email. The email window should turn black or blue indicating it is selected.
3) On your keyboard hit CTRL+C to copy the entire email to your windows clipboard. Nothing will seem like it happened but it will now be on your windows clipboard.
4) Go to the MarketDelta®
registration screen above or click File | Register within MarketDelta®.
5) Click the Paste Registration button. 6) You will know the registration was copied if the following screen
immediately appears with your name and login ID. If it doesn't you can always just type the information that was emailed to you into all the fields. 7) Click OK and the software will then go through a setup routine where your time zone will be selected and all default database constructed and backed up.
FIRST SCREEN
The first screen may say "No data available" or "not enabled for ...". This is because it the first time running and no data is coming into
MarketDelta® yet. Click the START FEED icon on the main toolbar. Data should begin populating the chart. To backfill the current days data, hit the SPACE bar. To launch your data feed automatically when starting up click Setup | Preferences | Data Feed.
You will know data is flowing and you are connected if the HEART BEAT icon on the main toolbar changes from to
Adding/Changing Symbols FAQ
By default MarketDelta® comes loaded with some instruments that many other traders use with MarketDelta®. Click QUOTE PAGE | System Quote page | All Symbols to see all the instruments or add new
instruments.
For more information on adding symbols watch this video.
Setting Up Symbols Video (5 minutes) and not data
feed specific.
Symbol Guide FAQ
To add new instruments click the INSERT key and type in the symbol. Right click on any symbol to access a convenient menu of functions that operate on the selected ticker symbol. To change the symbol click the ticker to be changed and begin typing the new ticker symbol. A window will popup asking if you want to change the current ticker to the new ticker and convert all associated data in the database to the new ticker. This is a common way to adjust symbols at rollover in the futures
After inserting new symbols right click | Setup or use ALT+A to setup the symbol and display format. Customize the quote page appearance by right clicking on the "+" button in the page's upper right corner. A normal click of the "+" gives you a popup menu of page specific
functions. When setting up new symbols select 24 hour for the trading session.
Downloading Data
Downloading Data Instructions (3 minutes)
Alternatively, once you are connected there will be a few default Footprint® windows open. If the symbol in the open window is not what you want just begin typing the ticker symbol of what you want it to be and select from the Instrument popup window. If using a data feed that supports historical TICK data retrieval press the SPACE bar once to begin downloading the current days tick data. It will take a few seconds, but then data should be on the screen. Another way to
download data is to click the DOWNLOAD button on the main toolbar. Using this option will allow you to have more control over which symbols or quote pages you download data for, what periodicity you want
(ALWAYS download TICK for the Footprint® and Market Profile® charts), and the amount of data you want to retrieve from you data vendor.
Clicking the Download button on the main
toolbar opens the window on the right.
Click Download and Close and the data will be
retrieved. If you choose to download many days of tick data, then it may take a few minutes to retrieve.
If after downloading you do not see any data on the chart, double click the chart (Footprint® and Market Profile®) or double click the time scale on traditional charts. Set the session override to 24 hour data. This will tell the chart to display all the data available for a given 24 hour period. After you become familiar with MarketDelta® you may want to apply a different session override to a chart. This will tell the chart to only display data within a certain time window.
Gaps in charts are usually the result of having a 24 session override applied to a chart. To remove the gap open the preferences window (described above) and set the session override to reflect the times you want to view and eliminate the off hour times.
You can also set how many days data you want displayed on the chart. Any chart that is displaying data based on tick data (Footprint®, Market Profile®, and traditional charts with tick based indicators and studies applied) require a lot of processing power if viewing more than a weeks worth of data. Because of this, we recommend having just the current session or up to 5 days for the Footprint® and 10 days or less for the Market Profile® displayed at any one time.
Opening New Charts (FAQ)
There are many ways to accomplish the same task within MarketDelta®, but clicking Open Chart or Open Footprint® or Market Profile® will open a menu to select pre-saved charts or the option to create a new chart. TIP: An easy way to copy a chart you already have is to Right Click | Duplicate. Alternatively, 1. File | New | Chart (Setup Wizard) 2. Choose chart type. 3. Choose instrument. 4. Click OK.
Working with Charts
To change symbols - To change ticker symbols type the first few letters of the ticker symbol and press enter or double click the instrument from the Select Instrument window that pops up. If your symbol is not
listed, a window will pop up prompting for entry.
To add technical indicators (FAQ) - Press the INSERT key or click the "Add Indicator" button on the chart's toolbar. Indicators can only be added to traditional chart types and NOT Footprint® and Market Profile® charts.
To float windows (FAQ) - Right click on a window and choose "Float Window". You can then drag it to any screen attached to your computer. To dock the floating window right click it and choose "Floating Window" again.
To access other menus - Right-click in any open area of the chart
window to access a contextual menu of common chart-related functions. To save charts - Click Save on the chart toolbar or use File: Save to assign the chart setup a name. When you want to view this chart again, use File: Open: Chart and select its name. The Open Chart button on the main toolbar works similarly.
Section
2
Charts
2.1
The Basics
Here we provide instructions on the basic things everyone will need to be able to do when interacting with charts in MarketDelta®.
2.1.1 Creating Charts
There are many ways to accomplish the same task within MarketDelta®, but clicking Open Chart or Open Footprint® or Market Profile® on the main toolbar will open a menu to select pre-saved charts or the option to create a new chart. Another quick way is to press Alt+1 and then select the desired chart name.
1. File | New | Chart (Setup Wizard)
2. Choose the CHART TYPE and then choose the STYLE (if applicable) from the right menu. NOTE: the right menu may not display if the chosen chart type does not require it.
3. Choose symbol. To add a symbol click here.
4. Choose to add any technical indicators or buttons (Note - these can all be added later).
4. Click OK
TIP: An easy way to copy a chart you already have is to Right Click | Duplicate.
Once a chart is saved, it can be recalled from the menu bar by choosing its name from File | Open | Chart and choose chart name.
2.1.2 Modifying Charts
Anything that is located on a Multi-Pane chart is referred to as an "element" in the MarketDelta® software.
To edit a chart element's properties, click the edit Chart Element icon on the chart toolbar. If not present, right click chart and choose Show
Toolbar. Select the chart element to be edited from the list. When modifications are complete, save the chart using File | Save or press CRTL+S.
You may also edit a chart element's properties by right-clicking on the chart element in the chart window. For example, if you wish to change the properties of a moving average, aim the tip of the mouse pointer at the moving average and right-click. Usually, the property settings
window for the chart element appears. If you right-click in the chart and "miss" the element, MarketDelta® will provide a list of elements from which to choose.
Another method is to simply click on the element. If MarketDelta® recognizes which element you clicked on, the line will become
2.1.2.1 Accessing Preferences
Accessing Individual Chart Preferences
1. Double click the time scale at the bottom of the multi-pane chart 2. or Right click the chart and choose Preferences | Chart.
Accessing Global Chart Preferences
These are the preferences that will be inherited by newly created Multi-Pane Charts when using "File | New | Chart". They can be adjusted under Setup | Preferences | Chart | General Chart Preferences.
There are 6 tab menus for multi-pane charts. Each pane has various settings and menus that can be adjusted.
Style - Choices are Bar, Candlestick, Connected Line, Continuous Line,
Histogram, Invisible, % Change Bar, % Change Candles, % Change Line
, Wickless Candles, Bi-color Line, Day Change Candles, Day % Change Bars, High Low Bars, Point and Figure, Volume Profile, Footprint®.
Periodicity - Used to change the time frame of the chart. See the
Chart Name - Can change the name of the chart by retyping a new name. This will be the name that shows up in the "Open Chart" menu.
Height and Width - Sets the actual dimensions of the chart.
Periodicity - Used to change the time frame of the chart. See the tutorial called
Periodicity.
Tick: Last - sets the default amount of time to load into the chart when this periodicity is
chosen. Ex. Load 1 day of tick data when viewing charts that require tick data, such as the Footprint® chart.
Minute: Last -sets the default amount of time to load into the chart when this
periodicity is chosen.
Daily: Last - sets the default amount of time to load into the chart when this periodicity
is chosen.
Weekly: Last - sets the default amount of time to load into the chart when this
periodicity is chosen.
Monthly: Last - sets the default amount of time to load into the chart when this
periodicity is chosen.
Background Color - sets the default background color of all new charts created. Click the color to select.
Background Color | Gradient - when "checked", Up color would be the
color at top of chart, Dn would be color at bottom of chart and both colors would be "gradiated" in between to give a nice smooth look to the chart background. Some suggestions might be using light colors that are slightly different from one another.
Scale Color - color of the price scale lines and price scale numbers.
This does not change the Footprint® text color. Footprint® text color can be changed here.
Title Bar Background - sets the pane title bar background color.
Title Text color - sets the text and number color in the pane title bars. Grid Lines - sets the color of the grid lines throughout the chart area. Candle Colors - sets the color of the body of candlestick bars for when
they are "Up" bars and "Down" bars.
Candle/Bar Border - sets the border of candlestick bodies.
Bar Colors - sets the color of the body of bars for when they are "Up"
bars and "Down" bars.
Line/Histogram - sets the color of lines that might be applied to the
Hollow Up-Candles - Check mark the "Hollow Up-Candles" if you wish candlestick charts to be drawn with hollow candles for the up candles. If this box is left unchecked, the up candles are drawn solid. The hollow format is recommended for printing since the hollow up candles can easily be distinguished from the solid down candles on
monochrome printers.
Grid Lines - The "Draw Grid Lines..." section is used to specify when grid lines are
drawn in chart windows. Some users prefer to see the grid lines in intra-day charts but not in daily/weekly/monthly charts. Check the boxes to indicate which periods should be charted with gridlines.
Draw Border - This is used to draw borders on selected chart types.
Draw Hollow Histograms - If this checkbox is checked, histogram chart types will
be drawn with hollow, as opposed to solid, histograms.
Pane Titles - This checkbox allows you to specify whether or not to show the title bars
in each window pane when the chart is first created.
Mouse Feedback - When mouse feed back is on for a particular traditional chart,
moving the mouse inside that chart window, shows feedback messages in the status message area of the main toolbar. The messages show the current date/time and the current price value at the tip of the mouse pointer. Note that the price values shown are
Highlight Price in Vertical Scale - When selected the current price will be displayed on the vertical price scale on the right of the chart.
Default chart size - You may also specify the default size of the simple chart by
entering the width and height of the window in pixels (there are approximately 72 pixels per inch on screen).
Crosshairs - when selected cross hairs will be ON by default. A
shortcut to view cross hairs without having the enabled all the time is to hold the CTRL+SHIFT key down and move mouse.
Scale Font - Controls the general size of the price scale font.
Intraday Horz Scale Marks Every - If checked, it will determine how
The FP data column only applies to Footprint® charts. The Footprint® chart is designed to track price, volume and order flow in a variety of ways: volume at each price, breakdown the volume at each price (bid vs. ask), ticks at each price, and quantify and display the actual transacted trades at each price. Buy volume is defined as volume that occurred at the offer/ask. Sell volume is defined as volume that occurred at the bid. The difference between these two values (Buy volume minus Sell volume) is the delta and can be a good indicator of buying or selling pressure.
Chart VOLUME At Price - This is by far the most popular. It will plot the volume, a
breakdown of volume, or the delta for each particular price.
Chart TIME (SECONDS) At Price - This plots the number of seconds traded at each
price. Probably one of the most interesting views for this setting is the Footprint® Profile which would essentially plot a "time" distribution for a given bar.
Chart TRADES At Price - This plots the number of trades (ticks or transactions) at a
particular price. It does not pay attention to volume, just the number of transactions occurring at each price. Probably one of the most interesting views for this setting is the Footprint® Profile which would essentially plot a "transaction" distribution for a given bar.
Breakdown by ASK vs BID Delta - This is by far the most popular. It takes the
volume and breaks it down to create the bid ask chart, sums it to create the volume and Footprint® Profile, or does some other math to create the delta or other types of
Footprints®.
Breakdown by BIG vs SMALL - Volume and the # of trades can optionally be broken
down by "Big vs Small" trade volumes or "Up vs Down Tick" volumes (as opposed to Buy vs Sell Volumes). However, "Buy vs Sell Vol" is the most common choice and generally regarded as the most informative. More specifically, "Big vs Small" shows the volume of trades that exceed the level you specify to the right of 'x' and all other volume to the left of 'x'. For instance, if 100 was specified as "Big Volume", then trades >= 100 in volume would be placed to the right of 'x' and trades with volume < 100 would be placed to the left of 'x'. It may be best to use this option as "trades" instead of "volume". It may be more useful this way.
Volume Filter - Consider Only Trades w/ Size - This is a volume filter, sometimes
called an institutional volume filter, that can be used to filter trades of a certain size.
Price Range of Each Row - Automatic will display the symbol however the default
instrument display format is setup. Custom Range will display the price scale based upon what is input here and not on the default price increment of the symbol being displayed.
Footprint® Style (Types) - See this chapter.
Divider - used with the bid x ask vol Footprint® type as an option to
change the character between the volumes displayed on the Footprint®.
Shade Text Only - shades the actual text shown in the Footprint®
instead of the background.
Shade Dominant Side - shades only the side (bid or ask) that
experienced more volume. Only used with the bid x ask vol Footprint®.
Open/Close Box - adds a small bar directly adjacent to the
Footprints® indicating whether the bar closed higher or lower.
Draw Borders - draws a border around each Footprint® cell. Text Color - controls the color of the text within the Footprint®.
Shading (Automatic) - preferred. Lets MarketDelta® auto-shade each
Footprint® according to the shading algorithm.
Shading (Manual) - shades the Footprint® according to the delta
values entered. Essentially creates 4 shades of "buy" colors and 4 shades of "sell" colors.
Ask Volume Color - controls the color of the Footprints® with more
trading at the Ask price.
Bid Volume Color - controls the color of the Footprints® with more
Total Volume Color - controls the color of the volume style (type) Footprints® and the color of the FPPS indicator graphics that get displayed if added to the chart.
2.1.2.2 Vertical Scaling
Much of the price scaling is controlled by how the instrument is initially setup. When viewing a chart press ALT+A on the keyboard to open the Setup Instruments window. Set the display format to match that of your symbol, press OK. If the chart does not immediately adjust, change the time frame on the chart to force a complete "redraw" of the chart.
How to Adjust the Price Scale
MarketDelta® contains 3 different primary chart types: Footprint® Classic, Market Profile®, and Multi-pane (includes Footprint®). Each offers a slightly different method to adjust the price scaling.
1) Footprint® & MULTI-PANE CHARTS - There are many more
advanced options for multi-pane charts as described below. This 1 minute video give a quick overview.
Vertical Scaling Overview
Switching Quickly Between Scaling Methods
The current scaling method can be seen at any time in each panes scale in the upper right corner. To change between them click the letter.
Another way is to double left click the price scale. The following characters represent the following states:
A – Automatic based on all data values O – Automatic based on Instrument Only M – Manual Scaling
RA – Automatic Range-Based RM – Manual Range-Based
Adjusting scale by Dragging or Clicking
Vertical scaling by default is “Automatic”. The scale minimum and
maximum price values are obtained automatically by examining the price values of the instrument(s) in each chart pane as well as associated indicators. Manual scaling can set by right-clicking in the vertical scale area to access the Vertical Scale Setup window. A faster way to adjust the scale values and turn on manual scaling is to mouse down and drag the mouse up or down in the vertical scale area of the chart pane.
Where the mouse down (left mouse button) occurs affects the action when you drag the mouse. If you mouse down in the left hand side of the vertical scale area, the "Hand" cursor appears. Dragging the hand adjusts either the minimum or maximum scale value. Mouse down in the upper half of the pane to adjust the maximum scale value, in the lower half of the pane to adjust the minimum scale value. Mouse down in the right hand side of the vertical scale area displays the "Vertical Resize" cursor. Dragging the resize cursor adjusts both minimum and maximum values, increasing both values in tandem as you drag upward,
decreasing both value in tandem was you drag downward. Note that after dragging, the scale is set to manual mode-scale adjustments will be required to observe price action outside the newly set minimum and maximum scale values.
* Vertical Scale Preferences * Scaling Methods
o Automated based on all data values o Automated based on instrument only o Manual scaling from X to Y
o Range-based scaling + Range + Pixels/Unit + % of Price + % of Pane + Slope (Price/Bar)
* Switching Quickly Between Scaling Methods * Adjusting scale by dragging/clicking
* Multiple Scaling
* Ordering Chart Elements in a Pane * Custom Markings
* Font Sizes
* Logarithmic Scaling * Panning
Vertical Scale Preferences
Traditional charts can have one or multiple window panes. Each window pane can contain one or multiple elements. Each element may be either an instrument or a technical indicator. Each window pane has its own set of preferences that control the behavior of the vertical scale of that pane. The vertical scale preference window for each window pane can be accessed by either right-clicking, or double-clicking anywhere in that scales vertical pane.
Scaling Methods
The “Scaling Method” groupbox in the vertical scale preferences dictates the method that will be used to determine the “range” of the vertical scale of that pane. The “range” represents the span between the maximum and minimum values that will be displayed in the vertical scale. A detailed description of each method follows...
o Automatic based on all data values
This is the most common, and therefore the default method. All new chart window panes will inherit this method by default. This method considers all the values in the window pane, and computes the range based on the highest high and lowest low actual values. The scale is automatically adjusted to reflect the data that is visible in the chart pane. If multiple elements exist in the pane, it considers the values of all elements when determining the maximum and minimum scaled values (assuming all elements are sharing the same scale – see
“Multiple Scaling” for more information). The scale range can change as new bars come in (and fall off), or as the chart is scrolled left or right, or as the chart is resized horizontally (causing the number of visible bars to change).
o Automatic based on instrument only
This method is similar to the first method (Automated based on all data values), except it only considers the instrument values when computing the scale range. This option can be useful when a long term
(200-period) moving average also exist in the window pane, having extreme values that might be well outside the extreme values of the instrument. This method forces the scale range to consider only the instrument values. In this case, the instrument will then use the full range of the scale, while the long term moving average may go off the top and/or bottom of the scale.
o Manual Scaling from X to Y
This method allows the user to manually specify the maximum (Y) and minimum (X) values in the scaling range. The range will stay constant, regardless of new bars coming in, scrolling, or vertical resizing. The scale range will not be automatically adjusted to reflect the actual data values in the pane.
o Range-Based Scaling
[Automatic/Manual] scaling based on fixed [Range, Pixels/Unit, % of Price, % of Pane, Slope] of Z
The primary motivation behind range-based scaling is to provide a method to keep the vertical height of price, vertical relationships between prices, and even price/time relationships, constant. Range-Based scaling gives the user 5 different options of controlling the range of the vertical scale. Each of the 5 options can be set to automatic of manual. The automatic option will center the specified range on the “actual” range of values in the chart pane. The manual option gives the user the ability to drag the range up or down as needed provide the picture desired. If the automatic option is selected, dragging the pane up or down will reset the scale to manual mode and allow the user to position his range accordingly. It is recommended to begin with
automated, and then position the range manually by dragging. Some of the following range-based values are hard for the user to compute. By simply entering a value of “0”, or leaving the value blank, MarketDelta® will automatically compute the best-fit value that will cause the computed range to equal the actual range. This computed value can then be adjusted manually by dragging if desired, or by re-opening the preference window and adjusting directly.
Range
This option allows the user to specify a fixed range of values for the vertical scale. The spread between the maximum and minimum scaled values will remain constant. For instance, if the user specified an
automated range of 4, and the actual range was 5 to 7, then the visible range shown by the vertical scale would be 4 to 8. If the user pans or scrolls the pane vertically, the minimum and maximum values will change, but the range (difference between them) will remain constant.
Pixels/Unit
This option essentially gives the user control over the vertical resolution of the window pane. It is the vertical equivalent of the horizontal “pixels per bar” preference available in the chart
preferences. It dictates the number of pixels that will be used to represent each one price unit (dollar, pound, etc.). If a value of 100 is specified on a chart of MSFT for instance, the each 100 pixels
% of Price
This option allows the user to specify the range as a percentage of the actual price. The maximum value in the actual range will be used for the price. For instance, if a value of 5 % is specified, and the maximum actual value in the chart pane is $100, then the price range would be $5 (5% of $100). This option may be helpful when
frequently switching symbols. % of Pane
This option allows the user to specify the range as a percentage of the actual range. For instance, a value of 80%, on a pane with an actual range of $10 (max $100, min $90) would result in a range of $8 (showing $91 to $99 in automatic mode). Similarly, a value of 120%would result in a range of $12 ($89 to $101 in automatic
mode). This option can be helpful if the user likes to see more or less room on either side of the actual data in the chart.
Slope (Price/Bar)
This option may be the most difficult to completely comprehend, but may be the most useful when trying to maintain constant price/time relationships regardless of scrolling, panning, or resizing. This option allows the user to specify a fixed relationship between price vertically and time horizontally. It basically passes control of the range over to the horizontal pixels per bar setting. The setting controls how much price the width of each bar represents. In other words, if a value of 0.5 is specified, and the horizontal pixels per bar is 10 pixels, then the vertical scale will be drawn with 10 pixels for every 50 cents, or a pixels/unit of 20. The vertical range is then computed based on 20 pixels/unit. While the explanation may be somewhat confusing, the important thing to understand is this option gives you the ability to maintain a constant picture with respect to price/time relationships. In other words, trendlines will maintain their slopes regardless of the vertical size of the chart, the actual date values in the pane, or the scrolled position of the chart. And trendlines will continue to pass through the same prices of every bar regardless.
2) CLASSIC Footprint® CHART- Preferences | General Tab | set the price range of each row to something other than automatic. A shortcut is to hold SHIFT down and use the scroll wheel on the mouse or use UP and DOWN arrows on the keyboard.
Also, in the upper left corner of the Footprint® (above the price scale) is the letter "A" or "M". Clicking it will move between Automatic scaling or Manual scaling.
3) MARKET PROFILE® CHART - Preferences | Letter Tab | set the
price range of each TPO/letter to Custom Range and specify the range. A shortcut is to hold SHIFT down and use the scroll wheel on the mouse or use UP and DOWN arrows on the keyboard.
Also, in the upper right corner of the Market Profile® (above the price scale) is the letter "A" or "M". Clicking it will move between Automatic scaling or Manual scaling.
2.1.2.3 Horizontal Scaling
MarketDelta contains 3 different primary chart types: Footprint®, Market Profile®, and Traditional. Each offers a slightly different method to adjust the horizontal scaling.
Footprint® & MULTI-PANE CHART - Grab the horizontal scale (time
scale) at the bottom of the chart and drag right or left to change it. Alternatively, use the mouse scroll wheel to adjust it quickly.
CLASSIC Footprint® CHART- There 2 methods to adjust the bar
(column) width.
1) Hold the CTRL key down on the keyboard and press the left or right arrow to contract or expand the width respectively. This will change the column with to a "custom" setting. To change it back to automatic width scaling see next point.
2) Press the MORE button to open the preferences window, choose the Columns tab, and specify the column width. To change back from a custom width just choose the Automatic setting.
MARKET PROFILE® CHART - Horizontal scaling really does not apply
to Market Profile® chart but there is one useful setting that should be mentioned. There is an option to adjust the "Letter Space" on a Market Profile®. This adjusts the number of pixels between letters. This adjustment can be found by opening the Market Profile® preferences | choosing the "Letters" tab and checking the "Letter Space" box and
2.1.3 Deleting Charts
Follow these steps to delete or remove charts from the chart list menu. 1. Click the Object Editor icon (green trash can) on the main
toolbar.
2. Select chart names from the drop down menu.
3. Click on the chart name and click the delete button.
To delete multiple charts at once hold the CRTL key down while clicking the chart names the click the delete button.
2.1.4 Deleting Instrument from Chart
To delete an instrument or pane from a chart click the little "x" in the upper left corner of the chart pane that it is in. If chart pane titles are not visible right click the chart and select "Show Pane Title".
2.1.5 Saving Charts
To save a chart do one of these options.
1. Save a chart by clicking on the Preferences icon on the chart toolbar
and give it a name. Click OK and now the chart will be saved with that name.
2. Save a chart by choosing File | Save | Save as.
Note: The name of a chart always appears in the lower left corner of the chart window, while the description of the contents of the chart appears as the window title.
2.1.6 Add Symbol
To add a symbol see this video or visit this topic for complete information.
2.1.7 Change Symbols on Chart
Replacing an Instrument in a Chart
Instruments can be quickly substituted in charts in a variety of ways. If you begin typing alphabetic characters on the keyboard while a chart window is active, MarketDelta® assumes you wish to switch the window to chart a different instrument. The update window appears
automatically, continue typing the first few characters of the ticker symbol. When the instrument you want is identified in the instrument
Click the Right Arrow icon to view the next available chart. Charts are shown in the sequence listed in the File | Open | Chart menu.
Click the Left Arrow icon to view the previous chart. Charts are shown in the sequence listed in the File | Open | Chart menu.
Start a Chart Slide Show for a Quote Page. The Slide Show icon opens the slideshow tool. This serves to quickly review charts for a series of symbols listed in a quote page.
2.1.8 Adusting Pane Size
Double-click on a chart sub window (pane) title bar (when the hand icon appears) to maximize the pane and minimize the other panes.
Ctrl+double click on any window pane title bar to equalize the sizes of all panes.
To adjust the size of an individual pane, aim the mouse pointer at the dividing line between two panes. A vertical resizing cursor will appear. Mouse down, drag and drop the dividing line at the desired location.
2.1.9 Editing Chart Data
Use the View/Edit Historical Data button to see a spreadsheet of the data for the primary instrument in the chart window. If the chart window is a tick chart, the spreadsheet shows every trade (time and sales) and updates with new rows as new trades occur. See this FAQ for further information on eliminating bad ticks.
2.1.10 Manipulating Charts w/ Keyboard
The horizontal spacing between data points in a chart window may now be adjusted directly using the keyboard up and down arrow keys. The up arrow increases the number of data points that will fit in the chart
window by reducing the spacing between data points by 1 pixel. The down arrow does the opposite. The shift key in combination with the up and down arrow keys accelerates the effect by reducing or expanding the spacing by 4 pixels. Candles and bars are drawn in proportion to the spacing. Thus, for example, the down arrow will typically result in fewer and larger candlesticks or bars.
Pressing the left and right arrow keys with a chart window front most, causes the chart viewing period to shift left (earlier) or right (later). The left and right arrow keys have the same effect as operating the chart's horizontal scrollbar to scroll a page left or right.
When moving the mouse pointer with a chart window, the cursor changes depending on where the pointer is positioned. When the
pointer is within the title bar of a chart sub window, the cursor changes to a hand to indicate you may mouse down and move the sub window to a different position. When the cursor is within the narrow divider
between sub windows, it changes to a resize cursor to indicate you may mouse down and drag the divider to a different position to enlarge or contract the sub window. When the cursor comes nears the small box at the left side of the sub window title bar, it becomes an arrow to indicate you may click in the box to eliminate the sub window from the chart. When the cursor moves within the content area of a sub window it will normally be an arrow. As described above, the cursor is a pencil or a small cross hair if the trend line or cropping tool is activated.
2.1.11 Manipulating Charts w/ Mouse
To expanded or contract the spacing between points in the chart, mouse down and drag the mouse pointer left or right within the horizontal scale area at the bottom of the chart window. Dragging left with the mouse held down spreads the data out more, dragging right compacts the data more so that more data points may be viewed at one time without operating the scrollbar.
The vertical scale may be similarly adjusted by dragging the mouse up or down within the vertical scale area of the chart (to the right of the vertical scale line).
Right-clicking the mouse in the horizontal or vertical scale areas brings up the appropriate settings window.
Right-clicking on a line, bar, or candle brings up the settings window for the instrument or technical indicator.
Finally, mouse down in the body of the chart to make selections from a pop up menu. The pop up menu may be used to quickly change time frames, and to initiate other preference setting operations on the chart.
2.2
Footprint
A Footprint® is an individual price painted on the chart with a unique color that contains volume or some other market statistic. Stacking Footprints® together creates bars, similar to what any candlestick or bar chart would present. The primary difference, and thus advantage of the Footprint®, is it shows each individual price within a bar AND displays value added information such as volume, buy/sell pressure, and other valuable statistics. The ebb and flow of price movement is presented by the up and down
motions of Footprints® allowing you to "track" the market more accurately. Some of the different ways Footprints® can be viewed Bid / Ask, Delta, Volume, and Footprint® Profile. The others Footprint® types can be found here. Each is unique in the
information it provides and is explained in detail individually throughout this chapter along with others not mentioned above.
The market leaves a trail every time a trade is made. The Footprint® captures this information and displays it uniquely and provides traders an edge to spot key areas, react quicker to market changes, and better understand the battle between buyers and sellers at any given price or set of prices.
The Footprint® consists of the most important, commonly known information (Price & Volume) and displays it in a new, more efficient manner. To fully understand the Footprint® window, please watch this video
Footprint® Overview or visit the Video Library.
To see all sorts of screenshots visit our Flickr Footprint® set or user generated content on charthub.com.
Footprint® Chart Window
Open / Close Footprint® Bar Anatomy
Down Bar Up Bar
3. Volume traded at bid versus the ask at each price . 4. Actual number of trades at each price.
5. Trades at bid versus the ask at each price.
6. There are many other combinations using the General tab in the Footprint® Preferences menu.
Footprint® Preferences Video showing options and combinations.
Color Shading
Traders tend to be visual learners. The color inferred by the Footprint® provides added insight and information for traders to react to and analyze market data. The color shading is taking into account all the price and volume data and easily summarizing it so traders can be quick to react to changing market conditions. The color of the Footprint® provides traders with an exact idea of what is taking place in the market at any given moment.
By default Footprints® are shaded according to a shading algorithm we developed to infer how much buying or selling is taking place at a particular price or bar. The automatic color shading option that uses a shading algorithm that will gradually shade each Footprint®. The prices within each bar are shaded based on either volume (blue shading) or delta (red/green) shading, all of which are customizable using the colors tab in Footprint® preferences. If volume shading is used, the darker the shade of blue, the higher the volume. If delta shading is used, negative deltas are shaded red, while positive deltas are shaded green. These will be used depending on which Footprint® type you are viewing. The darker the shading, the higher the absolute value of the delta. Most traders will use the Automatic shading option over the Manual shading. Manual shading allows one to specify delta values that when crossed would trigger a Footprint® color or shading change. For most, time would be better spend learning to interpret the data using the automatic shading.
2.2.1 Opening a Footprint
There are many ways to accomplish the same task within MarketDelta®, but clicking Open Chart or Open Footprint® or Market Profile® on the main toolbar will open a menu to select pre-saved charts or the option to create a new chart.
Alternatively, use the menu across the top of MarketDelta®. 1. File | New | Chart (Setup Wizard)
2. Choose Footprint® CHART type and then choose the Style of Footprint®.
3. Choose symbol. To add a symbol click here.
4. Choose to add any technical indicators or buttons (Note - these can all be added later).
4. Click OK
TIP: An easy way to copy a chart you already have is to Right Click | Duplicate.
2.2.2 Footprint Types
Footprints® come in many forms, just like real thing! Each one can be fully customized and adjusted to show the information you want to see and how you want to see it.
To change the Footprint® type:
1. Double click a Footprint® on the chart.
2. Choose from the drop down which Footprint® Type you want. 3. Click OK.
2.2.2.1 Bid / Ask Footprint
Bid / Ask Footprint® – Displays the number of shares or contracts that traded while a particular price was the bid price and the number of shares or contracts that traded
