Page 261 - THE MARKET WHISPERER

THE MARKET WHISPERER 25 7

• The platform must be simple and user-friendly, with the ability to
simultaneously display at least 20 different charts over several screens.

• The platform must display over several screens and provide the ability
to save the installation configurations, so that each time you reopen it,
it will return to the multi-screen configuration you defined and saved.

Download and Installation

First, you need to open an account with a broker and deposit money in
it. This issue was covered in Chapter Two. Once you have completed the
account opening process, which should take no more than a few minutes,
you will have to wait for the broker’s authorization, which could take a
few days. You will receive an e-mail congratulating you for joining, and a
platform download link. The download process is simple and identical to
that of any program, and therefore needs no explanation. The questions
begin to surface after installation and with the first time you open the
platform, since at this stage you still have no clue, really, about what to do.
More on that later.

First Activation and Screen Configuration

All trading platforms are very similar. This explanation is structured
around the COLMEX Pro platform, but will not vary greatly for any platform.
When you first open the platform, you will find a window layout which the
broker has chosen for you. Since brokers do not understand much about
day trading but understand a lot about trading commissions, you will
generally find that the configuration they offer is nothing like what you
need. It is no more than a place to start. If this is your first day of study
and you are using only one screen, you will need to start with the basic
windows configuration I demonstrate later.

The trading platform allows you to arrange various windows across
your screen, each of which has a specific function. You will configure the
position and number of windows according to your needs. Further on, I will
recommend several basic configurations and explain their components.
Once the windows are set up the way you want them, you will need to save
the display configuration (Save Screen, Layout, or Page) under a name. I
tend to save several configurations: suited to one screen, to two, to three
and so on. I also save my favorite configurations on a USB stick on my
key ring, so that if I need to trade when I’m away from home, I can easily
install my platform on any computer and upload the screen layouts (Open
Screen) that I prefer.