Introduction to MT4 Platform Interface

The following screen-shot below highlights the main MT4 platform interface. As a beginner trader trying to learn how to execute stocks orders in the online stocks market, the main tool for trading the stocks market is the MT4 platform software. This MT4 platform is the software which you will connect to your stocks broker with and execute trade transactions and monitor your stocks account balance from this Meta Trader 4 platform.

The Stocks MT4 stock software is provided for free through the various broker websites. This MetaTrader 4 stocks software looks like the stocks example illustrated and explained below:

The Main Areas of this MT4 platform as shown above are:

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

For this MT4 guide we shall look at a brief introduction for each of these learn MT4 platform:

1. Navigation Menus

The MT4 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 MT4 platform. As a beginner trader you can begin by just clicking any of these MetaTrader 4 navigation menus to familiarize yourself with various MetaTrader 4 button keys which are arranged as MetaTrader 4 submenus within these MetaTrader 4 navigation menus.

The MT4 navigation menus will be discussed & covered in details in the next MetaTrader 4 tutorials about navigation menus.

2. Toolbars

The MT4 tool bars are used to manipulate MT4 charts, either by placing MetaTrader 4 technical indicators, Meta Trader 4 line studies, change MT4 chart time frames & load Meta Trader 4 template from a list of saved Meta Trader 4 templates.

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

3. Chart Panel

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

4. Navigator

MetaTrader 4 Navigator will contain information about MetaTrader 4 trading accounts, whether demo or real, this MT4 window will also have a list of all the MT4 indicators as well as MT4 Automated Expert-Advisors & scripts.

One can choose which MT4 account to sign-in by expanding the Accounts menu, choose an MT4 indicator by expanding the MT4 indicator menu or choose an MT4 Automated Expert-Advisor by expanding the Automated Expert-Advisor menu.

5. Market Watch

Meta Trader 4 Market watch window panel is used to show streaming stocks price quotes for MT4 stocks instruments. This can list as many quotes provided by your Meta Trader 4 broker or a few chosen by a trader. To save inter net band width, right click inside the MT4 market watch window and select 'Hide All', so as to hide the MetaTrader 4 symbols that you aren't transacting on this Meta Trader 4 platform and save on inter-net bandwidth.

6. Terminal

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

This Meta Trader 4 window will also list all open trade transactions & calculate all the profit and loss in real time as the charts move up or down.

7. Connection Bar

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

These MT4 platform main areas form the MT4 platform interface & will be the main areas to be covered in detail in the next learn MT4 guides. For now it's best to download MT4 platform software and familiarize yourself with MT4 software interface.

Why Software is Required for Placing Stocks Transactions with Brokers

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

So why does one need a good platform:

To connect to the Stocks Broker Server:

To place a trade order one needs to use a platform which will connect to the servers of their stocks broker and this will allow them to open and close stocks trade orders. Good platforms will connect with ease to the online brokers' servers & allow traders to place stocks orders at any time from their PC Desktop computer.

To analyze stocks charts using trading analysis tools

To place a buy or sell stocks order one needs to first analyze the direction of a instrument using stocks charts. This is why all good platforms provide stocks technical tools such as price charts, indicators and various different chart time frames from which trader can analyze stocks price moves using the chart time-frames of their choice.

From the above stocks platform inter-face, the summary of all the data needed by a trader is provided in this Meta Trader 4 platform interface

• Connection - connection to the online broker servers
• Charts - price graphs that display prices
• Tool bars - tool-bars to add tools and technical analysis indicators on charts
• Market Watch - for displaying available instruments on MT4 platform
• Data panel - provides MetaTrader 4 account data and other indicator data
• Exchange rates - shows current market price on a chart
• Menu bar - Shows all menu items on the MT4 platform