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User Guide
Version 8.0.0
August 2020
ChartIQ User Guide ii
About this User Guide
This guide documents the user interface of the charting library’s most extensively developed
template, technical-analysis-chart.html (formerly sample-template-advanced.html). See an
example implementation of the template on the ChartIQ demo site.
Library templates are HTML files that implement various capabilities of the ChartIQ library. The
templates simplify and accelerate the development process. Developers can include the
templates in their applications as is, extract code snippets from the template files, or just
examine and learn from the template source code.
The user interface of technical-analysis-chart.html provides access to all standard features of
the charting library.
In addition, technical-analysis-chart.html has been designed to easily include add-on products
that are not part of the standard charting library. This guide also documents those add-ons.
Audience
The ChartIQ User Guide is intended for chart users, such as data analysts. Software developers
should see the ChartIQ library documentation.
What’s New
Version 8.0 of the charting library introduces:
A new Preferences menu
Hidden outliers in study panels and on multiple y-axes
Enhanced Life Cycle Events
Term Structure support for curves with varying sets of instruments
To find the new 8.0 features, search for NEW v8.0.
ChartIQ User Guide iii
Contents
Chart User Interface ................................................................................................................... 5
Symbol lookup ..................................................................................................................... 2
Comparisons .............................................................................................................................. 3
Drawing ............................................................................................................................... 5
Drawing palette ...................................................................................................................... 5
Create a drawing .................................................................................................................... 5
Drawing modes ...................................................................................................................... 6
Magnet ............................................................................................................................. 6
Manage drawings ................................................................................................................... 6
Drawing palette controls ......................................................................................................... 7
Drawing tools .......................................................................................................................... 8
Keyboard shortcuts................................................................................................................18
Favorites ...............................................................................................................................18
Style palette ..........................................................................................................................18
Crosshairs ...........................................................................................................................20
Heads-up display ..............................................................................................................21
Periodicity menu .......................................................................................................................22
Views menu ..............................................................................................................................22
Display menu ............................................................................................................................23
Chart Style ............................................................................................................................23
Studies menu ............................................................................................................................24
Study legends ........................................................................................................................26
Drag and drop .......................................................................................................................27
Events menu .............................................................................................................................27
Chart preferences menu .....................................................................................................29
Chart preferences ..................................................................................................................29
Y-Axis preferences ................................................................................................................31
Themes .................................................................................................................................32
Locale....................................................................................................................................32
Share ........................................................................................................................................34
ChartIQ User Guide iv
Time frame selector ..................................................................................................................34
Navigation .................................................................................................................................35
Panning .................................................................................................................................35
Zooming ................................................................................................................................35
SmartZoom ...........................................................................................................................36
Full-screen display.................................................................................................................36
Hidden outliers ......................................................................................................................37
Drag and drop ...........................................................................................................................40
Series ....................................................................................................................................40
Y-Axis ....................................................................................................................................41
Add-On Features ......................................................................................................................42
Chart Grid ..............................................................................................................................42
Accessibility ..............................................................................................................................44
Chart area .............................................................................................................................44
Drawing .................................................................................................................................44
Optional Products .....................................................................................................................45
Active Trader + Trade From Chart .........................................................................................45
Life Cycle Events ...................................................................................................................45
Technical Analysis: Data Forecasting ....................................................................................50
Term Structure ......................................................................................................................51
Chart User Interface
Symbol Lookup
Enter a chart
symbol.
Crosshairs
Activate/deactivate
the chart crosshairs.
Drawing Palette
Open/close the
drawing palette.
Trade From Chart
Open the Trade From
Chart plug-in.
Share
Share an image
of the chart.
Zoom Out
Increase the chart time
frame without affecting
periodicity.
Zoom In
Decrease the chart time
frame without affecting
periodicity.
Compare
Add a comparison
series.
Smart Zoom
Adjusts the periodicity
as the chart is zoomed
in and out.
Full Screen
Expand/contract the
chart to fill the display
screen/browser window.
Time Frame Selector
Set the chart time frame
and adjust periodicity.
Preferences
Configure chart
settings and select
a theme.
Periodicity
Set the amount of
time represented by
each data point.
Studies
Add technical
studies to the chart.
Display
Select the chart
type and style.
Views
Save and retrieve the chart
settings, including on-screen
studies.
Events
Add event markers
to the chart.
ChartIQ User Guide 2
Symbol lookup
Use the symbol lookup field to find instruments (stocks, currency exchange rates, indexes, and
so forth) by entering the symbol that represents the instrument.
To find an instrument:
1. Select the magnifying glass icon or the symbol input field.
2. Select one of the instrument categories (STOCKS, FX, INDEXES, FUNDS, or FUTURES) to
limit your search. To search all categories of instruments, select ALL.
3. Enter the instrument symbol (“AAP” in the example above).
As you enter a symbol, the list of instruments is refined to successively approximate the
input.
4. Select an instrument from the list, or press Enter to select the symbol in the text input field.
Alternatively, begin typing a symbol anywhere in the chart area; the symbol lookup field opens
automatically.
ChartIQ User Guide 3
Comparisons
Comparison series are plots of instruments in addition to the main chart series. Comparisons
provide a side-by-side look at different instruments. Comparison series are plotted over the
same time frame, using the same periodicity as the main series, but are displayed in a different
style or color. Your chart can include numerous comparisons.
Note: Comparisons change the chart y-axis values to percentages. The time series plots and
the y-axis are adjusted so that all plots start at 0% (at the left side of the chart). Succeeding data
is plotted as the relative change from 0%. When all comparison series are removed from the
chart, the y-axis reverts to its normal type of values.
To compare an instrument to the main chart series:
1. Select the compare icon (upper left corner of the chart)
2. Enter the instrument’s symbol in the symbol lookup window
A plot for the instrument is drawn on the chart (blue line):
Figure. Comparison series overlaid on chart.
ChartIQ User Guide 4
To see information about the comparison plot, move your mouse over the Plots control (upper
left corner of the chart):
To close the Plots display, move your mouse away from the control.
To keep the Plots display open, select the Plots control. Select the control again to close the
display.
To remove the comparison, select the X next to the instrument’s current price.
To manage the comparison, move your mouse over the instrument’s line on the chart:
Right-click the line to delete the comparison.
Click and hold the line until the drag icon appears, and then drag the line to the top or
bottom of the chart to place the line in its own panel. See the Drag and drop section to
learn about additional drag-and-drop capabilities.
ChartIQ User Guide 5
Drawing
Trend lines, average lines, channels, Fibonacci retracements, arrows, callouts, doodles — an
extensive set of drawing and styling tools enable you to creatively highlight and graphically
analyze charts and studies.
Drawing palette
The drawing palette contains a wide variety of drawing tools along with a collection
of controls used to configure the palette and manage drawings. (See Drawing
palette controls and Drawing tools.)
Select the Draw control to open the drawing palette.
Create a drawing
To draw on a chart or study:
1. Select a tool from the palette.
On desktop browsers, crosshairs appear, indicating the position of the tool.
2. Click or press to begin the drawing. (Release the mouse button or lift your
finger or stylus from the screen.)
On touch devices, crosshairs appear, indicating the starting point of the
drawing; the crosshairs are positioned slightly up and to the left of your finger or
stylus.
3. Move the mouse or your finger or stylus to the endpoint of the drawing.
4. Click or press to end the drawing.
On touch devices, the crosshairs move to the endpoint of the drawing.
In default drawing mode (see below), the selected tool remains active until you
select the No Tool control or close the drawing palette.
ChartIQ User Guide 6
Drawing modes
Drawing is accomplished in one of two ways (or modes) depending on your system’s
configuration:
Default mode — As described above in “Create a drawing,” the default drawing mode uses
clicks or presses to begin and end the drawing process. Default mode gives you precise
control over the placement and size of drawings. In addition, default mode enables the
creation of complex drawings, such as channels, that are defined with more than two clicks
or presses.
Drag to draw — Drag to draw mode enables you to create drawings by clicking or pressing,
holding, and dragging — like drawing in most paint programs. Drag to draw is familiar to
most users but lacks the precision of default mode and does not support multiple-point
drawings.
Magnet
Click the magnet icon at the bottom of the palette to make the drawing tools lock onto specific
values of the data series. When magnet mode is on, a blue bullet follows the data series to
show the value currently selected. The drawing tools are magnetized to the series to which the
mouse is closest. As you move the mouse close to another series, the drawing tools magnetize
to that series. If a drawing is started on a series, the drawing tool is magnetized to the same
series to finish the drawing.
Manage drawings
Drawings can be repositioned and resized by drag-and-drop interactions. Drag and drop a
drawing to move it to another location. Drag the start and end points of a drawing to change the
drawing’s shape and size. To reveal the start and end points of a drawing, hover your mouse
over the drawing; on touch devices, tap the drawing.
Note: Drawings scale across different periodicities.
To edit or delete a drawing:
On desktop browsers
Right click the drawing to access a context menu, which provides the following options:
Edit Settings — Accesses the style palette (see Style palette), which enables
configuration of font, color, and other style settings.
Clone Drawing — Creates a copy of the drawing, which can be applied elsewhere on
the chart, study, or series.
ChartIQ User Guide 7
Layer Management — Positions overlapping drawings on the z-axis, relative to one
another. Brings a drawing forward or sends it backward, moves it to the top or bottom of
a stack of drawings.
Delete Drawing — Removes the drawing from the display.
On touch devices
Double tap a drawing to delete it; or tap the drawing to highlight it, then tap the delete
icon.
To edit the drawing settings, tap the drawing to highlight it, then tap the settings icon to
open the style palette.
Drawing palette controls
Control
Description
Displays the drawing tools in a list view.
Displays the drawing tools in a grid view.
Detaches the palette from the side of the screen, making the palette draggable
anywhere on-screen.
Drag the detached palette using the drag strip at the top of the palette.
Dock the palette by selecting the Attach control.
Deselects the current drawing tool; that is, sets the palette so that no drawing tool
is in use.
Enables measurements of the chart, study, or series area. Select the measure
tool, then draw a line on the chart to measure an area.
Undoes drawing actions.
Restores drawing actions removed by Undo.
ChartIQ User Guide 8
Control
Description
Enables selection of subsets of the drawing tools, such as text tools, statistics-
related tools, and favorites (see Favorites).
Causes a drawing tool to be attracted to a line, such as the main chart series, a
comparison series, or a study. Magnetizing a tool to a line provides precise
placement of the drawing on the line.
Removes all drawings from the display.
Restores all drawing settings to their default values. Tool settings can be changed
using the style palette (see Style palette).
Drawing tools
Text
Annotation
Callout
Trend Line
ChartIQ User Guide 9
Statistics
Average Line
Average line drawings can be applied to any rendered series or study line, not
just the primary series.
To draw an average line using a mouse:
1. Hover over a series or study line (for example, the Jaws of an Alligator
study)
2. Click the line and release the mouse button to mark the starting point of
the average
3. Move the mouse left or right
4. Click the mouse to mark the endpoint of the average
To draw an average line on mobile devices:
1. Tap a series or study line on the screen to mark the starting point of the
average
2. Tap elsewhere on the series or study line to mark the endpoint of the
average
Quadrant Lines
Regression Line — Option to show 1st, 2nd, and 3rd standard deviation lines on
the regression drawings.
Tirone Levels
Technicals
Gann Fan
Gartley
Pitchfork
ChartIQ User Guide 10
Speed Resistance Arc
Speed Resistance Line
Time Cycle
Elliott Wave NEW v7.4 (see below)
Lines
Channel
Continuous
Crossline
Doodle
Horizontal Line
Line
Ray
Vertical Line
ChartIQ User Guide 11
Fibonacci
Fibonacci Retracement
Fibonacci Projection
Fibonacci Arc
Fibonacci Fan
Fibonacci Time Zone
Segment
Markings
Ellipse
Rectangle
Arrow
Check
Cross
Focus
ChartIQ User Guide 12
Heart
Star
Elliott Wave
NEW v7.4
The Elliott Wave drawing tool enables you to identify and draw Elliott Waves on time series
charts. The tool enables you to quickly label impulse and corrective waves with the appropriate
step in the wave count. In addition, you have the option to show the segment lines to emphasize
each wave. A “drop zone” indicates where the next wave in the sequence can be drawn. The
drawing tool magnet snaps the drawing cursor to time series data points to precisely position
wave lines.
To draw a wave
Mouse
1. Select the Elliott Wave tool from the drawing palette.
2. Optional. Select the Magnet
icon at the bottom of the drawing palette.
3. Click a data point (or other location) on the chart to begin the drawing.
The starting point of the wave is labeled with the start of the wave count. The endpoint of the
wave is labeled with the next number in the wave count.
4. Click the next data point on the wave.
The crest of the wave is labeled with the current wave count.
5. Continue to select points until the wave is complete.
As you move your mouse, a portion of the chart is highlighted (the drop zone) to indicate
where the next data point must be selected.
Also, a display at the top of the chart shows the following about the
data point at the mouse cursor position:
Change in the value from that of the previous wave crest
Percentage change in value
Number of data points included in the wave
ChartIQ User Guide 13
Figure. Elliott wave with custom drawing settings, showing drop zone and measurement display.
Mobile or touchscreen
1. Select the Elliott Wave tool from the drawing palette.
2. Optional. Select the Magnet
icon at the bottom of the drawing palette.
3. Tap a data point (or other location) on the chart to begin the drawing.
4. Touch the screen and slide your finger (or stylus) to the next point on the wave.
The starting point of the wave is labeled with the start of the wave count. The endpoint of the
wave is labeled with the next number in the wave count.
5. Lift your finger or stylus at the next point on the wave.
6. Tap the position to set the endpoint of the wave.
The crest of the wave is labeled with the current wave count.
7. Touch the screen and slide your finger (or stylus) to the next point on the wave.
A portion of the chart is highlighted (the drop zone) to indicate where the next data point
must be selected.
8. Tap the position to set the endpoint of the wave.
The crest of the wave is labeled with the current wave count.
9. Repeat steps seven and eight until the wave is complete.
ChartIQ User Guide 14
To adjust the wave crests
Mouse
1. Hover the mouse over the wave drawing.
Small circles denoting the crests of the waves appear next to the wave count labels.
2. Click and drag a circle to a new location on the chart.
A drop zone is highlighted to indicate where the wave crest can be placed.
Mobile or touchscreen
1. Tap the “No Tool” icon to turn off the Elliott Wave drawing tool.
2. Tap the wave drawing.
Small circles denoting the crests of the waves appear next to the wave count labels.
3. Press and drag a circle to a new location on the chart.
A drop zone is highlighted to indicate where the wave crest can be placed.
To move the wave
Mouse
Click any of the wave lines and drag the entire drawing to a new location on the chart.
Mobile or touchscreen
1. Tap the “No Tool” icon to turn off the Elliott Wave drawing tool.
2. Press and drag the wave to a new position on the chart.
To delete a wave
Mouse
1. Hover the mouse over the wave drawing.
2. Press the delete key.
Or
1. Right-click the wave drawing to open the context menu.
2. Select Delete Drawing.
Or
ChartIQ User Guide 15
For a drawing in progress, press the escape key.
Mobile or touchscreen
1. Tap the “No Tool” icon to turn off the Elliott Wave drawing tool.
2. Tap the X icon.
Or
For a drawing in progress, tap the “No Tool” icon.
To manage a wave
Mouse
1. Right-click the wave drawing to open the context menu.
2. Select an item from the menu:
Edit Settings — Change the style of the wave (see Style
palette below)
Clone Drawing — Make a copy of the wave drawing
Layer Management — Position the drawing (on the z-axis) above or below other
drawings
Delete Drawing — Remove the drawing
Mobile or touchscreen
1. Tap the “No Tool” icon to turn off the Elliott Wave drawing tool.
2. Tap the wave drawing.
3. Tap the gear icon.
4. The style palette opens. Change the style of the wave (see Style palette below).
ChartIQ User Guide 16
Customizing wave drawings
Figure. Elliott Wave style palette and configuration toolbar.
Style palette
The style palette enables you to style wave lines and text to your preferences:
Set the color of the wave lines and text
Set the style of the wave lines, such as dashed or solid
Italicize and boldface the wave labels
Set the font size of the wave labels
Set the font family of the wave labels
Note: To restyle an existing wave drawing, right-click the drawing and select Edit Settings from
the context menu. On mobile or touchscreen, tap the drawing, then tap the gear icon.
ChartIQ User Guide 17
Configuration toolbar
The configuration toolbar enables you to:
Select the wave magnitude, ranging from Grand Supercycle to
Sub-Minuette
Choose the labeling style for impulse waves
Choose the labeling style for corrective waves
Set the type of wave label, such as a number enclosed in a circle
Select whether wave lines are drawn or not
Save all settings so they can be applied to new drawings
You can even draw just impulse waves or corrective waves.
To draw just impulse waves, select the - - -
option from the corrective waves drop-down
menu:
To draw just corrective waves, select the
- - - option from the impulse waves
drop-down menu:
ChartIQ User Guide 18
Keyboard shortcuts
NEW v7.4
Drawing tools can be activated by keyboard shortcuts. See the Accessibility section for details.
Favorites
You can reduce the number of tools displayed on the drawing palette by creating a set of your
favorites.
When the list view of the palette is active (see Drawing palette controls), a star appears next to
each of the drawing tools . Select the star to mark the tool as one of your
favorites.
In grid view on desktop browsers, right click a tool to open a pop-up window, then click the
pop-up window to add or remove the tool as a favorite. Favorites are indicated by a star
ornament in grid view.
To see only your favorites, select Favorites from the drawing palette drop-down
menu.
Style palette
The style palette appears when a drawing tool is selected. The palette contains controls that
enable you to set properties of the drawing tool, such as background color, line width, and font.
Properties vary among tools. For example, the annotation tool has font properties, but does not
have background color or line width; the ellipse tool has background color and line width, but not
font properties.
Style palette controls
Control
Description
Detaches the palette from the top of the screen, making the palette draggable
anywhere on-screen.
ChartIQ User Guide 19
Control
Description
Drag the detached palette using the drag strip on the left side of the palette.
Dock the palette by selecting the Attach control.
Identifies the currently selected tool (to which the styles apply).
Sets the background color of the drawing.
Sets the foreground or text color of the drawing.
Sets the line width of the drawing.
Sets the font in italics.
Sets the font in boldface.
Specifies the size of the font.
Specifies the font family.
Saves the style palette settings (the configuration) of the selected tool. The
tool retains the configuration even after the chart is closed.
To restore the tool’s default configuration, select the X next to the Save
Config control.
ChartIQ User Guide 20
Crosshairs
Select the crosshairs icon to show horizontal and vertical lines that follow the mouse.
Crosshairs enable you to easily identify values on the x and y axes.
Figure. Crosshairs on chart.
ChartIQ User Guide 21
Heads-up display
The heads-up display (HUD) provides detailed information about individual data points. The
default HUD shows, date, price, open, high, low, close, and volume. Data points are selected by
moving the mouse over the time series. The HUD can be displayed at the mouse cursor position
or in the upper left corner of the chart.
To display the HUD at the mouse position, select the text balloon icon once.
Figure. Heads up display at mouse position.
ChartIQ User Guide 22
To display the HUD in the upper left corner of the chart, select the icon a second time.
Figure. Heads up display in upper left corner of chart.
Periodicity menu
The amount of time represented by a data point (for example, a candle on a
candle chart) is the periodicity of the chart.
Select the chart periodicity from the Periodicity menu. Periodicity can be
seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, or months. Custom periodicities may also
be added to the menu.
Views menu
A view is the chart display, including all indicators and studies
associated with the chart. Use the Views menu to save chart views
for later retrieval.
To save a view, select + Save View.
To retrieve a saved view, select the view (for example, My
Saved View) from the list of views.
To delete a saved view, select the X next to the view name.
ChartIQ User Guide 23
Display menu
The Display menu is divided into four sections: Chart Style, Chart
Preferences, Locale, and Themes.
Chart Style
The charting library supports a variety of chart styles and types.
Select a style or type to change the presentation of the time series
data.
Chart styles are the various ways that a chart can visually
represent data; for example, as a candle, line, or mountain graph.
Chart types are charts that display data that has been modified
through aggregation or recalculation; for example, Heikin Ashi,
Kagi, and point and figure charts.
In some cases, a chart type includes a chart style. For instance, a
point and figure chart aggregates data while requiring a specific
display style. You can switch between chart styles and types
without disturbing the chart state. For example, drawings and
studies are maintained as you change chart styles and types.
To customize a chart type:
1. Select the gear icon next to the chart type name.
2. Enter values in the dialog box that appears. For example, for
Kagi charts:
Select the AUTO SELECT button to let the chart determine the setting.
For more information on chart styles and types, see the ChartIQ Charts and Studies guide.
ChartIQ User Guide 24
Studies menu
Studies are technical indicators that you add to charts from the Studies menu. For a complete
list of the studies included in the ChartIQ library, see the Charts and Studies guide.
To add a study to a chart, select the study from the Studies menu.
To quickly find a study, enter the study name in the search
field. As you enter the name, the list of studies is reduced to
just those names that include the characters you entered.
Studies can overlay charts or appear in panels above or below
charts. By default, some studies appear as overlays; some, in
panels.
Overlays (and underlays, such as the Volume Underlay study)
are studies that are superimposed on charts.
Figure. Alligator study overlaid on chart.
Overlay studies include a context menu that can be used to modify the study or remove it from
the chart. To access the context menu:
On desktop browsers — Highlight the study by hovering your mouse over the lines or
shapes that make up the study. Right click to open the context menu. Select an item from
the menu.
ChartIQ User Guide 25
On touch devices — Tap the study to open the context menu. Tap the gear icon to edit
study properties. Tap the x icon to delete the study.
Studies can appear in panels to separate the displays of multiple series.
Figure. Alligator, Aroon, and MACD studies in panels.
The vertical size of panels can be changed by dragging the panel top and bottom borders.
Panels include a toolbar that can be used to reposition or delete the panel. On desktop
browsers, hover your mouse over a study to reveal the toolbar:
Secondary panel toolbar controls
Moves the panel upward in a stack of panels. If the panel is at the top of the stack,
positions the panel above the chart.
Expands the panel and hides any other panels. Or, if the panel has been expanded,
returns it to its former size and reveals all hidden panels.
ChartIQ User Guide 26
Moves the panel downward in a stack of panels. If the panel is at the bottom of the
stack, positions the panel below the chart.
Closes the panel and destroys the study.
Drawings and annotations can be applied to overlay studies and studies in panels using the
Drawing palette and Style palette tools.
Figure. Dashed line and annotation on MACD study in panel.
Study legends
A list of the studies applied to a chart can be included in a menu or overlaid on the chart as a
legend. The list of active studies is contained in the CURRENT STUDIES section of the Studies
menu,
and in the Plots control, which appears on study panels or on charts when one or more studies
overlays the chart.
ChartIQ User Guide 27
CURRENT STUDIES and Plots both enable you to edit and delete studies.
In CURRENT STUDIES, edit a study by selecting it from the list. Delete a study by selecting the
x icon next to the study name. Delete all studies by selecting CLEAR ALL.
In Plots, select the gear icon to edit a study. Select the x icon to delete the study.
Drag and drop
Studies can be positioned and managed by drag-and-drop user interactions. Overlay studies
can be dragged into panels. Studies in panels can be dragged onto charts as overlays. Studies
can be combined in panels or on charts. See Drag and drop for more information.
Events menu
The Events menu enables you to display visual indicators of time-
based events such as stock splits, dividend dates, financial
filings, earning reports, news events, and more.
The indicators mark the date and time of an event. You can then
select the indicator to see a description of the event or even a
video related to the event.
To display event indicators, select one of the choices in the
CHART EVENTS section of the menu:
Simple Square — Marks events with a colored square and
a letter that indicates the type of event
Simple Circle — Marks events with a colored circle and a
letter that indicates the type of event
Callouts — Indicates events with a short text description
or title
Trade — Displays a small, filled circle at the data point
where a trading event has occurred
ChartIQ User Guide 28
Video — Displays a video playback button to mark events
Abstract — Indicates events with an image or animation
None — Turns off event indicators
The PANEL EVENTS section of the menu applies to Life Cycle Events. See the Life Cycle
Events section to learn more.
ChartIQ User Guide 29
Chart preferences menu
NEW v8.0
Open the Preferences menu by selecting the cog wheel control.
The menu enables you to set a variety of preferences to display
your charts just the way you want them.
To set a preference, select the check box next to the preference
name.
Chart preferences
Range Selector
The Range Selector preference opens a panel below the chart.
The panel contains more data history than is shown in the
primary chart. Drag the controllers in the range selector to control
the viewable range of time in the primary chart.
Extended Hours
The Extended Hours preference expands the
trading hours of intraday charts to include pre-
and post-session trading for U.S. equities. The
pre- and post-sessions are highlighted with
background shading. Extended hours are
particularly useful for observing trading activity
during earnings season.
ChartIQ User Guide 30
Market Depth
The market depth display shows histograms
of the volume of bids and asks at each price
level if Level 2 data is provided. In addition, it
shows an aggregate volume up/down from
the current market to a given price. The
graphic helps users understand if there is
more pressure above or below the market.
L2 Heat Map
The heat map shows an overlay of the
Bid/Ask depth of market at the close of the
period. That is, for a one-minute chart it will
show the volume on the bid at each price
level in green and volume on the offer in red
at each price level.
ChartIQ User Guide 31
Y-Axis preferences
Y-axis preferences enable you to configure the chart y-axis on a
logarithmic scale or invert the price values.
Log Scale
On a logarithmic scale chart, the vertical spacing between
two points corresponds to the percentage change between
those numbers. Thus, on a log scale chart, the vertical
distance between 10 and 20 (a 100% increase) is the same
as the vertical distance between 50 and 100. Because these
charts show percentage relationships, logarithmic scaling is
also called percentage scaling. It is also called semi-log
scaling because only the vertical axis is scaled
logarithmically.
Invert
Inverting the y-axis simply flips the chart to display the
lowest values at the top and highest values at the bottom.
This will flip the primary line and any drawings or overlay
studies applied to the line. Note: Each study line which is
shown in its own panel may be flipped independently.
ChartIQ User Guide 32
Themes
Themes set the foreground and background colors of the chart.
The two built-in themes, Day and Night, set charts in light and
dark colors respectively.
To choose a theme, select it from the THEMES section of the
Preferences menu.
You can also create your own custom themes.
To create a custom theme:
1. Open the Preferences menu.
2. Select + New Theme in the THEMES section.
3. Configure the theme by making color selections in the Create Custom Theme dialog box:
4. Enter a name for your theme in the input field, and then select SAVE.
Your theme will be listed in the THEMES section of the Preferences menu. To apply your theme
to a chart, select it from the menu.
Locale
The locale settings enable you to present the user interface in a
variety of languages and apply any time zone to the chart data.
ChartIQ User Guide 33
To choose a language:
1. Select the current language setting; for example,
2. Select a language from the Choose language dialog box:
To change the time zone:
1. Select Change Timezone
2. Select a time zone from the Choose Timezone dialog box
If the current time zone is different than that of your current location, the
control appears in the dialog box. Select the control to set the time zone to your current location.
ChartIQ User Guide 34
Share
The Share feature enables you to create an image of a chart and share the image by means of
a URL.
To share a chart image:
1. Select the Share control (at the bottom of the chart).
2. Select the CREATE IMAGE button in the Share Your Chart dialog box:
An image of your chart is saved to the ChartIQ sharing site.
3. Select the COPY LINK TO CLIPBOARD button in the Share Your Chart dialog box:
4. Paste your link into email message, documents, or texts to enable access to your chart
image.
Time frame selector
The time frame selector (lower right corner of the chart) enables you to select various time
periods for the chart — from one day to all the data available for the instrument.
Each selection automatically sets an appropriate periodicity so that the chart is filled with data.
For example, if you select the 1D time frame, the periodicity is set to 5 minutes; 6M, one day;
All, one month; and so forth.
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Navigation
In general, navigation of the chart is easily done using direct manipulation or using controls
provided.
Panning
A chart is panned (scrolled) by dragging the chart. When a chart is panned so that the most
recent bar is hidden, a home icon appears on the screen. Pressing the icon animates
the chart back to the home position.
On desktop devices, grab the chart with the mouse and drag it left, right, up, or down.
The right and left arrow keys and Home and End keys also pan the chart. See
the Accessibility section.
On laptop touchpads, a two-finger horizontal stroke will pan the chart left or right. On all devices,
a swipe action will rapidly scroll the chart in the swipe direction, slowing with an easing
animation.
On a touch device, a single finger touch will move the chart from side-to-side or up and down.
When the crosshair is enabled, two fingers can be used to pan the chart.
Zooming
To zoom the entire chart, select the and buttons at the bottom of the chart; to
zoom in, to zoom out.
On touch devices, pinch the screen to zoom out, press the screen with two fingers then spread
the fingers apart to zoom in.
The up and down arrow keys also zoom the chart. See the Accessibility section.
The scale of the x- and y-axes can be zoomed by selecting either axis and dragging up or down
for the y-axis or left or right for the x-axis.
ChartIQ User Guide 36
SmartZoom
SmartZoom automatically changes the periodicity of the chart to maintain visual density of the
data as you zoom the chart in and out. SmartZoom enables you to quickly go from one-second
to yearly data increments and keep the chart packed with data.
To activate SmartZoom, select the SmartZoom control (at the bottom of the chart).
The SmartZoom control appears only when the chart is configured to use the feature.
Full-screen display
The full-screen control enlarges the chart to fill the entire display area, hiding the browser
chrome and removing the chart’s top and bottom toolbars. Full-screen display provides a
productive, uncluttered viewing experience on screens of all sizes.
On desktops, expand the chart to full screen by selecting the control (at the bottom of the
chart). Exit full-screen mode by selecting the control again, by pressing F11, or by pressing the
Esc key.
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Hidden outliers
NEW v7.5
Data sets often contain outliers: values that deviate significantly from the statistical norm.
With the hidden outliers feature, outliers are literally off the chart. Visual markers alert users to
the presence of outliers and provide the interactive option of seeing the outlying portions of the
chart.
Figure. Chart with hidden outliers.
To activate the hidden outliers feature, open the Preferences menu and select Hide Outliers
from the CHART PREFERENCES section:
Note: The Outliers add-on must be included in your charting application.
ChartIQ User Guide 38
The upper outlier and lower outlier markers indicate the position of high or low outlier
values. Select either type of marker to reveal the full range of the upper or lower portion of the
chart respectively.
Complementary controls appear in the upper and lower right corners of the screen.
Select the show control in either corner (upper or lower) to show the respective outlying
portion of the chart.
Select the hide control hide to hide the outliers.
Study panels
NEW v8.0
Outliers can be hidden in study panels as well as the primary panel. When a chart has outliers,
studies associated with the chart may have outliers too. The outliers cause display problems:
the study lines, channels, or bars get compressed to fit into the display area, reducing detail.
Study outliers can be hidden—replaced by markers that indicate the outlier location and
value—making the study data trend clear. The markers can be selected to reveal the outliers.
Controls at the top and bottom of the study’s y-axis also show and hide the outliers.
Figure. Momentum Indicator with hidden outliers.
ChartIQ User Guide 39
Multiple y-axes
NEW v8.0
Hidden outliers are supported on multiple y-axes; for example, when a comparison series has
been added to a chart. The outliers for each series can be shown and hidden independently
using the outlier controls on the respective y-axis.
Selecting a high or low outlier marker in a series reveals the upper or lower
portion of just that series.
Figure. Chart with comparison series and hidden outliers.
ChartIQ User Guide 40
Drag and drop
Charting elements such as y-axes and series (studies and comparison) can be positioned and
manipulated using drag-and-drop user interactions.
To drag and drop a charting element, do the following:
1. Click and hold or press the element until one of the drag-and-drop icons appears. The icon
indicates the direction in which the element can be dragged:
— Horizontally
— Vertically
— All directions
2. Drag the element to a container or boundary.
Charts, panels, and axes are containers. The edges of charts, panels, and axes are
boundaries.
A blue rectangle appears when you drag to a container. A blue line appears when you drag
to a boundary. The rectangle or line indicates the drop location.
Note: A blue rectangle or line must appear before you can drop an element. At the screen
edges, be careful to drag and drop within the charting area. The drag-and-drop icon turns to
the default pointer or disappears when you drag an element out of the charting area. If you
drop an element outside the charting area, the drag-and-drop action does not take effect.
3. Drop the element by releasing the mouse button or lifting your finger or stylus from the
screen.
Series
Study and comparison series overlay charts or appear in panels above or below charts.
Series can be managed with drag and drop. Overlays can be dragged into panels. Series in
panels can be dragged onto charts as overlays. Series can be combined. The y-axis of a series
can be positioned to the left or right of the series.
Procedures
Convert Overlay Series to Panel Series — Drag and drop an overlay series onto a chart
boundary or panel boundary.
ChartIQ User Guide 41
Convert Panel Series to Overlay Series — Drag and drop a panel series onto a chart.
Combine Series — Drag and drop multiple overlay series or panel series into a single panel. Or
drag and drop series from multiple panels onto a chart.
Uncombine Series — Drag and drop a series from a panel (containing multiple series) onto a
panel boundary or chart boundary or onto a chart. Or drag and drop an overlay series (from a
chart containing multiple overlays) onto a chart boundary or panel boundary.
Position Panel Series — Drag and drop a panel series onto a chart boundary or panel
boundary.
Position Y-Axis — Drag and drop the y-axis of a series onto the left or right boundary of the
series. Or drag and drop the series onto its own left or right boundary. See the Y-Axis section
below for additional features.
Y-Axis
The y-axis of charts and series can be positioned on the left or right of the chart or series, or on
the left or right of other y-axes. Multiple y-axes can be combined into a single axis. All by drag
and drop.
Multiple y-axes occupy the same chart or panel when charts are overlaid by series or series are
combined in panels.
Procedures
Position Y-Axis on Left or Right of Chart — Drag and drop the chart y-axis onto the left or
right boundary of the chart.
Position Y-Axis on Left or Right of Series — Drag and drop a series y-axis onto the left or
right boundary of the series. Or drag and drop a series onto its own left or right boundary.
Position Y-Axis on Left or Right of Another Y-Axis — Drag and drop a y-axis onto the left or
right boundary of another y-axis. Or drag and drop a series onto the left or right boundary of a y-
axis contained in the same panel or chart.
Combine Y-Axes — Drag and drop a y-axis onto another y-axis. Or drag and drop a series
onto a y-axis contained in the same panel or chart.
Uncombine Y-Axes — Drag and drop a series (whose y-axis is combined with another y-axis)
onto its own left or right boundary or onto the boundary of a y-axis contained in the same panel
or chart.
ChartIQ User Guide 42
Add-On Features
Chart Grid
The Chart Grid template displays up to 25 charts in a grid layout, enabling you to make side-by-
side comparisons of multiple instruments and markets. The grid is designed to maximize the
screen real estate devoted to the charts and minimize the number of on-screen controls and
borders.
Figure. Grid of multiple charts.
Each chart displays its own time series data, but the grid is managed like a single chart.
Selections from the periodicity, Display, and Studies menus update all charts in the grid
simultaneously. The crosshairs control adds or removes crosshairs on every chart; the
crosshairs move in unison across all charts. Scrolling any chart left or right scrolls all charts left
or right.
ChartIQ User Guide 43
Select the grid size
The Grid control enables you to select the size of the chart grid. The control is similar to
graphical controls used to create tables in word processors.
To create a chart grid:
1. Select the Grid control (release the mouse button)
2. Move your mouse down and to the right to expand the grid, up and to the left to contract the
grid
3. Click the control to set the size of the grid
Change a chart symbol
Each chart in the grid displays a time series that is independent of the other charts.
To change a chart symbol:
1. Select a chart in the grid
2. Select the symbol search control
3. Enter a new symbol
ChartIQ User Guide 44
Accessibility
Keystroke alternatives provide access to chart functionality without using a mouse or
touchscreen.
Chart area
Keystroke
Function
Up arrow
Zoom in
Down arrow
Zoom out
Right arrow
Scroll right
Left arrow
Scroll left
Home
Scroll to the end of the chart (right-most candle) and reset
the vertical zoom
End
Scroll to the beginning of the chart (left-most candle)
Delete or Backspace
Undo the active drawing (if in the middle of drawing) or
delete a highlighted item
Escape
Undo the active drawing (if in the middle of drawing) or
close an open menu
Drawing
The example templates (such as technical-analysis-chart.html and basic-chart.html) include
the following keyboard shortcuts for activating drawing tools when the drawing palette is
open:
Tool
PC
Macintosh
Line
Alt+L
Option+L
Horizontal (line)
Alt+H
Option+H
Vertical (line)
Alt+V
Option+V
Annotation
Alt+T
Option+T
Rectangle
Alt+R
Option+R
Arrow
Alt+A
Option+A
ChartIQ User Guide 45
Note: The letter can be lowercase (for example, Alt+a) or uppercase (Alt+A, shift key or caps
lock engaged).
The modifier Ctrl can also be part of the key combination. For example, both Alt+R and
Ctrl+Alt+R activate the Rectangle tool. Include Ctrl when the Alt+key combination is already
assigned to a web browser feature or an application on your device.
Optional Products
Active Trader + Trade From Chart
The Trade From Chart feature within the Active Trader module enables you to construct and
execute trades right from the chart. In addition to simple order types such as market orders, the
charting library supports construction and execution of complex, multi-leg conditional orders
(OCO, OTO, OTO linked to OCO, etc.). With a simple drag-and-drop interface, you can place
stop and limit orders with automatically calculated risk/reward ratios. Filled and pending orders
can also be plotted on the chart, enabling you to see historical trades, current positions, and
pending orders with the ability to click and modify.
The Trade From Chart module works seamlessly across desktop, tablet, and phone, so if an
order is placed at your desktop, you can check or modify or replace orders from a mobile
device.
Life Cycle Events
Many events have a life cycle — a beginning, middle, and end; events such as institutional
trades (which take hours and comprise multiple transactions), CEO tenures, economic trends,
weather events, and so forth. The Life Cycle Events module tracks and graphically displays life
cycle events, including ongoing events.
Note: The Life Cycle Events is a plug-in module; it is not part of the standard product.
Life cycle events occur over a span of time. They are depicted on charts in two ways, as a
horizontal bar or as an icon followed by a dashed line (or tail). Both depictions show the start,
end, and duration of an event.
ChartIQ User Guide 46
Figure. Chart with life cycle events.
View life cycle events
Life cycle events are displayed in a panel below the chart.
To open the panel:
1. Open the Events menu
2. In the PANEL EVENTS section, select the types of events you want
to view
Each event type appears in its own swim lane (horizontal band) of
the panel. The y-axis of the panel identifies the swim lanes by event
type.
To close the panel:
1. Open the Events menu
2. Clear all check boxes in the PANEL EVENTS section
View event information
Life cycle events are related to the chart time series. To highlight the time span of a life cycle
event on the chart, hover your mouse over the life cycle event marker. Click the marker to make
the highlighting remain on-screen. Click the marker again to make the highlighting respond to
hovering the mouse.
ChartIQ User Guide 47
NEW v8.0 Hovering the mouse over a single event or duration event displays a tooltip
containing the event headline. Selecting an event marker shows the event headline and story in
a pop-up display. Select the pop-up display to close it.
Figure. Highlighted life cycle event time span with tooltip and pop-up display.
Life cycle event markers can be custom icons. For example, an alert icon could denote
events that require special attention.
Life cycle events also indicate when an event is ongoing with a special symbol (such as or )
at the most recent data point for the event.
The highlighting of trade execution events includes horizontal dashed lines that connect the
starting and ending trades of an order with values on the y-axis.
ChartIQ User Guide 48
Event zoom
Double click an event in the swim lane to zoom in from a broad periodicity to a finer level of
detail to see more granular data. Restore the previous state using the button.
Figure. Life cycle events at default periodicity.
Figure. Zoomed-in view of a life cycle event.
ChartIQ User Guide 49
Subevents
Life cycle events often have subevents; for example, an institutional order may include multiple
trade executions.
To display information about life cycle subevents:
1. Select the life cycle event marker
The time span of the event is highlighted on the chart and any subevents are indicated by a
small circular marker.
2. Select a subevent marker
A pop-up display opens, containing information that summarizes the subevent. Select the
pop-up display to close it.
Figure. Highlighted life cycle event time span with subevent pop-up displays.
ChartIQ User Guide 50
Technical Analysis: Data Forecasting
Data Forecasting enables visualization of predicted trends. Forecasting data is appended to
historical data in chart series and studies, extending the series or study into the future.
Forecasts can be appended to past dates to show the accuracy of past forecasts. A forecast
can include a range of outcomes which may be displayed as a projection cone. Forecasting
data can be displayed in a variety of line styles and colors to distinguish the forecast portion of a
series or study from the historical data.
Figure. Multiple plots with forecasts in various styles.
Note: Data Forecasting is included in the Technical Analysis product. It is not part of the Core
Charts product.
ChartIQ User Guide 51
Term Structure
Term structures are graphs of financial instrument values ordered by date of delivery. An
interest rate yield curve is a type of term structure; yield is ordered by maturity date.
The Yield Curve chart compares U.S. Treasury yields at various maturity dates. The curve can
display bid or ask prices or the midpoint of the price spread (the difference between the bid and
ask) at each maturity date.
The Yield Curve chart can compare multiple series of instruments (creating multiple curves) and
display curve spreads: the difference in values between curves and between instruments on the
same curve.
Figure. U.S Treasury yield curve.
Note: Term Structure is a standalone package or a plug-in module to the Technical Analysis
package; it is not part of the Core Charts package.
Term Structure user interface
Entity Lookup
Enter the symbol
for a term
structure entity.
Instrument Value
Select the type of
values to plot on the
y-axis of the chart.
Calendar
Select a date for
the term structure
Crosshairs
Activate/deactivate
the chart crosshairs.
Preferences
Set configuration options
for the chart and select a
chart theme.
Share
Share an image
of the chart.
Zoom Out
Decrease the chart
magnification.
Zoom In
Increase the chart
magnification.
Compare
Add a comparison
series.
ChartIQ User Guide 53
Entity lookup
Find term structure entities (bond issuers and futures contracts) by entering the symbol that
represents the instrument in the entity lookup field.
To find an entity:
1. Select the magnifying glass icon or the entity input field.
2. Select one of the instrument categories (BONDS or FUTURES) to limit your search. To
search all categories of instruments, select ALL.
3. Enter the instrument symbol (“/TB” in the example above).
As you enter a symbol, the list of instruments is refined to successively approximate the
input.
4. Select an instrument from the list, or press Enter to select the symbol in the text input field.
Alternatively, begin typing a symbol anywhere in the chart area; the entity lookup field opens
automatically.
Calendar
Use the calendar to select the date for the term structure. The
instrument values for that date are plotted on the chart.
To choose a date:
1. Select the calendar icon to open the calendar
2. Use the forward and back arrows to scroll the calendar
months
3. Select a day of the month or select CURRENT DATE.
4. Select the calendar icon to close the calendar
ChartIQ User Guide 54
Instrument Value
The values of the term structure instruments are plotted on the y-axis.
To select an instrument value:
1. Open the instrument value menu
2. Select a type of value
Crosshairs
Select the crosshairs icon to display crosshairs that follow your mouse and snap to points on the
graph.
Figure. Crosshairs on term structure chart.
ChartIQ User Guide 55
Preferences
NEW v8.0
The Preferences menu enables you to configure the look and feel of
the chart.
Options
Shading
The chart background shading indicates short-, mid-, and long-term
delivery dates of the term structure.
Select the Shading check box to turn shading on; clear the check box to turn shading off.
X-Axis Scaling
The delivery dates of term structure instruments are not always evenly spaced. For example,
the bond yield curve includes 1-month, 3-month, 6-month, 1-year, 2-year, 3-year, 5-year, 7-year,
10-year, and 30-year dates.
To help represent the uneven spacing of dates, Term Structure provides scaling of the x-axis;
points on the axis are spaced in proportion to the time between dates. The scaling isn’t exact,
rather it’s an approximation to give a sense of the intervals between delivery dates.
The chart also provides fixed spacing in which the delivery dates are all spaced evenly
regardless of the time between them.
Select the X-Axis Scaling check box to turn scaling on; clear the check box to turn scaling off.
Update Animations
Figure. Animations indicating instrument updates.
ChartIQ User Guide 56
The chart can display animations to draw attention to data points that have just been updated.
Select the Update Animations check box to turn animations on; clear the check box to turn
animations off.
Show Update Stamp
Figure. Last update time stamp.
Trades and other actions continually change the values plotted for term structure instruments. A
time stamp of the most recent update keeps you informed about an instrument’s activity. When
your mouse hovers over a data point, a tooltip appears, displaying the date and time of the most
recent update.
Select the Show Update Stamp check box to turn time stamps on; clear the check box to turn
time stamps off.
Recent Updates
Figure. Recently updated data points highlighted with a diffuse outline.
Term structure charts can highlight data points that have been updated within a specified time
span, such as the last 10 minutes. The highlighting helps users quickly spot instruments whose
values are actively changing and instruments whose values have gotten stale.
ChartIQ User Guide 57
Select the Recent Updates check box to turn highlighting on; clear the check box to turn
highlighting off.
Set the Highlight Duration
You can set the time span that determines whether instrument updates are recent, or fresh. Any
data point that has been updated within the time span (for example, the last 10 minutes) is
highlighted.
To set the highlight duration:
1. Select the cog wheel icon next to Recent Updates in the OPTIONS section of the
Preferences menu.
2. Enter a number of minutes in the Set Duration Highlight dialog box, and press Enter.
To set the default time span (currently, 10 minutes), select AUTO SELECT.
Themes
Charts can be displayed in different color themes — Day for light
colors; Night, for dark.
To choose a theme, open the Preferences menu, and then
select a theme from the THEMES section.
Compare
NEW v7.5
The Compare feature enables you to see multiple curves on screen simultaneously.
To add a curve, select the + Compare… control.
ChartIQ User Guide 58
The following menu opens:
Add an entity curve
Entities are collections of instruments that are comparable to the main curve.
To add an entity to the chart, select Add Entity from the Compare menu.
The entity lookup dialog box opens:
See Entity lookup for information about using the dialog box to select an entity.
To select a color for the entity curve:
1. Select the color swatch. A color picker opens.
2. Select a color from the color picker.
ChartIQ User Guide 59
Add an historical curve
Historical curves are plotted from past data of the primary entity; in other words, what the main
curve looked like a week, a month, or a year ago.
To add an historical curve to the chart, select Add Historical from the Compare menu.
The Set Comparison Date dialog box opens.
To select a color for the historical curve:
1. Select the color swatch. A color picker opens.
2. Select a color from the color picker.
To select a time period for the curve, select a radio
button from the list of historical dates.
To select a custom historical data:
1. Select Custom….
2. Select a date from the calendar.
To close the dialog box and create the curve, select
DONE.
Plots display
Secondary curves are listed in the Plots display.
To open the display, select the Plots control:
Remove curves
To remove a curve from the chart, select the X next to the entry that identifies the curve in the
Plots display.
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Change curve color
1. Select the color swatch next to the entry that identifies the curve in the Plots display.
A color picker opens.
2. Select a color from the color picker.
Curve spreads
A curve spread is the difference in value between instruments, whether the instruments are on
the same curve or on different curves.
To show the spread between instruments:
1. Select one or more data points.
Selected points are indicated by an outer, concentric circle.
2. Hover your mouse over another point.
The spreads are shown by guidelines from data point to data point along with the percent
difference. For easy visual reference, the color of the text that shows the spread percentage
matches the color of the associated selected data point.
Figure. Curve spreads of 5 YR 8/6/2017 and 10 YR 7/6/2020 vs. 10 YR 8/6/2020.
Varying instrument sets
NEW v8.0
ChartIQ User Guide 61
Term structure charts can display curves for multiple entities when the entities don’t share the
same set of maturities for the array of instruments in the curve. For example, the U.S. Treasury
yield curve contains maturities (instruments) of 1, 2, 3, and 6 months, but the yield curve of
other sovereign bonds may not contain these short-term maturities. Term Structure lets you
compare the curves just the same (if the entities have at least one instrument in common).
For each compared entity:
If instruments are missing on the left or right sides of the chart, the curve is not drawn
there
If instruments are missing in the middle of the curve, the line is drawn to connect the
existing points, but data points are not drawn for the missing instruments
If the entity has only one instrument that is shared with the other compared entities, a
point is drawn for the instrument (with no line)
Figure. Term structure chart comparing entities with varying instrument sets.
Share
The Share feature enables you to create an image of a chart and share the image from a URL.
See Share above.
ChartIQ User Guide 62
Zoom
NEW v7.4
To zoom the entire chart, select the and buttons at the bottom of the chart; to
zoom in, to zoom out.
On touch devices, pinch the screen to zoom out, press the screen with two fingers then spread
the fingers apart to zoom in.
The scale of the x- and y-axes can be zoomed by selecting either axis and dragging up or down
for the y-axis or left or right for the x-axis.
The up and down arrow keys also zoom the chart.