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Charts Guide

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Contents:

Creating a Chart and Choosing a Symbol

Tip: Using a New Chart button within the Control Bar as outlined HERE to create a new chart

To create a new chart:

  • Title Bar: File > New/Open Intraday Chart
  • Select by clicking any symbol from the list of file names
  • Open

    • Quick Switch Between Symbols:

To quickly cycle between symbols, there are multiple methods

  1. Associated Watchlist hotkey
  2. Associated Watchlist control bar button
  3. Typing symbol into Chart (must be enabled)

Associated Watch List:

  1. Open a chart
  2. Title Bar: Chart > Associated Watch List
  3. Checkmark the Watch List Mode box
  4. Add button
  5. Find button
  6. Choose a symbol from List press OK
  7. Repeat steps 4-6 for additional symbols to add
  8. Press the + or - buttons to switch between symbols on the associated watch list

To add Associated Watch List to Control Bar after following the steps above:

  • Title bar: Global Settings > Customize Control Bars > Control Bar 1
  • find Chart on from the Available Control Bar Commands list
  • Associated Watch List
  • Add

Note: If this is done on charts that are Linked, all charts with Symbols linked will change as well

Official Documentation for Associated Watch List:

Type symbol into chart to change symbol:

  • Title Bar: Global Settings > General Settings > Support Symbol Entry from Chart Window enabled
  • Click the chart
  • Type the name or part of symbol name
  • Press enter

Scale Settings for the Price and Time Axis

There are Scale Settings for each chart window. To open:

  • Right click anywhere within the scale (right-side price axis for example)
  • Click Scale Settings
  • By default the Scale Range will be Automatic, some traders may prefer a defined Constant Range, with the Constant Range Scale Mode set to Keep Last Bar Within View
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Right-click anywhere in the price scale axis:

When Click-and-Dragging the price and time scales, there are three options:

  • Interactive Scale Move: The chart will move and and down
  • Interactive Scale Range: Show more or less price levels (zoom)
  • Interactive Scale Locked: Fixed in place scales

Chart Navigation and Scroll Wheel Settings

By default, a user cannot click on the chart to freely drag around the chart in every direction. Scroll wheel is not optimal either.

Charts with a scroll bar do not Freehand the same as without. To toggle:

  • Title Bar: Chart > Show Scrollbar unchecked

Change what happens when using scroll wheel within a chart window:

  • Title Bar: Global Settings > General Settings > GUI > Scroll
  • Change the scroll wheel as desired
    • Commonly used: Chart Wheel Scrolls Vertical Scale. With ‘Shift’ Scrolls Chart

Freehand Tool

The hand tool allows a user to click-and-drag within a chart window to navigate the location.

To use a hand tool:

  • Title Bar: Tools > Hand
  • Click-and-drag anywhere within the chart window to navigate

Add a Freehand button to the Control Bar as demonstrated HERE

Changing the Bar Type of a Chart

Sierra Chart offers many different bar types. A custom value setting can be set for each. By default chart draws draw candlestick bars, to change this:

  • Select by clicking the chart
  • Title Bar: Chart > Chart Settings > Bar Period tab
  • Graph Type List, choose desired bar type

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Note: In some cases traders will use the Blank draw type. One reason for this is to only see bid and ask prices as stepped lines, more on that HERE

Attaching/Detaching Charts to Chartbook Workspace

More on this can be found HERE

By default, charts are attached to the chartbook workspace they are created in. To attach/detach:

  • Select the chart window by clicking it
  • Title Bar: Window > Detach Chart Window (Attach Chart window to re-attach)

Organizing, Configuring, and Sizing Windows

The key main areas to know are:

  1. Utilize the Tiling feature to sort charts within a chartbook:
    • Title Bar: Window > Tile As Grid

      • (This will neatly organize charts within the chartbook)

  2. Choose how you want windows to appear and function:
    1. Title Bar: Chart > Show Title Bar
    2. Title Bar: Chart > Show Scrollbar

      3. (Uncheck those to hide and make windows slim if desired)

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Customizing Chart Graphics Settings (Global versus Independent)

Charts will use a global graphics settings for design, unless specified otherwise:

By default the graphics settings of charts will be set to Global Settings values. To adjust:

  • Title Bar: Global Settings > Graphics Settings - Global
  • Adjust settings in all three tabs:
    • Colors and Widths
    • Fonts
    • Other

To edit graphics settings on an individual chart and ignore global settings:

  • Select the chart by clicking on it
  • Title Bar: Chart > Graphics Settings - Chart
  • Un-check the Use Global Graphics Settings…. Box
  • Proceed to adjust graphics settings as needed in all three tabs:
    • Colors and Widths
    • Fonts
    • Other
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Linking Charts Together

Official Documentation:

Linking charts connects various parameters and actions called Types between different charts within a chartbook. Common linking types are:

  • Symbol
  • Session Times
  • Master Mode
  • Scroll Position

Note: It’s possible to mix and match different Types of linking. Example: 2 charts. They both have the Symbols linked, but the session times are not linked since one chart includes the overnight session.

To setup:

  • Chart > Chart Settings > Linking menu
  • Choose a Link Number
  • Choose additional settings to link as needed
  • OK
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Naming Charts

  • Click to select the desired chart to change the name of
  • Title Bar: Chart > Chart Settings > Display tab > Title Bar Name > “Chart Name Here”
  • OK

Directly below the Title Bar Name setting is the choice to use that name as the Tab Label, select Yes or No.

Bar Width and Spacing Settings

Globally adjust for all charts:

  • Title Bar: Global Settings > Graphics Settings - Global
  • switch to the ‘Other’ tab
  • Adjust:
    • Candlestick Width %
    • Default Chart bar spacing

Adjust individual chart:

  • Title Bar: Chart > Graphics Settings - Chart
  • Switch to the ‘Other tab’
  • Adjust:
    • Candlestick Width %

Session Times

Charts require Session Time to be specified. If unsure of contract session times, check the listing exchanges contract specs, such as CME.

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Keep in mind, do not have overlapping session times. Separate by 1 second (Example: 9:30:00 Start Time, 15:59:59 End Time, not 16:00:00)

To configure session time:

  • Open any chart
  • Title Bar: Chart > Chart Settings > Session Times menu
    • Session Start Time: When the session begins: CME ES: 9:30:00 EST
    • Session End Time When session ends: CME ES: Adjust to 15:59:59 EST
    • Use Evening Session: Yes or No to toggle the overnight session
    • Evening Start/End Times: Configure Overnight session start and end times. Avoid an overlapping time, seperate by 1 second
      • RTH End Time: 15:59:59
      • Overnight Start Time: 16:00:00

Right Margin Space and Labeling

Right margin is the space on the right side of the chart between the Last bar and the Price axis. It is possible to add studies in this region, such as a Line with a name label.

Create right margin space:

  • Open chart
  • Title Bar: Chart > Lock Fill Space is unchecked (ignore if already unchecked)
  • Title Bar: Tools > Hand
  • Click within the chart and drag mouse Left and Right to change Right margin space
  • To lock it: Title Bar: Chart > Lock Fill Space is checked

Add labels of study values, prices, tool labels, and more within right margin space:

With a right margin space already created using the steps above, it’s easy to display labels there.

  • Open chart
  • Title Bar: Analysis > Studies
  • Select the study to be displayed in right margin
  • Click Settings to open the study settings window
  • Switch to the Subgraphs tab
  • Click to highlight the desired subgraph
  • Set the Draw Style to Line At Last Bar to Edge
  • OK

Tip: Change widths using Width/Size numbers. Check the Name Label and Value Label if desired

Tip: It’s common to use the Study/Price Overlay study to reference another study, and have the draw style set to Line At Last Bar to Edge

Setup a Continuous Scan for Condition on Multiple Symbols

There are multiple ways to use the built in scanner. In this example, a condition is monitored to be true across multiple charts and scanned continuously.

  • Open a chart in Sierra Chart
  • Add the Study to use for a condition. I’ll just use Color Bar Based On Alert Condition study
  • Open Settings for the study
  • Change the Short Name to desired Alert Text, so “High Volume Higher Close”
  • Switch to the Alert Tab
  • For the example just using a very basic random formula to the Alert Condition field, this is for entertainment and not a recommendation of any kind. =AND(C > C[-1], V > 500000) This means the Close is greater than prior close, and the Volume of the bar is greater than 500000
  • Ensured Enabled is checked in the Alert tab, press OK
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Now, we need to setup Associated Watchlist to establish the symbols to scan.

  • Chart > Associated Watch List
  • Watch List Mode is checked
  • Click Add and in the symbol field type the symbol and hit Add. Do this for the desired symbols to scan, then Close
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  • Chart > Only Symbols in Watchlist is checked
  • Chart > Enable Continuous Scanning is check (if desired, not required)
  • Global Settings > General Settings > General > Data > Subscribe Real-time (RT) Data and Download Historical Data During Scan set to Yes
  • Chart > Start Scan

To monitor Alerts, hit Window > Alert Manager > Log

Note, less keen on running a continuous scanner on the same copy of Sierra Chart trades are executed or autotrading is used. There are a couple approaches to scanning and alerts, this is just one. See official documentation for Scanning.

Setup a Quote Board for Multiple Symbols and Data Points

To create a quote board containing symbols and quotes:

  • Title Bar: File > New Quote Board
  • Settings > Set Symbols
    • Add button
    • Find button
    • Choose a symbol
    • Close
  • File
  • Save Symbol List As

To modify the columns:

  • Open the quoteboard
  • Settings
  • Set Fields
  • Add and Remove fields as needed
  • Move Up and Down as needed

To customize Quoteboard appearance:

  • Title Bar: Global Settings > Graphics Settings - Global
  • Adjust “Quote Board” fields as needed

To link quoteboard to specific charts, changing the charts symbol quickly

  • Open the quoteboard
  • Settings
  • Set Chart Link
  • Choose a chart linking number
  • OK

Official Quoteboard Documentation

How to Replicate Other Charting Software Designs

One option is to purchase them from top Sierra Chart study developer and trader TicinoTrader. The other option is build it.

  • Take a screenshot of the chart or DOM to replicate
  • Use a tool to pick colors from images. Example LINK HERE
  • Open a chart or DOM in Sierra Chart
    • Title Bar: Chart > Graphics Settings Chart > Un-check Use Global Graphics Settings… Adjust as needed
    • Title Bar: Analysis > Studies > Select by clicking desired study to replicate > Settings > Subgraphs tab…. Adjust as needed

◀️Previous Module: 📓Chartbooks Guide

▶️Next Module: 📊Chart Templates

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