For those traders with automated system experience, what Platform would you suggest to use in conjunction with Interactive Brokers: a) For speculatively long and short trading of just one Index futures symbol. eg SPY. b) The trading system method has already been determined, ie doesn't require testing. c) Charts, Back testing and Indicators not required. d) Web based preferably so it can be monitored remotely. e) Speed or latency not important as this is not HFT. and the last one might be asking a bit much but thought to ask anyhow... f) The ability to trade the same instrument if possible but at different time periods, eg simultaneously, 5, 10, 15, 60 minute bars and perhaps EOD bars.
SPY is a stock not an Index Future. Pretty sure you can use TradeLink to design an ATS with IB's TWS. You could use VNC or Remote Desktop to remote from anywhere - building your own web-based GUI would involve hosting, a web server, secure data feeds, etc. I wouldn't recommend this for starters - but anything is possible.
I would suggest NinjaTrader running on a remote server accessed via Remote Desktop. Correct me if I'm wrong, but you should be able to monitor all your trades using Interactive Brokers mobile, web, and desktop apps?
Thank you for replies. Can those with experience in the auto trading arena make suggestions on a service provider who can set up an API with Interactive Brokers. I envisage it would work something like this; They would provide the computer and the software loaded. My system requirements are: a) Suitable for speculatively trading of Index Futures. b) Not required is software for charts, back testing facilities or Indicators. c) I have a formula that can be written onto a Excel spreadsheet. I require a bare bones platform with no bells or whistles, just something to write code onto and which is capable to be executed automatically. Thanks again.
I'll say its not easy to code a complete system, form taking in data, to setting parameters and stuff, and cutting/trail stops. I do have this system currently running, where the buy/sell process is taken care of very nicely, so I just inter-switch my algorithms to trigger buy/sell, depending on what strategy. I think there are not current solutions, so u'll hv to code it urself.
Thanks. I think I have reached the conclusion after spending most of this weekend researching this, that my easiest course of action is to load SierraChart. I will use this platform as it interacts with XL spreadsheets and this is what I prefer to use to code my formulas. As I'm in Australia and the brokers here are very limited in choice, I will use this combination with IB. I'm not wanting to open up banks accounts in USA for example, so IB can do everything I require in terms of brokerage services. I will buy a new laptop and load everything onto a fresh machine. That way I keep my auto trading away from all the other programs on my other PC's.
Or you could buy another HD and reload the OS and dual-boot or physically connect/disconnect the HDs and still use your existing PC(s) for trading. Or if you're technically incline you could try to repartition your existing HDs and dual-boot between the partitions. Just make sure you backup any important files before messing around with any of the above.
Thanks for the suggestions. I've got in the habit of using different computers for different tasks. I have one for surfing, one for banking/trading and one for popping in my bag and carting around when I travel. For Autotrading it will probably run non stop day and night, so I think best to have this dedicated for this job. The extra expense will not be great in the larger scheme of things and it will be more convenient having this thing plod along doing the same old same old without me needing swap drives etc.
I hv 2 computers, 4 screens and 2 internet lines, one with Mobile 3G data plan. And i think its not enough, since im using it for $$ purposes.
yes I prefer multiple laptops although I do have 1 x PC With multiple laptops one can backup onto each other (plus have a backup external HDD) Should one spit the dummy, one can quickly have something which will keep you going in the meantime. For modems, can have a USB stick prepaid or on a plan as a backup. Let the prepaid expire and if it's required then only takes a few minutes to top it up.