Changing the Price/Value Display Format

Setting the Value Format for the Main Price Graph or Trade DOM

Select Chart >> Chart Settings on the Sierra Chart menu or on the menu for the detached chart or Trade DOM.

Since you will be manually changing the Value Format and related settings, it is necessary to first uncheck Auto-Set From Data Feed in the Chart Settings window.

In the Chart Settings window, set the Price Display Format (Value Format) to a fraction or decimal format for the price values.

You may need to adjust the Tick Size to match any changes with the Price Display Format. Therefore, make sure the Tick Size is set appropriately based upon the new Price Display Format.

If the Tick Size is changed, you may also need to change the Symbol >> Currency Value Per Tick to match any changes with the Tick Size. Be aware that you have to be careful with altering the Tick Size when performing live trading. It needs to be set correctly.

Press OK to close to Chart Settings window.

To set a short display notation for the chart values displayed in fractions, select Global Settings >> General Settings >> Charts >> Charts enable the Display Fractions in Short Format option. Press OK. This short form only applies to chart values that use a fraction display format rather than a decimal display format. Example: 120 10/32 will be displayed as 120'10 when using the short format.

Setting the Value Format for a Study on the Chart

1. Select Analysis >> Studies on the menu. For complete details, refer to Adding/Modifying Chart Studies.
2. Highlight the study you wish to modify in the Studies to Graph list box.
3. Press the Settings button.
4. On the Settings and Inputs tab, set the Value Format to the fraction or decimal format that you require.
5. Press OK.
6. Press OK.

Setting a Fraction Display Format For Either the Main Price Graph or a Study (US Bonds)

The Price Display Format and Value Format settings allow you to select a fraction format.

For US Bonds you would want to use 0.125/32, 0.25/32, 0.5/32, or 1/32. These fraction formats can also be displayed in a shorter notation such as 100'15.5.

This is how Sierra Chart displays fractions. Sierra Chart does not use a format such as 100.25 which represents 100 25/32. This is confusing as it looks like a decimal number which it is not.

To set a short notation for the chart values displayed in fractions, select Global Settings >> General Settings from the Sierra Chart menu.

In the General Settings window, enable the Display Fractions in Short Format option. Press OK. This short form only applies to chart values that use a fraction display format rather than a decimal display format. Example: 120 10/32 will be displayed as 120'10.

Changing Global Price Display Format for a Symbol

In the case where you want to use a different Price Display Format or Tick Size for a particular symbol from the default, and use these new settings for new charts, existing charts and Quote Boards, then follow the steps below.

1. Select Global Settings >> Symbol Settings.
2. Locate the symbol in the list of symbols. Select the symbol in the list.
3. Modify the Price Display Format and the Tick Size to what you require.
4. Repeat the previous two steps for any symbols that you require.
5. Press OK.
6. For new charts that you open for the symbol, the Price Display Format and the Tick Size will be set according to the new settings.
7. In the case of existing charts, you will need to go to each one and select Chart >> Chart Settings and press the Apply Global Symbol Settings button to update to the new Price Display Format and the Tick Size that you have set.
8. The price formatting for prices in Quote Boards will automatically be changed.

Setting a Fractional Display Format for Grains

This documentation explains setting a short fractional format for grains that trade in a quarter of a cent (.0025). For example, to display 4.8525 as 485'2.

1. Select Global Settings >> General Settings >> Charts >> Charts.
2. Enable the Display Fractions in Short Format option.
3. Press OK.
4. Go to to the grain chart like ZW?## and select Chart >> Chart Settings.
5. Select the Symbol tab.
6. It is necessary to adjust the multipliers to ensure that the quarter of a cent is immediately after the decimal point. So if the values after the decimal point are quoted as .0025 in the chart, then increase both the Real-time Price Multiplier and Historical Price Multiplier settings by 100. If the values after the decimal point are quoted as .25, the no adjustment to the multipliers is necessary.
7. Select the Main Settings tab.
8. Set the Price Display Format to 1/8.
9. Set the Tick Size to .25.
10. Press OK. The price format displayed in the chart should now be correct.