Explore Scanners and Arena

Two different questions

Scanners answers: which investments match these checks in the data available now? Arena answers: how do selected models or investor methods behave under a shared comparison setup? A scanner match is an observation. An Arena score is a result from the stated evaluation. Neither is a confirmed trade in your broker account.

Use these tools after you understand plan review. Start with a narrow question you can explain. A large collection of scores is less useful than one result whose data, rules, and limitations you understand.

• Open Scanners (in the desktop app)
• Open Arena (in the desktop app)

Create and preview a scanner

Before you start: Open Scanners and decide which symbols and conditions you want to inspect. A scan is a research step.

A scanner score describes how the checks evaluated. It is not a probability of profit. Prices may move after the scan, and a chart pattern does not establish an executable entry. Bring a match into research and plan review before deciding whether it is useful.

1. Choose New scanner

   Enter a meaningful Name and add the intended symbols. The editor explains its automatic universe behavior when the symbol group is empty; do not assume an empty group means no investments will be checked.

   You should see: The editor shows the group or its automatic-universe explanation.

   If you get stuck: Correct an invalid symbol using the message shown rather than assuming the scanner silently accepted it.

2. Choose Checks and Bar interval

   Read the explanation of each available check and its parameters. A bar summarizes prices over one interval; a five-bar lookback means different elapsed time on daily and hourly bars.

   You should see: You can say what must be true for an investment to match.

   If you get stuck: Use fewer understandable checks before combining many rules you cannot interpret.

3. Review Bar source and matching rules

   Read whether the source is Automatic, Broker feed, or Delayed fallback. Minimum score is used when no Match expression is set; an optional expression determines the match instead when provided. Read the Completed bars only option before changing it.

   You should see: You understand the data source, interval, and rule producing the match.

   If you get stuck: Delayed data and incomplete data need different interpretations. A skipped symbol is not a failed trading idea.

4. Preview, then save if useful

   Choose Preview to inspect results. Read matches, scores, skipped symbols, and reasons for nonmatches. Save scanner keeps the definition; Run on a saved scanner performs another on-demand check.

   You should see: A result contains actual evidence or an explicit error, not just a saved definition.

   If you get stuck: Check data availability, the symbol limit, and the error reason if results are empty. Saving alone does not run a recurring schedule.

Read an Arena comparison before running it

Before you start: Open Arena. Read the selected destination and rules before starting a comparison; do not assume every Arena uses Local.

1. Open Arena and inspect the setup

   Use Set up an Arena or an available saved Arena. The editor separates Competitors, Market, Rules, Schedule, Destination, and Review. A quick-start comparison may offer Open in the editor so you can inspect it first.

   You should see: You can name what is being compared and over which market and rules.

   If you get stuck: If a competitor is unavailable, read its reason and model-access recovery rather than assuming it will participate.

2. Read Destination and Review carefully

   Understand whether you are scoring the Arena's paper ledger and whether any broker destination or later trading permission is involved. The comparison record and your broker account are separate.

   You should see: You know what this run can produce and whether any additional account action has been authorized.

   If you get stuck: Do not infer the destination from a model's name or from another page's selected account.

3. Run once when you intend to evaluate

   Use Run now on a configured Arena and inspect the resulting activity, decisions, and leaderboard. Check any model or credit requirements shown. Turning on a schedule is a separate recurring-work decision.

   You should see: The page distinguishes an active run, completed decisions, no trades, and reported failures.

   If you get stuck: No activity may reflect unavailable data, model access, rules that found no match, or a failed run. Read the explanation before retrying.

Read results as evidence with limits

• Compare the same dates, investments, starting conditions, sizing rules, and cost assumptions. Otherwise a ranking can answer the wrong question.
• Check how many decisions and completed trades support the result. One winner or a short winning streak is weak evidence.
• Check whether results include fees, spreads, slippage, rejected orders, and partial fills. Unknown cost treatment remains unknown.
• Separate historical tests, forward simulation, broker paper/simulated trading, and live execution. One does not establish the others.
• Remember how many settings and competitors you tried. Selecting the best of many trials can make luck look like skill.
• Read the underlying decisions and failures, including doing nothing. A leading score is not a guarantee of future returns.

• Review actual account history in Journal →
• Turn a research idea into a reviewable plan →

Continue in the website manual

These online references extend this lesson with existing setup instructions and technical detail. They need an internet connection. The downloadable guide keeps all beginner lessons available offline.

• Read an illustrative Arena report →
• Arena methodology and evidence limits →