Introduction to MT4 Platform Interface

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

The Commodity MT4 trading software is provided for free through the various broker sites. This Meta Trader 4 trading software looks like the example portrayed & described below:

The Main Areas of this MetaTrader 4 trading software as illustrated above are:

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

For this Meta Trader 4 guide we shall look at a brief introduction for each of these learn commodity MT4 platform:

1. Navigation Menus

The Meta Trader 4 navigation menus are:

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

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

These Meta Trader 4 navigation menus will be discussed & covered in details in the next MetaTrader 4 tutorials about navigation menus.

2. Tool-Bars

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

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

3. Chart Window Panel

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

4. Navigator

MT4 Navigator will contain info about MT4 accounts, whether practice or real, this MT4 window will also have a list of all the MT4 technical indicators as well as MT4 Trading EAs & scripts.

A trader can select which MT4 commodity account to sign in by expanding the Accounts menu, choose an MT4 indicator by expanding the MT4 indicator menu or choose an MT4 Expert Advisor by expanding the EA menu.

5. Market Watch

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

6. Terminal

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

This Meta Trader 4 window will also list all open commodity trade transactions and calculate all the profit and loss in realtime as the commodities 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 & MT4 commodity trade orders can be set. These MetaTrader 4 connection bars should always be green when one logged into their MT4 practice account or MT4 live account.

These MT4 trading platform main areas form the MT4 trading platform interface and will be the main areas to be covered in detail in next learn MT4 guides. For now it's best to download MT4 trading platform software and familiarize yourself with the MetaTrader 4 software interface.

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

Commodities software is the software which is used to access the market & analyze these commodities trading price movements using charts and technical analysis tools. There are various reasons why one 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 Commodity Trading Broker Server:

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

To analyze charts using commodities technical analysis tools

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

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

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