It was a fiasco. MC offered 2 confusing packages already - Normal and .Net. That's a headscratcher. There are no resources for .Net version and noone knows why they keep this version. Then, to confuse potentional customers more, they brought simplifed TWS version, which had lot of errors with TWS. Practically it was not functioning. Just an extra chart to have on extra monitor. But at least the windows were linked. -- I think TWS is slow platform with slow feed, MC doesn't integrate with it, so it's best to look for proper native application (pure Windows only) and fast feed. I guess eSignal, but it's expensive as hell with lot of "hidden" fees. -- MC reminds me of TC2000, with their slowly dying relevance.
Just few days ago, Interactive Brokers changed the way of launching TWS via a tws.exe application. This is yet another effort to kill 3rd apps, besides changing API all the time, introducing many limits of reading subscriber data (errors 321, 322), pacing violations etc. So MultiCharts 9 won't connect now. It still connects to old TWS (via java web start), but won't read some tickers due to some changes (again), but at least feeds data for the existing watchlist items. There are quite number of other apps having problem. eSignal is the only one connecting well, but that symbol mapping is terrible. I don't know who to thank first - IB for bringing endless changes and bugs, or MultiCharts for sleeping their progress. In the end, I can't find (a combination of) good charting software for trading with this broker. I tried many. One needs to develop their own software.
I was thinking to give Multichart TWS another try and just found it disappeared from TWS menu. I am using NT 7, but loading data from IB is slow and pacing violations all over my screen....
MultiCharts TWS is disabled, and it wont work. I tried to pick an old installation, couldnt hack it - they disable it proactively. Actually that was the only software i'd be happy to use right now! And they killed it. Makes sense right, cheers, good stuff *clap*. then I tried newest MultiCharts non-Net which worked unreliably, with pacing violations, and many other troubles to connect. Shocking that a recent version wouldn't work with major broker. I can imagine how much they "care". Same as IB - they impose limit by limit, without giving a damn about impact to customers. Then I tried a myriad of software that connects to IB (from their marketplace and other sources), it's all crap and outdated. Also no software synchronizes window linking, the cool feature i am looking for. No software can trade options properly. No software is practical enough for trading and charting together. eSignal - waaaaaay overpriced software while not sophisticated enough, with a need to pay for duplicit data feeds. It's way less sophisticated than TWS (see last paragraph), using it standalone w/out TWS running is not achievable. ButtonTrader, BracketTrader - tick-ware, no charting SierraCharts - very user unfriendly software from the stone age, while some classic traders love it (yes it has some features bla bla, but i simply won't use an outdated product) NinjaTrader - indicator-bs-oriented, the leader in providing mega-bs paid stuff by 3rd parties IBTrader - lol.. can you imagine such software existed. doesn't work properly anymore, no update in many years MetaStock - too focused on backtesting nonsense and indicator bs (ha ha i always imagine a nerd setting up this software for decades, and never earn money in market) MotiveWave - works well, it's the replacement of dying MultiCharts, wish it operated options properly.. ignore the elliot nonsense and it's actually a good charting/trading sw and it's recent TC2000 - great great great, but with bugs and s t i l l doesn't integrate with brokers (only with Tradier which is IB! comeon, why would anyone go for a joke cobrokerage?? really? oh i know u want more profit$) -> cancelled subscription, but the software is a great great scanner and brings superfast charting! BarChart - i don't remember, it wasn't enough ProRealTime - actually very interesting piece of sw, but forcing you their brokerage, no no .......... many other ............. .......... not good ................. Conclusion No good charting software exists, i'm using TWS. Besides terrible speed, and imperfect charting, it is still better. Where else you can make combined contract charts, show option activity in chart, create order tactics templates then execute with a keystroke, make conditional orders, show lot of fundamental details, have far better news feed, scalp options? I can't believe i would stick to TWS, but in recent 10 years i couldn't find any impressive software for trading multiple instrument types. For scanning and sophisticated alerting and smooth fast charting, TC2000 gets my award. Will rejoin them once they start to care about customer bugs..
I chart with NT (free version) and to avoid pacing violations, I left my desktop on 24/7 so far find no need to buy the licences I manually put my orders in TWS anyway Multicharts used to have a free version and it seems they killed that as well
[QUOTE Conclusion No good charting software exists, i'm using TWS. Besides terrible speed, and imperfect charting, it is still better. Where else you can make combined contract charts, show option activity in chart, create order tactics templates then execute with a keystroke, make conditional orders, show lot of fundamental details, have far better news feed, scalp options? I can't believe i would stick to TWS, but in recent 10 years i couldn't find any impressive software for trading multiple instrument types. For scanning and sophisticated alerting and smooth fast charting, TC2000 gets my award. Will rejoin them once they start to care about customer bugs..[/QUOTE] No issue with Medved Trader & IB, still in beta, though production soon. Awesome charting package, chart trading etc. I'd recommend download and try it out. http://forums.medvedtrader.com/
Medved Trader hmm, i'm surprised.. not bad! it is linking windows, linking timeframe not seen, linking cursor (oh thanks), zoom buttons on mouse work by default (is it so hard to understand there are media keys and buttons existing for 20 years by other vendors?), very fast moving along the chart.. renkos there with predefined values (oh, other vendors don't understand the concept here, and why points vs percentage can be used, and here, the most fitting values are already predefined). shaded irregular session (so hard to understand it's good by other vendors?), bid ask for scalping there (with some pressure stuff - why not). interesting work with drawings (quick menus) + alerts. Trendline w/alert - what a time saver. Raw data highlighting good. Earnings on chart - great. Trading: good the transaction value is respected everywhere. Would be better per instrument type (well, imagine stock + option trader for example). Defly miss attached orders (isn't fetched from broker, i actually saw other apps trigger TWS presets)!! Option trading: nice chain, now there are classic issues for day traders: how to load an option quickly. Near the money loads too many strikes, need to be configured to show less. Then there's classic problem with linking windows, how to link an option from chain to another window (requires second linking). The only way is drag and from one thin column (right to Strike column) to a chart. That's slow. I'd like to click on different strikes and have a specific option chart window updated instantly. Double click is possible, but it opens new window each time (soon the desktop would be full of window and the traders workspace design would become unstable). So this is same problem as in TWS (in other apps it's even worse), but here we have cool cursor tracking stuff, nice. Noone cares about option traders, while these changes are so easy to implement And finally, of course, an option trader would love to have best expiry and strike preloaded for a stock or by a click CALL|PUT x@y (x=configurable money neariness, y=configurable expiry). E.g. CALL ATM+2@1 to load 2 strikes in the money of weekly option. Paradise and suggestion for future Indicators: impressive stuff here. I like trendlines in every app, they are included. Many other indicators if someone is addicted to it. Couldn't add another ticker however!! That is a must. A dream come true would be options indicators (IV, opt.volume) on chart, but that would require some extra data feed, and I found this cool feature only in TWS yet. This guy http://forums.medvedtrader.com/topic/1395-implied-volitlity/ wanted it too, it's not a formula, need to fetch options data for that. my notes: - speed of windows open could be better -Templates\Load -> freeze, had to forceclose -portfolio should allow very basic editing, like quick "Del"ete, edit current symbol, and "Ins"ert should allow detailed instrument selection (what about futures?) - probably not possible, but fetching news from broker (IB) would be a huge win.. and windows linking with TWS (heh but i doubt they fetch it to 3rd apps except, MCforTWS hm) - "quote zone" aka small indicators window in chart could have more items to display - wasn't able to see Level 2 - windows fight to be on top, which creates mess when windows are overlayed (can't put a window to front if it's stuck behind) - charts are not split adjusted - Windows considers the installation app unsafe - some scanner would be nice, especially with those cool minicharts in each row if i have to say what are the showstoppers right now: lack of futures, and ability to show more tickers in one chart. And I hate not to have attached orders. thanks and good luck! this looks promising.