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❓ FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

πŸ”‘ API Keys

Q: Where do I get API keys?

A: Both are free:

  • Twelve Data: https://twelvedata.com/pricing (800 calls/day free)
  • Alpha Vantage: https://www.alphavantage.co/support/#api-key (25 calls/day free)

Q: Do I need both API keys?

A: Yes, the assistant uses both for redundancy and different data types: - Twelve Data: Primary source for price data and technical indicators - Alpha Vantage: Backup source and news data

πŸ’° Usage

Q: Can I use this for real trading?

A: This is a decision support tool, not financial advice. Always: - Do your own research - Understand the risks - Consult with a financial advisor - Never trade more than you can afford to lose

Q: How often should I run analysis?

A: Depends on your trading style:

Style Frequency
Day Trading Every 15-30 min during market hours
Swing Trading 1-2 times daily
Long-term Weekly is sufficient

Q: My API calls are rate limited!

A: Solutions: 1. Upgrade to paid tier (Twelve Data has generous limits) 2. Reduce analysis frequency 3. Use cached data when possible 4. Rotate between multiple API keys

πŸ› Troubleshooting

Q: Permission Denied when running Docker

A: Run with current user: 

docker run --rm -it \
  -u $(id -u):$(id -g) \
  -v $(pwd)/.env:/app/.env \
  -v $(pwd)/watchlist.txt:/app/watchlist.txt \
  xuxuclassmate/trading-assistant:latest

Q: Command not found: ta

A: Make sure you're using the correct command: 

# Correct
ta
ta sig
ta all

# Also works (full name)
openclaw-trading-assistant

Q: Volume mount issues on Windows

A: Use absolute paths: 

docker run --rm -it \
  -v C:/path/to/.env:/app/.env \
  -v C:/path/to/watchlist.txt:/app/watchlist.txt \
  xuxuclassmate/trading-assistant:latest

Q: No data returned for my stock

A: Check: 1. Stock symbol is correct (e.g., AAPL not Apple) 2. Market is open (US stocks trade 9:30 AM - 4:00 PM ET) 3. API keys are valid and not rate limited 4. Stock is in your watchlist.txt

πŸ“¦ Installation

Q: Which installation method should I use?

A: Docker is recommended for most users: - βœ… No dependency conflicts - βœ… Works on any platform - βœ… Easy to update - βœ… Isolated environment

Choose based on your needs:

Method Best For Time
Docker Most users 5 min
pip Python developers 10 min
npm Node.js developers 10 min
Source Contributors 15 min

Q: How do I update to the latest version?

Docker: 

docker pull xuxuclassmate/trading-assistant:latest
docker stop trading-assistant
docker rm trading-assistant
# Re-run with same command

pip: 

pip install --upgrade openclaw-trading-assistant

npm: 

npm update -g @xuxuclassmate/openclaw-trading-assistant

πŸ”’ Security

Q: Is my API key safe?

A: Yes: - βœ… Keys stored locally in .env - βœ… Never sent to external servers (except API providers) - βœ… Not committed to git (.env is in .gitignore) - βœ… Open source code - you can verify

Q: Can I use environment variables instead of .env?

A: Yes: 

export TWELVE_DATA_API_KEY=your_key
export ALPHA_VANTAGE_API_KEY=your_key
ta

🌐 Language

Q: How do I change the language?

A: Edit .env: 

LANGUAGE=en  # English
# or
LANGUAGE=zh  # Chinese

Q: Can I contribute translations?

A: Yes! Please submit a PR on GitHub with translations for your language.

πŸ“ž Support

Q: I found a bug!

A: Please report it: https://github.com/XuXuClassMate/trading-assistant/issues

Include: - What you were trying to do - What happened - What you expected - Error messages (if any) - Your environment (OS, Python version, etc.)

Q: I have a feature request!

A: Great! Open a discussion: https://github.com/XuXuClassMate/trading-assistant/discussions

Q: I want to contribute!

A: Awesome! Check out: - Contributing Guide - Good First Issues

πŸ’¬ Still Have Questions?

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