A new window displays, and some onscreenprocessing takes place.
Step 3: Once processing is complete, you canbegin annotating your SharpChart inside of the ChartNotes applet!
The ChartNotes applet that appears willinclude all the graphics from your chart, along with vertical and horizontal toolbars thatyou will use to make your annotations.
Through ChartNotes, you can add as manylines, arrows, and indicators that you want using the DrawingToolbar.
Annotations are easilydistinguished and made more visually pleasing by editing the
The Chart can be wiped clean, saved, orreloaded to a previous save when you are ready to finalize thechart.
Also, dragging your cursor over the chart will display the QuoteData at that point.
Common Activities |
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The following list includes some of the most commonactivities you'll perform while working with the ChartNotes window:
Determining Price and Indicator Levels | [*]Move your mouse over the chart. The date and value for the cursor's current position will appear at the bottom of the chart. If your cursor moves over a price bar/candlestick, the full quote for that time period will also appear. (See Info Modes) [/list] |
Drawing a Trend Line | [*]Select the Trend Line Tool at the top of the screen. (See Line, Horizontal, or Vertical tool) [*]Click and drag your mouse from the beginning to the end of the line. [*]To change the line position, click the yellow squares ("handles") at either end. [*]To shift the line's position without changing the angle, click on the center of the line. [/list] |
Creating a Parallel Line | [*]Insert the trend line. [*]Switch to the Selection Tool. [*]Hold down the CTRL key, and click the center of the original line. [*]Drag the new parallel line to the desired position on the chart. [/list] |
Using a Callout Box | To create a callout box:
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Deleting Single/All Annotations | To delete a single annotation:
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Adding Linear Regression (Raff) Channels | [*]Select the Raff Regression Channel Tool. [*]Click on the beginning of a trend and drag your mouse to the end of the trend. The central line is the linear regression line. The upper and lower Raff channel lines are placed equidistant from the center line and parallel to it. [/list] |
Adding Cycle Lines | [*]Select the Cycle Lines Tool. [*]Click on a significant peak or trough on the chart. As you drag your mouse to the next significant reversal, vertical lines appear at intervals equal to the distance you have dragged your mouse. [/list] |
Inserting Andrew's Pitchfork Lines | [*]Select the Andrew's Pitchfork Tool. [*]Click once at a the start of a significant price movement. Click a second time wherever the first major reversal in the price movement happens. Finally click wherever the primary trend resumed. [/list] |
Adding Fibonacci Retracements |
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Adding Arrows |
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Adding Shaded Areas | [*]Select the Box or Circle tool. [*]Select the color that you want from the color palette. [*]Hold down the Ctrl key on your keyboard. [*]Click and drag on the chart to create the shaded area. [/list] |
The Drawing Toolbar |
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- Allows you to select a specific annotation to which you can then make modifications.
- Can be used to shift, stretch, or change the color of an object.
- Double clicking a text box or callout box with the selection tool allows you to edit the text.
[*]Creates a line of any angle by clicking and dragging your mouse from the beginning to the end of the line.
[*]Line will be drawn in the color that is selected.
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[*]Creates a horizontal line that goes all the way across the chart.
[*]Useful for marking support/resistance lines.
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[*]Creates a vertical line from the bottom of the chart to the top.
[*]Useful for connecting indicators or volume levels to price movements.
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[*]Draws a box around a specific area within the chart.
[*]Useful for identifying important price movements .
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[*]Draws a circle around a specific area within the chart.
[*]Useful for identifying important price movements.
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[*]Opens a free-form text box into which you can enter text.
[*]Use this to make notes/comments or add titles to charts.
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[*]Opens a free-form box into which you can enter text or numbers.
[*]More than one callout "pointers" can be inserted into a chart.
[*]A great way to annotate specific movements or trends.
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[*]Inserts an arrow at selected points in the chart.
[*]Can point up, down, left or right.
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[*]Creates five lines that identify price levels and retracement percentages.
[*]Identifies the beginning and end of a significant price move.
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- Creates multiple vertical lines across the chart.
- Provide assistance in spotting cyclical price movements.
- Creates one line that splits into three in the form of a pitchfork.
- Identifies where prices should go as long as the primary trend remains intact.
- Creates three parallel lines along the price line.
- Identifies the highest high or lowest low value within a specified date range.
- Creates a horizontal line that is green when price is above it, and red when price is below.
- Identifies where price is in relationship to the line, showing how a support line can often turn into a resistance line and vice-versa.
- The Chart Sizing buttons lets you add more room for commentary on either side of the chart.
- Hold Ctrl while clicking on them to shrink instead of expand.
- Removes the last edit/annotation.
- Multiple undo's can be executed.
[*]There are four different cursor choices for displaying quote data:
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[*]Standard Cursor : Displays quote data at the bottom of the chart.
[*]Crosshairs : Turns the mouse pointer into crosshairs. As you move over a point, the coordinates are shown below the chart.
[*]Data Popup : As you move the mouse pointer over a specific point, the details for that point are shown in a popup box.
[*]Chart Magnifier : Turns the mouse pointer into a square that contains a magnified view.
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Color, Line Width, And Style Toolbars |
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While working with the drawing toolbar, you have the followingother additional options located along the left side of the ChartNotes page:
Color Toolbar: | You can change the color of any line or box to one of 16 different colors. Simply click on the desired color, and draw your object. Or, select an object you've already drawn, and then click a color on the toolbar. |
Line Width Toolbar: | You can also change the look of any line by selecting one of three line widths, or the dashed line option. |
Style Toolbar: | After selecting a text or callout box, font style choices appear to make the text larger, smaller, or bold. |
Finalizing The Chart |
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Whether you want to start clean or save your chart, these toolsare here for when you have finished with your ChartNotes.
- Detach: Located in the bottom right, this button allows you to resize the ChartNotes tool itself. This can be very useful after using the Chart Sizing buttons.
Saving/Sharing Annotated Charts
Free and Basic users:
You can save annotated charts to your ownhard disk by taking a "screenshot" (click here forinstructions).
Extra! users:
Simply press the
Note: If you areannotating a chart you selected directly from one of your Favorites lists, the chart withannotations is automatically saved back into the original list, and overwrites theoriginal chart.