I do. But, as I wrote above, any TWS installation file will auto-update itself to the current version of TWS, unless you download and install the "Offline" / standalone version, which I typically didn't. (i.e. the only such 'offline' installation file I have is TOO old -- 2 yrs -- to even run)
Do you backup all your files? If so... restore the TWS files themselves from your backup. If not, you need to start backing up all your files. There's no quibbling or crying in trading. I also, respectfully, suggest you stop using the auto-updating version too.
I meant using a "real" programming language, Python is probably the easiest choice. I used DDE and ActiveX many moons ago, didn't like either but I remember moving from DDE to ActiveX because DDE was always broken.
The IB API is working as expected, but Excel is another battle. I don't think they consider that piece of shit in their roll ups when they deliver a change anymore. https://www.interactivebrokers.com/campus/ibkr-api-page/excel-dde/#introduction From IB themselves: It is important to keep in mind that the sample applications are intended as simple demonstrations of API functionality for third party programmers. They do not have robust error handling functionality and are not intended to be used as production level trading tools. Which means, do not use that piece of shit in production.
Other programs running on the same computer which use DDE can interfere with the communication between Excel and TWS and cause Excel to ‘hang’ or ‘freeze’ after making the initial request. The only solution to this problem is to close other programs using DDE one-by-one to find the culprit. Programs which are known to cause this issue include Google Chrome, Microsoft OneNote, Skype and Adobe Creative Cloud. LOL Do not even breath when you use Excel with IB
Apologies for the delay in replying. Actually, I *do* have another computer that's still running the TWS version before last week's update broke everything. So...I guess that constitutes a "backup" of all the relevant TWS files, right? That said, It's not the 'standalone' / offline version of TWS, meaning as soon as I run TWS, it'll update itself to the new one where DDE's broken. I made this thread a few years ago, in which I asked whether I could run an online version of TWS but prevent it from auto-updating (just like the offline version), and someone provided a way to modify the tws.vmoptions file that seemed to work, albeit inconsistently. If I were able to prevent that secondary computer TWS installation from auto-updating when I ran it...how could I port the backed-up files to my other machines? I presume just copy-pasting the entire C:\jts\ folder from one computer to another wouldn't seamlessly replace the TWS version, as I'm looking to do right? Like I assume there are registry entries and other files not located in C:\jts\ that get modified when a new version of TWS is installed, and simply copy-pasting a directory won't effect a true version 'roll-back'. (Before anyone asks, the secondary computer where the version of TWS I want is installed is very old and slow...so simply using that as my trading machine is a non-starter...I really do need to get that version only my working/speedy computer.
Apologies for the delay in replying. Yes, I've long known that a 'real' programming language like Python was the Big Step I'd eventually want to take in order level-up my trading setup's speed and functionality. I've probably made several posts in this forum over the years musing about that--but I don't code myself, and finding a developer with the required competence and trustworthiness always felt like an intractable problem, when DDE + Excel was a sufficient, albeit imperfect (laggy, limited) solution. I dabbled with ActiveX though it was far and away the worst of IB's API's for my high-volume purposes. RTD marginally better, though still subject to FAR more bugs and freezes than DDE, so I've always ended back at DDE, warts and all.
d0rian, i think we are on the same boat Previously 1) I use excel (32 bit, don't ask me why) + TWS v1019.2d (20230901, 32 bit, standalone/offiline version) + TWS API Install 976.01.msi (20210824) 2) excel and TWS communicate via DDE + ActiveX + RTD (yes, all 3 ways) Recently, when i login TWS v1019.2d, It said "The version of the application you are running, 1019.2 needs to be upgrade, as it will be desupported on 20250320. The minimum supported version will be 1030.1... ok so i decided to update my v1019.2d to 1030.1t (https://www.interactivebrokers.com.hk/en/trading/tws-offline-stable.php), and face same problem as u (DDE doesn't work). I try to update TWS API Install 976.01.msi to TWS API Install 1030.01.msi, and it doesnt resolve the problem) i decided to rollback everything, and see what happen on 20250321 i always used offline_standalone_stable version of TWS
No need to wait, I'll tell you what will happen. It will kick you out and then say something like this when you try to log back in...