Tutorial: Using the Interface: Notes

Tutorial: Using the Interface: Notes

Selecting a File

Here’s how you select the "WY.txt" file from the "Sample Data" directory. First, verify you are looking in the "Sample Data" directory. Near the top of the dialog, there should be a box labeled Look in:. The first time you import data into TradingSolutions, this box should say "Sample Data".

Ä Note: If this box says "TradingSolutions", locate the folder labeled "Sample Data" and double-click on it.

Now, locate the "WY.txt" file in the Samples directory and click it. Its name will appear in the File name: box. After you have done this, press the Open button to use this file.

Ä Note: You can also use a file by double-clicking on it.

Understanding Signals

TradingSolutions displays signals as directional arrows and triangles. Here is a quick overview of the symbols that are used here.

$image\ebd_ebd322.gif$ Enter Long

$image\ebd_ebd323.gif$ Exit Short

$image\ebd_ebd324.gif$ Hold, price may increase

$image\ebd_ebd325.gif$ Hold

$image\ebd_ebd326.gif$ Hold, price may decrease

$image\ebd_ebd327.gif$ Exit Long

$image\ebd_ebd328.gif$ Enter Short

"Longing" a stock is the same as buying it. In a sense, you are betting that the price of the stock will increase while you have a long position. In other words, "buy low, sell high".

"Shorting" a stock is slightly more complicated. You are borrowing shares of the stock from your broker and selling those borrowed shares. At a later date, you close this position by buying shares and giving them to your broker to replace the shares you borrowed.

When shorting a stock, you are betting that the price of the stock will decrease. This changes the order of the axiom to "sell high, buy low".

When an "Enter" (filled in triangle) appears, you should begin or currently be in the indicated position. Later, when an "Exit" (hollow triangle) appears, you should exit that position. You should also exit a position when an enter appears in the opposite direction.

Ä Note: When a new signal results in needing to change position, the signal will be highlighted with a pink background.

"Hold" signals simply mean that you should hold whatever position you currently have. Stay in the market if you are already in there, or stay out of the market if you are currently out. The size of the anticipated movement is either unknown or predicted to not be worth trading against.

Ä Note: When streaming data with TradingSolutions Real-Time, these signals are signals are updated continuously as new information becomes available.

Changing to the Sample Portfolio

If your portfolio does not appear to contain the stocks or solutions being referenced by this tutorial, you may be migrating from a previous version or you may have already done some work in TradingSolutions. In either case, it will typically be easier to follow the tutorials using the original sample portfolio.

TradingSolutions stores all of its data and calculations in a folder called a Work directory. You can have multiple Work directories on a single computer, accessing one at a time.

To change to a new Work directory, do the following:

5. Select Change Work Directory… from the File menu.

6. On the Browse For Folder dialog, select a location on your computer to add a new Work directory and press the New Folder button. Change the name to something meaningful, such as "Tutorial Work".

7. Press the OK button with this folder selected.

8. A message will appear indicating "This appears to be a new Work directory" and asking if you would "like to have the sample data pre-loaded into your new portfolio". Press the Yes button.

You can return to your previous Work directory using the Change Work Directory… menu item again, this time selecting your previous Work directory and pressing OK.