Castlist Settings Manual — Data, Display and the Saved Workspace
Overview | Castlist | Spotlight | Backstage
Castlist Settings Manual — Data, Display and the Saved Workspace
Castlist has 22 MT5 inputs and also remembers interface choices. Period, costs and source can change the evidence; colours and typography change only presentation.
Result of this guide
You will change one Castlist input safely, verify its effect and understand which values Castlist restores after a restart or reinstallation in the same terminal.
Before you begin
Open the Castlist chart in the intended terminal. Record Source, period, Search, Market, TF, Include inactive and Current/Archive. Use one known Magic# as the control strategy.
Change and verify one setting
- Note the current Source, Search, Market, TF and Current/Archive selection.
- Open the Castlist chart and press F7, or open Expert properties and select Inputs.
- Change only one input, for example LookbackDays, and press OK.
- Wait for the next refresh and check the visible period, rows and totals.
- If the result is not intended, reopen Inputs and restore the recorded value.
Visible MT5 Inputs initialise a new setup. Castlist then stores effective settings and interface choices so a restart, update or reattachment can continue without rebuilding the workspace.
Analytical and operational settings
| Setting | Default | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| LookbackDays | 365 | Historical period included; minimum 1 day |
| RefreshSeconds | 10 | Full refresh interval; minimum 1 second |
| MinTradesToShow | 1 | Minimum evidence for a normal row; minimum 0 |
| IncludeSwapCommission | true | Costs included in Profit, Profit/trade, PF and Ret/DD |
| CsvHistoryFile | AUTO | Follows the appropriate saved Backstage CSV |
| OkPFThreshold | 1.15 | Controls only the visual OK signal |
| ExcludedMagicNumbers | 1 | Magic# values excluded from the overview |
| SortMode | Trades | Default order: Trades, PF or Magic |
Keep lookback, costs and source equal when comparing results.
Shared management files
| Setting | Default file | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| NotesCsvFile | \FrontRow\Data\Notes.csv | Notes |
| NotesProductName | Cast List | Source label stored with a note |
| ArchiveCsvFile | \FrontRow\Data\Archive.csv | Archive membership |
| LiveCsvFile | \FrontRow\Data\Live.csv | Live markers |
| StatusCsvFile | \FrontRow\Data\Status.csv | Status and market/timeframe context |
The fixed review file is Common\Files\FrontRow\Data\Review Castlist.csv . Keep shared paths aligned with Spotlight and include all management files in your backup policy.
Presentation inputs
| Setting | Default | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| StartX / StartY | 10 / 20 | Dashboard origin |
| RowHeight | 16 | Row height; remains at least FontSize + 4 |
| FontSize | 13 | Text size |
| UIFont | Segoe UI | Interface font |
| BlockGap | 600 | Space between table blocks |
| OkColor / NegativeColor | green / red | Visual accents |
| DashboardTheme | Daylight | Daylight or Dark |
These inputs do not alter trade results.
Saved workspace
Castlist stores effective inputs and Source, Include inactive, Current/Archive, Search, Market, TF and page position in:
FrontRow\Data\Settings Castlist.csv
Source, work area, Search, Market and timeframe are restored to preserve continuity.
On first installation, visible MT5 inputs initialise the setup. In the same terminal, saved effective values and workspace choices are restored after restart, update or reattachment. This continuity can also explain a missing strategy.
For a new terminal, PC or VPS, restore the settings and relevant shared Front Row data deliberately. Then verify source, CSV, lookback, costs, Search, Market, TF and Current/Archive.
Missing strategy checklist
- Source and account environment
- LookbackDays
- MinTradesToShow
- ExcludedMagicNumbers
- Include inactive
- Current and Archive
- Search, Market and TF
- EA-name/Magic# relationship
Change one setting at a time so the cause remains visible.
Verify persistence and data consistency
Restart or reattach Castlist and confirm that Source, Search, Market, TF and Current/Archive return as expected. When both MT5 History and CSV history cover today, switch between them and compare today’s trades for a known Magic#. Matching trades are a practical continuity check; unexplained differences require a source, export-time, account or filter check before analysis continues.
Expected result
After a controlled change, only the intended overview behaviour changes. After restart, effective settings and workspace choices return. A new terminal inherits nothing unless relevant Front Row files are restored.
Troubleshooting a setting change
If nothing changes, wait one RefreshSeconds interval and confirm you edited the active Castlist instance. Restore lookback, minimum trades, exclusions and filters one by one. Verify shared Common Files paths before recreating management data.
Do not assume a newly visible MT5 input overrides an already saved effective value. On a new PC, VPS or terminal, restore the Front Row settings and shared data deliberately, then verify the effective screen state before making decisions.
Continue through the manual
Next: Spotlight Quick Start Manual — use the verified strategy identity in a controlled comparison.
Other useful follow-ups:
- Castlist Management Manual — return to the daily Status, Note and Review workflow.
- Backstage Quick Start Manual — create a persistent CSV source for Castlist and Spotlight.
- Castlist Quick Start Manual — verify the complete setup from its first known Magic#.
