Introduction to MT4 Platform Dashboard

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

The Commodities MT4 commodities trading platform software is provided for free through the various commodities broker sites. This MT4 platform looks like the commodity example illustrated and explained below:

Main Areas of this MT4 commodities software as illustrated above are:

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

For this MetaTrader 4 commodities trading platform tutorial we shall look at a brief introduction for each of these learn commodity 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 MT4 commodities trading platform navigation menus which can be used to navigate the MT4 software. As a beginner commodity trader you can start by just clicking any of these MT4 commodities trading platform navigation menus to familiarize yourself with various MT4 buttons that are arranged as MT4 sub menus within these MT4 navigation menus.

These MetaTrader 4 navigation menus will be discussed in details in the next MT4 commodities platform guides about navigation menus.

2. Toolbars

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

These MetaTrader 4 tool bars will be discussed on other MT4 commodities trading platform tutorials which will outline each MT4 button on this MT4 tool bar and how to add and customize these MT4 tool bars.

3. Chart Panel

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

4. Navigator

MT4 Navigator will contain information about MT4 trading accounts, whether practice or real, this MT4 window will also have a list of all the MT4 indicators as well as MT4 Commodities EAs and scripts.

A trader can choose which MT4 account to login by expanding the Accounts menu, choose a MT4 indicator by expanding the MT4 indicator menu or choose a MT4 Commodities Expert Advisor by expanding the EA menu.

5. Market Watch

MT4 Market watch is used to show streaming commodity 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 bandwidth, right-click inside the MT4 market watch window and select "Hide All", so as to hide the MT4 symbols that you are not transacting on this MT4 commodities software & save on inter-net bandwidth.

6. Terminal

This is MT4 window panel that is like the bank account trade area for your MT4 commodity trade transactions, on this MT4 window 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 MetaTrader 4 panel will also list all open commodity trade transactions and calculate all the profit and loss in real-time as the commodities prices move in an upward or downwards direction.

7. Connection Bar

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

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

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

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

So why does a trader need a good Commodity 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 commodity broker & this will allow them to open & close commodity trade orders. Good commodity platforms will connect with ease to the brokers' servers and allow commodities traders to place commodities orders at any time from their PC desktop computer.

To analyze commodity charts using commodities technical analysis tools

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

From the above commodity platform Dashboard, the summary of all information required by a trader is provided on this MT4 commodities trading platform Dashboard

• Connection - connection to the broker servers
• Charts - commodities price graphs that display commodities 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 window panel - provides MT4 commodities account data and other technical commodities trading indicator data
• Exchange rates - shows current market commodities price of a commodities trading instrument
• Menu bar - Shows all menu items on the MT4 platform