Price Axis Settings are common for all chartings, they include scaling modes, zooming parameters, and expansion.
To customize the settings:
1. Make sure the Chart Settings window is open. For information on accessing this window, refer to the Preparation Steps article.
2. Choose the Price axis tab. This area allows you to define parameters of the price axis. When customizing these parameters, you can choose either Auto or Manual setting mode.
Auto Scale Mode
Choose Auto from the Scale drop-down list to enable automatic scale setup for the price axis. The Auto mode suggests that the span of the price axis be defined automatically meeting your preferences about charted elements.
The Auto Scale mode provides you with the following options:
- Fit high/low. Select this option to adjust the price axis so that it fits the highest and the lowest price of the entire plot. If disabled, dynamic auto-scaling will be applied to the price axis so that it fits to the highest and the lowest price for the currently displayed time interval.
- Fit orders. Select this option if you prefer to scale the price axis so that all working order prices for the current instrument are always visible. If disabled, the orders falling out of the current price range will be shown with arrows at the top or the bottom of the chart; the list of orders that do not fit into the current price range will be shown in a tooltip of the corresponding order pill.
- Fit alerts. Select this option to scale the price axis so that all alert prices are always visible. If disabled, the alerts falling out of the current price range will be shown with arrows at the top or the bottom of the chart; the list of alerts that do not fit into the current price range will be shown in a tooltip of the corresponding alert pill.
- Fit studies. Select this option to scale the price axis so that all upper studies’ plots are always completely visible. If disabled, you will only see the parts of the plots contained in the current price axis span.
- Fit study markers. Select this option to scale the price axis so that all the arrows plotted for studies are always visible. If disabled, you will only see the arrows within the space limited by the current price range.
- Expansion area. This option allows you to enlarge the subgraph area by adding extra space to the top and/or the bottom. Specify Up and Down expansion for the price axis as a percentage of the subgraph height to be allocated for them. Note that the allowable range of the Up and Down expansion values is 0..30.
- Custom interval. Specify a custom interval between the labels on the price axis. Note that if the specified interval is too small to view the labels with the current Font Size setting, it is replaced with a minimum interval at which the price labels are readable.
Manual Scale Mode
Choose Manual from the drop-down list to enable manual scale setup for the price axis. The Manual mode allows you to adjust the price axis manually: dragging any point of the price axis up and down will scale the axis up and down respectively. Double clicking on the axis will return it to the Auto mode.
Manual mode provides you with the following options:
- Keep price zoom. Select this option if you prefer to keep the defined price axis scaling on a detached chart or a different symbol chart. If Keep price zoom is not selected, the Auto mode will be applied.
- Limits. Specify Top and Bottom parameters to set upper and lower limits for the price axis. Note that you will only see the parts of the price plot and studies contained in the specified price range.
- Custom interval. Specify a custom interval between the labels on the price axis. Note that if the specified interval is too small to view the labels with the current Font Size setting, it is replaced with a minimum interval at which the price labels are readable.
Display Parameters
Parameters defined in the Display section are applicable for both Auto and Manual mode.
- Use log scale. Select this option to mark off the scale in distances proportional to the logarithms of the values being represented. You might want to use the logarithmic scale for long range trend analysis.
- Show price as percentage. Select this option to view all the displayed high, low, open, and close prices as the percentage change of the first bar’s close price. The initial value of the close price defines the zero level.
- Show bubbles as percentage. Select this option if you prefer the current values of the high, low, open, and close prices to be displayed as the percentage as well, otherwise these prices will be displayed as dollar values. Note that the Show bubbles as percentage option is only applicable when the Show price as percentage option is selected.
- Enable left axis. Enable this option if you prefer to display additional Y axis independent from the existing one. This axis will be available when you choose to measure values of a certain study on an independent scale.
Note that price axis settings can also be reached by pressing the Price axis settings button in the top right corner of the chart.