Introduction to MT4 Platform Interface

The following screenshot below shows the main MT4 commodities software inter-face. 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 MT4 commodities 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 Commodity MT4 commodities trading platform software is provided for free through the various commodities broker websites. This MT4 platform looks like the commodity example illustrated and explained below:

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

1. MetaTrader 4 Navigation Menus
2. Toolbars
3. MT4 Commodities 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 MetaTrader 4 guide we shall look at a brief introduction for each of these learn commodity 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 MT4 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 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 & 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 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 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 MT4 commodity charts are displayed and 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 accounts, whether practice or real, this MT4 window will also have a list of all the MT4 technical indicators as well as MT4 Commodities Trading EAs & scripts.

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

5. Market Watch

MT4 Market watch 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, 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 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 MetaTrader 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 commodity account or MT4 live account.

These MT4 commodities trading platform main areas form the MT4 commodities 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 commodities 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 commodity market & analyze these commodities trading 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 Commodities 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 & allow commodities traders to place commodities trade 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 interpret the direction of a commodity instrument using commodity charts. This is why all good commodity platforms provide commodity technical tools such as commodities trading price charts, commodity indicators & various different chart timeframes from which trader can analyze commodities trading price moves using the commodities chart time frames of their choice.

From the above commodity 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 - commodities trading price graphs that display commodities prices
• Tool bars - tool-bars to add tools & 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 commodities chart
• Menu bar - Shows all menu items on the MT4 platform