Managing Charts with WindowTabs

[whitmark]

Once and a while you come across a piece of software that is pretty slick and can instantly help keep you organized. I was thinking of developing some application to give me tab access to all of my Ninja charts, especially when working from a laptop screen, and then I found this little gem called WindowTabs that was recently released in early July at the following link:

http://www.windowtabs.com/main.html

Attached is a screenshot of the tabs on NinjaTrader. I've only been using it for a short while and it seems to deliver what it promises on Windows 7 (and is available for other Win OS editions). I like the fact you can filter the tab feature to work only on NinjaTrader. Its free to try before you buy, so check it out and get back some of that screen real estate.

If anyone has issues using it with NinjaTrader, please report back here.

Whitmark

[Mindset]

thanks

2 minute observation - if you have control center as a group window and press +/- it minimizes ALL the group.

[easyfresh3000]

That's really great! I wish to see something like that in NinjaTrader 7.
The only problem is that when you restart NinjaTrader you have to re-create the groups.

Is it possible to implement this to NT 7 ?

[whitmark]

Looks like if you choose "Filtering" tab to enable tabbing for NinjaTrader only (assuming you don't want it elsewhere) and on the "Advanced" tab select "Automatically group windows from the same process," it will automatically group the windows (albiet one group) when your workspace comes up. Might be easier to ungroup the few windows then to re-group the many.

Interesting to note, WindowTabs does not tab/group trading DOMs.

Whitmark

[easyfresh3000]

I created a group of 3 chart windows for every stock that I trade. Maybe something like a daily chart, 60min and 5min for example. That means 3 charts become a
window group. When I trade 5 stocks then I need 5 of those groups with 3 charts in every group.

When I now restart NinjaTrader I have a couple of windows on my screens and no groups.
To group the windows in one group is not very helpful at this point.
Maybe if you only trade one future or something it is useful.

[whitmark]

Another very useful feature is the ability to define shortcut keys to very quickly rifle through the tabs within a group (see attached). One issue, however, is that the default shortcuts are already in use by NinjaTrader so you will want to define your own as I have shown in the attached exhibit.

Whitmark

[whitmark]

. . .When I trade 5 stocks then I need 5 of those groups with 3 charts in every group . . .To group the windows in one group is not very helpful at this point.

Thanks for your comment. I have a similar need but found that if the number of groups and charts within each group are small, the one minute investment to drop and drag the tabs from the single startup group to the many to be well worth the time to have organizational bliss for the rest of the day. I'll send a note to the developer to see what he has to say about retaining a preexisting multiple group structure and report back.

Anyone else find this ap useful?

Whitmark

[Mindset]

I agree also with the comments about being able to have "sticky" groups.

[ModularMix]

I have done some testing with Ninja Trader. A future function to retain a preexisting group structure is a clear benefit.
I like to work with a group of 8 windows, without having them to rejoin every time i restart. But i agree that this can be be done by hand in a minute and its not a real backdrop.
Something i noted is the possibility to close a window by accident when speeding up work. A final confirmation checkbox, followed after selecting the close icon on the tabs would be safer for me personally.

A feature that can manage multiple windows orderly is essential for me. Im new to NinjaTrader and testing the program for usability, pleased with its features and support there is only one thing i desire, that is having tabbed windows implemented in a future version.

[whitmark]

I've communicated with the WindowTabs developer to share feedback that his product is a great solution for managing numerous charts as well as the potential to attract many enthusiastic NinjaTrader customers. Regarding "sticky groups", he agreed it would have great utility and thought he could get to it in the next 3-4 weeks . . . stay tuned. The bug/feature request link below:

http://www.windowtabs.com/cases.html

See #209 under Feature Request - "Provide a way to save window positions and grouping based on the window title."

Whitmark

[ModularMix]

That's good news.
When stumbling across the forum, i noticed that Speedie6 worked on a tabbed feature for Ninjatrader, called Tabmaster.

http://www.ninjatrader-support2.com/vb/showthread.php?t=9683&highlight=tabbed.

[eDanny]

Yes Tabmaster is a nice app also but it also doesn't save charts in any tabbed configuration.

[max1ci6]

Does anyone know an application to tab workspaces instead single charts?
TIA

[NinjaTrader_Kyle]

Hello max1ci6,

Thank you for your post.

To cycle between workspaces, click SHIFT + F3.

[max1ci6]

Thanks Kyle , i know that but i didn't mean to cycle between open workspaces .. i would like to click once and show up the intended workspace .... having a bar with the tabs for the open workspaces would work finely.
So far NT can't do that .... maybe next version?

[NinjaTrader_Kyle]

Hi max1ci6,

Thank you for your reply and the clarification.

I will forward your suggestion on to my development team for further consideration.

[Mindset]

This (http://www.caseagainstfaith.com/other_stuff/TabMaster.htm) is from an NT user so it's more designed around NT.
It has a few enhancements that make it well worthwhile - and did I mention it's free!

[Speedie6]

This (http://www.caseagainstfaith.com/other_stuff/TabMaster.htm) is from an NT user so it's more designed around NT.
It has a few enhancements that make it well worthwhile - and did I mention it's free!

Thanks, Mindset. That's a link to my TabMaster application. I had been sending it to people as attachments as they request it, but, I got tired of doing that, so, I've posted it to my personal website.

Several people, including Mindset, have requested that I save workspaces. Its something that I might do at some point. I just haven't thought of a good way to do so. I kinda figured that NT7 would have tabs built in. So, I didn't think that TabMaster would continue to be used for much longer. But, I don't see that on the list of enhancements. So, maybe my TabMaster will still continue to be of value in the future. And if so, maybe I might work on more enhancements along those lines.

Even so, I find it very useful in its current state. And, so do some of my other users. And, yeah, its free.