Originally posted by Brandonf
I have just subscribed to Tradestation6 for the backtesting abilities it has and also just that I found the charts nice. However, I dont seem to be able to link the charts...so if Im going to put in a new symbol I need to put it in every single time. This is a major pain obviously, so I was wondering if there is a way to link them like you can with Real Tick. If this isnt currently possible, maybe some of the powers that be at TS will read this and add that function to it, I think it would make it a much better platform.
Brandon
They're very aware of this deficiency over in TS-land. inandlong's methods are helpful ("global [symbol]"), but, if you're using order entry, you'll still have to type the symbols into the order bar manually except when using automatic or semi-automatic signals, or when closing a position off the position graphs. Though there is a kind of dwarf L2-linking feature, it's too stiff to be very practical. Once you have typed in the symbol, you can make things work fairly quickly for entering and executing actual orders either by clicking on the bid, last, or ask buttons for limit orders, or by utilizing whatever "advanced" and "auto" order functions.
The main workaround that I've been using, like other TS users, is to construct workspaces ahead of time that already contain all of the charts and other objects (L2, etc.) that I'd like to be looking at at once, so that all I need to do is either click between already-loaded workspaces or open up the already-saved workspace. It's also the only practical way to make the most of multiple monitors with TS6.
By now, I have around 250 stock-specific workspaces on disk. I put around 75 or so in an ACTIVE TRADING directory each evening for easy access, and I make new ones whenever a new stock of possible interest comes up. One advantage of this method is the ability to save all of your analysis over time, obviously with the most active tradables getting updated the most frequently. I also use other kinds of workspaces for other purposes, of course (index analysis, trade review, and the like). I also keep duplicates that consist of daily charts with a pseudo-strategy that outputs/appends to an Excel file. I use them as a pseudo-scanner to set up for the next day.
I have said this before on ET: At least until the upcoming upgrade, and probably all the more so even then, what it mostly comes down to is treating TS on its own terms, and using its unique features creatively (templates can also help, speed stuff up a lot, btw), not trying to make TS6 work like RealTick, CyberTrader Pro, or similarly designed trading software.
so you have to do those individually.