TRADESTATION BASICS TRADING APPS LAUNCHER KEY APPLICATIONS CHART ANALYSIS

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1 TRADESTATION BASICS TRADING APPS LAUNCHER The Trading Apps Launcher can be activated by clicking on the small tab on the left hand side of the screen. This allows you to activate any of the Tradestation Applications. Image 1 click on the Trading Apps link on the left side of the screen to active the links to add studies to the Desktop. KEY APPLICATIONS CHART ANALYSIS Create a chart by clicking on the Chart Analysis App. Default chart can be modified by right clicking on the chart and selecting, Format Symbol.

2 Image 2 a candlestick chart displayed. Right click on the chart and select Format Symbol to change the Settings for the chart. SCANNER Scan the universe of stocks for basic criteria. An important tool for the first step in identifying trading opportunities.

3 Image 3 create scans to search a large universe of stocks using a wide array of filters. RADAR SCREEN Radar Screen allows you to monitor up to 2000 stocks and track indicators on up to 1000 stocks. Right mouse click inside the window to add or format analysis techniques

4 Image 4 monitor a large group of stocks with up to 30 Indicators or Show Me studies. HOT LISTS Preset lists calculated and sent from Tradestation servers Faster than Scans and Radar Screen but not as flexible

5 Image 5 preset Hotlists calculated on the Tradestation servers, updated throughout the trading day. MARKET DEPTH Displays orders to buy and sell. The message of this screen can be deceptive, it rarely is an accurate representation of what is actually available to buy and sell.

6 Image 6 the Market Depth window will display the lineup of buyers and sellers and current pricing information. TOOLS ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES Analysis Techniques can be inserted in to a Chart or Radar Screen. Indicator, Show Me, Paint Bar, Activity Bar and Probability Map are available. The Stockscores Approach utilizes default and proprietary Indicators and Show Me studies. INDICATORS Tradestation comes with numerous technical indicators that can be plotted on a chart or calculated in Radar Screen. Scans can utilize indicators as well but this slows the Scanner down significantly. Indicators can be formatted to adjust input variables.

7 Proprietary indicators can be written in Easy Language. The Stockscores strategies utilize proprietary Indicators available to qualified Stockscores users. Image 7 a chart displaying the Volume indicator and a Stockscores proprietary indicator, AbActivity. SHOW ME STUDIES Show Me studies have many of the same characteristics of Indicators but display differently. Typically highlight a threshold for an indicator or one that has been surpassed. Tradestation has default Show Me studies. The Stockscores strategies utilize proprietary Show Me studies available to qualified Stockscores users.

8 Image 8 the white dots on the chart are the Stockscores proprietary Show Me study, Message Candles. CREATE YOUR OWN With some programming knowledge, you can create your own Indicators and Show Me studies using Easy Language, Tradestation s programming language. Tradestation offers courses and online resources to learn how to utilize Easy Language.

9 Image 9 you can create your own indicators in Easy Language, the Tradestation programming tool. SCANS Scans can be created in the Scanner to qualify stocks with filters to shorten the list of stocks to watch for trading opportunities The Stockscores Strategies utilize Scans as a first step in identifying trades IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS LINKING WINDOWS In the upper right hand corner of most Tradestation windows are colored boxes to link Symbol and Intervals across other windows. Windows with the same colored S box will activate the same symbol. Windows with matching I boxes will active the same time interval.

10 Image 10 the boxes at the green arrow allow you to link windows with a common symbol or time interval. TOOLBAR Many functions for Tradestation Applications can be accessed from the Toolbar. Click on the window you are utilizing and the Toolbar will show functions that are often used. Image 11 the toolbar at the top of the screen allows you to quickly access functions for the active window. WORKSPACES Workspaces allow for the set up of multiple tabs within a Desktop. Each can display multiple Applications. DESKTOPS Each Desktop runs as a separate iteration of Tradestation. WORKING WITH MULTIPLE MONITORS Traders have the choice of stretching one Desktop over multiple monitors or displaying individual Desktops on each monitor. Each display method has its own benefits; it is a question of personal preference. With many monitors, you can do both. For example, with 8 monitors you could have one desktop stretched over 6 monitors and then a separate Desktop on the 7 th monitor with the 8 th available for brokerage order entry software or a web browser. LEARNING MORE

11 Tradestation has considerable online resources, discussion forums and live classes to teach more advanced use of the program. Go to to learn more.