Trendlines and Templates

[shaeffer]

Whenever I update an Adv chart template, and apply it to existing charts, I lose the trend lines on the existing charts. Is there a way to preserve the trendlines while applying a new template?

Thanks
shaeffer

[DuaneG]

shaeffer,

When working with Style Templates, the lines that are built upon one chart do not transfer to a second chart with the template. There is a way to accomplish what you are looking to do. I would suggest perhaps using the Layout feature. Once you have created a chart with the color settings and lines that you want to transfer, simply re-save the Advanced Chart under a different name and repeat the process for the total amount of charts you want to build. As the subsequent charts are ultimately built from the original chart, they will all contain the same lines. Hope this helps.

[shaeffer]

Hi Duane,

I'll explain better what I'm trying to do.

I have a series of layouts (of biotechs, semis, internets, etc) that I look at after the close - looking for trading setups. Each layout has 6 charts on which I add trend lines.

Each chart has 3 lower studies. Every once in a while, I'll want to try a different study. Instead of removing ADX and replacing it with RSI 36 times (in 6 charts x 6 layouts), I tried making the change once in one chart and saving it as a style template, and then applying the new style template 36 times (with hotkeys, it is quick).

So I start with a (saved) chart of QLGC with trend lines (1 of 36) and create the new template. When I apply the new template to chart 2 of 36 the trend lines and any notes on it disappear. I thought that as long as a file name was not changed, that the trend lines associated with any symbol would remain saved in that chart, even for multiple symbols. But it seems the new template ignores the previous trend lines, even though the symbol has not changed.

I'm not sure I understood your answer. I am not trying to transfer trend lines and apply a new template to a new chart. I am trying to apply a new template to an existing chart and am hoping I don't have to redraw all the existing trend lines again.
--------------------
I just did some experimenting. It seems that a template actually saves trend lines for a specific symbol. So when I apply the template created from chart 1, QLGC to chart 2, MXIM, the chart 2 trend lines disappear. But if I change chart 2 to QLGC, the trend lines appear. So a template is almost like applying the details from one file to another?

Is there an easy way to make the study changes I mention above to multiple charts?

Regards
shaeffer

[DuaneG]

Hi Schaeffer,

Thanks for the additional details. At this point in time, the lines that are applied either through the Style Template or via renaming the layout are assigned by symbol only. As you switch from symbol to symbol the lines will not be transferred. I'll pass the global lines idea over to the Product Development Team for further exploration.

[shaeffer]

Hi Duane,

I don't understand your answer, but I think you know what I want. If I outline my understanding of how eSignal chart files work, would you tell me if I'm right or wrong?

1. As far as I can figure out, any trend lines and notes are saved as part of the style template in use when a chart is saved. So during the day, in any one chart, if I looked at 10 symbols and drew 2 lines on the chart of each symbol, then saved the chart (say as Chart1.ach) at the end of the day, then I would see those same lines the following day for each symbol. All 20 lines would be saved as part of that template (say template A).

2. But then the next day, if I added a new indicator to the chart, and saved that 'look' as a new template (template B) all the previous trend lines would be lost (except for the lines on whatever symbol was on the chart when I added the new indicator - those lines would be saved with the new template B).

3. Any new lines for any symbol then viewed would be saved with template B. But if I switchd back to template A, those new lines would not be visible, but the old trendlines (from 1. above) would.

4. In 2. above, when I create the new template, I want to view all existing trend lines in that new template, but that presently can not be done it seems. If adding that ability is what you meant by global trendlines, then you are right on!! I envision a pop-up check box asking "save all existing notes and lines?" whenever the Style Template > Save command is selected.

5, You mentioned renaming Layouts. As far as I can figure, a Layout is just a collection of chart (and other file) names. So saving a Layout is just a quick way to save all the files presently open.

6. If I opened a brand new chart, Chart2.ach, it would open with my default template. But if I then loaded template A, all 20 trendlines from 1. above could be seen (with their associated symbol), because the symbol/trendline details are part of the template (but not necessarily part of the chart file name).

Am I correct above?

Regards
shaeffer

[DuaneG]

Hi shaeffer,

To address the questions you mentioned;

1. Yes, any lines that you add to any symbol on a single chart will be displayed from that point forward providing you have saved the Advanced Chart itself. You must use the "Save As" option when re-saving the Advanced Chart after new lines have been added to incorporate them.

2. Actually the lines that you placed on the other symbols you were viewing will still be part of the Advanced Chart (.ach) file. The fact that you changed the properties of the .ach file by adding a new indicator will not affect the lines drawn on other symbols within the same Advanced Chart.

Let's think about it like this. A Style Template is responsible for a few different things. The Style Template primary job is to save the color, the studies, the colors of the studies and the basic properties of the Advanced Chart; basically the "look and feel". The Advanced Chart file (.ach) saves the lines and notes (per symbol). The layout file (.lay) saves the size, position and the orientation of the Advanced Chart windows in relation to other windows that are currently open.

5. Actually we don't want to re-name the layout; we want to re-name the Advanced Chart file that contains all the lines and notes we wish to transfer. The Layout file is basically a snapshot of how the different windows are placed in relation to one another.

Hopefully this sheds a little light on how these files are structured and what the specific purpose is for layouts, Advanced Charts and Style Templates.

[shaeffer]

1. Yes, any lines that you add to any symbol on a single chart will be displayed from that point forward providing you have saved the Advanced Chart itself. You must use the "Save As" option when re-saving the Advanced Chart after new lines have been added to incorporate them.

I thought you only used "Save As" to save as a different file (.ach) name, otherwise "Save" and Save As" were identical. So if you opened an existing chart file, added lines, then used "Save As", all the previous and new lines would be saved under the new file name (but only the old lines would be there if you later opened the old file name). However, if after adding new lines you used both "Save" and "Save As", you would have two identical files (with two different names).

I normally use "Save Layout" and "Exit" or "Exit All and Save" to exit the program, and I'm sure(?) all new and existing trend lines are saved. I assume those two exit methods inherently use just the "Save" command. Are you sure "Save As" must be used to save new trend lines?

2. Actually the lines that you placed on the other symbols you were viewing will still be part of the Advanced Chart (.ach) file. The fact that you changed the properties of the .ach file by adding a new indicator will not affect the lines drawn on other symbols within the same Advanced Chart.

Let's think about it like this. A Style Template is responsible for a few different things. The Style Template primary job is to save the color, the studies, the colors of the studies and the basic properties of the Advanced Chart; basically the "look and feel". The Advanced Chart file (.ach) saves the lines and notes (per symbol). The layout file (.lay) saves the size, position and the orientation of the Advanced Chart windows in relation to other windows that are currently open.

Above is exactly what I thought before. Adding a new indicator did not change existing trend lines or notes. It was only when I wanted to save the new 'look' (to include this indicator) as a template, and apply the new template to many other files that trend lines in the other files disappeared. (That's when I began to think lines were associated with the template, but you say not).

I just did a test. I opened a brand new chart, with no trend lines. I used "Save" and "Save As" to give it two new (.ach) file names. I then applied an existing template to it, and trend lines appeared. This was a new chart, so where did the trend lines come from?

I then drew a new line on the chart, and used "Save" and "Save As" and opened them both. I applied an existing template, and in both cases the old 'mystery' lines appeared, and the new line was gone. It seems the template over-wrote the new lines with its old lines. Does the same thing happen on your computer?

5. Actually we don't want to re-name the layout; we want to re-name the Advanced Chart file that contains all the lines and notes we wish to transfer.

Maybe I'll understand why we need to re-name all the Adv Chart files, pending your answer on "Save" vs "Save As", and what you mean by 'transfer'. But if you did rename all your files, then I agree, there's no need to re-name the layout. The layout would simply now be a collection of all the new file names.

I appreciate your time in preparing these replies
Regards
shaeffer
P.S. In most cases I use Dion's great new quick line color feature to draw lines - that's not affecting the above, I hope?

[DuaneG]

Hi Shaeffer,

Alexis reminded me yesterday of a small document and a series of screenshots he composed on this subject. I thought I would pass it along. I'll follow up later today on some of the issues you mentioned in your latest post. Thanks again for all the details you have provided.... definitely helpful from a support standpoint.

Lesson: How to Copy Line Tools Between Charts

[shaeffer]

Originally posted by DuaneG
A Style Template is responsible for a few different things. The Style Template primary job is to save the color, the studies, the colors of the studies and the basic properties of the Advanced Chart; basically the "look and feel". The Advanced Chart file (.ach) saves the lines and notes (per symbol).

Hi Duane,

I looked at Alex's pdf file, and see how a template can transfer lines. Which seems contrary to the above.

My system seemed slower today. I discovered that the template I had applied a few days ago to 24 charts had carried over the same 18 trend lines to those 24 charts. A lot of excess baggage.

So as we know, chart files will save trend lines for multiple symbols. But it seems that if a template is made from that chart, those same lines become part of the template, and will over-write the lines on any other chart the template is applied to. (I didn't notice until Alex's slides that template are also .ach files).

It would nice if templates did not save/over-write lines and notes. Then a template would only transfer the look and feel of a chart. To achieve what Alex's slides show, it would seem easier to simply save the first file under a 2nd name. Or maybe create a 'transfer lines and notes' command?

Regards
shaeffer

P.S. It would also be nice if EFS's that cause a drawing update or triggered alert didn't also yank the cursor away from your current task. When part way thru typing the words in this note, the cursor got yanked away about 20 times! Can that be changed?