Newbie question: Does NT have such a thing as a workspace?

[Instamess]

Is there a workspace in NT? I know there is something called a "workspace" in NT but as far as I can see it's not, it's just a collection of individual windows.

When I open NT I get a Control Centre and below it - what to me is my "working space" - there is nothing, just some column headings: Instrum | Action | Order T | Quantity ... etc. I can't actually seem to PUT stuff like charts in this space as I can with MetaTrader.

When I do open charts each opens in its own window filling my taskbar up with umpteen windows. If I switch to other programs and come back to NT, there is no easy way to get back all my NT charts in the arrangement I created. The only option I found is to go to File > Workspaces and click on an untitled "workspace" then repeat the whole process again to click on the workspace I want. It's only then all the charts etc., reappear in the order I left them.

Am I doing something wrong? Is there some other type of "workspace" in NT and/or is there a better way to return to my collection of charts?

[NinjaTrader_Bertrand]

Instamess, weclome to NT - we do have a workspace concept to save your windows content / grouping however it might be different than the desktop concept you might be familiar from other environments.

To restore your charts etc exactly the same please just hold Shift pressed then and right click on the NT7 taskbar icon and select 'Restore all' then.

[Instamess]

Thanks. That sounds like a handy Windows tip. But it doesn't work on my PC (Windows XP) as there is no "Restore All" option on right clicking the item in the taskbar. Using Shift or Cntrl doesn't make a difference.

...we do have a workspace concept to save your windows content / grouping however it might be different than the desktop concept you might be familiar from other environments.

But the user needs seven clicks to get to it.

The ability to switch to other windows and then return easily to your trading platform exactly as you left the screen seems such a basic facility that I'm stunned it can't be done in NinjaTrader.

[NinjaTrader_Bertrand]

Correct, it would need a minimum of Win7 as OS. Only other approach I would have then is not minimizing a window of the setup individually, and just have the other application work in front.

We have your feedback item though on our product enhancement list for future consideration, I'll make sure to add a vote on your behalf.

[Instamess]

Only other approach I would have then is not minimizing a window of the setup individually, and just have the other application work in front.

I don't understand how that would work. Once you go check your email, look at a page in your browser etc., the NinjaTrader windows will automatically get minimized.

When I'm at home/in the office I can get around this with a dual screen setup, but this is not available to all and certainly isn't available to me on my laptop when I'm not in the office.

Thanks for forwarding the suggestion.

[NinjaTrader_Bertrand]

Understood, sure. While I don't have an XP setup to check again, if I leave my NT charts on the laptop open and just open my Outlook for example in front, I can then go back to them without having to restore, you just can't go in and pick a single chart from the taskbar to restore.

[Instamess]

AFAIAC the trading platform must have the ability - like other trading platforms I've used, not just MT4, MT5, IG/ProRealTime etc - to run in the background and generate audio alerts while I'm getting on with other stuff on several open windows - a browser, a doc and spreadsheet, my email, etc. To me that's normal.

I appreciate some traders may have their trading platform as the only program running and on which they put their entire focus. I can't do that and I'm surprised NT kind of expects that of every trader.

Anyway, here's hoping for a change in the next revision of the software. In the meanwhile for anyone reading this, there seems to be a workaround that might suit some: multiple data series in a chart. It won't suit me because of the indicators I use, but might be useful for someone else.