Pocket
Charts User Manual
Quick Start
Chart Screen
The Main Menu
The
Main Toolbar
Querying
a datum
Zooming
In
Zooming
Out
Getting
Quotes
The
Note Screen
Symbol
List Screen
Tap'n'Hold
menu
The
Note Icon
Application
Settings
Using
a proxy server
Chart
Setup Screen
MACD
STOC
BOLL
RSI
AVG
VOL
Quick
Start
Make sure that your
PDA is connected to the Internet
via active synch. In active synch
go to the 'Options' dialog, click
the 'Rules' tab, and make sure that
'Pass Through' is set to 'The Internet'.
When
you have an Internet connection,
click the 'List/Add
Symbol' icon. In the Symbol
List Screen press the plus icon. You will be prompted to enter a
new ticker symbol: enter IBM and press OK. You will then be prompted
for a name label: enter International Business Machines and press OK.
You should now see the software download and store the price data for IBM.
After a few seconds the download should have completed and you should see your
new data set appear in the list. Simply double tap the data set in order to
open the chart
screen for it.
The
Chart Screen
Above
is a screen shot of the main charting
screen. This screen contains the
interactive chart area allowing you
to zoom in and out of
the data set as well as querying individual
datum. The bottom of the screen contains the main
menu and the main toolbar.
The
Main Menu
The main charting
screen contains a popup menu in the
bottom left. The menu items are listed
and described here:
Chart Type
This popup menu item allows you
to choose one of three chart
types for the currently displayed
chart, those types being: Japanese
Candlesticks, Bars and Lines.
Once
you select a new chart type,
your selection is remembered
every time you view the chart.
In other words, each security
can have a different chart
type.
Day Range
This
popup
menu
allows
you
to
quickly
select
the
number
of
chart
ticks
(days)
that
you
wish
to
view
in
one
horizontal
chart width, simply select
the
preset range that you wish
to
use.
The
ranges
available
are:
Last 25 Days,
Last 50 Days,
Last 100 Days,
Last 200 Days,
Last 300 Days,
Last 400 Days,
Last 500 Days,
Show All Days.
List/Add Symbols
This accesses the symbol
list screen. From there you can select another stock, add more stocks
and update your data via the Internet.
Chart Setup
This
accesses
the Chart
Setup screen for the stock that you are currently charting, allowing
you to add/remove technical analysis indicators.
App Setup
Tapping this menu item will take
you to the application settings
screen. This screen allows you
to adjust the permanently stored
application settings.
Get
Quotes
Tapping
this
menu
item
will take you to the quotes
screen which will
give you at a glance
quotes on all the symbols
that you're currently
following.
Edit/View Note
Tapping this
will take you to the note
editing screen for
the chart currently
in View
Software Update
Tapping
this will cause PocketCharts
to check online for
a newer version of
itself. If a newer
version is found
then you will be
informed and you
should then go and
download the latest
version and install
it on your PocketPC.
Newer versions can
be installed over
the top of older
versions. Your existing
chart data should
remain intact.
Help
Tapping
this will take
you instantly to
the help manual
for the application.
Which is in fact
what you're reading
right now!
About
This
takes you to
the about screen
where you're
able to view
such information
as registration
status, application
version etc.
Quit
Tapping
this will exit
the application.
It won't just
put the application
into the background
but it will
actually close
it, similar
to closing
via the task
manager. Although
Microsoft recommends
against giving
the user the
ability to
end applications
via the GUI,
we thought
that you'd
like it.
The
Main Toolbar
 List/Add
Symbols
This accesses the symbol
list screen. From there you
can select another stock, add
more stocks and update your data
via the Internet.
 Chart
Setup
This accesses the Chart
Setup screen for the stock
that you are currently charting,
allowing you to add/remove
technical analysis indicators.
 Get
Quotes
This takes you to the quotes
screen where you are
able to download quotes from
the Internet.
 Edit/View
Note
Every stock in the
system has a note file
associated with it. Tapping
this icon takes you to
the note
screen.
 Zoom
In/Out
These icons allow
you to change the time
scale of the current
chart, see Zooming
In and Zooming
out.
Querying
a Datum
To query a point
on the chart, simply tap the chart
with the stylus. Dragging enables
you to see the percentage change
of the price over the drag range.
To clarify things look at the screen
shot below:
In
this particular case the user tapped
the screen at circle 1 and dragged
to circle 2. The box has the following
information:
The date: 10-10-2001
Days open price: 53.60
Days high price: 55.75
Days low price: 53.00
Days close price: 55.52
Change from tap point 1: +4.64%
Change for 10-10-2001: +3.56%
Zooming
In
Step 1
The screen shot below shows two
years worth of price history
for Microsoft® stock.
In order to zoom into a specific region you must first tap the 'Zoom In' icon
highlighted here with the circle.
Step
2
You will now be told to 'Select
Zoom Range'. You must drag your
stylus over the range that you
wish to zoom in to. The circles
in the screen below represent
the drag start/stop points.
Step
3
Upon releasing the stylus from
the screen the application will
zoom into your selected range
as shown below.
Zooming
Out
To zoom out simply tap
the 'Zoom Out' icon highlighted below
with the circle.
Symbol
List Screen
Above
is a screen shot of the symbol
list screen. This screen contains
a list of all the ticker symbols
that you are currently following
with Pocket Charts. To activate
the chart for
any ticker, simply double click
on the row corresponding to the
symbol in question.
By tapping a
row and holding it you access
the tap'n'hold menu
for that particular ticker symbol.
The circle highlights the note
icon.
The
Tap'n'Hold Menu
By tapping
a row in the symbol
list and holding the stylus down, you access the tap'n'hold menu as shown
below.
An
action is performed on the highlighted
data set depending on the menu
item pressed. Chart opens
the chart
screen. Update will perform a web update on the data set relating
to the ticker symbol. Rename allows you to change the name of the data
set.Export allows you to save the data set to a file of your choice.
The data is saved in comma delimited format with a header. Delete removes
the symbol from the list and clears the associated data from disk. Notes accesses
the note screen for the data set.
The
Note Icon
The notepad icon
in the left column of the list represents
the notes for the stock to the right
of it. The icon has two visual states
as described below.
 =
The notes are empty.
 =
The notes have content.
To begin
editing the note, whether it
is empty or not, simply double
tap the icon.
The
Quotes Screen
This
screen shows quotes for all of
the ticker symbols that you are
currently monitoring in Pocket
Charts. You must be connected to
the Internet in order to download
the latest quotes. If you're not
connected to the internet then
your are shown the last known quotes,
taken at the time when you were
last connected to the internet.
The
quotes are usually, at most,
20 minutes old. You can refresh
the quote list by tapping the refresh
icon circled in the above screen
shot Tapping the OK icon will
take you back to the chart
screen.
The
Note Screen
This
screen allows you to type in your
own notes about a particular data
set. Your currently selected input
device, keyboard, transcriber etc.
is automatically opened. After
you have completed your note simply
tap the OK icon.
Application
Settings Screen
This screen is accesible through
the applications bottom left menu.
This
screen allows you to adjust various
application settings which are
permanently stored between separate
sessions of PocketCharts. The setting
are as follows:
Proxy Server Settings
Many companies use firewalls
to protect their corporate
networks. Any employee wishing
to connect to the internet
must use what's called a proxy
server. This proxy server is
a single entrance to the internet
that the employees can use.
The reason that proxies are used is because it's easier to make a single
entrance secure than it is
to secure many entrances, common
sense really.
If you wish to connect
to the internet via a proxy
server then make sure that the
'Use proxy server at this address'
checkbox is ticked and fill
the textfield with your proxy address.
A
proxy address usually consists
of a name or number and a port
number. You should be able to
obtain your proxy address off your
companies system administrator.
For
example a valid address might
look something like this:
217.206.226.150:80
In the above
address example you can see an
IP address (217.206.226.150)
followed by the port number (port
80). Notice how the port number
follows a colon (:).
A valid proxy
address may also consist of various
characters like this:
foo.bar.servername.nl:1080
Data
Download Settings
These settings allow you to configure
how PocketCharts downloads fresh
stock data. The variables are
as follows:
Always use split adjusted
data feed
When this box is ticked then
split adjusted data is used every
time a ticker is refreshed. Otherwise
the non split adjusted close
price is used. This is ticked
by default.
Years History
The number of years worth of
data that should be downloaded
upon a chart or symbol refresh.
The default value is 1 year.
The minimum value is 1 year and
the maximum value is 5 years.
One should note that data refreshes
will take considerably longer if you use a high number here.
Data Method (this item is
removed from v1.30 onwards)
This allows you to select from
one of four different data refresh
methods, a summary of each different
method follows:
Method1:
Old data not cleared first. New data is merged onto end.
Whole set is then bubble sorted.
Method2:
Old data not cleared first. New
data is merged onto end.
Method3:
Old data cleared first. New data
is then downloaded and bubble
sorted.
Method4:
Old data cleared first. New data
is then downloaded.
It is recommended
that you use method 2, unless you are
having problems with your chart data
being mixed up or incomplete,
in which case you should try
the other methods by selecting
them and then refreshing your
chart.
Default Ticks
This represents the number of
days that a new chart should
display by default. The number
can be anything from 5 to 60.
Joypad
Scroll
This number defines how many
chart datums will be scrolled
when the user presses the joypad
LEFT or RIGHT. The default is
8. The minimum is 1. The maximum
is 100. Using the joypad to scroll
is handy when you're trying to
get a feel for a chart, for example
you can look at a charts history
and try and predict by eye which
way the next datum will fall
by simply clicking slowly right.
Chart
Setup Screen
This
screen allows you to fully configure
the currently displayed chart in
the chart
screen. You will notice a row of 'tabs' at the top of the screen. Tapping
each tab gives you access to a different technical overlay setup. To make a
particular overlay become active, simply check the 'Visible On Chart'
box. The technical overlays available are:
MACD
STOC
BOLL
RSI
AVG
VOL
A
drop-down list allows you to select
the 'Price Chart Type'.
Japanese Candlesticks, Open/Close/High/Low
Bar and Line(Close Only) options
are available.
There is a check-box
labeled 'Show Setup Variables
On Chart'.
When ticked the setup variables
for each technical overlay
that is currently being displayed
will be visible in gray text
at the top left in the chart
screen.
There are two buttons at the bottom
of the screen. The left one ('Make Default
be This') allows you to save any configuration as default. The right
one ('Make This be Default') enables you to recall the default
that was previously set. So, if you have a chart setup that you are particularly
fond of, simply enter the chart setup screen and press 'Make Default
be This'.
This has now saved your favorite setup as the universal default. Hence,
whenever you access another chart and press 'Make This be Default',
the chart on view will display the setup that you are fond of.
MACD
Moving Average Convergence
Divergence
The
MACD by its mathematical construction
tends to be more stable than other
momentum indicators. The yellow
line is the moving average of the
MACD, it's called the signal
line. A buy signal is given
when the red MACD line crosses
the yellow signal line from below, as highlighted by the circle in the picture.
Alternatively, a sell signal is given when the red MACD line crosses the signal
line from above. For more accurate predictions this indicator should be used
in conjunction with another momentum indicator such as RSI or STOC.
STOC
Full Stochastic Oscillator
The
Full Stochastic Oscillator takes
three parameters. The first parameter
is the number of periods used to
create the initial black line.
The third parameter is the number
of periods used to create the red
signal line. The additional parameter
in the middle is a "smoothing
factor" for
the initial black line.
The Full
Stochastic Oscillator is more
advanced and more flexible than
its Fast and Slow cousins. It can
even be used to duplicate the other
versions. For example, a (14, 3)
Fast Stochastic is equivalent to
a (14, 1, 3) Full Stochastic and
a (12, 2) Slow Stochastic is equal
to a (12, 3, 2) Full Stochastic.
Readings
below 20 are considered oversold,
whilst readings above 80 are
considered overbought. However,
a reading above 80 is not necessarily
bearish nor a reading below 20
bullish. Securities can continue
to rise after the Stochastic Oscillator
has reached 80 and continue to
fall after the Stochastic Oscillator
has reached 20. It is believed
that some of the best signals
occur when the oscillator moves
from overbought territory back
below 80 and from oversold territory
back above 20.
Buy and sell signals
can also be given when black
crosses above or below red. However,
crossover signals are quite frequent
and can result in a lot of whipsaws.
In the screen shot the circles
highlight sell and buy signals.
The signals displayed are considered
fairly strong because they occurred above and below the 80% and
20% lines, respectively.
One of the most reliable signals
is to wait for a divergence to
develop from overbought or oversold
levels. For example, once the oscillator
reaches overbought levels, wait
for a negative divergence to develop
that will reduce the reading below
80. This usually requires a double
dip, whereby the first drop results
in the said fall below 80 and only
the second dip results in the sell
signal. Similarly, for a buy signal
wait for a positive divergence
to develop to move the indicator
back above 20. Again, the first
rise will usually need to be disregarded.
Once the signal is on the increase, the second break above
20 confirms the positive divergence and a buy signal is given.
BOLL
Bollinger
Bands
Developed
by John Bollinger, Bollinger Bands
are an indicator that allows users
to compare volatility and relative
price levels over a period time.
The indicator consists of three
bands designed to encompass
the majority of a security's
price action:
A simple moving average (SMA)
in the middle.
An upper band (SMA
plus 2 standard deviations).
A
lower band (SMA minus 2 standard
deviations).
Standard deviation is a statistical
term that provides a good indication
of volatility. Using the standard
deviation ensures that the bands
will react quickly to price movements
and reflect periods of high and
low volatility. Sharp price increases
(or decreases), and hence volatility, will lead to a widening of the
bands.
A buy signal occurs when the price
drops below the lower deviation
line. A sell signal when the price
rises above the upper deviation.
Example signals are highlighted
circles in the screen shot.
Bollinger bands should be tweaked
to suit each different stock, by
widening the deviation you make
the buy/sell signals less sensitive.
RSI
Relative Strength Index
The Relative
Strength Index is an extremely useful and popular momentum oscillator.
The RSI compares the magnitude of a stock's recent gains to the magnitude of
its recent losses and turns that information into a number that ranges from
0 to 100. It takes a single parameter:
the number of time periods to use
in the calculation. We recommends
using 14 periods.
Overbought/Oversold
It is recommended to use 70 and
30 as overbought and oversold
levels, respectively. Generally,
if the RSI rises above 30 it
is considered bullish for the
underlying stock. Conversely,
if the RSI falls below 70,
it is a bearish signal. Some
traders identify the long-term
trend and then use extreme
readings for entry points.
If the long-term trend is bullish,
then oversold readings could
mark potential entry points.
Turning
Points
Strong turning points at extreme
values can represent buy and
sell signals, in the screen shot a buy signal is highlighted.
Notice how the buy signal is a turning point upward that occurred
below the 20% line.
Divergences
Buy and sell signals can also
be generated by looking for
positive and negative divergences
between the RSI and the underlying
stock. For example, consider a falling stock whose RSI rises
from a low point of (for example) 15 back up to say, 55.
Because of how the RSI is constructed,
the underlying stock will often
reverse its direction soon after such a divergence. As in
that example, divergences that
occur after an overbought or
oversold reading usually provide
more reliable signals.
Centerline
Crossover
The centerline for RSI is 50.
Readings above and below can
give the indicator a bullish or bearish tilt. On the whole,
a reading above 50 indicates that average gains are higher
than average losses and a reading below 50 indicates that
losses are winning the battle. Some traders look for a
move above 50 to confirm bullish
signals or a move below 50
to confirm bearish signals.
AVG
Moving Average
Trend-Following
Indicator
Moving averages smooth out a
data series and make it easier
to identify the direction of
the trend. Because past price
data is used to form moving averages,
they are considered lagging,
or trend following, indicators.
Moving averages will not predict
a change in trend, but rather
follow behind the current trend.
Therefore, they are best suited
for trend identification and
trend following purposes, not
for prediction.
When to Use
Because moving averages follow
the trend, they work best when
a security is trending and are
ineffective when a security moves
in a trading range. With this
in mind, investors and traders
should first identify securities
that display some trending
characteristics before attempting
to analyze with moving averages.
This process does not have
to be a scientific examination.
Usually, a simple visual assessment
of the price chart can determine if a security exhibits characteristics of
trend.
In its simplest form, a security's
price can be doing only one of
three things: trending up, trending
down or trading in a range. An
up trend is established when
a security forms a series of
higher highs and higher lows.
A downtrend is established when
a security forms a series of
lower lows and lower highs. A
trading range is established
if a security cannot establish
an up trend or downtrend. If
a security is in a trading range,
an up trend is started when the
upper boundary of the range is
broken and a downtrend begins
when the lower boundary is broken.
VOL
Trade Volume
This
overlay simply shows the trade
volume for each datum. Because
the numbers can be large a multiplier
suffix is often used. In the example
we have a maximum volume of
2.99 Million displayed. The
suffixes are
K=Thousand
M=Million
G=Billion
T=Trillion
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