I am testing again to check whether this works with single contracts. But no way, the chart shows a single month contract, when this option is selected. I then switch from NQ #G to the similar contract YM #G, and now the chart is not updated correctly, but uses historical data from YM Sep 12 and real-time data from NQU2, see screenshot below.

When I checked the version number of MultiCharts, I discovered that the version number was not up-to-date. I had MC .NET 8.0 Build 5536, while the current Build is 5826. As the MultiCharts popup window told me that it is up-to-date, but did not update, I decided to reinstall it again. Just to make sure that I am reporting issues with the latest release and not something that was released weeks ago.

This was a big mistake as all my custom futures, settings and data are lost now. Unless somebody tells me, how to recover the workspace, settings and data I have to restart everything again. So far this is not much. How can I do an update without losing all my settings and data?

When I checked the version number of MultiCharts, I discovered that the version number was not up-to-date. I had MC .NET 8.0 Build 5536, while the current Build is 5826. As the MultiCharts popup window told me that it is up-to-date, but did not update, I decided to reinstall it again. Just to make sure that I am reporting issues with the latest release and not something that was released weeks ago.

This was a big mistake as all my custom futures, settings and data are lost now. Unless somebody tells me, how to recover the workspace, settings and data I have to restart everything again. So far this is not much. How can I do an update without losing all my settings and data?

Maybe I am just spoiled by NinjaTrader, where those settings and workfiles are kept separately in the Documents folder and are not affected by a release update.

Or I am simply not yet able to make correct use of MultiCharts. It is not as intuitive and easy to use as NinjaTrader. At least this is my first opinion, maybe this impression will change later, once I have learned how to use it.

It's working correctly, because with your settings the YM contract is used for historical data and the NQ for real-time, hence the gap down. When merging different data sources, each need to be the same instrument. For example IQFeed ES for historical, and ZenFire ES for real-time data. Uncheck the option 'merge data source' to just display one contract.

Also see this [AUTOLINK]wiki[/AUTOLINK] article for more on merged charts.

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I've been using MC for about 3 years now and have never lost, studies, data or workspaces when updating to a newer version. I also back them up every week or so , "just in case".. I currently use Ver8 64 bit build 5622..

So I did not post in vain, as you explained that this was a user error. I did not find that section of the help file, and so I mistook the option to merge data from different sources for an option to display merged backadjusted data.

Definitely not a bug, but a user error, as I did not understand the feature.

Anyhow I had succeeded in creating a merged backadjusted contract, which was correct and which I had checked for the rollover offset.

The current build is 5826. What happens if you check for update, will MC tell you that you have the latest release installed?

How would you update from 5622 to 5826?

I only did the update, because I assumed that after a new release such as MC .NET 8.0 there are some changes that may have been introduced after the release.....

Using MultiCharts .Net 8.0

First Adventure - Loading a BackAdjusted Futures Chart

My first adventure today is to add a symbol for NQ to the quote manager. I open the quote manager, select "Add symbol" in the task bar. This is a painful exercise, as I have to add each contract for NQ individually. After some time, I find out that I can load them more comfortably via the dropdown menu. I quickly load down the symbols from my broker and connect the front month contract to the datafeed.

I now want to open a chart for NQU2. Although I am connected, I cannot find NQU2 for my chart. I guess that I need to add it via "add" and select my broker. This is a painful exercise

Trying to add the symbol produces a hang. In my quote manager I can see that the ticks are loading. After trying again for a few times it finally works. I now add "NQU2" to my portfolio. "1 symbol added successfully". Now I enter "NQU2" into the little form and the NQU2 chart finally appears.

I had set my chart to mode merge-backadjusted, but MultiCharts ignores that setting. The screenshot below shows that prior to rollover day, which was June 7, the old contract is displayed, although I had selected "Merge Data Sources into a Single Chart".
....

you seem to enjoy pain.

can you point me to a software that has a less painful way of adding symbols?

ps. if you enter "NQ" into QM, instead of "NQU2", QM will show all the NQ contracts available to you, including the expired ones, and you can add them all at once.

It's not you.

When I checked the version number of MultiCharts, I discovered that the version number was not up-to-date. I had MC .NET 8.0 Build 5536, while the current Build is 5826. As the MultiCharts popup window told me that it is up-to-date, but did not update, I decided to reinstall it again. Just to make sure that I am reporting issues with the latest release and not something that was released weeks ago.

This was a big mistake as all my custom futures, settings and data are lost now. Unless somebody tells me, how to recover the workspace, settings and data I have to restart everything again. So far this is not much. How can I do an update without losing all my settings and data?

Maybe I am just spoiled by NinjaTrader, where those settings and workfiles are kept separately in the Documents folder and are not affected by a release update.

Or I am simply not yet able to make correct use of MultiCharts. It is not as intuitive and easy to use as NinjaTrader. At least this is my first opinion, maybe this impression will change later, once I have learned how to use it.

@Fat Tails

Ninjatrader Backup and Restore is definitely more straightforward. But I have come up with several workarounds that should make things easier.

1) I save my workspace file <Save Workspace As> to my Dropbox folder. So it's backed up automatically and if I ever have to reinstall MC, I can point it to my dropbox to get my workspace back.

2) Use the following guide and move your Database and Studies(Indicators) folder to a different drive than C: Drive

How to Move [AUTOLINK]MultiCharts[/AUTOLINK] Database, Studies and Logs from C Drive - MultiCharts

I have MC installed to my C Drive but all the DB, indicators & Logs are written to my D: Drive (which is actually a network folder of my NAS drive but any drive or partition will do).

I went from Windows 8 Release Preview to Windows 8 RTM and thanks to the steps above restoring MC to the way I had set it up was pretty easy.