Introduction to MT4 Interface

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

The XAUUSD MT4 platform software is provided for free through the various gold broker websites. This MT4 software looks like the xauusd trading example illustrated and explained below:

The Main Areas of this MetaTrader 4 platform as shown above are:

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

For this MetaTrader 4 tutorial we shall look at a brief introduction for each of these learn gold trading MT4 platform:

1. Navigation Menus

The MetaTrader 4 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 that can be used to navigate the MT4 software. As a beginner gold trader you can start by just clicking any of these MetaTrader 4 navigation menus to familiarize yourself with the various MetaTrader 4 buttons that are arranged as MetaTrader 4 sub menus within these MetaTrader 4 navigation menus.

These MetaTrader 4 navigation menus will be discussed in details in the next MetaTrader 4 tutorials about navigation menus.

2. Tool Bars

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

These MetaTrader 4 tool bars will be discussed on other MetaTrader 4 tutorials that will outline each MetaTrader 4 button on this MetaTrader 4 tool bar and how to add and customize these MetaTrader 4 tool bars.

3. Chart Window

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

4. Navigator

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

A gold trader can select which MetaTrader 4 xauusd trading account to login by expanding the Accounts menu, choose a MetaTrader 4 indicator by expanding the MetaTrader 4 gold indicator menu or choose an MetaTrader 4 Gold Expert Advisor by expanding the Expert Advisor menu.

5. Market Watch

MetaTrader 4 Market watch is used to show streaming xauusd price quotes for MetaTrader 4 gold trading instruments. This can list as many quotes provided by your MetaTrader 4 gold broker or a few selected by a gold trader. To save internet bandwidth, right click inside the MetaTrader 4 market watch window and select "Hide All", so as to hide the MetaTrader 4 symbols that you are not transacting on this MetaTrader 4 platform and save on internet bandwidth.

6. Terminal

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

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

7. Connection Bar

MetaTrader 4 connection bars - Red bars are for no connection, green bars show that there is connection to the servers and MetaTrader 4 gold trade transaction orders can be placed. These MetaTrader 4 connection bars should always be green when one logged into their MetaTrader 4 demo gold trading account or MetaTrader 4 live account.

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

Why XAUUSD Software is Required for Placing XAUUSD Trading Transactions with XAUUSD Trading Brokers

gold trading platform is the software that is used to access the xauusd market and analyze these xauusd price movements using xauusd charts and xauusd trading analysis tools. There are various reasons why a gold trader requires to use a good gold trading platform. A good gold trading platform can determine if a as a gold trader you make a profit or not.

So why does a gold trader need a good gold trading platform:

To connect to the Gold Broker Trading Server:

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

To analyze gold charts using xauusd trading analysis tools

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

From the above gold trading platform interface, the summary of all information required by a gold trader is provided on this MetaTrader 4 platform interface

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