Observations on horizontal scaling of small sized charts...

[Alfred]

Adjusting the horizontal time scale of a small sized chart by left click & hold down on the time scale area....does not work nearly as well as on larger sized charts....here is a short video to demo this....

http://www.screencast.com/t/oaiI7iVEK

Thanks...

[NinjaTrader_RyanO]

Hi Alfred,

Thank you for your post, and for the video.

Based on the two different scales the behavior when modifying the x-axis is expected, but I have taken the information, and supplemented with my own tests forwarded this item to our development team.

However, since the scaling of the y-axis is determined by the highest high and lowest low of visible bars and the second chart will be moving rather quickly along the y-axis when scaling the x-axis the result is the issue you cited.

If you use Automatic Scaling for the y-axis then the scaling should be smoother since it will not be modifying the y-axis at the same time since you defined a fixed scale within the panel properties. More information at:

http://www.ninjatrader.com/support/movies/nt7/helpGuide/operations/charts/navigatingaChart/Chart-Panels.htm

[Alfred]

Ryan...thanks for the info...was using auto scaling on both charts in the demo..
perhaps there is room for improvement here in some manner....if not too difficult....a minor issue though....

Thanks....

[NinjaTrader_RyanO]

Alfred,

Just some additional follow-up by way of explanation presently, but I have fully documented this issue:

Scrolling moves in x-axis bar increments.
Small charts = less increments taking up the space = looks jagged
Large charts = more data points, moves are “smaller”

To some extent then this is expected but for the kind of enhancements we have discussed here I have taken this item to our development team.

[Alfred]

Still looking fairly often at this area...on a small chart of say 550 pixels across (screen shot below)....when you try to change the horizontal scale by left click on time axis scale area....the scale will only move in jump increments similar to using Ctrl up & down to change scale....

While on a large chart (950 pixels across for example)...here when you adjust horizontal scale by grabbing bottom of chart...the scale changes smoothly in small increments....ideally you would want the small chart horizontal scaling to work in a similar manner.

Something else have often noticed....on the small chart the horizontal scaling (at max compression) will change continually through the day as you move between different areas of activity....often have to refresh the chart by typing in the chart period to get the scaling to look OK again....if you would scale equidistant false charts in pixels rather than the way it is done now with absolute numbers you would not have this problem....scaled in pixels would also enable measuring the number of bars accurately between points with the ruler....the bar number on the ruler is totally inaccurate now as the charts are currently set up....

Thanks....

[NinjaTrader_Brett]

Thanks Alfred,

I will check on this for you.


-Brett

[NinjaTrader_Brett]

Hello,

We have checked and it is the same "jump" increment whether on a large chart or a small chart. It just looks visually more dramatic on the small chart.

Let me know if your seeing something different.

-Bret

[Alfred]

Hello,

We have checked and it is the same "jump" increment whether on a large chart or a small chart. It just looks visually more dramatic on the small chart.

Let me know if your seeing something different.

-Bret

Brett...you are correct...I had been looking at a 1 second chart that also had a 225 second box bar on it (large chart) and was comparing to a 5 tick chart (small chart)...with the box bar chart you can get very small even increments of expansion and contraction by dragging without any apparent jumps....

Thanks for your time on this....

[Alfred]

Found a solution....

Brett....

Playing aound with this a bit...putting a 20 second (just an example) box bar on a small size 5 tick chart (all colors in box bars transparent)...one can then get a very smooth expansion and contraction when dragging the time scale without any apparent jumps in scale...plus things will stay in place where you drag the time scale to....just what I was looking for....!

Thanks much again....

[Alfred]

Another Reply...

Brett...

Have noticed that on any multi data series chart, one can drag to adjust the time scale very smoothly ....and in any increment desired...very flexible & efficient dragging to adjust the time scale....without any jumps in scale as currently appear when dragging to adjust the time on a single data series chart....

Would there possibly be a way to enable this same smooth dragging on single data series charts perhaps ...??
My feeling... this would be the much preferred method if possible....


Thanks...

[NinjaTrader_Brett]

Hello,

Thanks for the feedback!

Have a great rest of the day.

-Brett