Regarding the new IB Java Trader Workstation -- does anyone know if it is possible to have more than one window running simultaneously (i.e., multiple instances of the software running concurrently) ?
YEs, it is possible. I have two accounts and they are both opened on the same machine at the same time. They even keep their settings fully separated. No problem at all with data or transactions. It is just like having 2 machines. Try that with some other packages. The only problem is when you close one the other application might close too (!).. yeah right. in other words it is great. To activate it, you just login several times from the IB web site, that's it.
Can this be done even when one is using only 1 account ? Can one have two Java applet windows open at the same time for a single account, each perhaps showing a different page ? That way one could observe different pages simultaneously...
I don't think it is possible to login several times for the same account, and that make sense in terms of security.. I kind of remember that if you login again it freezes the former session. I understand your idea to be able to see several pages though..
On the issue of multiple simultaneous logins to the same account; this would be a very advantageous feature. When I was trading with Cybertrader you could open a CyberX session on another machine (and another ISP perhaps) as a backup trading system for if something failed on the primary one. As soon a you executed a trade on one it would show up on the other. (Too bad Cyber's reliability and commissions are so terrible.)
With the new hotkeys (and the low commissions) the JWS is great for scalping! There still remains a nasty problem with ECN executions that was inherited from TWS: Excution starting prices come from the ECN book instead of the NASDAQ Level One inside market. From an ECN trader's point of view the market consists of the ECN book *plus* the NASDAQ inside market at the top. (ECNs feed through to the NASDAQ at the inside market.) The ECNs are not separate markets (though I suspect the original architect of TWS may have thought so.) Since the ECN book's inside market often tends to spread and shrink wildly, using those prices as a starting point, as IB does, is a recipe for disaster. I've heard a number of complaints in the chatrooms that I trade in of bad quotes and bad executions. I suspect that most of these are due to these ECN quotes. I've been bitten myself, fixating on the fraction and not noticing that the whole number is a full point off from the current market! YIkes! ECNs are great stuff, but they don't stand alone. I've seen requests here that an *option* be added to fix this problem. This will work fine, but why not just remove the mistake all together? The ECN book is good to see, but it's almost never the right place to start a trade from. All of the other platforms (Cyber, Realtick, Tradescape, etc.) start their executions with NASDAQ inside market (L1) prices. Thanks IB, keep up the good work! Richard
the reason the TWS prohibits the opening of multiple windows is to conserve bandwidth. RE: best ex. Not all market makers will provide timely fills or even honor their "inside prices". The proprietary algorithms take this into account when routing orders. Hopefully SUPERSOES will help.
Hi! There is an features of the old TWS that I´m missing at the new one. When I prepared an order in the old TWS I was able to see by the colours if I there will be a fill at this moment if I would transmit. This features is not included in the new TWS. But it should be. THX
Aloha, Another quick suggestion: Make the dialog box messages simpler and more concise. I just exported the log and was told: The execution reports for the selected day have been exported. Yikes! Is this a joke? How about `Export Completed' or `Done'. Or nothing at all, say something only if there's a problem. That would be much nicer. Some of the alerts are much worse -- like a whole paragraph to tell me that I can't short a stock. That's absurd. I don't have time to read long naratives while opportunities are running away without me. If you must have all that junk, for legal reasons or something, then put a synopsis at the beginning. Like: `No Shorts'. For some of us trading is a fast-moving exercise. Please don't force us to read such long-winded responses while we're trying to capitalize on fleeting events. There are many books and classes available to software developers on human factors. Concise messaging is usually part of the introduction. Thanks for listening. Richard
Hackfresse, Not 100% sure I understand what you are trying to state. I'll place a few orders today via the old version to see if I can clarify your comments and then pass the info along. rfoulk, My guess is the messages are required for legal reasons. I'll pass your comments along as some sound like valid points. The one on the export comments as it seems a bit over the top to me. I agree that short is sweet but give the programmers a break.