Customize the Market Depth

 

The Market Depth Window is a flexible tool that can be customized easily. Select from several Quote Bar and Order Entry templates, choose a custom color palate, float the window on your desktop, and even hide whole sections of information with the click of a button.

 

If you customize this tool and wish to preserve the changes for future sessions, you must select Save Layout from the File drop-down menu before exiting the platform.

 

Quote Bar Templates

The look and function of the Quote Bar can be altered using Quote Bar Templates.
(Custom templates can also be created.)

  1. Right-click on the Quote Bar .
  2. Select Quote Bar Template and then one of the following options from the drop-down menu:

    Template 1 -- Shows complete detailed quote information.
    Template 2 -- Shows complete detailed quote information in a compressed format.
    Template 3 -- Shows only four fields of quote information.
    Template 4 -- Shows only eight fields of quote information.

Custom Quote Bars (and Templates)

Traders who want full control over the look and feel of the Quote Bar can now create custom Quote Bars and templates.

 

 

For more information, see Create a Custom Quote Bar.

 

Hide the Quote Bar

  1. Right-click on the body of the Market Depth Window.
  2. Select Display Level I Quote Bar to hide the bar. Repeat these steps to show it again.

Customize the Market Depth Window

The look and function of the Market Depth Window can be altered through the Properties window. Change colors, column content, order of prints and exchanges displayed.

 

  1. Right-click on the body of the Market Depth Window.
  2. Select Properties from the drop-down menu.



  3. Click the General tab, and make changes to the "Market Depth Window" section:

    Display Heat Map -- Opens a window above the Market Depth that indicates the depth of interest per price point. A wide bar indicates a greater number of ECNs and/or Market Makers at a particular price point. A narrow bar indicates a smaller number of ECNs and/or Market Makers at a particular price point.
    Display Heat Map by Volume -- Revises the window above the Market Depth to reflect depth of interest by volume instead of by individual interest. A wide bar indicates a greater aggregate volume, while a narrow bar indicates less interest. For this feature to work, the "Display Heat Map" box must also be checked.
    Display Color Bands -- Revises the Book to assign a different color to every price.
    Display My Order-- Open orders are displayed in the Market Depth window unless this box is unchecked.



    Show Size as Lots -- Displays the quantity of shares traded as "lots" of 100 shares each.
    Color Band Increment -- Expands/compresses the price range represented by each color band.
    Display Closed Market Makers -- Determines how/if closed Market Makers will be displayed.
    Market Depth Columns -- Determines which data fields will be displayed in the Market Depth. Check or uncheck the boxes to turn the data field columns on and off.

  4. Click the Montage tab, and select the Exchanges you wish to display. At least one exchange must be selected for the Market Depth to operate.



  5. Click the Color tab, and select "Market Maker" from the drop-down menu. Select a "Price Level" from the "Color" drop-down menu. If you wish, alter the color using the sliders provided.
  6. Click "OK" to save your changes.

Customize the Order Entry Bar

The look and function of the Order Entry Bar can be altered using the Order Entry Templates.

  1. Right-click on the body of the Market Depth Window.
  2. Select Order Entry Template and then one of the following options from the drop-down menu:

    Normal -- Shows complete order entry information.
    Compact -- Shows order entry information in a compressed format.
    Minimal -- Shows only minimal order entry information.

Set New Defaults for Order Entry Bar (Defaults for this Tool)

You now have the ability to preference specific order types based on the exchange in which a security is listed. To customize these preferences:

 

  1. Right mouse click on the window and select "Order Entry Properties" from the drop-down list.
  2. Click the radio button "Use Defaults Below". This will allow for advanced customization.
  3. Select one or more exchanges to customize.
  4. Once the exchange is selected, the order entry properties may be defined including Asset Type, Trade Size, Order Type, Route, TIF, and more. Fields may be customized based on any number of scenarios. You are not required to define each field.
  5. Click the "Save Defaults for New Order Entry" if you would like these defaults to apply to all new trading-enabled windows you open. All currently opened windows will retain their current settings, but all new windows will adopt the defaults defined here.
  6. Select "OK" to finalize the process and begin using the new defaults. Or select "Cancel" to exit without saving.

 

Order Entry Properties

Set New Defaults for Order Entry (Global Defaults)

General Order Entry defaults can be defined for the platform as a whole. See "Customize Your Layout" for more information.

Hide the Order Entry Bar

  1. Right-click on the body of the Market Depth Window.
  2. Select Display Order Entry Bar to hide the bar. Repeat these steps to show it again.

Customize Trade Dollar Amount Tool

  1. Select Program Options from the Tools drop-down menu at the top of the platform.
  2. Click the Options tab.
  3. Select a Default Order Type : Market, Limit or Both. (Limit is recommended)
  4. Enter a Reserved Dollars for Limit Order amount. This reserve is designed to cover any commission and/or miscellaneous  fees.
  5. Click OK to save your changes.



Hide the Trade Dollar Amount Tool

  1. Right-click on the body of the Market Depth Window.
  2. Select Display Trade Dollar Entry to hide the feature.

Customize the Ticker

  1. Right-click on the body of the Market Depth Window.
  2. Select Properties from the drop-down menu.
  3. Click the General tab, and make changes to the "Sales Ticker" section:

    Newest Prints at Top of Ticker-- Places the newest transactions at the top of the ticker.
    Show Exchange on Ticker-- Includes the symbol of the Exchange used for the transaction.
    Highlight Prints Larger than (x) Shares -- Draws a box around transactions larger than the number you indicate.

Hide the Ticker

  1. Right-click on the body of the Market Depth Window.
  2. Select Display Time and Sales Ticker to hide the bar. Repeat these steps to show it again.

General Market Depth Window Customization

To access general customization options, right-click on the Market Depth Window, and from the list provided, select the option you wish to change:

Title Bar-- Hide or show the blue "Market Depth" title bar.

Clone Window -- Creates a duplicate Market Depth Window.

Links--Links (and unlinks) Market Depth , Charts, and Board View.

Quote Bar Template-- Provides three options for viewing Quote information.

Order Entry Template -- Provides three options for viewing Order Entry information.

Floating Window -- Detaches (or reattaches) the window from the software and floats it over currently running applications.

Display NASDAQ Logo-- Displays (or hides) the NASDAQ logo.

Display Level I Quote Bar-- Displays (or hides) the top Quote portion of the window.

Display Time and Sales Ticker -- Displays (or hides) the ticker.

Display Order Entry Bar -- Displays (or hides) the bottom Order Entry portion of the window.

Properties-- Controls the content and appearance of the window. Select custom colors and font size & face.

Customize Colors Using the Properties Window

  1. Right-click in the body of the window.
  2. Select Properties from the drop-down menu, and click the Color tab.



  3. Select an element from the Color menu. Move the sliders to alter the color of the selected element; or click the Color Picker and select a color from the palate provided. The new color will appear in the Current Color box.
  4. To make the new color the "default" color for the window, click the Save as New Default Color button. The new color will appear in the Default Color box. To revert to the default color, click the Reset to Default Color button.
  5. Click OK to save.

Customize Fonts Using the Properties Window

  1. Right-click in the body of the window.
  2. Select Properties from the drop-down menu, and click the Fonts tab.
  3. Select an element from the Font menu. Click the Font Picker and select a color from the palate provided. The new color will appear in the Current Color box.



  4. To make the new font the "default" font for the window, click the Save as New Default Font button. To revert to the previous default font, click the Reset to Default Font button.
  5. Click OK to save.