MetaTrader 4 Chart Management – Templates
This lesson will cover the following
- Positioning
- Options
A template is a set of chart parameters that can be saved and applied to any newly opened chart, thus allowing you to quickly open and start trading a new security without having to set all of its properties, objects and indicators all over again. Templates allow you to save and import the following parameters into any given chart:
– chart type and color
– chart scale
– color diagram
– OHLC (Open, High, Low, Close) line shown or hidden
– attached custom and technical indicators with their settings
– attached expert advisor and its parameters
– any objects, such as line studies, figure patterns etc
– separators of days.
Templates allow you to import your favorite set of indicators, preferred time frame, layout etc. to any given newly opened chart with a few clicks. To save a new template, you can click Charts >>> Save Template or by using the respective context menu command after right-clicking on the chart. Alternatively, you can click on the 
icon in the Charts toolbar.
To apply an existing template to the currently opened chart, you need to select it either by clicking Charts >>> Templates >>> Load Templates or by executing the context menu command after right-clicking on the chart. Deleting templates is done via the Delete command in the same sub-menus.
Templates are stored in the /TEMPLATES directory as TPL files. A basic template (DEFAULT.TPL) is created during the terminals installation. It will be applied automatically when opening a new chart window. It can be changed by using the active chart window properties but it cannot be deleted.