AptiStockX Help Manual

AptiStockX Help Manual

Welcome to the AptiStockX help manual. AptiStockX is a professional desktop stock charting application for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It supports local CSV data, market-data downloads from multiple providers, technical indicators, custom indicators, drawing studies, intraday charting, watchlists, multiple-monitor workflows, AI Assistant chart reading, and workspace management.

This manual covers everything from first launch to advanced chart analysis. The source is Markdown and is converted into the local HTML help manual used by AptiStockX.

Press F1 in AptiStockX, or choose Help > Open AptiStockX Help Manual, to open this packaged local manual in your browser.

Manual Contents

1. Quick Start
2. Chart Window
3. Data Download and Reload
4. CSV Import
5. Indicators
6. Customer Indicators
7. Drawing Tools
8. Watchlist
9. Workspaces and Files
10. Multiple Monitor Support
11. AI Assistant Chart Reading
12. Settings
13. Keyboard Shortcuts
14. Troubleshooting

Application Layout

AptiStockX presents a Multiple Document Interface (MDI) workspace. Each open chart lives in its own sub-window inside the MDI area. Sub-windows can be arranged in tabbed mode, cascaded, or tiled from the View and Window menus. Charts can also be duplicated into detached windows for use on a second or third monitor.

Basic Workflow

Most AptiStockX sessions follow this flow:

1. Open a CSV file (File > Open CSV) or download data for a ticker (Download > Download Data).
2. Select the chart period using the period buttons at the top of the chart (Daily, Weekly, 1 Hour, etc.).
3. Use the crosshair, zoom, pan, and Y-axis controls to inspect price action.
4. Add technical indicators from the Insert menu.
5. Add drawing studies using the Drawing toolbar.
6. Save the chart as a .acht file (File > Save Chart) or save a chart/session workspace for later reuse (File > Save Workspace).

Quick Start

This page gives the fastest path to opening data and using the main chart controls in AptiStockX.

Step 1 — Open Data

Option A: Open a CSV File

1. Choose File > Open CSV (or press Ctrl+O).
2. Select a stock data CSV file from your computer.
3. AptiStockX reads the file and opens it as a new chart window.

Option B: Download Data

1. Choose Download > Download Data.
2. Enter the ticker symbol (for example: AAPL).
3. Select the EOD source, intraday source, and the history ranges you want AptiStockX to request.
4. Click Download. AptiStockX saves the data locally. Open the symbol from the chart symbol input, watchlist, or local CSV after the download completes.

Step 2 — Select a Chart Period

Use the period buttons at the top of the chart window to change the time frame:

The same choices are available from View > Display Period.

Step 3 — Explore the Chart

Crosshair

Switch to crosshair mode using the Cursor Style toolbar or View > Cursor Style > Crosshairs. Moving the mouse over the chart shows:

• A horizontal price line and a vertical time line
• A price tag on the Y-axis at the cursor position
• An OHLCV hover box showing the bar's date, open, high, low, close, and volume
• Indicator values for the hovered bar when indicators are active

Zoom and Pan

• Mouse wheel — zoom in or out on the chart
• Click and drag the chart area to pan left or right
• Chart Control toolbar — use the navigation buttons for bar-by-bar or quick navigation

Step 4 — Add an Indicator

1. Choose an indicator directly from Insert > Main Chart Indicator to add an overlay, such as Simple Moving Average or Bollinger Bands.
2. Choose an indicator directly from Insert > Sub Chart Indicator to add a separate pane indicator, such as RSI, MACD, or Volume.
3. Press F2 or choose Insert > Indicator Parameters to adjust indicators already on the chart.

Step 5 — Save Your Work

Chart Window

The chart window is the main work area in AptiStockX. It displays price bars, volume, technical indicators, drawing studies, a crosshair with hover data, and price/time axis labels. Multiple chart windows can be open simultaneously inside the MDI workspace.

Top Chart Controls

Each chart window has a controls bar across the top containing:

Chart Periods

AptiStockX supports these display periods:

Intraday periods require intraday data from a configured data provider. See Data Download and Reload for provider setup.

Chart Styles

Choose a chart style from Setting > Price Curve Setting, Setting > Option > Chart, or the chart context menu:

Crosshair and Hover Data

Switch to crosshair mode using the Cursor Style toolbar or View > Cursor Style > Crosshairs.

When crosshair mode is active, moving the mouse over the chart shows:

• A horizontal price line extending across all panes
• A vertical time line
• A price tag on the right Y-axis at the cursor position
• An OHLCV hover box showing: date/time, open, high, low, close, volume
• Indicator value labels for the hovered bar

Navigation

Use the Chart Control toolbar, keyboard shortcuts, or View > Chart Control menu to navigate the chart.

Main Toolbar

The main toolbar provides quick access to the most common file and chart commands.

OHLCV Data Dock

The OHLCV data dock shows the raw bar data for the active chart in a scrollable table. It is useful for reviewing exact price and volume values for any date.

View Menu

The View menu provides access to appearance, cursor style, display period, chart control, and Y-axis settings.

Y-Axis Scale Settings

Use View > Y-Axis Scale Setting to switch between Linear Scale and Log Scale. Use View > Y-Axis Setting to set the active chart's Y-axis scale and vertical zoom factor.

Appearance

Use View > Appearance to switch between Bright and Dark themes. The chart colors, background, and grid adapt to the selected theme.

Data Download and Reload

AptiStockX can download stock data from multiple configured providers and store it locally for charting. Once downloaded, data is available offline and can be reloaded without a network connection.

Download Menu

Download Data

Use Download > Download Data to open the Download Stock Data dialog.

Steps:

1. Enter one ticker symbol, or enter multiple symbols separated by spaces or commas. When one symbol is entered, AptiStockX looks up the company name and shows it to the right of the symbol field.
2. Choose the EOD source for end-of-day data.
3. Choose the Intraday source for 1-minute intraday data.
4. Choose the EOD range: 1 year, 5 years, 10 years, or Maximum.
5. Choose the Intraday range: 5 days, 10 days, or Max. The maximum intraday request is limited by the selected provider.
6. Click Download to begin. Use Cancel to stop an active request or Close to leave the dialog. The progress bar, status line, and results log show download status.

The EOD and intraday sources selected in this dialog control only the current download. They do not change the active chart providers configured in Setting > Data Provider Setting. Downloading from a different provider therefore does not automatically make that provider active for charts.

Downloaded data is saved to the local data folder. Subsequent downloads for the same symbol update the existing file.

When a symbol is typed directly into a chart and no local chart/data file is found, AptiStockX automatically downloads at least five years of EOD history before loading the chart. If the requested period is intraday and intraday charts are available, AptiStockX requests at least the latest five days of intraday data.

The download button beside the chart ticker field follows the active chart period. Daily, weekly, and monthly charts request maximum EOD history. Intraday charts request the maximum intraday range for the configured intraday provider, merge it into the local intraday CSV, and keep the chart on the current intraday period after loading.

Renew Data

Use Download > Renew Data (or press F4) to update data for the currently active chart without opening the full download dialog. AptiStockX renews daily data first and merges newer trading days into the local EOD CSV. If the current chart uses intraday data and intraday charts are unlocked, AptiStockX can also renew the matching intraday side file.

Reload Saved Data

Use View > Reload Saved Data (or press F5) to reload the active chart from the locally saved data file. The chart keeps its workspace settings and moves the visible range to the latest bars when reloading downloaded symbol data. This is useful after:

• Manually editing a local CSV data file
• Switching from one download provider to another
• Restoring a previously downloaded dataset

Intraday Data

Intraday periods (1m, 5m, 30m, 1h) require intraday data to be downloaded separately from end-of-day data. The Download Stock Data dialog requests 1-minute intraday data; AptiStockX derives higher intraday periods from the saved intraday data where possible. Intraday data support varies by provider:

If intraday data is not available locally, selecting an intraday period can start an intraday download for the active symbol.

Intraday charts use subtle alternating backgrounds for consecutive New York trading dates. The bands adapt to Bright and Dark appearance modes and make session boundaries easier to see.

Data Provider Settings

Open Setting > Data Provider Setting to configure API keys and provider-specific options.

Supported providers:

API keys are stored in the operating system credential store when available.

The Intraday session option controls whether charts and downloads use regular-session bars only or include available pre-market and after-hours bars. After changing the active EOD provider, intraday provider, or intraday session, AptiStockX asks whether to reload currently open charts using the new settings. A chart remains unchanged when its selected-provider dataset has not been downloaded.

Local Data Storage

Downloaded data is stored under AptiStockX's configured parent directory. Use Setting > Default Directory Setting to view or change it.

Default structure:

• EOD: <parent>/Data/providers/yahoo_finance/eod/AAPL.csv
• Intraday, regular session: <parent>/Data/providers/alpaca/iex/us_equities_regular/intraday/1min/AAPL.csv
• Intraday, extended session: <parent>/Data/providers/alpaca/iex/us_equities_extended/intraday/1min/AAPL.csv
• Fundamentals: <parent>/Data/providers/yahoo_finance/fundamentals/AAPL.json

Files are stored by provider so histories from different sources are never silently combined. Each EOD and intraday CSV has a neighboring .meta.json file that records its provider, feed, session policy, refresh time, and bar coverage.

AptiStockX 3.0 governs intraday data using the US equity calendar in America/New_York: trading weekdays and holidays, daylight-saving changes, and supported half trading days. Regular-session files contain 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM ET bars. When Include pre-market and after-hours bars is enabled, extended-session files contain available bars from 4:00 AM to 8:00 PM ET. Regular-only and extended-session histories are stored separately and never silently combined.

Governed intraday CSV timestamps are saved in UTC. By default, AptiStockX converts those timestamps to America/New_York for chart labels, so a summer CSV timestamp such as 13:30Z displays as 09:30. Use Setting > Option > Display > Intraday chart time to show labels in stock-exchange time or the computer's local time.

The active chart status identifies its source. Hover over it to see refresh time, missing-bar count, and the extended-hours policy. Refresh always uses the provider recorded in the sidecar; AptiStockX does not silently fall back to another provider.

Chart period buttons route to the configured source for that period family. For example, a Yahoo Finance EOD chart switches to the configured Alpaca intraday dataset when 1 Minute is selected, and switches back to the configured EOD dataset for Day, Week, or Month. The datasets remain separate on disk.

Saved .acht charts remain in the configured Chart directory. Provider-governed saved charts store their chart layout and period with a configured-source policy, so reopening one resolves data from the providers currently selected in Data Provider Setting. The saved viewport and drawing studies are restored by trading date or timestamp, allowing them to remain aligned when providers offer different history lengths. Saved charts based on manually imported CSV files continue to reopen that exact CSV.

CSV Import

Use CSV import when you already have historical stock data in a local file. AptiStockX can open standard OHLCV CSV files directly as charts without a network connection.

Open a CSV File

1. Choose File > Open CSV (or press Ctrl+O).
2. Navigate to the CSV file in the file picker dialog.
3. Click Open. AptiStockX reads the file and opens it as a new chart window.

Supported CSV Format

AptiStockX accepts normalized AptiStockX CSV, common six-column daily CSV, MetaStock-style CSV, and AptiStockX intraday CSV.

For normalized EOD data, AptiStockX writes and reads this header:

date,open,high,low,close,volume,adjusted_close

For common daily CSV imports, the supported columns are:

Date Format

End-of-day CSV files should use YYYY-MM-DD dates (for example: 2024-01-15).

Intraday CSV files should use a Datetime or timestamp header with YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS or YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS values.

Example (Daily CSV)

date,open,high,low,close,volume,adjusted_close
2024-01-02,185.00,187.50,184.20,186.40,55000000,186.40
2024-01-03,186.40,188.10,185.00,187.80,48000000,187.80
2024-01-04,187.80,189.00,186.50,188.20,51000000,188.20

Example (Intraday CSV)

Datetime,Open,High,Low,Close,Volume
2024-01-02T09:30:00,185.00,185.80,184.90,185.60,1200000
2024-01-02T09:31:00,185.60,186.10,185.40,185.90,800000

Sample Fixture Files

The fixtures/ folder next to this manual contains sample CSV files you can use to test the import workflow:

• fixtures/AAPL.csv — Apple Inc. daily OHLCV data
• fixtures/APTX.csv — sample ticker daily OHLCV data

Common Problems

After Opening

Once open, the CSV chart behaves like any other chart. You can:

• Add indicators and drawing studies
• Change the chart style and period
• Save the chart as a .acht file with File > Save Chart
• Use the OHLCV data dock to inspect individual bar values

Indicators

AptiStockX includes built-in technical indicators plus the Customer Indicator workflow for user scripts. Built-in indicators can be added to the main chart pane as overlays or to dedicated sub chart panes below the price chart.

Insert Menu

Use the Insert menu to access all indicator commands.

Main Chart Indicators

Main chart indicators are drawn directly over the price chart as overlays. Use Insert > Main Chart Indicator to add one.

Available main chart indicators include:

Simple Moving Average (SMA)

Exponential Moving Average (EMA)

Volume Weighted Moving Average (VWMA)

Bollinger Bands

Keltner Channels

Moving Average Envelope

Parabolic SAR

Volume Profile

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Sub Chart Indicators

Sub chart indicators appear in separate panes below the main price chart. Use Insert > Sub Chart Indicator to add one.

Available sub chart indicators include:

Volume

Stochastic

MACD

ADX

Average True Range (ATR)

CCI

Momentum (MTM)

Rate of Change (ROC)

Money Flow Index (MFI)

MFI uses a locked 0-100 pane scale. The default overbought line is 80% and the default oversold line is 20%. Each reference line can be shown or hidden and styled independently.

On Balance Volume (OBV)

RSI

Use the Overbought and Oversold settings to show or hide fixed horizontal reference lines in the RSI pane. Level values are percentages: 70% draws the overbought line at the 70 position on the locked 0-100 RSI scale. Each level line can use its own color and solid, dot, dash, dash-dot, or dash-dot-dot style.

Williams %R

Williams %R uses a locked -100 to 0 pane scale. The default overbought line is -20% and the default oversold line is -80%. Each reference line can be shown or hidden and styled independently.

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Indicator Parameters Dialog

Press F2 or choose Insert > Indicator Parameters to open the full indicator parameter dialog. This dialog shows all indicators currently on the chart and lets you edit their parameters, colors, and line styles.

Remove Indicators

• Edit > Delete All Indicators — removes all indicators from the active chart
• Insert > Remove All Indicators — same command from the Insert menu
• Select an individual indicator and press Delete to remove only that indicator

Customer Indicators

Customer Indicators allow users to create and run custom indicator scripts directly in AptiStockX. Scripts are written in the AptiStockX scripting language and can access OHLCV price data, built-in functions, and mathematical operations.

Customer Indicator Selector

Use Insert > Customer Indicator or press F3 to open the Customer Indicator selector dialog. This dialog lists scripts from User Custom Indicators, previews the selected script, and lets you insert it into the main pane or a subpane.

Customer Indicator Editor

Use Setting > Customer Indicator Editor, press F6, or click the Customer Indicator Editor toolbar button to open the script editor.

Editor Workflow

1. Create or open a script — click New to start a blank script, Open to load an existing script, or double-click a script in the tree.
2. Write the script — enter formulas using the AptiStockX customer-indicator language.
3. Use helper panels — insert price constants, operators, drawing styles, and function templates from the editor's helper controls.
4. Check syntax — click Check Syntax to catch empty scripts, unmatched parentheses, unterminated strings, placeholder braces, and suspicious line endings before saving.
5. Save — click Save or Save As to store the script as a .txt file.
6. Insert from the selector — open Insert > Customer Indicator, select the script, then click Insert Mainpane or Insert Subpane.

Scripting Language Reference

The AptiStockX customer-indicator language is compatible with the legacy AptiStock/FEdit formula style. Scripts use price/date constants, formula assignments, built-in functions, and Set(...) style lines to control how output curves are drawn.

Price and Date Constants

Assignments and Output Curves

Use := or = for intermediate values. A line in the form NAME:EXPRESSION; marks NAME as an output curve.

N := 20;
CUSTOM:MA(CLOSE,N);

For multiple curves, define multiple named outputs:

FAST:MA(CLOSE,10);
SLOW:MA(CLOSE,30);

Built-in Functions

Example Script — Custom Moving Average

'New Indicator
N = 20;
CUSTOM:MA(CLOSE,N);
Set(CUSTOM, 1, RGB(0, 128, 255), "SOLID");

Example Script — Moving Average Crossover

FAST:MA(CLOSE,10);
SLOW:MA(CLOSE,30);
Set(FAST, 1, RGB(0, 128, 255), "SOLID");
Set(SLOW, 1, RGB(240, 120, 0), "DASH");

Script Storage Location

Custom indicator scripts are stored in the application data folder:

• User Custom Indicators: <Qt AppDataLocation>/custom_indicators/

Each script is saved as a UTF-8 plain text .txt file. The editor can open a .txt script from any location, but the selector tree only lists scripts in the user custom-indicator folder.

The bundled script library is organized with these subfolders:

Current Limitations

Drawing Tools

Drawing tools let you annotate charts with trend lines, channels, Fibonacci studies, Gann tools, geometric shapes, and text labels. All drawing studies are saved with the chart in the .acht file.

Drawing Toolbar

The Drawing toolbar provides one-click access to all drawing tools. Click a tool button to activate it, then click and drag on the chart to draw.

All drawing tools are also accessible from the Insert menu.

How to Draw

1. Click the desired tool button in the Drawing toolbar (or choose it from the Insert menu).
2. Click and drag on the chart to place the study.
3. Release to finish drawing.
4. Double-click an existing study to open its settings dialog and adjust appearance.
5. Press Esc to cancel an active drawing tool.

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Basic Drawing Tools

Trend Line

Draws a straight line between two price/time anchor points. Commonly used to identify support, resistance, and trend direction.

Trend Arrow

A trend line with an arrowhead at one end to indicate direction.

Horizontal Line

Draws a horizontal line at a fixed price level across the entire chart. Useful for marking key support and resistance price levels.

Vertical Line

Draws a vertical line at a fixed date/time across all chart panes. Useful for marking significant dates such as earnings announcements or economic events.

Cycle Lines

Places evenly spaced vertical lines to mark repeating time cycles.

Rectangle

Draws a shaded or outlined rectangular region on the chart to highlight a price-time area.

Ellipse

Draws an ellipse to highlight a price-time area.

Triangle

Draws a triangle connecting three anchor points.

Text

Places a text label at any position on the chart.

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Fibonacci Tools

Fibonacci tools are available from Insert > Fibonacci.

Fibonacci Arc

Draws circular arcs at Fibonacci ratio distances from a baseline drawn between two anchor points. Used to identify potential reversal zones.

Fibonacci Fan

Draws diagonal fan lines from a single origin point at Fibonacci angles (23.6%, 38.2%, 50%, 61.8%).

Fibonacci Retracement

Draws horizontal retracement levels between a swing high and swing low. Standard levels: 23.6%, 38.2%, 50%, 61.8%, 78.6%, 100%.

Fibonacci Time Zone

Places vertical lines at Fibonacci time intervals (1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34...) from a starting bar.

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Gann Tools

Gann tools are available from Insert > Gann.

Gann Line

Draws a 1×1 Gann angle line (45 degrees) from an anchor point, representing equal price and time movement.

Gann Fan

Draws multiple Gann angle lines (1×8, 1×4, 1×3, 1×2, 1×1, 2×1, 3×1, 4×1, 8×1) from a single origin.

Gann Box

Draws a Gann square/box overlay for time and price analysis.

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Channel Tools

Channel tools are available from Insert > Channels.

Equidistant Channel

Draws two parallel trend lines at equal price distance above and below a baseline.

Standard Deviation Channel

Draws a linear regression line with upper and lower bands at a specified number of standard deviations.

Standard Error Channel

Similar to the Standard Deviation Channel, but uses the standard error of the regression rather than standard deviation of prices.

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Other Analytical Tools

Pitchfork (Andrews' Pitchfork)

Draws three parallel lines from three anchor points forming a channel shape used to identify support and resistance zones.

Linear Regression

Draws a best-fit straight line through the selected price data range.

Speed Resistance Line

Draws 1/3 and 2/3 speed resistance lines from a significant swing high or low to identify likely support or resistance levels.

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Edit and Delete Drawing Studies

Use the Edit menu to manage existing studies.

Watchlist

The Watchlist dock lets you track named lists of ticker symbols and monitor their latest quotes without opening each chart individually. Quotes refresh automatically while the application is running.

Show or Hide the Watchlist

• Choose View > Show Watchlist Panel from the menu bar, or
• Press F7, or
• Click the Watchlist button on the main toolbar.

The Watchlist dock can be docked to any edge of the main window or floated as a separate panel.

Watchlist Columns

The Symbol column also uses tooltips to show the company name, market, quote price, update time, and delayed-data note when available.

When the Watchlist dock is widened, AptiStockX automatically wraps long watchlists into additional Symbol/Last/Updated column groups. Narrowing the dock returns the watchlist to a single column group.

Add a Symbol

1. Open the Watchlist dock.
2. Right-click in the watchlist to open the context menu and choose Add Symbol, or use Setting > Watchlist Edit.
3. Type the ticker symbol and press Enter.
4. The symbol appears in the list. Its quote refreshes on the next update cycle.

Edit the Watchlist

Use Setting > Watchlist Edit to open the watchlist editor. From here you can:

• Add new symbols
• Remove existing symbols
• Reorder the list by dragging entries

The dock also has a List selector plus New and Delete buttons for managing multiple watchlist CSV files.

Open a Chart from the Watchlist

Single-click a symbol to load it in the active chart. Double-click a symbol to open it as a new chart window. Right-click a symbol to choose Open in Active Chart, Open as New Chart, or Open as Detached Chart from the context menu.

If an exact saved chart named SYMBOL.acht exists in the configured Chart directory, AptiStockX loads that chart file first. The chart always uses the configured data provider for the active display period and starts a download if that exact dataset is not available locally.

When a symbol replaces the stock in the current chart window, AptiStockX keeps the current display period and approximate visible-bar count, then moves the new symbol to its latest bars. A matching saved chart still supplies that symbol's indicators, studies, and visual settings. Opening an .acht file directly continues to restore the period and viewport saved in that file.

Sort the Symbol Column

Click the Symbol column header to cycle the watchlist display order:

1. A-Z
2. Z-A
3. CSV order

CSV order means the order stored inside the current watchlist .csv file. The selected sort mode is saved in last_session_workspace.json and restored the next time AptiStockX opens.

Refresh Quotes

Quotes refresh automatically at a background interval while the app is running. To force an immediate refresh:

• Right-click in the watchlist and choose Refresh from the context menu.

Watchlist Storage

Watchlists are saved to the application data folder:

• <Qt AppDataLocation>/watchlists/<list name>.csv

Older builds used a single watchlist.csv; AptiStockX copies that file into the named-watchlists folder when needed. Each watchlist file is plain CSV and can be edited in any text editor.

Workspaces and Files

AptiStockX uses three related saved states: individual chart files (.acht) that preserve one chart's symbol, period, indicators, studies, and visual settings; chart workspace JSON files that apply reusable chart settings to the active chart; and full session workspace JSON files that preserve multiple MDI and detached chart windows.

File Menu

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Chart Files (.acht)

A chart file stores everything about a single chart:

• The ticker symbol
• The selected chart period (Daily, Weekly, 1h, etc.)
• The chart style (Candlestick, Line, OHLC, Heikin-Ashi, etc.)
• All active indicators and their parameters
• All drawing studies and their positions
• The visible range and visual chart settings

Open a Chart File

• File > Open Chart (Ctrl+Shift+O) — opens a .acht file from disk.

Save a Chart File

• File > Save Chart (Ctrl+S) — saves the active chart to its current file path.
• File > Save Chart As — saves a copy to a new file path.

Chart files use JSON format (v3). Older v1 and v2 .acht files are loaded gracefully.

Symbol Auto-Load from the Chart Directory

When you type or select a symbol, AptiStockX first checks the configured Chart directory for an exact file named SYMBOL.acht, such as AAPL.acht. If that exact file exists, it is loaded directly. Files in other directories or differently named files such as AAPL-chart.acht are ignored by this automatic lookup.

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Workspaces

A workspace is saved as JSON in the configured Workspace directory. When more than one chart or a detached chart is open, File > Save Workspace asks whether to save:

• Current Chart Workspace — reusable chart settings for the active chart.
• Full Session Workspace — all open MDI and detached chart windows, their symbols, positions, and layout state.

Open a Workspace

• File > Open Workspace — opens a previously saved workspace JSON file. A chart workspace applies to the active chart, while a full session workspace restores its saved chart windows.

Save a Workspace

• File > Save Workspace — saves the current window layout to a workspace file.
• File > Save as Default Workspace — saves the active chart's workspace settings as default_workspace.json.

The last session is also saved automatically to last_session_workspace.json in the AptiStockX system directory and restored on the next launch when available.

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Recent Files

Recently opened chart files and CSV files are listed in File > Recent Files.

Click any entry in the recent files list to reopen it immediately.

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MDI Window Arrangement

Use the Window menu to arrange chart sub-windows in the MDI area.

The active window arrangement is preserved in the workspace file when you save a workspace.

Multiple Monitor Support

AptiStockX supports multi-monitor workflows, allowing you to display chart windows across multiple physical displays for expanded workspace and side-by-side analysis.

Overview

The main application window and its MDI area (containing tabbed or tiled charts) remain on your primary monitor. Detached chart windows are standalone windows that can be positioned on secondary monitors, maximizing viewing real estate for detailed technical analysis across your full display setup.

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Creating Detached Chart Windows

A detached chart window is a standalone chart that floats independently of the main MDI area.

Duplicate a Chart as Detached

1. Open the chart you want to duplicate.
2. Right-click in the chart area and select Duplicate Chart in New Window, use Window > Duplicate Active Chart in New Window, or press F9.
3. A new detached chart window opens, offset from the main workspace.
4. You can now drag it to any connected monitor.

The detached window operates independently — changes to indicators or zoom level on the detached window do not affect the original chart in the MDI area, and vice versa.

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Managing Detached Windows

Move a Detached Window to Another Monitor

Detached chart windows behave like any standard application window:

• Click and drag the title bar to move the window to another monitor.
• Use keyboard shortcuts to move windows between displays (OS-dependent).
• The window position and size are preserved when you save a workspace.

Close a Detached Window

Click the close button in the window title bar. You will be prompted if unsaved chart changes need attention.

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Automatic Multi-Monitor Layouts

AptiStockX provides automatic arrangement modes for standard dual- and triple-monitor setups.

Arrange for Dual Monitor

• Window > Arrange for Dual Monitor

This command:

1. Positions the main AptiStockX window on your primary monitor, filling the available space.
2. Creates one detached chart window (if needed) and positions it to fill your secondary monitor.
3. Requires a chart to be open and at least two monitors connected.

Use case: Monitor price action on a detailed chart on one screen while keeping the main application interface accessible on another.

Arrange for Triple Monitor

• Window > Arrange for Triple Monitor

This command:

1. Positions the main AptiStockX window on your primary monitor.
2. Creates two detached chart windows (if needed) and positions them to fill your second and third monitors.
3. Requires at least three monitors connected.

Use case: Simultaneously monitor three different stocks or timeframes across three displays.

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Bringing Detached Windows Back

If a detached window moves off-screen or becomes unreachable:

• Window > Bring Detached Windows to Main Monitor

This command repositions all detached windows to visible locations on your primary monitor, arranged in a cascading pattern.

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Saving and Restoring Multi-Monitor Layouts

When you save a Full Session Workspace JSON file, the positions, sizes, and monitor assignments of detached windows are preserved.

Save a Multi-Monitor Layout

1. Arrange your charts and detached windows as desired across your monitors.
2. Choose File > Save Workspace, choose Full Session Workspace when prompted, and give the layout a name.
3. To automatically load this layout on the next application launch, select File > Save as Default Workspace.

Restore a Multi-Monitor Layout

• File > Open Workspace — reopen a previously saved full session workspace, restoring all detached window positions.

Note: If a monitor was connected at the time of saving but is no longer available, detached windows will be repositioned to visible areas on the current monitor setup.

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Tips and Workflow

• Dual setup (price + analysis): Use the main window for detailed technical analysis and drawing tools on one monitor, and a detached window to monitor live price action on another.
• Triple setup (watchlist + analysis + detail): Position the main window on monitor 1 for watchlist and settings, a medium-term chart on monitor 2, and an intraday chart on monitor 3.
• Independent zoom/navigation: Detached windows can be zoomed and scrolled independently, allowing simultaneous views of different time ranges of the same or different symbols.
• Session restore: Even if detached windows are scattered across multiple displays when you close the app, they will restore to their saved positions on the next launch.

AI Assistant Chart Reading

AptiStockX includes an integrated AI Assistant powered by OpenAI-compatible APIs. The AI Assistant provides chart and selected-indicator explanations using structured chart context, helping you review price patterns, momentum, volume dynamics, indicators, and visible support/resistance areas.

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Overview

The AI Assistant analyzes the current chart window and generates concise, actionable insights. It examines:

• Price trends and momentum — identifying uptrends, downtrends, and consolidation patterns
• Volume profile — analyzing volume spikes and volume-weighted price movements
• Indicator readings — explaining what active technical indicators (RSI, MACD, Bollinger Bands, etc.) are signaling
• Support and resistance — identifying potential price support and resistance zones from the visible chart
• Risk factors — noting potential risks or limitations based on what's visible on the chart

The AI Assistant operates entirely on the visible chart context — it never invents data and includes disclaimers that its analysis is educational, not investment advice.

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Enabling and Configuring the AI Assistant

Show the AI Assistant Panel

• View > Show AI Assistant Panel,
• press F8, or
• Click the AI Assistant toolbar button.

The AI Assistant panel opens as a docked widget on the right side of the main window. It can be docked on any side or floated as a separate panel.

Configure AI Settings

1. Choose Setting > AI Assistant Setting… from the menu bar, or click Settings... in the AI Assistant panel.
2. Configure the following:

Managing Your API Key

Your API key is stored securely in your system's credential storage:

• macOS: OS Keychain
• Windows: Windows Credential Manager
• Linux: System credential store

The API key is never written to disk in plain text.

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Using Chart Explanation

Chart Explanation analyzes the entire visible chart and provides a structured breakdown of the price action.

Request a Chart Explanation

1. Open a chart (any symbol, period, or style).
2. Open the AI Assistant panel if not already visible.
3. Click Explain Current Chart.
4. The AI Assistant will analyze the chart and return a response.

What You'll See

The AI Assistant returns an explanation organized into sections:

• Summary — overall trend and market character (bullish, bearish, or sideways)
• Trend and Momentum — primary trend direction and recent momentum signals
• Volume — volume profile and any significant volume patterns
• Possible Support / Possible Resistance — zones where price may find support or resistance
• Potential Risks — limitations or factors to watch
• Disclaimer — reminder that this is educational analysis, not investment advice

Example response:

Summary
The chart shows a sustained uptrend with consolidation near the highs.

Trend and Momentum
Price is in a higher-high, higher-low pattern. Momentum indicators appear
positive but may be overbought on shorter timeframes.

Volume
Volume spikes coincide with breakouts above key resistance levels, suggesting
institutional participation in the uptrend.

Possible Support / Possible Resistance
Watch the $150 level for support. Potential resistance near $160.

Potential Risks
Extended moves in one direction may pull back sharply. Watch for divergences
between price and volume.

Disclaimer
This analysis is educational only and does not constitute investment advice.

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Using Indicator Explanation

Indicator Explanation focuses on a selected technical indicator, explaining what it measures and how it relates to the current price action.

Request an Indicator Explanation

1. Add a technical indicator to your chart from Insert > Main Chart Indicator or Insert > Sub Chart Indicator.
2. Click the indicator to select it (a blue border appears around the indicator).
3. Right-click and select Explain Selected Indicator with AI, or use Explain Selected Indicator in the AI Assistant panel.
4. The AI Assistant will explain the selected indicator.

What You'll See

The AI Assistant returns an explanation organized into sections:

• What the Indicator Measures — the purpose and mathematical basis of the indicator
• Current Reading — the current value(s) of the indicator and what that means
• How It Relates to the Visible Chart — interpretation in the context of price action
• Limitations / Risks — when the indicator may be unreliable or misleading
• Disclaimer — reminder about educational use

Example response:

What the Indicator Measures
The Relative Strength Index (RSI) measures the magnitude of recent price
changes to evaluate overbought or oversold conditions.

Current Reading
The RSI is at 72, which is typically considered overbought (above 70).

How It Relates to the Visible Chart
Price is near a 3-month high, and the overbought RSI suggests momentum may
be weakening. However, strong uptrends can persist with overbought RSI.

Limitations / Risks
RSI overbought signals are less reliable in strong trends. Also, divergences
(price makes new highs while RSI makes lower highs) are more significant
than overbought levels alone.

Disclaimer
This explanation is educational and not investment guidance.

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AI Response Status

Waiting for a Response

When you request an explanation, the AI Assistant shows Generating... while the request is being sent to the AI provider.

Canceling a Request

Click the Cancel button to stop waiting for a response.

Error Messages

Common error messages and what they mean:

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Supported AI Models

The AI Assistant works with any OpenAI-compatible API. Popular options include:

• OpenAI-compatible APIs (for example, gpt-4o-mini) — https://api.openai.com/v1
• Anthropic Claude (via OpenAI-compatible router) — varies by provider
• Local LLMs (via Ollama, LM Studio, vLLM) — for example http://localhost:1234/v1
• Third-party providers (Azure OpenAI, Together, Replicate) — check provider documentation

Recommended Settings

Use a model that supports chat completions through an OpenAI-compatible endpoint. Local providers are a good fit when you want chart context to stay on your machine.

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Tips and Best Practices

• Fresh perspective: Use Chart Explanation before trading to validate your own analysis or discover patterns you might have missed.
• Learning tool: Use Indicator Explanation to understand unfamiliar indicators without leaving the charting application.
• Timeframe matters: Run explanations on multiple timeframes (daily, weekly, intraday) to see how the narrative changes across different perspectives.
• Cross-check with price: The AI sees only what's on the chart. If important data occurred off-screen or pre-chart, the analysis is incomplete.
• Data privacy: If you configure a local AI provider (Ollama, LM Studio), all chart data stays on your computer. For cloud providers, verify their privacy policy.

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Limitations and Disclaimers

The AI Assistant:

• Is educational, not investment advice — never guarantees future price movement or recommends buy/sell actions
• Analyzes only visible data — it cannot see volume at specific price levels, off-chart news, or intraday nuances outside the visible window
• Can hallucinate — in rare cases, it may generate plausible-sounding but inaccurate interpretations; always verify its insights against the actual chart
• Requires honest chart setup — if the chart's time period, symbol, or indicators are mislabeled or incorrect, the analysis will be misleading
• Is subject to provider limits — rate limits, API costs, and provider outages may affect availability

Always conduct your own due diligence and combine AI insights with your own analysis and research.

Settings

Settings control chart appearance, behavior, data providers, Y-axis scaling, and chart defaults. Settings are accessed through the View menu, the Setting menu, and the Options dialog.

Setting Menu

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Appearance — Bright and Dark Mode

Use View > Appearance to switch between Bright and Dark themes. The theme affects the chart background, grid color, bar colors, axis colors, and the application palette.

The selected mode is saved and restored on the next application launch.

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Cursor Style

Use View > Cursor Style to switch between the standard pointer and the crosshair cursor.

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Y-Axis Scale Settings

Use View > Y-Axis Scale Setting to control how the vertical price axis is scaled.

Options include:

• Linear Scale — standard price scale
• Log Scale — logarithmic price scale
• Expand in Y-Axis / Shrink in Y-Axis — toolbar and menu commands adjust vertical zoom
• Y-Axis Setting — opens a dialog with Y-axis scale and vertical zoom controls

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Options Dialog

Use Setting > Option to open the Options dialog. It has these pages:

Chart Page

Controls chart rendering defaults such as:

• Default chart style (Candlestick, OHLC, Line, etc.)
• Range size and Renko brick size when those chart styles are selected
• Bar spacing and width defaults
• Grid line visibility
• Up/down bar colors

Display Page

Controls display and UI behavior defaults such as:

• Price grid lines
• Mouse crosshair display
• OHLCV hover box display
• Volume pane visibility default
• Intraday chart time labels in stock-exchange time or the computer's local time

Intraday chart time defaults to Stock exchange time (America/New_York), so the normal US equity session is labeled from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM ET. Choose Computer local time to label the same bars in the timezone configured by the operating system. This setting changes chart labels and hover/status times only; saved CSV timestamps remain UTC and trading-session governance remains in exchange time.

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First-Run Terms and Privacy Choices

Before normal use begins, AptiStockX shows the current Terms of Use and the optional telemetry choice together. You must select the Terms agreement to continue. Telemetry is off unless you select it, and the telemetry choice can be changed later on the Privacy page.

The Windows installer also displays the Terms of Use in its setup wizard. AptiStockX recognizes that installer acceptance on first launch, so Windows users are not asked to accept the same Terms twice.

Privacy Page

Controls privacy-preserving telemetry. AptiStockX does not send stock symbols, watchlists, chart files, private files, provider credentials, license payloads, file paths, or trading account information.

AI Page

Controls the AI Assistant provider, base URL, model, API key, credential status, and whether cloud AI providers may receive symbol and structured chart context. Cloud chart-data sharing is disabled by default.

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Data Provider Settings

Use Setting > Data Provider Setting to configure which market data providers are active and to enter API keys.

See Data Download and Reload for the full list of supported providers and setup instructions.

Use Intraday session to choose regular-hours-only charts or include available pre-market and after-hours bars. When the active EOD provider, intraday provider, or intraday session changes, AptiStockX offers to reload open charts using the new settings. Choosing No leaves current charts unchanged; the new settings apply when charts are reopened or their periods change.

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Default Directory Settings

Use Setting > Default Directory Setting to view or change the parent directory used for AptiStockX user data. AptiStockX derives these folders from the selected parent directory:

• Data
• Data/providers for provider-separated EOD, intraday, and fundamental data
• Workspace
• Chart

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Chart Window Settings

Use Setting > Chart Window Setting to configure display defaults such as grid visibility, crosshair, OHLCV info box, volume pane visibility, and axis label font.

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Price Curve Settings

Use Setting > Price Curve Setting to configure chart style, Range size, Renko brick size, bar width, and up/down colors.

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Bar Limit Settings

Use Setting > Bar Limit Setting to control how many bars AptiStockX loads from very large files. When a file exceeds the configured limit, AptiStockX loads the most recent bars and shows a message explaining what was skipped.

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Watchlist Edit

Use Setting > Watchlist Edit to add, remove, and reorder symbols in the Watchlist dock. See Watchlist for details.

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Customer Indicator Editor

Use Setting > Customer Indicator Editor to open the script editor for custom indicators. See Customer Indicators for details.

Keyboard Shortcuts

File Commands

Data Commands

Indicator Commands

Chart Navigation

Zoom and Scale

Drawing Tools

Window Management

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Note: Verify all shortcuts against the final release build menus. On macOS, Ctrl maps to the Command key in some contexts.

Troubleshooting

CSV File Does Not Open

Symptoms: File picker dialog closes but no chart window appears; an error message mentions missing columns or unrecognized format.

Steps to fix:

1. Open the CSV file in a text editor and verify it has a header row with at least Date, Open, High, Low, and Close columns.
2. Confirm the date format is YYYY-MM-DD (for example: 2024-01-15). Other formats may not be recognized.
3. Remove any blank rows, especially blank rows at the top or between data rows.
4. Ensure price and volume values are plain numbers without currency symbols ($), thousands separators (,), or extra quotes.
5. Re-save the file as UTF-8 encoding if it was created on Windows and may use Windows-1252 encoding.
6. See CSV Import for the full format specification and example files.

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Download Fails or Returns No Data

Symptoms: Download dialog shows an error, or the chart opens empty after a download attempt.

Steps to fix:

1. Verify the ticker symbol is correct for the selected provider (format varies: AAPL, AAPL.US, etc.).
2. Check your internet connection.
3. Open Setting > Data Provider Setting and confirm the selected provider and API key are correct.
4. Some providers require an API key. Confirm your API key is active and has not expired.
5. Try switching providers. Yahoo Finance requires no API key for EOD data; configured Alpaca, Tiingo, or Alpha Vantage accounts can provide supported intraday data.
6. Check the provider's website for any service outage.

Intraday Period Is Unavailable or Shows No Bars

Symptoms: Selecting 1m, 5m, 30m, or 1h period shows an empty chart or stays on the previous period.

Steps to fix:

1. Intraday data must be downloaded separately from end-of-day data. Use Download > Download Data, select the intraday provider, and choose an intraday range.
2. Confirm the selected provider supports intraday data for the symbol. Not all providers offer intraday data for all markets.
3. Verify that intraday data has been downloaded locally. Use Setting > Default Directory Setting to find the configured parent directory, then look under Data/providers/<provider>/<feed>/<session>/intraday/1min/ for a file matching the ticker. The session folder is us_equities_regular or us_equities_extended, according to Setting > Data Provider Setting.
4. Some providers only provide a limited number of intraday days. If the saved data is old, re-download it.

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Indicator Does Not Appear on the Chart

Symptoms: You added an indicator but nothing new appears on the chart.

Steps to fix:

1. Check whether the indicator is a sub chart indicator — it appears in a separate pane below the price chart, not over the price bars. Scroll down or look for a new pane.
2. Confirm the chart has enough bars to calculate the indicator. For example, a 200-period SMA requires at least 200 bars of data.
3. Press F2 to open Indicator Parameters and verify the indicator is listed there and its period is reasonable for the available data length.
4. Try zooming out to see if the indicator is drawn outside the currently visible range.

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Crosshair or Hover Box Appears Sluggish

Symptoms: Moving the mouse over the chart with crosshair enabled feels slow or the hover box flickers.

Steps to fix:

1. Zoom in to reduce the number of visible bars. Rendering a very wide bar range (several thousand bars) requires more work per frame.
2. Remove any active indicators with very wide calculation windows if you are not using them.
3. Check if a future release mentions static chart layer caching improvements.

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Chart Looks Different After Reopening

Symptoms: A saved chart opens with different colors, indicator settings, or chart style than expected.

Steps to fix:

1. Check whether a default workspace was saved with different settings. Load the chart file directly with File > Open Chart to bypass the workspace.
2. Verify the .acht file was saved after the last content change. Scrolling, panning, zooming, and changing period do not mark the chart as modified, but indicators, custom indicators, workspace application, display-name edits, chart studies, and chart style changes do.
3. If the chart style changed, open View > Appearance and confirm the theme is set as expected.

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App Appears Slow on First Launch

Symptoms: The application takes a long time to start or the first chart loads slowly.

Steps to fix:

1. The first launch may take longer because macOS verifies the application signature.
2. Large watchlists trigger background quote requests at startup. Reduce the watchlist size if startup performance is a concern.

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App Icon Looks Incorrect in the Dock

Symptoms: The macOS Dock shows a generic or incorrect icon for AptiStockX.

Steps to fix:

1. Confirm you are running the official packaged .app and not a directly launched binary.
2. Clear the macOS icon cache by running sudo killall Dock in Terminal, or log out and back in.
3. Drag the app to the Dock again to refresh the icon.

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Still Having Problems?

If the problem persists, report it with steps to reproduce, your operating system version, and the AptiStockX version number and tier visible in Help > About AptiStockX.