Topics
Firewall QuestionsReal-Time
Billing/Pricing/Exchange Fees
Macintosh/Unix/OS2
Data Coverage
Login & Access Problems
Chart and Data Updates
Account Information/Registration
- How do I know I'm receiving real-time data?
- How often does real-time data update?
- I have 5-minute charts. How do they update every minute?
- What are exchange fees?
- I get free real-time quotes from my broker. Why do you charge for exchange fees?
- I have paid exchange fees for other services. Do I have to pay them again for BigTrends?
- Can I choose which exchanges I pay exchange fees for?
- Do you have a Macintosh version of BigTrends?
- Do you have a Unix version of BigTrends?
- Do you have an OS/2 version of BigTrends?
- Do you have a Linux version of BigTrends?
- I can't find the symbol I'm looking for. What data does BigTrends cover?
- How much historical data is available for BigTrends?
- Do I have to maintain/download historical data?
- How does the "cache" work?
- Can I export data to another program or file?
- Can I import data into BigTrends?
- How do I report/correct data errors?
- Can I get mutual fund charts?
- When will options/commodities/Canadian data be available?
- Help! I can't get in to BigTrends?
- I keep getting the message "Failed to Connect to Server"
- BigTrends seems slow today. What's the problem?
- How does the data in BigTrends update? How often?
- When does the scan database update? Daily/weekly/monthly database?
- How do I change my account information?
- Why do you need to know my employment information?
- How do I know I'm receiving real-time data?
Click on "Help" >> "About" within BigTrends. If you are receiving real-time data, it should read BigTrends Real-Time Version 4.11.
- How often does real-time data update?
Real-time data automatically updates once every minute for intraday charts, portfolios (Tracker) and your watchlist (Favorites). Real-time updates for charts may not be synchronous with the portfolios and watchlist, although each should update every minute during trading hours.
- I have 5-minute charts. How do they update every minute?
All intraday charts in BigTrends Real-Time (5, 15, 30, 60-minute) update automatically every minute. For example, the 5-minute period beginning at 9:45 will update every minute at 9:46, 9:47, 9:48, 9:49 and 9:50.
This means that your intraday technical indicators and charts will have real-time information delivered once every minute during trading hours. If you would like to update at any time, click on "File" >> "Refresh".
- What are exchange fees?
Exchange fees are charges required by the exchanges for anyone who wants to receive real-time information. There are no exceptions, and the exchange fees are non-refundable. Exchange fees must be charged regardless of use. All exchange fees billed by IQC are transferred directly to the individual exchanges.
- I get free real-time quotes from my broker. Why do you charge for exchange fees?
Everyone must pay exchange fees. If you are receiving real-time quotes for free, that means that someone else is paying the exchange fees for you. Some sites, such as online brokers, give free real-time quotes as a bonus for holding an online account and trading with them.
- I have paid exchange fees for other services. Do I have to pay them again for BigTrends?
If you are a non-professional subscriber, you must pay for the exchange fees regardless of any other real-time services you have.
- Can I choose which exchanges I pay exchange fees for?
At this time, if you choose to sign-up for real-time information, you must pay the exchange fees for NASDAQ, NYSE, and AMEX together.
- Do you have a Macintosh version of BigTrends?
Yes. BigTrends for Macintosh has been released, and can be downloaded here.
- Do you have a Unix version of BigTrends?
Yes. BigTrends for Solaris 2.x has been released, and can be downloaded here.
- Do you have an OS/2 version of BigTrends?
No.
- Do you have a Linux version of BigTrends?
Yes. BigTrends for Linux has been released, and can be downloaded here.
- I can't find the symbol I'm looking for. What data does BigTrends cover?
BigTrends covers all U.S. listed stocks, and major related indices.
To search for the symbol of a specific stock or index, click on "Quote" >> "Ticker Search" within BigTrends, and search using all or part of the company name or index you are interested in finding the symbol for.
- How much historical data is available for BigTrends?
End-of-day data for daily, weekly, and monthly charts is available back to January 1st, 1968. To specify a date range for historical charts, go to "Time" >> "Date Range" when accessing a daily, weekly, or monthly chart.
For intraday charts, the following can be accessed:
60-minute charts: 5 ½ weeks 30-minute charts: 3 weeks 15-minute charts: 7 trading days 5-minute charts: 2 trading days - Do I have to maintain/download historical data?
No. BigTrends subscribers do not have to maintain or download historical data. All of the historical data resides on our servers, with the exception of some daily, weekly, or monthly charts which are stored in the cache, or temporary storage files.
- How does the "cache" work?
The cache is a temporary filing system that stores the last two hundred daily, weekly, or monthly charts viewed. Any daily, weekly, or monthly chart stored in the cache can be viewed offline. Following are more details:
- Cache only works for daily, weekly and monthly data.
- Data which comes from the "date range" function, is not saved in the cache.
- For the stock whose data exists in the cache file, the program only retrieves the newest data.
- For the stock whose data does not exist in the cache file, the program retrieves all the data.
- If the program finds that the newly retrieved data has a big spike (in the split case), the program removes the cache for this stock, and downloads all the data.
- Before 7pm EST, the data saved in the cache file does not include that day's trading data. After 7pm EST, that day's trading data is saved in the cache files.
- Cache only works for daily, weekly and monthly data.
- Can I export data to another program or file?
Individual files can be exported by going to "File" >> "Export". The files will consist of the pricing information of that symbol only, and can be exported into an ASCII text file only.
- Can I import data into BigTrends?
No. Data can not be imported from another program into BigTrends.
- How do I report/correct data errors?
There are several possible reasons for bad data:
If a chart is in your cache, or temporary storage file, there may be new data that was not in your cache, or a database adjustment (like a split) that is correct in our database but is outdated in your cache. Try clearing your cache by clicking on "Utilities" >> "Clear Cache" within BigTrends, and resubmitting the symbol that you think is in error. For more information on the cache system, click here.
Occasionally, incorrect information can be transmitted from our datafeed or the exchange itself, which is known as a "bad tick". Because the historical database resides on our servers, and not on the local computer, any data errors must be corrected by BigTrends, and should be reported to charts@bigtrends.com A bad tick is usually corrected with the end-of-day data.
- Can I get mutual fund charts?
BigTrends only has charts and quotes for closed-end mutual funds, which are listed on an exchange.
Here is the difference between a closed-end fund, and an open-end fund:
A closed-end mutual fund is issued with a finite number of shares. The number of outstanding shares seldom changes. These shares are sold to the public through an initial public offering, and thereafter are usually traded on a listed stock exchange, like the NYSE. Closed-end fund shares are traded in the same manner as other listed stock issues are traded. While the share value of a closed-end fund is primarily determined by its Net Asset Value, shares can trade on the open market at prices above (at a premium to N.A.V.) or below (at a discount to N.A.V.) this value. With a closed-end fund an individual investor usually pays a stock commission when the shares are bought and again when the shares are sold. The amount of commission charged varies from broker to broker.
With an open-end mutual fund, all shares are purchased by the investor (either directly or through a broker) from the fund itself. If the investor is selling, the shares are redeemed by the fund. This means that the number of outstanding shares of an open-ended mutual fund changes constantly as shares of the fund are bought or sold. The share value of an open-end mutual fund is also determined by its Net Asset Value. Open-end fund shares never trade in the open market. The amount of commission, if any, an individual pays for an open-ended fund is determined by the fund and is listed in the fund's prospectus.
The Net Asset Value (N.A.V.) of a mutual fund measures the per share value of a fund. It is calculated by taking the total value of all securities in the fund, as determined by the closing market prices of such holding, divided by the number of outstanding shares issued by the fund. With an open-end mutual fund, the NAV is usually the same as the closing share value. However, because shares of a closed-end fund are traded on a stock exchange in an open market, they can trade at prices above or below their closing NAV.
- When will options/commodities/Canadian data be available?
At this time, BigTrends only covers U.S. listed stocks and related indices. We are planning to expand our market data offerings in several months to include options, commodities and Canadian data. If you would like to be informed when this data becomes available, please send a message to charts@bigtrends.com.
- Help! I can't get in to BigTrends?
Before you can access BigTrends, you must download the software for your operating system, install the software on your computer, and register for BigTrends.
Next, double-click on the BigTrends icon to open the software when connected to the Internet. In the logon window, enter your username and password. If you are behind a corporate firewall, please enter the proxy and port information by clicking on "Setup" in the logon window.
- I keep getting the message "Failed to Connect to Server"
This could be for several reasons:
- If your Internet connection is down or disabled, you will not be able to connect to our server. You can reconnect through your Internet service provider, or work offline with files saved in your cache.
- Typing in an incorrect symbol will receive this error message.
- Are you behind a corporate firewall? If so, please click here.
- Spikes in Internet traffic can cause slowdowns in the Internet generally. This can cause your request to our server to be timed out.
- BigTrends's servers could be down. If this message is repeated and the above four reasons do not explain this error message, send an e-mail to charts@bigtrends.com.
- If your Internet connection is down or disabled, you will not be able to connect to our server. You can reconnect through your Internet service provider, or work offline with files saved in your cache.
- BigTrends seems slow today. What's the problem?
Infospace is constantly monitoring its systems to keep BigTrends moving quickly for its customers. We have recently increased the number of servers, and upgraded our current servers, and are in the process of increasing our bandwidth, instituting a more intelligent cache system, and investigating programming solutions to local bottlenecks.
While some slowness will occur through periods of high traffic to our Internet servers, much of the delay that occurs is due to general Internet traffic, which slows down Internet backbones and larger networks, both out of our control.
In addition, if your ISP frequently experiences delays while accessing other web site, it is likely that you will experience some delay with BigTrends. Check with your ISP to see what could be causing a slowdown on their end.
- How does the data in BigTrends update? How often?
For BigTrends Real-Time, intraday charts, portfolios (Tracker) and watchlist (Favorites) update automatically with real-time information once every minute.
For BigTrends Delayed, intraday charts, portfolios and watchlists update automatically once every five minutes with data that is delayed 15-20 minutes.
- When does the scan database update? Daily/weekly/monthly database?
The scan database and daily database are updated by 8:30PM EST. The weekly and monthly databases are usually updated by 8PM EST.
If the charts do not seem to be updating for you, try clearing your cache by clicking on "Utilities" >> "Clear Cache" within BigTrends. If you still do not think you are receiving end-of-day data, please send a message to charts@bigtrends.com.
- How do I change my account information?
You can change your account information through our secure server by clicking here.
- Why do you need to know my employment information?
The exchanges require employment information for real-time applicants only in order to determine professional or non-professional status of the subscriber.
