- CRBcharts - FAQ's - DISCONTINUED SERVICE

Welcome to the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section of CRBcharts. While CRBcharts is a very simple program to run and operate, users typically have questions about certain aspects of our program.

Here are our most frequently asked questions.

Q. Must I be connected to the Internet to run CRBcharts?

Yes. CRBcharts uses your Internet connection to connect to the CRBcharts host on the Internet. You can disconnect from the Internet after downloading histories and updates. CRBcharts will function for offline charting until you exit the CRBcharts application.

Q. Where do I go to connect to CRBcharts?

Connection to CRBcharts is achieved from within the CRBcharts program you downloaded and installed on your hard drive. After you have the program, there is no need to go to the CRBcharts.com web site to connect.

Q. Which of these types of markets does CRBcharts cover -- Futures, Futures Options, Cash, Equities and Mutual Funds?

CRBcharts covers Futures, Futures options, Cash markets, U.S. Equities and U.S. Mutual Funds. Continuous contracts, referred to as "nearest futures" are available and include total contract volume and open interest.

Q. When I enter CRBcharts, what do I do after connecting?

If this is your first visit, enter tickers for the issues you want to follow and by drawing a chart of each, the contract history will be downloaded to your hard drive. Futures histories are stored in CRB/COMDATA. Options histories are in CRB/OPTDATA. U.S. Stock and Mutual Fund histories are stored in CRB/STKDATA

Q. How do I go about selecting a contract, an option, or a cash product in CRBcharts in readiness for displaying a chart?

First, click New chart from the tool bar. Then, in the Choose New Market dialog box, select Futures, Options or Stocks. If Options is the selection, you must also choose Put or Call. Next, select the base symbol for the ticker by clicking in the symbol box and typing the symbol or scroll to the symbol. The Treasury bond for instance is US. If you do not know the symbol, type a part of the contract name in the Search for: box and click next. All matching contracts will be displayed. Then select the contract month, only the traded months are displayed, or Cash or Near future. Then select the year if it is the next year. The current year is the default. Then click Create New Symbol Now. The completed symbol is transferred to the ticker symbol box. Click OK to begin the process of downloading the history and drawing a chart.

Q. How do I set up a personal portfolio and make it work efficiently?

Start by clicking on the first available row in the Name column. This will cause the data file dialog box to appear. Double click the file name (ticker name) of the first file to be entered into the portfolio. The ticker symbol will be entered as the name, and the Entry price and date, last price and date will be filled with the current date and price. Enter the appropriate number of contracts or options, the value of a FULL point price move, any commission expense, etc. and the entry will be complete. Repeat this process for other positions in the portfolio. Up to 99 entries can be entered in one portfolio. Multiple portfolios are permitted. As a result of running Update all daily, the portfolio will be updated to reflect the current price, net change extended against the number of units and one point price value to yield a net dollar change in the position(s) and net total for the portfolio.

Q. Explain what the Update All button does for my personal portfolio?

After downloading histories for the issues you want to follow, Update All will be the mechanism you use daily to update the history files. After connecting, click Utility, Update all, and one by one, your files will be brought up to date through the most recent trading day. Multiple days can be updated in one session if you have been away from the computer for an extended period of time.

Q. How do I make a weekly or monthly chart?

CRBcharts can compress the data for the chart you have on screen. Click Utility, Compress, or click the Compression button on the tool bar and select Weekly or Monthly and the data will be compressed and the chart re-drawn as a compressed chart.

Q. If I want to do historical charts, how do I execute them and how far back in time can I go?

Anytime you have a chart displayed, pressing function key F11 will cause all data loaded to be displayed in the chart screen. Since commodities mainly trade in the near month, there is not that much history to a specific contract. However, for long term charting, select the nearby futures or cash contract, which will have data as far back as January 1980. Either scroll backwards or press function key F11 to display all available data on the charting screen.

Q. What is the procedure for applying technical studies to my charts?

Click studies on the tool bar, choose the desired study, confirm or change the default parameters and click OK. A study chart will be drawn. After adding any desired studies, click Window and Tile vertical or horizontal to tile all charts.

Q. How do I apply overlays to my charts?

First draw a bar chart. Then click Overlay. This will present a dialog box of histories currently on your hard drive. Choose the item to overlay and click OK.

Q. Can I draw trend lines on a chart?

Yes. Click on Trend and a Trend tool bar appears. Click the single line button and the pointer becomes a cross hair pointer. Place the pointer where you want to start, click and hold the mouse button and drag the pointer to wherever you want the line to go. Release the mouse button and the line is completed.

Q. At what time every day does CRBcharts update its quotes?

Generally, you should expect quotes to be updated no later than 6:00PM Central Time (GMT -6).

Q. If you plan to add new features to CRBcharts, will I have to pay extra for upgrades?

You will be notified by e-mail when updated versions of the program are available for download. There will be no charge for the new versions.