IB would lose 80% of its business...

That's not my understanding, but I hope you are right.

Regarding IB loosing 80% business - no way! Their API is so entrenched that it would take millions for customers to rewrite. And, ironically, the worse the API the more difficult it is to replace.

 

I suggest you take the time and read the entire document. It clearly states TD Ameritrade supports streaming futures, such as the following sample request.

Also if you haven't already, read their User Guide:
https://developer.tdameritrade.com/guides

Code:

{
    "requests": [
        {
            "service": "CHART_HISTORY_FUTURES",
            "requestid": "2",
            "command": "GET",
            "account": "your_account",
            "source": "your_source_id",
            "parameters": {
                "symbol": "/ES",
                "frequency": "m1",
                "period": "d1"
            }
        }
    ]
}

 

Even though I use TOS for charting, I don't use them for trading so, to answer your question, I don't use their API. Anyway, first check out this GitHub: https://github.com/areed1192/td-ameritrade-python-api. It's by the same guy who made the Youtube video (see below)

The following vids show how to set up auth. You'll most likely need the api auth key to make the search call. Hope that helps. Good luck.

 

The second account does need a realtime data feed.
If you know how to code its pretty easy to use the data feed from one account into an automated strategy that is connected to another account.

 

I agree, but to me, their forex trading is too convoluted to use unless you are trading xxx/usd. I have bits and pieces of trades that I close out but they don't go away. I gave up trying to figure it out.

 

Sure, but that doesn't solve the problem of wanting to be logged in with the API and logged into the same account on, for instance, the mobile app. What I'm trying to do, is set up my trading system on a constantly-on system and then monitor it via either TWS on my laptop or the mobile app to double-check trades, etc. But whenever you connect one place, IB wants to disconnect you for whatever other place you have already logged in. In short, monitoring your trading system shouldn't disconnect your trading system. But that's how IB works.

 

It's not looking like the TD API will work for me. It only seems to have partial functionality. For instance, I can't seem to get quotes for indexes like SPX or VIX and I can't get options chains for either of these, too. Works great for equities, from what I can tell. Support also seems poor. The only thing close to a "forum" where people can discuss issues is Reddit. TD has an api@tdameritrade.com email address, but they don't seem too responsive (which is to be expected, but without a forum...).

 

Just run a remote desktop server on your trading machine and a remote desktop client on your mobile phone/ laptop. eg TeamViewer

 

Yes, that's about the only way to do it. But again, it's silly to have to jump through all these hoops to get around IB's nonsense. Frankly, it makes the system *LESS* secure.