Current VT Trader Release 2.1.11

	Previous Releases Release Notes 2.1.11 Release Notes 2.0 Release Notes 1.9.3 Release Notes 1.9.2 Release Notes 1.9 Release Notes 1.8.6 Release Notes 1.8.5 Release Notes 1.8.3 Release Notes 1.8.1 Release Notes 1.8 Release Notes 1.7.8 Release Notes 1.7.7 Release Notes 1.7.5 Release Notes 1.7

Current VT Trader Release 2.1.11

New Features:

• VT Trader can now function as a Component Object Model (COM) server; please refer to its documentation and sample C# project which can be found in VT Trader's API folder.


• All of VT Trader's properties windows and associated options have been completely redesigned; these changes affect VT Trader's main sets of Options, all "trading" windows' properties windows, chart windows' properties window, chart templates' properties window, and all drawing tools' properties windows. In VT Trader's main Options set, many old and unnecessary options have been removed and the remaining options have been renamed, and rearranged into more organized groups and subgroups. The drawing tools properties are now integrated into the chart properties as well as the chart templates sets of properties. The "trading" windows (i.e. all non-chart windows available in VT Trader) properties windows are now accessible strictly by using the window's contextual menu's "Properties" command (see "Improvements" section below for more details). It's strongly recommended that you refer to the VT Trader help manual to help familiarize yourself with the newly redesigned Options and to learn more about these changes.


• Active desktop workspace can be automatically saved at client-defined time intervals; the client can customize the time interval of this auto-saving using the "Auto-Save Periodicity (in minutes)" option in VT Trader's Options window>General section>Desktop Workspaces subsection.


• Previous Versions (a.k.a. shadow copies) of the active desktop workspace are automatically created by VT Trader any time a "save" action is performed (auto-save action or manual save by the client); the "previous versions" of an active desktop are saved into a special "Backups" subfolder of the Desktops folder; a new "Max # of Previous Versions" option has been included in VT Trader's Options window allowing the client to define maximum number of previous versions of each active workspace to maintain; the "Restore Default" command in VT Trader's Ribbon>Environment menu>Desktop Workspaces group has been modified - it's now called "Restore Previous Version" and contains a selection list; the "Restore Previous Version" command's selection list includes the choice of "Application Default" (which is VT Trader's default workspace arrangement) and any previous versions of the active desktop workspace that are available for the client to revert back to (shown in the list in format).


• VT Trader performs an automatic environment backup each time the platform starts; the environment backup archives created include all client files just as if you were creating an environment file for export using the "Export Environment" command with all options selected; the environment backup archives are saved into a special "StartupBackups" subfolder of the Data folder; additionally, a new "Max # of Environment Auto-Backups" command has been included in VT Trader's Options window allowing the client to define the maximum number of environment backup archives to maintain.


• All order-related and position-related chart viewing modes and label functionality is available for use in Point and Figure charts and Renko charts.


• "Market Range" default value can be defined by the client; it can be defined using the Ribbon -> Environment menu -> Options group -> Options window -> General section -> Trading subsection -> Default Market Range option; this option is applied to the Order Request(s) window as well as the 1-Click Orders Trading Mode.


• VT Trader's sound events are now customizable by the client; All events (connection-related, news and announcements, trading actions, etc.) that can provide a sound notification can now be custom set using MP3 or WAV files that the client specifies. The new "Sound Events" can be found in VT Trader's newly redesigned Options window in the "Sounds" section (which is further divided into subcategories). It's recommended that you read through the VT Trader help manual to learn more about this new feature.


• Pending Orders window contextual menu's "Remove" command now allows you to remove multiple orders simultaneously with one action; you can select multiple orders to remove by selecting each order with the CTRL key held down.


• "Remove All" command implemented in Pending Orders window contextual menu; this new command removes all orders currently shown in the Pending Orders window with one action.


• Open Positions window now includes a "Total" row; this row shows cumulative totals for Lots, Pips P/L, Gross P/L, Comm, Int, and Net P/L.


• "Apply" button has been added to indicators' and trading systems' properties windows; this new button works like the "OK", but instead of applying the new properties to the indicator or trading systems and then closing the window, the window remains open. This allows the client the quickly test various indicator or trading system settings without the need to open, close, and reopen its properties window several times.


• "Highest Since Bars Ago" function implemented in scripting language; Format: HighestSinceBars(Nth, EXPRESSION, DATA ARRAY); Calculates the number of periods that have passed from the highest value of DATA ARRAY (after the Nth most recent occurrence of EXPRESSION was true) - this includes all data loaded in the chart.


• "Lowest Since Bars Ago" function implemented in scripting language; Format: LowestSinceBars(Nth, EXPRESSION, DATA ARRAY); Calculates the number of periods that have passed from the lowest value of DATA ARRAY (after the Nth most recent occurrence of EXPRESSION was true) - this includes all data loaded in the chart.


• 20 new indicators have been added to VT Trader; please refer to the VT Trader help manual or the indicator's Notes section for details:
  
  • Balance of Power
  • Choppiness Index
  • Disparity Index
  • Ease of Movement
  • Elder-Ray Bear Power
  • Elder-Ray Bull Power
  • Force Index
  • Kaufman’s Efficiency Ratio
  • Kurtosis Indicator
  • Mass Index
  • McClellan Summation Index
  • McGinley Dynamic
  • Percentage Price Oscillator (PPO)
  • Recursive Moving Trend Average
  • Relative Volatility Index (RVI)
  • R-Squared (R2)
  • Trend Oscillator (tosc)
  • Ulcer Index
  • Volatility Quality Index
  • Volume Price Confirmation Indicator (VPCI)

Feature Improvements:

• VT Trader's update process has been completely redesigned; it's now possible for VT Trader to update on a file-by-file basis by syncing its files with those from the update service. There will no longer be a need for the client to interact with the update process once approval for the update has been granted; the file-by-file update process allows VT Trader to upgrade (or downgrade) files as needed without a full (re)installation process. Since VT Trader no longer requires every file to be updated with each new update (whether the file had been updated or not between builds), this should make the update process faster and more efficient. Additionally, with this change VT Trader now identifies its current version build number using a 4-digit versioning method (the ‘date' portion of the old versioning method has been removed).


• Price Alerts functionality has been improved; the price alert includes a new "Condition" setting; the "Condition" can trigger the alert based on 7 different conditions: Price Crosses Level, Price Crosses Above Level, Price Crosses Below Level, Price > Level, Price >= Level, Price < Level, Price <= Level; the alert message is shown in the Trading Activity window as well as in a new balloon window attached to VT Trader's icon in the Windows Notification area of the desktop (down by the clock); the format of the alert message is provided by VT Trader, but you can include your own custom comments as needed.


• User (drawing) objects Alert functionality has been redesigned; the alert messages will appear in the Trading Activity window as well as in a new balloon window attached to VT Trader's icon in the Windows Notification area of the desktop (down by the clock); the format of the alert message is provided by VT Trader, but you can include your own custom comments as needed; the alert includes a new "Condition" setting; the "Condition" can trigger the alert based on 7 different conditions: Price Crosses Level, Price Crosses Above Level, Price Crosses Below Level, Price > Level, Price >= Level, Price < Level, Price <= Level (user objects with multiple lines - such as Fibonacci tools - only have the "cross" options conditions available); the "alert number of times" option has been removed in favor of more client-friendly alert mechanisms.


• Desktop workspace windows no longer have to ‘shut down' (close) when logging into an account from Offline mode; instead, of closing and re-opening, the windows simply reload their data.


• "Auto-Reconnection Timeout (minutes)" option has been removed; we've optimized this value and modified the passive reconnection behavior making this option obsolete.


• Attempt Auto-Reconnection on Disconnection" option has been removed; it's obsolete now; VT Trader should always attempt reconnection until successful.


• "Disable New Version Updates" option has been removed; the update process has been completely redesigned; when a new version is available you'll be prompted, but you if you decline the update you have the ability at that time to disable the new version update prompt for all future logins until the next version update is released.


• "Enable Log Split by Day" option has been removed; it's obsolete now; logs will always be split by day for easier submission and analysis when necessary.


• Delete Logs Older Than n-Days" option has been removed; it's obsolete now; the most recent [7] days of logs will always be kept.


• "AutoSave on Account Logout" option has been removed from VT Trader's main Options window since it is no longer required due to the improvement of desktop workspace windows not needing to ‘shut down' when logging out of an account and switching into Offline Mode.


• "Always Create New Chart Window" has been removed; it's obsolete.


• "AutoSave Desktop Workspace on Exit" option has been renamed to "Auto-Save on Platform Exit"; its selection choices are "Yes" and "No"; it's located in the main Options window>General section>Desktop Workspaces section>Auto-Save Options subsection.


• "AutoSave Desktop Workspace on Switching" option has been renamed to "Auto-Save on Switching Workspaces"; its selection choices are "Yes" and "No"; it's located in the main Options window>General section>Desktop Workspaces section>Auto-Save Options subsection.


• "AutoSave Desktop Workspace on Account Login" option has been renamed to "Auto-Save on Account Login"; its selection choices are "Yes" and "No"; it's located in the main Options window>General section>Desktop Workspaces section>Auto-Save Options subsection.


• "AutoSwitch to Select Drawing Tool" option has been renamed to "Auto-Switch to Selection Tool"; its selection choices are "Yes" and "No"; it's located in the main Options window>General section>Miscellaneous subsection.


• "Show Warning for Indicator Order" option has been renamed to "Indicator Orders"; its selection choices are "Show" and "Hide"; it's located in the main Options window>General section>Trading section>Trading Disclaimers subsection.


• "Show Warning for 1-Click Orders" option has been renamed to "1-Click Orders"; its selection choices are "Show" and "Hide"; it's located in the main Options window>General section>Trading section>Trading Disclaimers subsection.


• "Show Warning for Trading Systems" option has been renamed to "Trading Systems"; its selection choices are "Show" and "Hide"; it's located in the main Options window>General section>Trading section>Trading Disclaimers subsection.


• "Show Warning for Chart Patterns" option has been renamed to "Chart Patterns"; its selection choices are "Show" and "Hide"; it's located in the main Options window>General section>Trading section>Trading Disclaimers subsection.


• "Display Order Confirmation Window" option has been renamed to "Order Confirmations"; its selection choices are "Show" and "Hide"; it's located in the main Options window>General section>Trading subsection.


• "Enable "Hedge" Option by Default" option has been renamed to "Hedge Order(s) by Default"; its selection choices are "Yes" and "No"; it's located in the main Options window>General section>Trading subsection.


• "Show Trading System Alerts in Separate Window" option has been renamed to "Show Trading System Alerts"; its selection choices are "In Trading Activity Window" and "In Trading Systems Alerts Window"; it's located in the main Options window>General section>Miscellaneous subsection.


• "Number of Most Recently Used Charts In ReOpen File List" option has been removed; its value is hardcoded at 10.


• "Default Internal for Open New Chart" option has been renamed to "Chart Interval"; it's located in the main Options window>General section>Miscellaneous section>New Chart Defaults subsection.


• "Default Chart Type for Open New Chart" option has been renamed to "Chart Type"; it's located in the main Options window>General section>Miscellaneous section>New Chart Defaults subsection.


• AutoScroll Activity Log to Incoming Message" option has been moved from the General Properties (Options) window>General tab to the Trading Activity Window's Properties window; it's been renamed to "Auto-Scroll Messages"; it's selection choices are "Yes" and "No".


• "Display Daily Internet Updated Message" option has been removed; this message will now automatically be sent to the Trading Activity window.


• "Disable SSL" option has been renamed to "Secure Socket Layer (SSL)"; its selection choices are "Enabled" and "Disabled".


• "Enable DDE" option has been renamed to "Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE)"; it's located in the main Options window>General section>Miscellaneous subsection.


• "History Length" option has been renamed to "Max # of Bars"; it's located in the main Options window>General section>Miscellaneous section>New Chart Default subsection.


• Enable Q.O.S. Statistics Submission Service" option has been renamed to "Quality of Service"; its selection choices are "Enabled" and "Disabled"; it's located in the main Options window>Communication section>Reporting subsection.


• Enable Talkback Error Submission Service" option has been renamed to "Error Submission Service"; its selection choices are "Enabled" and "Disabled"; it's located in the main Options window>Communication section>Reporting subsection.


• "Get Message Timeout(s)" option has been renamed to "Communication Timeout"; it's located in the main Options window>Communication section>Common subsection.


• "Disable Streaming Quotes" option has been renamed to "Price Updates Frequency"; its selection choices are "Fast" and "Slow"; it's located in the main Options window>Communications section>Common subsection.


• "Play Sound" option has been removed from the Broker Announcements properties window; it is obsolete since "sounds customization" has been implemented in the main Options window.


• "Place Order" command has been removed from the Pending Orders window contextual menu; this order type is obsolete; additionally, the corresponding "Rejected" order type has been removed from the Pending Orders window and its properties.


• Request Order(s)" window now allows multiple instances to be opened simultaneously.


• All time zones selections are now available in VT Trader.


• All VT Trader "trading" windows now have only one set of properties each that are used at all times (regardless of the desktop workspace being used). These properties are no longer stored as part of the desktop workspace, but are instead saved as user preferences (Options). Additionally, the "Cell Alignment" tab's functionality (caption/data alignment within the cells) has been removed. However, the columns can still be reordering by dragging-and-dropping the columns in the order required from the trading window itself. For clarity, the following windows are affected:
  • Data Inspection
  • Chart Patterns
  • Quotes Board
  • Advanced Rates
  • Account(s) Information
  • Open Positions
  • Closed Positions
  • Pending Orders
  • Instruments Exposure
  • Margin Use Level(s)
  • Currency Portfolio
  • Brokers Announcements
  • Dow Jones News
  • Trading Activity (which now has a set of its own properties)


• Changes made to a trading window's properties take effect immediately. For example, if the client opens a trading window, makes changes to its properties, then closes the window - when he/she opens that window again it will open using the previously modified properties. For the vast majority of clients, this change will not even be noticeable since it allows the windows to use their properties as they always have with the exception being that now each window only has 1 set of properties instead of a default set and a custom set saved with each desktop workspace. This change greatly simplifies the storage and use procedures of the desktop workspaces which should lead to a more robust and stable working environment..


• Ribbon>Technical Analysis menu>Analysis Tools>Copy Prices command function has been expanded; it's been modified so it has 2 selections via a selection list; The selection list items are: "Select by Date Range" and "Select Entire Date Range"; The "Select by Date Range" command is the traditional "Copy Prices" tool whereby the client selects the range required from the chart window; The "Select Entire Date Range" command functions like the (old) "Copy All Chart History Data" command in chart contextual menu; Additionally, the "Copy All Chart History Data" command has been removed from the chart window's contextual menu.


• "Print" command and its selection list items have been removed from the chart window's contextual menu; however, the "Print" commands are still available for charts via the Ribbon>Chart menu>Print group commands.


• "Reset Labels to Default Position" icon added to the chart window toolbar (yellow label icon); this command has also been removed from the chart window's contextual menu.


• "Delete Chart History" command has been removed from the chart contextual menu; there is a "Delete All Chart History" command in the ribbon>Help menu>Troubleshooting group which works equally well for the intended purpose of these commands.


• Margin Use Levels window caption now displays which accounts have data included in the window's graph.


• Margin Use Levels window's contextual menu has been modified; the accounts selection commands identify which method the window is using and the "Set as Default" command has been removed (since it is no longer applicable).


• Currency Portfolio window caption now displays which accounts have data included in the window's graph.


• Currency Portfolio window's contextual menu has been modified; the accounts selection commands identify which method the window is using and the "Set as Default" command has been removed (since it is no longer applicable).


• Chart Patterns window filters (Interval, Instrument, and Pattern) now saves settings after exit/login whereas previously these settings were reset to default upon subsequent logins to VT Trader.


• "Market Range" value in all order-related windows now supports fractional pips precision.


• Trading system properties window>Account selection list now sorts alphabetically. If the client has multiple accounts, but only one account is active (i.e. check marked in the Accounts Information window) then that account is selected by default. If more than one account is active then the first account in the list is selected by default.


• Improvements to mouse wheel scrolling behavior; it's now possible to scroll the window underneath the mouse cursor without having to first select the window.


• Error message now displayed when a client tries to import a corrupted desktop workspace into VT Trader.


• Drawing tools are now drawn / resized / moved in the chart window using the tools selected color(s).


• Demo account sign-up form available in VT Trader's login window now requests the client's phone number.


• For added security, any time a client receives their password via email, he/she must change their password. Until the password has been changed, the client will be automatically logged out from their session after 10 minutes.


• Improvements to "Quality of Service" reporting service.


• Improvements to "Talkback" error reporting service.