Setting Up Alerts in eSignal
You can set a variety of alerts for symbols in your Quote, Portfolio, Detail, Summary, Options windows or an Advanced Chart window (new in 7.7). You can set alert values for individual symbols or globally (for every symbol in the layout). You can also set alerts that apply to all layouts (that contain the selected symbol) or just to the current layout/page your working with.
To set an alert for a specific symbol using the right-click menu:
1. Right-click on a symbol, choose Set Alert, then select Bid, Ask, Last, Volume, News or Other from the sub menu.
2. The Add Alert dialog box appears. The symbol you right-clicked on appears in the Add Alert dialog box along with additional fields relating to the type of alert you specified (i.e. the last Bid price appears if you elected to set an alert on the Bid).
3. Click By Value or By Percentage to indicate whether you want the alert to be triggered by a change in value or percentage. Then enter the value or percentage that the selected field must reach to trigger the alert. Be careful to enter the value or percentage in the proper units. Use
K after a number as an abbreviation for thousands and M as an abbreviation for millions.
For Futures: For contracts that trade in decimals, enter alerts as whole values rather then use a decimal (i.e. enter 84500 rather than 845.00)
4. Enter the High and/or Low limit values that you want to use to trigger the alert.
5. Click the Rearm box if you want the alert to rearm when a specific incremental value or percentage change is triggered, then enter the value or percentage to use to rearm the alert.
6. Specify how you want to be notified when the alert is triggered. Note that the defaults for alert notification are shown in the Alert Edit/Status dialog box but you can change them in the Add Alert dialog box for a specific alert.
If you want to hear a beep when the alert is triggered, click the Audio Alert box. Then, click the Select Sound button if you want to specify a specific sound file to use for alerts. If you want the Alert Edit/Status dialog box to appear when the alert is triggered, click the Pop Up Alert box.
Click the Email Alert box to receive notification of triggered alerts via email.
Note: to receive an email alert, you must set up email alert notification by clicking the Settings button in the Alert Edit/Status dialog box (to access click the set Alert toolbar or, select Set Alert from the View menu (Alt-V-A) and entering the address to which you want mail to be sent, the address of the email sender and the SMTP address of your outgoing mail server.
7. If you want to execute a trade when the alert is reached, click Execute Trade. When the alert is reached, your online trading service will open automatically.
8. To apply the alert to any layout that includes the selected symbol, click Apply alert to all layouts.
9. Select Link Alert to window and then specify a window to link the alert to a specific eSignal window.
10. Enter any comments about the alert for your reference.
11. Click OK to close the Add Alert dialog box and save your new alert.
To set alerts using the Set Alerts toolbar or View Menu:
1. Choose Set Alerts from the View menu (Alt-V, A) or click the Set Alerts icon on the toolbar.
3. Select the field on which you want to set an alert and click the Add button. The Add/Edit Alert dialog box opens. The fields that appear on the Add/Edit Alert dialog box depend on the selected field.
4. If you are setting an alert for an individual symbol, enter the symbol in the Add/Edit Alert dialog box. (If you already selected the symbol, it has been entered for you.)
For the remaining steps, please refer to the previous section and start at #3.
To set an alert in Advanced Charting (new in 7.7):
1. To save time, place your cross hair over the designated line, bar or candlestick on your chart and right-click for the menu. You'll see Set Alert XX.xx, with XX.xx representing the current price under the cross hair. Click on Set Alert XX.xx and follow the instructions above on setting an alert on an individual symbol. You can also change the alert here in case your cross hair wasn't over the desired value.
Can I set an alert on a Spread (or pair), Study (i.e. MACD) or a trendline?
This functionality is not pre-built into eSignal at the present time. It's on our development list and we expect at least limited functionality to be ready within the next 2-3 releases.
However, with the use of eSignal Formula Script (EFS), setting and triggering alerts can easily be accomplished. There are several articles and examples are already in place. Setting-up these alerts can be done via the EFS Formula Wizard as well. Please review the list of articles below for more information.
Article 1391 Formula Wizard Guide
Article 1289 Advanced Charting - The Formula Wizard
Article 1023 Alert Functions
Article 1436 AlertOncePerBar.efs
Article 1698 Working with Spreads