Has anybody using a frontend, like brackettrader or ninjatrader, ever noticed that sometimes there's a delay before the orders appear in TWS, at times even around 20 seconds. This makes me wonder if using a plain keystroke-recorder wouln't be a better solution. Does anybody have any experience/recommendations on this? Thanks for any feedback.
In TWS itself you can program your keyboard to make all kinds of orders without using a front end. You can test it out by logging in the TWS demo with username: "edemo" password: "demouser" Or else you might try "buttontrader". I believe the guys that made it are from the Netherlands too.
I have never seen anything like that. I have had BT loose connection to TWS but never a delay. Lots of my trades don't even last 20 seconds. On chop days I feel like a long term investor if my trade lasts longer than a minute. LOL a 20 second delay would be nuts
I have in standalone version of TWS, 808.x and API 7.3. I use Bracket-Trader, comparing it to hotkeys there's always some lag, especially when i've got the hotkeys set to "transmait instantly'. The reason why i use BT is that i scale out in 3 steps, so i need to be able to attach several brackets to 1 entry.
If you use a keystroke recorder to send a command, you still have to send a keystroke to tell the recorder to playback? Or would you have the charting program send out the command to the macro recorder? I've seen in your other posts that you use Ensign and IB. I was using the same combination with Metaserver to link them. I used Macroexpress, a macro recorder to start them up each morning. However Macroexpress interfered with the data in Metaserver. It took me a few tries to find a macro recorder that didn't interfere with the data in Metaserver so beware. There is a file called "TwsDde.xls" that comes with the IB TWS download. It will send out orders to IB from Microsoft Excel. The excel spreadsheet is relatively easy to modify for your own needs with buttons etc. I use Bracket Trader too and found it a little slow as well. I thought Ninja Trader was faster but I gave up on it when my free version expired.
Sam, not sure what you mean with your first question, but i don't mind pressing 1 key to transmit an order, the reason tws' hotkeys don't do the trick for me is that i would have to send out 3 orders, as i scale out in 3 steps, that's also the reason i dont use ninjatrader, because it allows only 2 step exit. i also looked at x-keys, but that has the problem that it can't record mouseclicks. So actually i'm looking for a keystroke recorder that also can record mouseclicks. I believe quickeys can do that, but i would like hear if someone knows of other programs that can do this. I didn't know of TWSDe.xls, will look into that. by the way i got a pm from def, saying that there shouldn't be a delay. anyhow, you noticed it as well.
Tsim might be a possibility for you. You can place bracket orders and you can customize some buttons. http://www.tradingsimulation.com/