Setting Preferences

Click on the preference topic from the list below to view a screenshot of the actual preference window along with information about the options in that window.

Preference Topics

Many Investor/RT objects have default preferences, which govern how new objects of that type are created. For example, when you open a new chart window, the chart window is created with a prescribed height and width, a background color, a time period (daily, weekly, etc.), and other characteristics. These are called object default preferences, in this case, chart default preferences. General preferences and object default preferences are specified using File > Preferences in the menu bar or by clicking the "preferences" icon in the main toolbar.

When an object of some type is created, it takes on the default preferences for that object type. In some case, such as when opening a new chart object, the default preferences for the chart are displayed, allowing the user to override them before actually opening the new chart window. Once an object is open, the characteristics of the object may be modified by the user overriding the default preferences. When an object of some type is saved, its preferences setting, called the instance preferences, are stored on the database. When the saved object is opened again, it's instance preferences will be used to display the object again.

Adjusting the preferences for an existing chart or quote page is accomplished using the "preferences" icon on the toolbar associated with the chart or quote page. All other objects utilize only the preferences accessed throughout the main tool bar.

For chart and quote page objects there is a clear distinction between the default preferences and the current preferences of a particular chart or quote page. Adjusting a characteristic of an existing chart or quote page affects only that one object. Newly created quote pages or charts continue to be created using the object default preferences. Similarly, adjusting the default preferences only affects newly created charts and quote pages. Such changes do not affect any quote pages or charts that have been created and saved in the past.

When you change a default preferences for quote pages you can apply the new default preference to an existing quote pages by opening the quote page, clicking the preferences icon on the quote page toolbar and clicking the button "Reset to Defaults". The "Reset to Defaults" button in the quote page preferences window applies the current default preferences to the associated quote page.