If you have not already read the brief introduction to Excel 2007 I would advise you do so before continuing on with this tutorial series. You may be asking yourself what is the point using Excel as an analysis platform when there are products such as Wealth Lab and TradeStation available. I think that it is important that every trader be able to understand the underlying concepts of the indicators they are using and be able to analyse data. By undertaking this tutorial series you will also get the chance to learn by doing, which helps re-enforces concepts much better than if you were to just passively read the articles.

When you first start Microsoft Excel 2007, you will be presented with a screen similar to the one shown below. The key areas and terminology are also highlighted. Read the full story

Popularity: 23% [?]

In trading as in any other profession it is important to have the right tool for the right job. In our daily life as a trader we work with a large range of data that requires analysis. If you have done any kind of statistical or financial analysis I am sure you will be familiar with Microsoft Excel, however if you are just starting out Microsoft Excel may be less familiar to you.

Microsoft Excel is a powerful spreadsheet based application. The main window is comprised of rows and columns laid out in a grid format. This allows for easy entry and analysis of data. The version I use and would recommend is Microsoft Excel 2007. There are many new features in Excel 2007 these include: larger workbook capacity, completely overhauled user interface, simpler pivot table creation, easier third party data access and a stream lined workflow. The image below shows a screen shot of Excel 2007 in action.

As you can see Microsoft Excel 2007 has a remarkably different user interface to earlier versions of Excel and if you are used to working with previous versions of Excel it will take you a little while to adapt to the new way of doing things.

Microsoft Excel allows you to create your own formulas and apply them to data. Excel also has many built in functions that allow for manipulation of data and the ability to record macros to streamline processes. Before I go through the interface of Excel 2007 there are two key things that you need to do.

1. Install Add ins. Read the full story

   Popularity: 14% [?]

Today we will be putting Windows Vista Business Edition to the trading platform  test. The programs that we will be testing under Windows Vista Business Edition today are Global Trading System Professional by FX Solutions and TeleTrader Professional or FX AccuCharts.

Installation

These two programs are packaged separately therefore you will have to install them separately. It is not important which program is installed first.I have chosen to install FX AccuCharts first.

FX AccuCharts Install

The FX AccuCharts installation is very straightforward, simply choose an install location, agree to the licence, choose a username and finally choose a complete or custom install (I have gone for complete). The time it takes to install FX AccuCharts is significantly longer then most other platforms. When installation is completed it gives you the option to launch both the application and manual. After installation an icon is placed on the desktop. Read the full story

Popularity: 12% [?]

Today we will be putting Windows Vista Business Edition to the trading platform test. The platform that we will be testing under Windows Vista Business Edition today is EFX Navigator.

Installation: The EFX Navigator installation is very straightforward, simply choose an install location and agree to the licence and EFX Navigator is installed without a hitch. The wizard buttons and overall look had a very Windows 98 feel about them. After installation is complete you can choose to place an icon on either your Desktop and or quick launch toolbar.

On first launch of EFX Navigator, you will notice the windows 98 look and feel. It is very disappointing that the EFX Navigator does such a poor job in the user interface department as I have heard many reports that they offer straight through processing. Read the full story

Popularity: 7% [?]

Today we will be putting Windows Vista Business Edition to the trading platform  test. The platform that we will be testing under Windows Vista Business Edition today is AvaTrader.

Installation: The AvaTrader installation is very straightforward, simply choose an install location and agree to the licence and AvaTrader is installed without a hitch. A shortcut will also be place on the Desktop.

When AvaTrader is first launched, you will notice that it checks for any updates and then installs them. The good thing about AvaTrader is that unlike DealBooks 360 this process does not require Administrator permission. AvaTrader adopts the new Windows Vista Business Edition look and feel, this is much better then AvaTrader’s previous Aqua look.

In AvaTrader there are three main views the main view, chart view and exclusive daily commentary.  In each of these views, the Dealing rates are present in a separate sub window on the left hand side of the screen. This is a handy feature as it allows for one click buying and selling in any view. The Dealing rate also displays a tick chart for each respective currency. In the main view, there are several sub windows these include:

• Dealing Rates Table.
• Chart window.
• Tabs: Summary, Open Positions and Orders.
• Account Information: Balance, Equity, USD Margin, Usable Margin Net P/L.

The Charts view simply contains a sub window that fills the screen with the chart of your choice. The exclusive daily commentary window is misleading at best. The content provided is rehashed readily available information that is not even displayed in the application; a separate Internet browser window is opened.  Below are some screen shots of AvaTrader running under Windows Vista Business Edition:

A feature that I like about AvaTrader is the ability to drag the dealing rates or any other sub window onto a secondary monitor. AvaTrader as a platform in general is not that appealing in my opinion the only thing they got right was the Dealing Rates window. With no ability to write custom indicators and automate trading strategies the platform is a letdown.   

Bottom Line

Windows Vista Business Edition runs AvaTrader without a single hitch, AvaTrader is faster more stable and more elegant under Vista. If you are already using AvaTrader upgrading to Windows Vista Business Edition will not cause any great problems. If you are considering using AvaTrader as a trading platform I would advise you to seriously consider alternative options that provide better tools and the ability to automate trading.

Popularity: 8% [?]

Today we will be putting Windows Vista Business Edition to the trading platform test. The platform that we will be testing under Windows Vista Business Edition today is DealBooks 360 and Chart Studio.

Installation: Simply select language and accept End User Licence Agreement, choose install destination and both DealBooks 360 and Chart Studio shortcuts will be placed on your desktop.

The first time I ran DealBooks 360 there were no issues, the speech recognition assistant came up and I configured my speech recognition settings by completing the tutorial. After you have set up your microphone, you setup speech commands for DealBooks. I do not recommend this for live trading however as it is still an emerging technology. Upon closing the compatibility assistant came up telling me that Windows Vista had fixed a compatibility problem for me and that next time I run the program there should not be an issue.

DealBooks 360 is completely compatible with Windows Vista Business Edition and makes use of some of the advanced speech recognition features present in Vista. It is a bit of annoyance however that the speech recognition features cannot be turned off in DealBooks 360 and the updater is a separate application that requires permission to run. Some screen shots of DealBooks 360 are shown below: Read the full story

Popularity: 7% [?]