Mouse,

The following advice may not be relevant to every version of MS so please check your MS Users Manual to ensure it pertains to your version...

There are a few ways to achieve what I think you are trying to achieve. Personally, I don't like having a gammut of charts open and the having to try to find the right one. Having multiple charts open can also slow your computer down, especially if you have a template that has an indicator constructed using PREV functions, it is possible to completely hang the computer for many minutes as each chart is opened and the indicator values computed, so I think it is better to minimise the number of charts open at any one time. If you have multiple charts open, yes, you need to use the Window menu to select the relevant open chart from the available list.

I think an easier way to view the charts of stocks returned from an exploration is to, firstly run the exploration; MS by default will save a list of the results in your favourites (which we know is prone to all sorts of errors and confusions, but anyway...). After you have run the exploration, return to the main MS window and select File > Open (or Ctrl-O) and then the favourites folder from the "look in" section of the open dialog window. Inside the favourites should be a (virtual) folder which is the results from the last exploration. Open this and select whatever chart you want to view first.

With any chart open, you can scroll to the next security in the same data directory as the current open chart by using the relevant buttons at the bottom right of the screen or Ctrl-LeftArrow or Ctrl-RightArrow. You can "jump" directly to a particular chart just by typing the ticker symbol (but this ticker must have its data in the same data directory as the current open chart) or use the Choose Security button from the bottom right hand side of the window. This only works to change to securities with its data stored in the same directory (or virtual folder in the case of the favourites) as the open chart.

It might be somewhat obvious that having your data stored properly on your computer will make life easier for future use and access in MetaStock. Having A-Z folders for smaller exchanges such as the ASX will only hamper your efforts to quickly navigate through the securities. I believe it is better to have all the equities in one folder for quick access from MS, I have options in another folder and warrants in another. This highlights the importance of having a good data provider who will deal with limitations of the MS data directories for you; creating directories for equities, without the derivatives, and only resorting to the A-Z folder structure when absolutely necessary. To avoid the problems with the favourites, this is the only time I use this virtual folder; I have all my preference equities stored in custom lists which my data vendor allows me to easily make and maintain.

I guess it all comes down to personal preferences, but once you get yourself properly setup, navigating through exploration lists and securities should be easy and fast. I recommend that you have a read of the MS Users Manual for some of the other options that are available, then try to familiarise yourself with the shortcut keys and menus which will improve your speed in the MS environment.



I hope this helps.

wabbit [:D]