Alerts
Alerts are a useful way to receive a notification when a particular event has occurred. This could be as simple as a price for a particular instrument has been reached or a trend line has been crossed. More advanced examples include comparing values from different studies.
Active alerts can be managed centrally from the Alerts panel in the Console. By default, this is included on the Home page. You can add an alerts panel anywhere in the console from the Add Tab button to the right of any panel tab.
Price Alerts
The simplest type of alert is a Price Alert. A price alert does not require a chart in order to execute. It will triggered by the bid/ask or last price of an instrument. Price Alerts can be created directly from the Alerts panel or from the Price Axis of a chart.
The following dialog is shown when an alert is created from the Alerts panel. Alerts created from the Price Axis are similar except for the ability to choose an instrument (this is assumed from the chart).
Settings available in this panel are as follows:
Parameters
Condition – This defines the criteria for triggering the alert. The first field (input) can be any of the ticker inputs (last price, bid/ask high/low etc). The last field can be an absolute price. Alternatively, it could be a relative value (click the Indicator box) such as Last Price, Best Bid or Best Ask. In the case of a Price Alert, this will be an absolute value in most cases. Three types of operators are available for comparison:
Crosses – Input crosses above or below the second input
Crosses Above – Triggers the alert only if it crosses above the second input
Crosses Below – Triggers the alert only if it crosses below the second input
Touches – Triggers an alert if the target value is touched or crossed
Trigger Multiple – If this option is checked, the alert will still be valid after it is first triggered. In this case this alert will be triggered indefinitely until it is explicitly cancelled.
Label / Comments – These fields enable you to add your own text to an email notification that is sent when the alert is triggered
Notification
Show Alert – If true the Alert History window will be displayed when the alert is triggered
Play Sound – A sound will be played when the alert is triggered. This can either be the preset sound or a specific sound file that you can specify.
Send Email – If enabled (and email sending has been configured), an email will be sent to the given email address when the alert is triggered.
Study Alerts
Alerts can be based on values that are generated as part of a study. These types of alerts execute in the context of a chart and require the chart to be open in order to be active. Similar to a price alert, you can create a study alert by right clicking on the vertical axis (of the Price Plot or a Study Plot) and choosing Create Alert.
Two types of comparisons can be made with a study alert:
Absolute Comparison – A study value is compared to a specific value (ie -0.1174 in the above example)
Relative Comparison – A study value is compared against another study value (in the same plot). Click on the Indicator field to enable a relative comparison.
The example below illustrates a study alert where the value of one study KAMA(C,20) crosses the value of another study (Tenkan-Sen(9)). The alert is displayed where the intersection point would be between these two values.
Component Alerts
Some components can be used to generate alerts. For example, you could create an alert for when a moving average crosses a trend line. If you would like to create this type of alert, right click on a trend line and choose Create Alert.
In the example below the study value KAMA(C,20) was chosen to cross the trend line. The alert label shows the current crossing value. Press the ‘C’ button to cancel the alert. The alert may be edited by double clicking the alert label or via right click and choosing Edit Alert.
Trading From Alerts
Trades can be placed when an alert triggers. Click on the Trade tab of the alert dialog to define an order that will be placed when the alert is activated.
Orders can be placed on a different instrument from where the alert was triggered. Market, Limit and stop orders are supported as order types. Optionally, you can attach a limit (profit) order and/or stop/trail order.
Advanced Alert Settings
Additional options on an alert can be specified from the Advanced tab. This tab enables to you adjust time times when the alert is applicable (or expires) and the display properties.
Time In Force
The Time In Force section allows you to set an expiry date/time for an alert and optionally define times of the day when the alert is active.
Time Zone – The dates and times specified in this section will use the same time zone defined for the chart. This may optionally be overridden by unchecking the Use Default box.
Expires – Check the Enabled field to the right to specify a date/time when the alert will expire and be removed.
Session 1 – Defines a time of the day when the alert will be active
Session 2 – Define a secondary time of the day when the alert will be active.
Display
The Display section allows you to override default display attributes for the alert.
Alert History
The Alert History window displays alerts that have been triggered in the past. Choose View -> Display -> Alert History Window from the top menu bar. If the chart where they were activated is still available, a Chart button will be available to view the chart that they originated from.
Historical alerts are also visible directly on the chart. Icons are displayed when and where (what price) and alert occurred. If you place the mouse cursor over one of the alarm clock icons, you can view detailed information.
Alert history can also be found under the History tab of the Alerts panel (in the Console):
Alert Preferences
Global alert preferences can be configured in the Preferences dialog (Configure -> Preferences from the Console menu bar). The alert preferences will be found under the Alerts tab (see below).
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