Chart Saving/Loading

Customizing FastTrack for the Web

Chart saving saves every FastTrack for the Web setting that you currently see. Specifically,

• The chart contents, colors, sizes, indicators, period, signals, trend lines , fonts,  and more.
• Export settings including export definitions, family exported, options chosen.
• Spreadsheet columns used.
• Families loaded on the Chart Tab and Export Tab (but not the Internet or Spreadsheet Tab.
• Printer settings including printer used, chart size, colors, and text displayed.
• Signal and trade file names. 
• Parameter files.

When a chart is saved and then restored, every aspect of the chart is restored EXCEPT that the chart definition file loaded is not saved and not restored since that could put the process of restoring a chart into a circular loop.

Load and Save Options

• Click on the Chart Tab.
• Right-click in the chart itself.
• Choose Save/Load and then choose Chart.

CHARTDEF  files may have any valid name. They may be saved anywhere, but we suggest

C:\FT\FT4WIN\CHARTDEF\USERDEF.

  The default name for a saved file is the ticker symbol of the red line.

DO NOT store your charts in the CHARTDEF subdirectory itself since they will then be mixed with FastTrack-defined charts making it difficult to determine the origin of the saved file and to understand whether you can delete the file later. For commentary and other purposes, FastTrack will download CHARTDEF files with your regular daily data update. These WILL overwrite you own CHARTDEF files of the same name if you place your CHARTDEF files in the \CHARTDEF folder instead of the \CHARTDEF\USERDEF folder.

Chart Date Options

This options pops up after saving the chart definition. The choice governs the date range displayed when the previously saved chart is redisplayed. Type a single character into the input box and hit the <Enter> key.

• E - The start date remains the same and the end date is set to the current end date of the database. The chart gets longer and longer.
• S- The number of market days displayed remains constant. The end date is the last date in the database. The start date equals the end date minus the number of market days of the constant span.
• F -Fixed: The start and end dates never change.

If you want to change an option, just load an existing CHARTDEF and the resave using a new option. The default option  value is S for a new CHARTDEF, and is whatever was previously set as the option when saving over an old CHARTDEF.

Why would you want to save your charts?

You may want to review the same view of an issue you hold in your portfolio every evening with exactly the same trend lines , colors, etc. Also, you might wish to print it every evening and you will find that the Chart definition includes the printing options you select.

Alternately, you may prefer to have a standard view for mutual funds in the GROWTH family,  a different view for stocks in the DJ-30 Family, and yet another view for bond funds in the BD-INTLJ family. A loaded CHARTDEF restores the family loaded, the indicators shown, time span, custom colors, etc.

Note: The original chart cannot always be restored when

1. The family have been changed and has missing or new members.
2. An issue has been removed from the database.
3. The parameter set has changed. The parameter set named,"DEFAULT" is saved every time FT4Web shuts down. To avoid surprises, save the current parameters under  a name of your choice, then save the chart . . . the saved chart definition will contain the saved parameter name, not "DEFAULT"