The Candlestick Replay feature is an invaluable tool for traders who wish to review and analyze market behavior. It allows you to simulate past market movements as if they were happening in real-time, providing a dynamic way to study price action, test strategies, and enhance your technical analysis skills.
Whether you're a beginner learning how to read charts or an experienced trader backtesting a system, Candlestick Replay offers a practical and intuitive way to visualize historical data. This guide will walk you through how to access, operate, and make the most of this powerful functionality.
Accessing the Candlestick Replay Panel
To begin using the replay feature, locate and click the Candlestick Replay button on the top panel of your chart. This action will open the dedicated replay control interface.
The replay panel is designed with user-friendliness in mind. Its controls are laid out similarly to a standard media player, making it intuitive for anyone to operate.
Setting the Starting Point
Once the replay panel is open, the chart will enter 'Select Start Point' mode. As you move your cursor over the chart, you will see a blue vertical line with a scissors icon. This line represents the potential starting point for the replay.
Click on your desired date and time to set the beginning of the replay sequence.
Controlling Playback
Click the Play button to start the automatic playback of historical price movements. You can adjust the playback speed using the speed control slider either before starting the replay or while it is in progress.
To move forward one step at a time manually, use the Step Forward button. This is particularly useful for closely analyzing specific candlesticks or market reactions.
During replay, the chart will clearly display its current status, indicating that you are in replay mode and not viewing live data.
Advanced Replay Operations
Even after the replay has started, you are not locked into your initial choice. You can change the starting point at any time by clicking the Go to... button and selecting a different historical period on the chart.
One of the most powerful aspects of this feature is the ability to synchronize replay across all charts in your layout. This allows you to track the dynamics of one or multiple completely different instruments across various timeframes at the same historical point in time.
When you switch to a workspace containing multiple charts, you will be presented with a choice of replay modes: Current Chart Only or All Charts.
- Single Chart Mode: Replay operates only on the chart where it was initiated, functioning as described in the basic instructions.
- All Charts Mode: When you select a starting bar, the starting line appears on all charts in your layout. Selecting a point on one chart synchronizes all charts to that exact moment in time, ensuring the replay begins within the visible area of every chart.
To immediately exit replay mode and return to live market data, click the Jump to Live Chart button. This provides a seamless transition back to real-time trading.
You can close the replay panel at any time by clicking the [X] button or by toggling the Candlestick Replay button on the chart's top panel.
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Key Features and Important Limitations
Understanding the capabilities and boundaries of the Candlestick Replay feature is crucial for effective use:
- Server-Side Alerts: These continue to trigger based on real-time data, not the replayed data.
- New Alert Creation: You cannot create new server-side alerts while in replay mode.
- Trade Orders: Simulated trades and orders from connected brokers are executed based on real-time market data.
- Displayed Data: The quotes shown in trading panels and watchlists correspond to real-time data, not the replayed historical prices.
- Chart Compatibility: The feature is not compatible with non-standard chart types, spread charts, or tick-based charts.
- Drawing Tools and Indicators: You can apply drawing objects and technical indicators during replay. These will remain on the chart even after you exit the replay mode.
- Tool Limitations: Regression trend and fixed-range volume profile tools do not function during replay.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main purpose of the Candlestick Replay feature?
Candlestick Replay allows traders to simulate and review historical market movements. It's primarily used for educational purposes, strategy backtesting, and analyzing specific market events in a controlled, frame-by-frame environment to improve trading decisions.
Can I place trades based on the replayed data?
No, all trade orders—including simulated ones—are executed based on real-time market data, not the historical prices being replayed. The feature is designed for analysis and education, not for live trading on past data.
Does replay mode work with all my technical indicators?
Most standard indicators will work normally during replay, allowing you to see how they would have reacted to price movements. However, certain advanced tools like regression trend and fixed-range volume profile are not supported in this mode.
Why can't I use replay on my spread chart?
The feature relies on standardized time-based data. Spread charts and tick-based charts process information differently, making them incompatible with the replay system's method of simulating past market activity.
How do I analyze multiple timeframes simultaneously?
Use the "All Charts" synchronization mode. This ensures that when you select a starting point, all charts in your layout—whether showing different timeframes or instruments—will begin replay from that exact same moment.
Will my drawings and annotations be saved after replay?
Yes, any drawing objects or indicators you apply to a chart during replay will remain on the chart after you exit the mode, allowing you to preserve your analysis for future reference.