Symbol Search

The Symbol Search allows you to search for and select one or multiple symbols for entry into a chart or quote. Contracts are displayed for symbols that match your search criteria.

You may search for symbols using either the symbol ID (root), a part of the symbol's description, or by exchange. Symbol Search also allows you to enter specifications for a futures continuation contract when creating a chart.

For Equities Symbol Search, go here.

To Use the Symbol Search

Click the Symbol Search button from the Active Plug-in toolbar.

Result: The Symbol Search dialog box displays.

On the Search tab, position your cursor in the Search field.

TO search by ...	THEN ...
the symbol root	enter the root (C, W, SP, NG, etc) in the Search field. If your Symbol Search Preferences use the default setting, "Choose search type from search dialog", then click the By ID radio button, then click Go. Result: Root symbol(s) matching your search criteria are displayed in the upper window of the dialog box, and all active contracts for the highlighted root are displayed in the lower window of the dialog box.
description	enter the 1st word of the description in the Search field. or begin your search with wildcard * followed by your search term If your Symbol Search Preferences use the default setting, "Choose search type from search dialog", then click the By Description radio button, then click Go. Result: Root symbol(s) matching your search criteria are displayed in the upper window of the dialog box, and all active contracts for the highlighted root are displayed in the lower window of the dialog box.
exchange	leave the Search field blank. Choose an exchange from the Exchange drop-down list. Result: All root symbols carried by the exchange are displayed in the upper window of the dialog box, and all active contracts for the highlighted root are displayed in the lower window of the dialog box.

When multiple root symbols were found by the search, select the desired root symbol from the upper window.

Choose the desired contracts from the lower window:

WHEN inserting to a ...

THEN you may ...

chart

only select one contract from the lower window.

quote

select one or more contracts from the lower window:

Use the Select All button to choose all active contracts shown.

Use the Unselect All button to clear all selected contracts.

To select multiple contracts, hold the Ctrl key and click each desired contract. To select sequential contracts, hold the Shift key, click the first desired contract, then scroll down to the end of the series and click the last desired contract. All contracts displayed between the two selected contracts are highlighted.

Note: For a quote, you may also view the last 1-3 previous price ticks for the contract, using the drop-down list in the Previous Prices to Display field.

By default, the Return as Forwards checkbox is checked. You may uncheck this field, if desired. (About Forward contracts)
A forward contract is identified in Workstation as the root symbol, plus the number of months forward, followed by an exclamation point. For example:
- SP1! (the front month for the S&P 500)
- C2! (2 months forward for CBOT Corn)
- NG3! (3 months forward for Natural Gas)
When specifying a symbol on a chart or quote, you can enter either the exact contract (SPZ03) or the forward contract (SP1!).

The advantage to entering forward contracts is that Workstation will automatically roll these contracts when they expire on your quote or chart. SP1! will translate to SPZ03 until it expires on 12/18/03, and will automatically translate to SPH04 from 12/19/03 until 3/18/04.

When contracts are selected using a month/year-specific designation in a price or chart window, they will not be replaced when they expire.

When you uncheck the Return as Forwards field, contracts are entered with the month and year, and these will expire on their expiration dates.
Click OK to return the selected contracts to your quote or chart.