Welcome to MTDirect Pro!

This manual can be used as a guide to help you quickly learn about the platform.

Below is a screen shot of what you will see when you open MTDirect Pro for the first time. I will use this screen to walk through some of the most actively used features.

 

Market View (Window # 1)

The Market View module provides streaming Level I data on hundreds of user-defined symbols. It allows for the symbols to be organized into manageable tabs so that market sectors or favorite traded symbols can be monitored together at a glance.

Market View Menu

To manage the Market View module, right-click for the menu.

Most of the choices are self-explanatory.

Add, Delete, Rename, and Paste manage the symbols.

You are able to set up and manage alerts through Alert, Reset Alert, and Delete Alert.

Smart Width automatically adjusts the widths of the columns available.
New List will create tabs (see right). Right-click on tabs for additional options.

Additional features are:

  • Left-click on column headings with will sort the column.
  • Double left-click on row with symbol with update Chart 1 and Stock Box 1 with that symbol.

 

Orders Box (Window 2)

The Order Box is the only window in which you can place orders. The symbol will reflect the most recent symbol entered into one of the Stock Box windows. You can also choose the symbol from the drop-down arrow.

Features:

First Line: Symbol and Account Number
Second Line: Quantity and Limit Price (if applicable)

Note:

Checking off Market will grey out the Limit Price and GTC.

For Stop Orders, check off Market for Stop-Market Order or enter a limit price for a Stop-Limit Order.

What is a Stop Order? A stock order is a trigger price to send either a Market or Limit Order. For example, if you bought 100 IBM at $98 and want to sell if it drop to $97, you would enter a Stop Market order at $97. When IBM trades at $97, the stop will be triggered and send a Market Order for IBM.

VTSO is a Virtual Trailing Stop Order. Instead of setting a fixed price like a regular stop order, you enter a price to ‘trail’ the stock by. For example, if you bought IBM at $98 and want a VTSO of $1, a stop will be put in at the current price minus (plus for short positions). If IBM moves up to $98.50, the stop will be moved up to $97.50.

You have the opportunity to choose your Route. However, Auto or P3 are the routes with no additional charges. ARCA and INET will incur additional charges and certain order types may not be available with these ECN’s.

 

Index View (Window 3)

The Index View module offers the same basic functionality as the Market View, but is designed so that the user may track indices separately from other market symbols.

The Index View supports up to ten simultaneous symbols, but does not offer a tabbed interface like the Market View.

 

 

Charts (Window 4)

MTDirect Pro can display up to four charts simultaneously, and each separate chart is numbered. New charts are added via either the Window > Chart menu, or the “New Chart” button on the Quick Launch tool bar.

 

When depressed, the arrow button will auto-scrolling as new data is displayed. The clock button, when depressed, will show after-hours data.

To get current bar information, hold the left mouse button in the main chart area to pop-up a details window.

Charts Menu

You can right-click on the chart for the menu (see right).

Days will allow you to define how many days of data you want for the Intraday chart of your choice.

Settings contains over 20 studies, such as MACD or Stochastics, that you may add to the chart and also allows you to customize the look and feel of the chart.

 

Drawing Trend and Support Lines

Each chart can display up to six trend lines and three support lines simultaneously. Trend lines are user-drawn diagonal lines used to plot a price trend in order to more easily identify when a stock breaks through that specific trend.

For more information, click here.

 

 

Level 1 & 2 (Window 5)

There are three ways to enter a symbol into a Stock Box:

  • Type the symbol into the desired stock box and hit [ENTER].
  • Drag and Drop a symbol from another module (Market View, Index View, Account Box, Symbol Lookup, etc.) into a stock box.
  • Double-click on a symbol in another module to populate the symbol into the last active Stock Box.

Once a valid symbol is entered, the quote data will populate and Time & Sales “prints” will begin to appear as transactions for the symbol are executed.

 

 

Account Box (Window 6 & 7)

The Account Box is divided into three sub-sections: the Open Order Window, the Messages Window, and the Account Activity Window.

The first row:

BP: Available Buying Power
O/PL: Open Profit/Loss
C/PL: Closed Profit/Loss

The box below the first row will contain all pending orders. Once an order has been executed, canceled or rejected, it will move from here to either the Executions or Order History Tab.

The middle box contains messages primarily regarding system status and order activity.

The Open tab will show positions that you still hold and the Closed tab will show positions that were closed on the current day.

IMPORTANT:

When an order moves out of the Pending Order box, you must check the Executions or Order History tab for an update. An order that goes live can be canceled or rejected by the exchange or the system.