Working with ChartStyles and StyleButtons

Accessing ChartStyles

There are three main areas on the SharpCharts Workbench where you can find your ChartStyles.

ChartStyles Area

The ChartStyles area is below the chart in the SharpCharts Workbench. You can use the dropdown menu to select a ChartStyle to apply to the current chart.

StyleButtons Area

To the left of the chart, you will see the StyleButtons Area—a small gear icon, some small gray rectangles, and a small plus icon. These small grey rectangles are your StyleButtons, and the gear and plus sign icons allow you to manage your StyleButtons and ChartStyles.

Note: If you have no StyleButtons set up, only the plus sign icon will appear. You can select this icon to add your first StyleButton.

ChartStyle Library

The ChartStyles Library is located below the chart, in the tool options on the left side. In the "Settings" section, clicking "ChartStyle Library" opens a grid view of your available ChartStyles.

In this menu, the "Select Library" dropdown list will feature options for your saved ChartStyles as well as various collections of popular ChartStyles. These include styles designed for different charting types, such as OHLC bars, candlesticks, and line charts, as well as those favored by different charting experts like John Murphy, Larry Williams, and Martin Pring. If you know the specific style you're looking for, you can use the search bar on the right side to search the ChartStyle Library.

Creating ChartStyles

The first step in creating a ChartStyle is to generate a SharpChart and change its settings to match your requirements. Potential settings include period, range, chart type, and color scheme. You can configure any indicators or overlays you want on the chart.

Click Update when you've finished making changes.

When you've configured your chart, save those settings as a ChartStyle from the ChartStyles Area:

1. Click the green Save ChartStyle button next to the ChartStyles dropdown menu.

2. Enter a name for your new ChartStyle in the ChartStyle Name box.

3. Click the Save New ChartStyle button.

Applying ChartStyles

When you apply a ChartStyle to your chart, the settings of that ChartStyle will be applied to the current chart you are viewing on the workbench. You can then click the "Save" button if you wish to save the changes made to the chart.

It is essential to understand that there is no ongoing connection between the ChartStyle and the chart where it has been applied. For example, if you later change that ChartStyle to use the “Spruce” color scheme instead, no changes will be automatically made to the color scheme of your saved chart. You must re-apply the ChartStyle to your chart to update its style settings.

There are multiple ways to apply a ChartStyle to an existing SharpChart.

From the ChartStyles Area

In the ChartStyles area, choose the ChartStyle you want to apply from the dropdown menu. Your custom-created ChartStyles are listed first in the menu, followed by a few select Predefined ChartStyles provided by StockCharts.

Using the StyleButtons

For ChartStyles that have been assigned StyleButtons, you can click the StyleButton to the left of the chart that corresponds to the ChartStyle you want to apply.

From the ChartStyle Library

By default, the ChartStyle Library opens in "Grid" view, displaying your ChartStyles as small thumbnail images. Clicking on a thumbnail will instantly apply that style to your chart. Next to the search bar, there is a slider tool that allows you to adjust the size of the thumbnails.

Alternatively, you can view the menu as a list by clicking the "List" button. Unlike the Grid view, clicking on a style will not immediately change your chart. Instead, it will show a preview of that style on the right side of your chart. To apply the style to your chart, click the green Apply ChartStyle button beneath the preview image.

From the Edit View of a ChartList

You can also apply your ChartStyle to some or all charts in a ChartList at one time using the Edit View of one of your ChartLists.

See our Edit View help page in the Support Center for more information on this method.

Applying a Style to an Entire ChartList

In addition to applying saved ChartStyles to charts, you can also “apply” the current style from one chart in your ChartList to the other charts in that same ChartList.

Follow the steps below:

1. Select the ChartList you want to modify from the ChartList dropdown at the top of the SharpCharts Workbench.

2. Change the chart settings on the loaded chart until it looks the way you want the rest of the charts in the ChartList to look. Click Update after making the changes.

3. Click the Apply ChartStyle to All button at the bottom of the Chart Settings area of the workbench.

Editing ChartStyles

Changing Chart Settings

Updating chart settings used in a ChartStyle is as simple as changing a chart with that style and replacing the current ChartStyle with the settings in your updated chart.

The first step is to create a SharpChart and change its settings to match your requirements. We recommend applying the existing ChartStyle to your chart and then making changes from there.

Once your chart is configured as you want it, you can replace the existing ChartStyle with these new settings from the ChartStyles Area.

Follow the steps below:

1. Once the chart appears with the settings you wish to save, click the green Save ChartStyle link in the ChartStyles Area.

2. Click the Update Existing tab at the top of the popup box that appears.

3. From the dropdown menu, choose the ChartStyle you want to replace with these settings.

4. Click the Update Existing ChartStyle button.

Remember, changing the ChartStyle will not affect the settings for any charts that have previously had that ChartStyle applied.

Setting the Default ChartStyle

The Default ChartStyle will be used whenever you create a brand new SharpChart. It should include the settings and indicators you want to see when first viewing a new ticker symbol.

To create a Default ChartStyle, set the chart exactly as you would like it to appear every time a new chart is created. Once the settings are correct, click the Set As Default link in the ChartStyles Area.

Renaming or Deleting ChartStyles

If wish to rename your ChartStyle, or you no longer need a ChartStyle and wish to remove it from your account, you can do that from the ChartStyles dropdown menu beneath the chart.

Rename a ChartStyle

1. In the dropdown menu in the ChartStyles area, hover over the name of the ChartStyle you wish to rename.

2. Click on the pencil icon that appears next to the ChartStyle name.

3. Enter the new name for the ChartStyle and click the green Update ChartStyle Name button.

Delete a ChartStyle

1. In the dropdown menu in the ChartStyles area, hover over the name of the ChartStyle you wish to delete.

2. Click the red Trash Can icon that appears next to the ChartStyle name.

3. Confirm the deletion by clicking the red Delete Saved ChartStyle button.

Managing StyleButtons

You can create and manage your StyleButtons from the StyleButtons area on the left side of the chart. Click the plus icon to add a new StyleButton or the gear icon to edit or delete an existing StyleButton.

Add a StyleButton

To add a brand new StyleButton to your account and associate it with a specific ChartStyle, follow the steps below:

1. Click the plus sign icon at the bottom of the StyleButtons area on the left-hand side of the chart.

2. A popup window will appear where you can assign the settings for the StyleButton, including its position, label, and color.

3. Use the dropdown menu to select the ChartStyle that you would like to be applied when the StyleButton is clicked.

4. Once you have made all your selections, click the green Save StyleButton button.

Edit or Remove a StyleButton

To edit or delete an existing StyleButton in your account, follow the steps below.

1. Click the gear icon at the top of the StyleButtons area.

2. Click the pencil icon next to the name of the StyleButton you want to modify or remove.

3. A popup window will appear where you can edit the settings for the StyleButton, including its position, label, color, and even which ChartStyle will be applied when the button is clicked.

4. Once the changes are made, click the green Save StyleButton button.

5. To remove the StyleButton entirely, click the grey Clear StyleButton # button.