Customising Optuma

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Overview

In this article, we will show you some of the ways that you can customise Optuma to suit your personal style and requirements, as well as some tips that can save you time and enhance your experience with Optuma.

Saving Default Settings

There may be certain tools, indicators and chart styles where you want to have your user defined properties retained for when you next use that tool or chart. For example, you may want your bar chart to display with the Swing Relations colour scheme every time. You don’t want to be changing the properties for every bar chart that you open, so to have this setting retained for every new bar chart you would follow the procedure below.

1. Make the desired setting changes to your chart, e.g. change of colour scheme.
2. Right-click on a bar in the chart.
3. From the Actions menu (running man icon) select Save Settings as Default.

This same procedure can be applied to any chart style, tool or indicator. Simply, right-click on the tool and then select Save Settings as Default from the Actions menu.

Adding Tools to the Custom Toolbar

If there are certain tools or indicators that you are using on a regular basis, then you may want to consider adding this tool/indicator to the Custom Toolbar. By doing this it will allow for quick and easy access to your favourite tools and indicators with your personal settings.

There are three methods available for adding tools to your Custom Toolbar:

Method 1

Located in the Custom Toolbar are two small + symbols. Left-click on one of the + symbols.

In the window that displays, left-click the Add Tool option.

The tool selection window will open. Type in the name of the tool you wish to add, then left-click on it in the list displayed.

The Properties for the selected tool will display.

Adjust the properties to the settings you wish the tool to use, when applied from the Custom Toolbar. The Tool Default properties will be different for every tool.

There are three additional properties displayed in this window which aren’t normally part of the tool’s properties:

Label: This determines the text label that is displayed on the button placed on the Custom Tool Folder (e.g. MA for Moving Average).

Shortcut: Gives you the ability to bind a keyboard shortcut to this button (e.g. Ctrl + Alt + M).

Image: This determines the icon that is displayed on the button placed on the Custom Tool Folder. (Images are shown to the right)

Once the properties have been set, a button will be added to the Custom Toolbar.

Method 2

If the tool you want to add to your Custom Toolbar is already applied to a chart, you can add the tool to the chart by selecting it.

The Control Panel will display the Actions and Properties for the selected tool. Located under the Actions section will be an option called Add to Toolbar.

A button will be added to the Custom Toolbar using the current settings the tool is set to.

Method 3

If the tool you want to add to your Custom Toolbar is already applied to a chart, you can add the tool to the chart by holding down the Ctrl key on your keyboard. At the same time, left-click and hold on the tool, and drag it to the Custom Toolbar.

Release the left mouse button and a button will be added to the Custom Toolbar using the current settings the tool is set to.

Optuma Tip

You can have the same tool added multiple times with each one having a different setting. For example, two Moving Averages can be added, one coloured red and set to 50-period exponential, and the other green set to 200 simple.

For more information on how the Custom Toolbar can be used to save you time and improve your Optuma experience please click here.

Adding an Action to the Custom Toolbar

There are over 30 different actions available, from closing a workbook, changing timeframes, accessing the Scanning Manager, or even Save Page as Image File.

Located in the Custom Toolbar are two small + symbols. Left-click on one of the + symbols.

In the window that displays, left-click the Add Action option. The Action Properties window will display:

Adjust the Properties to the desired action, and a button will be added to the Custom Toolbar. Similar to a custom tool you can also adjust the keyboard shortcut, the image and the code displayed on the button.

Creating a Layout

If you find that you are adding the same tools and indicators each time for your various charts then a great time save is time saver is to create a Layout.Layouts allow you to set up a page, using various time frames, tools and chart styles, and have those settings used for any new pages that you open.

For example, if you always use a couple of Moving Averages on your charts with a MACD, and prefer Swing Relations as your Bar Chart’s colour scheme, then you can set up this chart and save it as a Chart Layout. By selecting the Chart Layout, all new charts can be opened with those preferred tools and Colour Scheme, or it can be applied to existing charts.

1. Open a chart for any security.
2. Adjust the chart’s Properties to display as desired (for example, set up the colour scheme as Swing Relations).
3. Ensure the chart’s time frame is set as desired (1 Day, for example).

4. Apply any tools you want to be displayed on the chart.

   Optuma Tip

   Only some tools & indicators are compatible with Layouts. Specifically, only those tools that do not require manual placement on the chart will work. Some examples of tools that will work are Moving Averages, Volume and MACDs. Examples of tools that will not work are Trend Lines, Price Extensions / Retracements and Gann Fans

5. With all the tools applied, ensure the chart looks exactly the way you want it to for all new pages that you open (items such as zoom level, etc.).
6. Once you are happy with the page, you can save the Layout. Simply left-click on the Chart Layout section in the title bar and type in the name you want to give the layout (MA Crossovers, for example) and press Enter on your keyboard.

Layouts Videos

Below are two videos demonstrating how to create and apply Chart and Page Layouts respectively in Optuma:

For more information on using Layouts in Optuma please click here.

Changing Background Colour

It is possible to have either a light, dark, or white background for your charts. By default, the white background is displayed. If you prefer a light or dark background then follow the below procedure.

Open Optuma 1. Click the Settings menu along the top of the Optuma window. 2. Open the Colours section, 3. Change the Theme option from “White” to “Light”, or from “White” to “Dark”. 4. Optuma will update within a few seconds to the new theme selection.

Dark

Light

White

Adding a Shortcut

If there is an action, chart style, or even a time frame that you use regularly then you may like to create and use a keyboard shortcut.

To create a Shortcut go to the Settings menu and select Shortcut Settings.

The Shortcuts Settings menu will now display.

From this menu, locate the function you want to apply a Shortcut to and left-click on the Shortcut field.

Next, press the key or key combination you want to assign to the selected function. In the above example, I have assigned the F4 function key to open a Candlestick Chart. Once you have entered the desired key combination left-click on a blank area of the window.

After you have completed adding the desired shortcuts left-click the Apply button and then select Close. The shortcut is now ready for immediate use.

Automatic Login

When you start Optuma you will notice that there is a checkbox that you can tick to “Remember” the password, so you don’t have to key it in each time you access the software. However, it is also possible to set Optuma up so that it automatically logs in for you as well. So if you would like Optuma to log in automatically for you follow the procedure below.

1. Open Optuma.
2. Click the Settings menu along the top of the Optuma window.
3. Expand the Workspace option, and open the General section.
4. Tick the check box next to Login Automatically.
5. The next time you start Optuma it will login automatically for you.

Dynamic Watchlists Linked to Scans

Using the powerful Scanning Manager you can setup your specific criteria and have Optuma search the entire exchange in seconds for any stocks that match. Opening your Watchlist runs the scan and will update the list of codes that pass. Clicking on a code opens the chart ready for further analysis.

To have your Watchlist automatically linked to your desired scan follow the below procedure.

1. Open a new Watchlist.

2. From the Properties menu, tick the check box next to Linked to List.

3. Left-click the space next to List to Use.

4. A list of available scans will be displayed to select from, left-click on the desired Scan.

After you have selected the desired scan the Watchlist will automatically run the scan and then display the results.