(edit: this is not new information, but may be of interest to some.) For those using IB as a data source for any software the following is potentially of interest. The following is an Email from owner/developer of Amibroker. The first paragraph is relevant to AmiBroker users only and the balance is general to all users: Backfill is automatic when you switch database because it has to fill the time when database was not used. Timestamp IS used. But timestamp is sent ONLY FOR BACKFILL. There is no timestamp for streaming data. Therefore local clock must be used. Because of local computer clock may or may not tick the same as IB server clock this may cause difference between data collected on client side and on server side (backfill). Generally speaking these are IB/TWS issues that are unresolved for years, despite LOTS of developers asking IB every day for fixing IB issues. See: http://www.interactivebrokers.com/cgi-bin/discus/board-auth.pl?file=/2/2.html In addition to that there is outdated, minimal and in many places incorrect documentation plus the API changes with every TWS release often breaking the software utilising the TWS API. IN the past we addressed at least the API change problems as we incorporated entire API inside our IB plugin to provide at least stability across version. Other softwares using original TWS API as released by IB is breaking every few weeks. It has nothing to do with the plugin. All of these are IB issues that are present in every software utilising their feed. Simply the API development on their side is not their core business. They earn money on commissions not on providing data. Their feed has been designed to refresh grid in TWS, nothing else. It is not designed to be used for charting at all. This sentiment has been clearly expressed by TWS staff here: http://www.interactivebrokers.com/cgi-bin/discus/board-auth.pl?file=/2/37364.html From Ernie - IB Quality Assurance department: "The quotes that you see on the TWS and are currently seeing from the API will, in all likelihood, will be the best you're going to get over an internet connection. The catch in that sentence is the word currently. To even the most seasoned trader, the quotes will appear to be every tick but that's as fast as the human eye and brain can register. Where the excellent quotes you're getting will lose their high marks, are when a computer program puts them under the microscope. Our system and TWS makes no effort to hold on to and ensure the delivery of data. [...] The market data feed isn't, however, time and sales, and it probably never will be; but we're always trying to improve it. Just keep in mind that order flow, status, execution information will always be acknowledgement based, and take a higher priority than market data." We warn customers about that in http://www.amibroker.com/ib.html "IB / TWS is not really up to professional standards when considering it as real time data source. Its backfill is very limited (1 symbol at a time) and VERY VERY slow. IB throttles backfills and you can not send more than 60 requests within 5 minutes (it equals to one month of 1-minute data for 12 symbols only). AmiBroker can not really show its full potential using IB/TWS because of IB limitations. We strongly recommend using TRUE real time data providers such as IQFeed or eSignal. Backfills using IQFeed or eSignal are upto 100 times faster !" Best regards, Tomasz Janeczko amibroker.com
Yes, I do use it often and find it works better than I first expected. I do have to tweak the parameters based on different timeframes, etc. but I have been pleasantly surprised. Even if I don't like the way it is drawn I use lighter, less obtrusive colors so I can draw freestyle over them. Also, if you draw longer channels such as carryover channels from prior days, the auto trends usually will show the traverse channels within the longer channel.
anyone know how to get the STR/SQU window in QT to update? I switched the ym to dec in the portfolio section, but for some reason the window is not updating?? stuck on sept. 14th or something like that, doesnt display any new data
Make sure the main quote sheet is displaying the STR/Squ portfolio, it will not update if you left it on default,
Questions regarding QuoteTracker: - Is there a way to draw trendlines in the empty space on the right side of my charts? Right now I click "extend trendline"everytime I want to annotate into the future. Selecting "auto-extend" in the options menu eventually clogs up the chart. - Is the ten-day limited backfill on intraday charts an issue when trading equities? - Can smaller time fractals than the daily be viewed on historic charts?
1) on the chart toolbar you can adjust empty space on right hand side of chart 2) for equities you should be looking at probably around 6 months of data 3) I'm not a current user, but I believe that daily and intraday charts based on the historic data are different charts and thus you cannot change from say 30 min to daily on same window, if I am wrong please someone else correct me. This is how I remember it.
Yup, I did that. Problem is I can't draw stuff in the empty space. On intraday charts this isn't a problem, only on historical charts. Perhaps it has something to do with registering. When trying to adjust intraday charts in my QuoteTracker program says: "You cannot set the number of days to greater than 2 unless you are registered. Registering will allow you to collect up to 10 days of data." One of the Medveds seems to confirm this: http://www.elitetrader.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=64658&highlight=quotetracker&postid=991905 I can imagine this might bring some issues when drawing channels on 30min charts. I hope somebody could give me some feedback on this one. Alright, thank you for the reply. FerdinandAlx
You cannot project trendlines on the daily (historical) charts. I've got no idea why the software doesn't allow it given that the intraday works fine. I'm very happy with QT generally but this really annoys me.
Where in ensign is this feature? BTW, the software features are really good IMO. You can even color your bars by moon phases
Agreed I cannot understand why this is not possible. I contacted them about this and they indicated they cannot do it because QT cannot extrapolate the time and data into the future. . I don't know why they cannot do that. Isn't it what they do when you select extend to the right?