How to save Sierra Chart study collections and reuse chart studies across ES, NQ and CL charts

How to save a study collection in Sierra Chart

To save Sierra Chart study collections, open the chart that already holds the studies you want, go to Analysis >> Studies, and use the Study Collections save option to write either all studies or only the selected ones to a named file. Sierra Chart stores that file with the .stdycllct extension in your Data Files Folder, and you can then apply it to any other chart. Use a study collection when you want to reuse chart studies on different symbols or timeframes; save the full chartbook when you want to keep the entire workspace, charts, windows and layout included.

The rest of this guide covers the exact workflow, the checks to run before you save, and how a study collection fits alongside your chartbook configuration.

What a study collection actually stores

A study collection is a reusable set of studies and their input settings. It is not a chart. It does not carry the chart's symbol, and it is not a replacement for the chartbook that holds your windows and layout.

That distinction is the whole reason the feature exists. If you build a footprint with Numbers Bars, a VWAP and a session volume profile on an ES chart, the study collection lets you drop that same stack onto an NQ or CL chart in a few seconds, without rebuilding each study input by input.

If you want a detailed breakdown of what each file type keeps, see our comparison of what a Sierra Chart study collection vs chartbook preserves. This article stays focused on the saving and reuse workflow.

The official reference is the Sierra Chart Study Collections documentation. Button labels can shift slightly between Sierra Chart versions, so if a label in your build does not match the one described here, check that page for your version.

Before you save: a short checklist

Saving a messy study stack just copies the mess to every chart you apply it to. Run through these checks first.

1. Confirm every study is configured the way you want it. Open each study's settings and verify inputs such as the profile period, row size, delta calculation and colors.
2. Remove test studies. Anything you added while experimenting should be deleted or excluded before you save.
3. Check study references. Some studies take another study as input, for example a moving average applied to a cumulative delta line. When those studies travel together in one collection, the reference usually carries over, but verify it on the target chart after applying.
4. Note instrument-specific values. Inputs expressed in ticks or price units behave differently per symbol. A row size that reads well on ES (0.25 tick size) may be too fine or too coarse on CL (0.01 tick size) or YM (1 point tick size).
5. Decide on scope. Will you save every study on the chart, or only a subset? A focused collection, such as "footprint core" or "session levels", is easier to mix and match later.

Step by step: saving the collection

1. Open the source chart, for example a 5-minute ES chart with your studies already working.
2. Open Analysis >> Studies to bring up the Chart Studies window.
3. In the list of studies on the chart, select the studies you want if you are saving only a subset.
4. In the Study Collections area of that window, choose the option to save all studies or save the selected studies.
5. Give the file a clear, descriptive name, such as OF_Footprint_Core or Session_VWAP_Profile. Avoid generic names like "test1".
6. Confirm the save. Sierra Chart writes a .stdycllct file to the Data Files Folder.

To confirm the file exists, open Global Settings >> General Settings and note the Data Files Folder path, then browse to that folder and look for your file name with the .stdycllct extension. This is also the file you back up or copy to another computer.

Applying a saved collection to another chart

Open the target chart, for example a 2-minute NQ chart, then return to Analysis >> Studies. Your saved collections appear in the Study Collections list. Select the one you want and use the option to add or apply it to the chart.

After applying, check these points:

• Duplicate studies. If the chart already had a VWAP and the collection also contains one, you now have two. Remove the extra.
• Instrument scaling. Revisit row sizes, tick-based thresholds and price offsets for the new symbol.
• Data requirements. A collection does not change your data settings. If it contains Numbers Bars, the target chart still needs tick by tick data, which means Global Settings >> Data/Trade Service Settings >> Intraday Data Storage Time Unit set to 1 tick. See the Numbers Bars documentation for the study itself. Depth-based studies also need market depth data enabled in your data feed.
• Session times. Session-based studies such as daily profiles follow the target chart's session settings, so an ES collection applied to a EURUSD chart will reset at whatever session boundaries that chart uses.

If the target chart ends up blank or studies show no values, our guide to fixing a Sierra Chart chartbook that is not displaying correctly walks through data and symbol checks that apply here too.

When a study collection is the right tool

A study collection earns its place in a few specific situations.

• Same analysis, different instruments. You trade ES and NQ with the same footprint and profile stack. Build it once, save it, apply it to each chart.
• Same instrument, different timeframes. You want identical session levels on a 1-minute and a 15-minute CL chart.
• Modular setups. You keep separate collections for order flow, session levels and volatility tools and combine them as needed.
• Sharing a study recipe. You want to give someone your study settings without forcing your whole workspace on them.
• Recovering after experiments. You change inputs heavily while testing, then reapply your saved collection to return to a known baseline.

When you should save the chartbook instead

Save the chartbook, the .Cht file, through the File menu when what you want to preserve is the workspace itself: several charts, their positions, linked symbols, the DOM window next to the footprint, and the chart settings of each. The Sierra Chart Chartbooks documentation covers how chartbooks are saved and opened.

A practical rule:

Most traders benefit from both: a chartbook for the daily workspace, and a few study collections as building blocks. If you plan to modify an existing chartbook, read how to customize a Sierra Chart chartbook without losing the original layout first, and save a study collection of the original studies before you start changing them.

Naming and organizing your collections

The Data Files Folder can fill up quickly. A consistent naming pattern keeps it usable:

• Prefix by purpose: OF_ for order flow, LV_ for levels, VOL_ for volatility.
• Add the instrument only when inputs are instrument-specific, for example OF_Footprint_CL for a version with CL row sizes.
• Keep a version suffix when you revise, such as _v2, rather than overwriting a collection you still rely on.

Copy your .stdycllct and .Cht files to a backup location after any meaningful change. Both are plain files in the Data Files Folder, so a simple folder copy works.

Conclusion

Saving a study collection takes under a minute: configure the studies, open Analysis >> Studies, save all or selected studies with a clear name, and confirm the .stdycllct file in your Data Files Folder. Use collections to reuse chart studies across ES, NQ, CL or EURUSD charts, and keep the full chartbook configuration for preserving your workspace. If you would rather start from a working footprint stack than build one study by study, a Sierra Chart footprint chartbook gives you a configured Numbers Bars layout you can save as your own collection. Browse the ready-to-use Sierra Chart chartbooks at SierraOnShop.

FAQ

Can I overwrite an existing study collection?

Yes, saving with the same name replaces the file. If you might want the previous version, save under a new name with a version suffix instead.

Does a study collection include my drawings, like trendlines or levels?

Treat drawings as separate from studies. Manually drawn tools are chart drawings, not studies, so do not rely on a study collection to carry them.

Can I move study collections to another computer?

Copy the .stdycllct files from the Data Files Folder on the first machine into the Data Files Folder on the second. Check the folder path in Global Settings >> General Settings on both installations.

Why do my footprint cells look empty after applying a collection?

The collection only adds the Numbers Bars study. The target chart still needs tick by tick data and enough loaded history, so verify the Intraday Data Storage Time Unit setting and reload the chart data.