FAQs
 

This section of the online documentation attempts to answer as concisely as possible all the common questions that users have concerning the LiveInvestor software. Please follow the outlined links below in regards to your question.

General Questions
Installation Questions
Running LiveInvestor
Portfolio Issues
   
General Questions
 

What is LiveInvestor?
LiveInvestor is the newest real-time quote application provided by LiveInvestor.com. This Automated Trading System includes: delayed and real-time Canadian stock quotes, portfolio tracking, enhanced charting, trading alerts, stock tickers and much more!

What is LiveInvestor.com?
LiveInvestor.com is a comprehensive source of investment material targeted at Canadian investors speculating in the TSX and TSX Venture Exchanges.

What do LiveInvestor and LiveInvestor.com have in common?
LiveInvestor.com is the actual Web page containing all the delayed quote information, end-of-day listing information, and various exchange information. LiveInvestor is the application that is run from the client's desktop. LiveInvestor is one of the many features that the LiveInvestor.com site offers.

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Installation Qustions
 

What are the minimum system requirements?

  • Pentium 166 MHz or higher with min. 64 Mb of RAM
  • Windows 98+, Me, NT or XP
  • JRE 1.6 or better
  • Internet Explorer 5.5 or better, or Netscape 4.7.x or better

For a complete list of system requirements, click here.

How do I determine if I meet the Software requirements?
To find out which Operating System your computer is running, go to your "Start" menu, select "Control Panel", double click on "System". Under the "General" tab, you will find the necessary information. To check if Java Runtime Environment (JRE) is installed on your system, click here.

How do I determine if I meet the Hardware requirements?
To find out your type of processor and its speed, as well as, physical RAM size, go to your "Start" menu, select "Control Panel", double click on the "System" option. Under the "General" tab, you will find the necessary information.

What Operating Systems (OS) are supported?
The following Operating Systems are supported: Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows ME, Windows XP, or Windows 2000.

Do I need to install a new Java Runtime Environment (JRE)?
If your JRE is older than Version 1.6 then you need to upgrade your JRE. An excellent way of checking your current JRE version is by looking at the "Add/Remove Programs" dialog window. This can be accessed by clicking on "Start", select "Control Panel", and click on "Add/Remove Programs". Alternatively, you can check online at our site by clicking here.

How do I install a new Java Runtime Environment (JRE)?
For detailed instructions on installing a new JRE, please click here.

How do I install LiveInvestor?
To install LiveInvestor, you need to register first and get an account. Sign-up procedure can be accessed here. Once you have registered for LiveInvestor, you can download the software and install from here.

What is this "LiveInvestor Certificate"?
LiveInvestor comes with a certificate (through Java Web Start) for permission to run on your computer. In order to run LiveInvestor, you need to accept the certificate and allow the software to install.

I am using a proxy to connect to the Internet, what should I know?
LiveInvestor requires the use of a proxy server in order to access the live stock data. A number of options are available in order to select the proper proxy server for your machine under the "Preferences" tab. An automatic selection is available where the LiveInvestor server automatically assigns you to use a LiveInvestor proxy without any other configuration changes. This is the recommended selection. Another option is to choose the proxy server from a list if you have that ability (this depends on your connection type). Finally, you have the option to specify the proxy server by setting the address and port. This is recommended for advanced users who know their proxy settings.

There is no real "Setup" for LiveInvestor. Why?
LiveInvestor does not technically "install" on your computer like a typical application, such as a word processor or Internet browser. Rather, the Java Web Start environment handles all storage and installation and configuration of the application on your computer. During your very first execution of the LiveInvestor application, you will not be required to choose a path to install to, or accept a license agreement like a standard application would require. Instead, the application launches immediately and begins to wait for your investment instructions.

What files are installed on my computer for LiveInvestor?
There are a total of 5 files stored at C:\Documents and Settings\Your Windows User Accounts Name. The files installed on your computer are as follows:

  • .liprefs: Contains all your LiveInvestor preferences in encrypted form. Make sure you do not delete this file.
  • .liprefs_backup: Contains backup of your LiveInvestor preferences.
  • .liportfolio: Contains all your portfolio information in encrypted form. Make sure you do not delete this file.
  • .liportfolio_backup: Contains a backup of your portfolio information.
  • lic.log: Contains a log of all the commands executed by LiveInvestor during its last run. This file can be used for debugging purposes.

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Running LiveInvestor
 

How do I run LiveInvestor?
In order to run LiveInvestor, you need to download and install the LiveInvestor software. For the very first time, Java Web Start will automatically run LiveInvestor. For subsequent usage, to run LiveInvestor, double click on the LiveInvestor desktop icon, or go to "Start", select "All Programs" and choose LiveInvestor.

I cannot connect to the server - what can I do?
LiveInvestor connects to a primary server on IP 204.112.99.50 or to a secondary server on 209.167.69.102. In the unlikely event that you cannot connect to either of these servers, please wait a few minutes and try logging in again as the servers may be busy. If you are still unable to connect, please contact our tech support staff.

I cannot get stock quotes - what should I do?
When the stock servers are extremely busy, there may be a delay initially in getting stock quotes. Normally the delay isn't more than a minute but can sometimes be up to five minutes. If you still do not get the stock quotes, please contact our tech support staff.

I am getting a message telling me that I have a corrupt configuration file - what can I do to fix this?
If the configuration file has been corrupted, LiveInvestor uses a backup configuration file to save all your preferences. The configuration files are located at C:\Documents and Settings\ (your windows user name) and are called as .liprefs and .liprefs_backup. In the event of accidental deletion (or corruption) of both these files, it would result in a loss of portfolio preferences and would reset to default.

I am getting a message saying that LiveInvestor couldn't be downloaded - what do I do?
If LiveInvestor can't be downloaded, the download server may be too busy or experiencing problems. Try again after a few minutes. If you still get that message then please contact the tech support staff.

I cannot find any of my previously created portfolios - what happened?
If you cannot find any of your portfolios, the portfolio files may have been deleted or corrupted. The portfolio files are located at C:\Documents and Settings\(your windows user name) and are called as .liportfolio and .liportfolio_backup. In the event of accidental deletion (or corruption) of any of these files, it would result in loss of portfolios and would have to be recreated.

LiveInvestor is drawing oddly, or some portions of the screen cannot be viewed properly, what is this?
You need to make sure that the minimum system requirements are satisfied to run LiveInvestor. A Pentium 166MHz or faster processor with at least 64 megabytes (MB) or physical RAM is required to run the LiveInvestor software. Systems with less memory may cause disk swapping which has a severe effect on performance. Also due to the nature of the live/delayed streaming data that is being broadcast to all clients running the LiveInvestor software, it is highly recommended that the end user have a reliable broadband network connection of some form (ex. T1/DSL/Cable Modem.)

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Portfolio Issues
 

What is a LiveInvestor portfolio?
The LiveInvestor provides the user a valuable tracking tool with the Portfolio System. This feature allows you to track over 40 different data values pertaining to equities and indices. In addition you can create up to 1,000 Portfolios to track. Your LiveInvestor Real-time Quote system comes with a standard default portfolio which includes equities and indices as a sample.

How do I create a new portfolio?
In order to create a new portfolio click on the "Create a New Portfolio" icon on the top, left side of the screen or click "File" on the menu and select "New Portfolio". When creating a new portfolio you are asked to create a name and description; example "Financials" may be th name and "Canadian Bank Stocks" the description. At this time, you may add securities to the portfolio or add them at a later time. When you save the newest portfolio you will be given the option to save it as your default portfolio.You can always change your default portfolio at a later time.

How do I set a portfolio as default?
There are two ways to set a default portfolio. The first way is when you create a new portfolio. You will be asked whether you want this new portfolio to be the default or not. The second way is by clicking on "Edit" in the menu and selecting the "Set Default Portfolio".

How do I rename a portfolio?
In order to rename a portfolio, click on the "File" menu and select "Rename Portfolio". Make sure the new portfolio name doesn't exist already.

How do I save my portfolio?
All portfolios are saved automatically along with your preferences. After every few seconds, LiveInvestor makes notes of your changes and saves them on your hard drive in encrypted form.

How many portfolios can I open at one time within LiveInvestor?
Only one portfolio can be opened within LiveInvestor at a time. However, you can easily switch between portfolios by closing the current one and reopening another.

How many investments can be stored in a LiveInvestor portfolio?
You can store up to 100 investments per portfolio.

How do I store this portfolio outside of LiveInvestor?
To save the portfolio outside LiveInvestor, you need to export it. To export an existing portfolio, click on the "Export the Current Portfolio to a File" icon on the top left side of the screen, or click "File" in the menu and select "Export Portfolio". The portfolio is exported as a .ASV file which can be opened by Word/Notepad or any standard text editor.

Why does LiveInvestor give an error that the symbol is invalid when the symbol is actually valid?
If the symbol is a brand new one i.e. the stock just started trading or the symbol just changed to new one, LiveInvestor software may not be able to reflect the changes immediately. However, if you are certain that you have the right symbol then you may still add it to your portfolio. You will receive live up-to-date trading information on the given symbol except that the Company Name would show up as a blank. The Company Name will automatically show up when we receive that information from the TSX.

   
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