Introduction to MT4 Platform Interface

The following screenshot below shows the main MetaTrader 4 commodities software inter-face. As a beginner trader trying to learn how to execute commodity orders in the online commodity market, the main tool for trading the commodities trading market is the MT4 commodities trading platform software. This MT4 commodities trading platform is software that you will connect to your commodity broker with & execute commodity trade transactions & monitor your commodity trading account balance from this MT4 platform.

The Commodities Trading MT4 software software is provided for free through the various commodity broker web sites. This MetaTrader 4 platform looks like the commodities trading example shown below:

The Main Areas of this MetaTrader 4 commodities trading platform as shown above are:

1. MetaTrader 4 Navigation Menus
2. Toolbars
3. MT4 Commodity Trading Chart Window
4. MT4 Navigator Window Panel
5. MT4 Market Watch Window
6. MT4 Terminal
7. MT4 Connection Bars

For this MT4 tutorial we shall look at a brief introduction for each of these learn commodity MetaTrader 4 platform:

1. Navigation Menus

The MetaTrader 4 navigation menus are:

1. File
2. View
3. Insert
4. Charts
5. Tools
6. Window
7. Help

These are the main MetaTrader 4 navigation menus which can be used to navigate the MT4 software. As a beginner trader you can start by clicking any of these MetaTrader 4 navigation menus so as to familiarize yourself with the various MetaTrader 4 buttons which are arranged as MetaTrader 4 sub-menus within these MetaTrader 4 navigation menus.

These MetaTrader 4 navigation menus will be described and covered in details in the next MT4 guides about navigation menus.

2. Tool-Bars

The MT4 tool bars are used to manipulate MetaTrader 4 commodity charts, either by placing MetaTrader 4 indicators, MetaTrader 4 line studies, change MetaTrader 4 commodities trading chart time frames and load MetaTrader 4 template from a list of saved MetaTrader 4 templates.

These MT4 toolbars will be discussed on other MT4 tutorials that will outline each MetaTrader 4 button on this MT4 tool-bar & how to add & customize these MT4 tool-bars.

3. Chart Window Panel

This MT4 commodity chart window is the main area where MetaTrader 4 commodities trading charts are displayed and a trader can analyze the commodity trend direction of a MetaTrader 4 commodity chart whether up or down, place MetaTrader 4 commodity chart indicators for technical analysis & even place orders from these MetaTrader 4 commodity trading charts.

4. Navigator

MT4 Navigator will contain data about MetaTrader 4 accounts, whether practice or real, this MetaTrader 4 window panel will also have a list of all MT4 technical indicators as well as MetaTrader 4 Commodity Expert-Advisors & scripts.

A trader can select which MetaTrader 4 commodities trading account to login by expanding the Accounts menu, choose an MetaTrader 4 indicator by expanding the MetaTrader 4 indicator menu or choose an MetaTrader 4 Commodity Trading Expert-Advisor by expanding the EA menu.

5. Market Watch

MT4 Market watch is used to show streaming commodity price quotes for MetaTrader 4 commodity trading instruments. This can list as many quotes provided by your MetaTrader 4 commodity broker or a few chosen by a trader. To save internet band width, right click inside the MetaTrader 4 market watch window and select "Hide All", so as to hide the MetaTrader 4 symbols that you are not transacting on this MetaTrader 4 commodities trading platform & save on inter-net band width.

6. Terminal

This is MetaTrader 4 window that's like the bank account trade area for your MT4 commodity trade transactions, on this MT4 window panel you can view your trading account balance, profit and losses statement, equity, margin used also retrieve a copy of all your MT4 commodity trade transactions history.

This MT4 window panel will also list all open commodity trade transactions & calculate all the profit & loss in real-time as the commodity charts move up or down.

7. Connection Bar

MetaTrader 4 connection bars - Red bars are for no connectivity, green bars show that there is connection to the servers and MT4 commodity trade orders can be set. These MetaTrader 4 connection bars should always be green when one logged into their MT4 demo commodity account or MT4 live account.

These MT4 commodities platform main areas form the MT4 commodities trading platform interface & will be the main areas to be covered in detail in next learn MetaTrader 4 tutorials. For now it is best to download MT4 commodities trading platform software & familiarize yourself with the MT4 platform interface.

Why Commodities Trading Platform is Required for Placing Commodities Trading Transactions with Commodity Trading Brokers

Commodity platform is software that is used to access the commodities market & interpret these commodity price movements using commodities charts & commodity technical analysis tools. There are various reasons why a trader requires to use a good commodity platform. A good commodity software can determine if a as a trader you make profit or not.

So why does a trader need a good Commodity Trading Software:

To connect to the Commodity Trading Broker Server:

To place a commodity trade order one needs to use a commodity software that will connect to the trading servers of their commodities broker & this will allow them to open & close commodity trade orders. Good commodity trading platforms will connect with ease to the brokers' servers & allow commodities traders to place commodity trading orders at any time from their desktop computer PC.

To analyze commodity charts using trading technical analysis tools

To place a buy or sell commodity trading order one needs to first interpret the direction of commodity using commodity charts. This is why all good commodity platforms provide commodities trading technical tools such as commodity price charts, commodities technical indicators & various different commodities trading chart time frames from which one can interpret commodity price moves using the commodities trading chart time frames of their choice.

From the above commodity platform inter-face, the summary of all information required by a trader is provided on this MetaTrader 4 commodities trading software interface

• Connection - connection to the broker servers
• Charts - commodity price graphs that display commodity prices
• Toolbars - toolbars to add tools & technical analysis indicators on commodity trading charts
• Market Watch - for displaying available instruments in MT4 platform
• Data window - provides MetaTrader 4 commodity trading account data & other technical indicator data
• Exchange rates - shows current market commodity price on a commodity trading chart
• Menu bar - Shows all menu items on the MetaTrader 4 platform