STOCK TRACKER™ (c) 2008-9 Dr Jeff Software™ Co. ============ USER'S GUIDE ============ THREE PROGRAMS IN ONE The "Stock Market Modeler" product contains 3 separate programs, each operating in its own "form" (window): 1. Stock Market Analyzer -- for analyzing the overall market 2. Sector Cyclotron(tm) -- for tracking sectors 3. Stock Tracker -- for tracking individual stocks The STOCK TRACKER™ is the third program in the "Stock Market Modeler" product -- available separately for those only wishing to track individual stocks. BASIC OPERATION The main window ("form") for the STOCK TRACKER™ opens with a momentary blue title block -- just "click to start". Additional STOCK TRACKER™ forms/windows can be started from the "launch" button on the bottom of each form/window (for an unlimited number of forms). All such windows can be used conventionally: minimize, restore, close, resize, reposition, etc. Only the main window must remain open; once main is closed, all windows will close. Any window can be printed. All operations are based solely on user input -- as there are no online connections for Dr Jeff products (intentionally, for security). User supplied data can be saved and restored at any time via menu commands, and for any number of instances (i.e., any number of files). FEATURE: COLOR CODING There is extensive use of traffic light (red, yellow, green) color coding of most displayed values, including multiple levels of red and green as visual intensity indicators. Color coding is consistent throughout all forms -- with RED indicating a SELL signal; YELLOW indicating a NEUTRAL signal; and GREEN indicating a BUY signal. STOCK TRACKER™ FORM ================== This form supports your overall trading radar by keeping track of relevant data on "individual" stocks -- the most common activity associated with stock trading. Each form provides room for user input on a dozen (12) stocks. Additional stocks can be accommodated by either by launching more forms (multiple forms active), or simply by using multiple data files (via "Save As" and "Open" commands) on one form. Each form includes the following (with appropriate color codings): -stock name -signal (color-coded buy/sell) -sector (to couple in sector cycling) -stock pattern (e.g., buy rating, ETF, cup & handle, Elliot wave or "none") -term (day, week, month, quarter, year) -price field: current, bracketing support/resistance, entry/exit -cycles (similar to sectors) -forces (overhead resistance, short interest, buyback, merger spec.) Each stock's buy/sell "signal" is determined by the "price field". A current price <= the "support" and/or "entry" prices gives a BUY signal; and if not, then current price >= "exit" and/or "resistance" prices gives a SELL signal. All stock related values can be entered via the "ADD" button, and changed or added later via the "EDIT" button. The price field can be edited at any time, but values are not recorded until the "ENTER" button is hit (allows for speedy data entry at day's end). Note that no data is "saved" in a file until the "Save As" command is used, and data is loaded via the "Open" command. Each stock also includes "cycles" and "forces" entries with their own separate color signals. These values are independently entered/operated. The "Forces" provided are the most commonly affecting share prices, and they are defined as follows: 1. Technical Indicator -- users may track any number of such indicators, and click counter to flag occurrences (up to 3). 2. Short Interest -- a value of 3 would indicate largest short interest (80-90%). 3. Buy Back -- indicates level of company stock purchase programs in effect. 4. Merger Speculation -- use to track level of such speculation. APPLICATION NOTE 1. Shorting Dr Jeff recommends treating "short" sales similar to any other "sales" -- use the "sell" signal generated by the Stock Tracker. If a given stock is worth selling due to new negative news or analyst downgrade, then it MAY also be worth going short. If a given stock is worth selling due to simply reaching one's exit price or resistance level, then it may also be a short candidate (but further analysis is highly recommended). 2. Breakouts A stock may also become a "short" candidate when it breaks through its support level. The Stock Tracker will switch signals from "Buy" at or near support level, to "Sell" after a stock breaks support. Similarly, a stock may become or remain a "long" candidate when it breaks through its resistance level. The Stock Tracker will switch signals from "Sell" at or near resistance level, to "Buy" after a stock breaks resistance. The threshold for this buy/sell switch in practice is highly intuitive, and Dr Jeff reserves the right to fine tune this parameter from time to time (in new versions). ==================== ERRORS, BUGS, ISSUES ==================== ERRORS 1. Error message: "missing .dll files" Your PC does NOT have the "Microsoft.NET Framework" adequately installed. 2. "Demo Alert!" messages are not errors. This is to warn you that you are using a "Demo" version, and the operation is not supported. 3. "File Alert!" messages are not errors. This is to report that the "Help" file requested cannot be found in the same folder as the program, or that the data file to be "Opened" is not valid for the specific form. kNOWN BUGS 1. Printing 1.1 Older versions (such as 1.1) of .NET Framework may cause this symptom: partial overlays of printer dialog box onto printed form. Workaround is to drag the printer dialog box out of the form print area before executing the final "print" command. 1.2 Printer default is "portrait" orientation, which causes a small clipping off the right end of the Stock Tracker form. .NET Framework does not seem capable of supporting a change to "landscape" orientation (although users may try). ============ DEMO VERSION ============ The STOCK TRACKER™ does not come with its own "demo" version per se, since it is already included in the full STOCK MARKET MODELER(tm) "demo" version. All Dr Jeff demos are sub-functional: All the menu commands are disabled, except for the HELP commands. All other functionality is preserved. Note that load/save are disabled. This implies that all programs will start in the same default state each time. The real usefulness of any program is being able to save changes, including current prices, targets, values, etc. -- features available only in the full product. Otherwise, the STOCK TRACKER™ demo version operates and functions just like the full version. ============ ***WARNING: THIS "USER GUIDE" FILE NAME SHOULD NOT BE CHANGED (else the file will not be found). If the file cannot be found, make sure it is located in the same folder as the program, and is named: "SMMT-user_guide" TO CLOSE: if online, click browser BACK button LAST EDIT: 6/24/09