I'm wondering if there are trading platforms that offer any (all?) of these features: 1. Linked charts settings, so that all charts stay the same (same time frame, candle period, studies, etc.), but for different symbols. I've got a page of the FAANG stocks with 9 charts but it's ridiculously time consuming to change every chart go compare apples to AAPL (and never mind this takes up 6 lines of chart settings instead of just 2 it could). 2. One-way linking / Multiple links. For example, I click on my watch list and it loads in the options chain, I click on the chain, and it loads only in depth / time/sales--without moving all my charts away from the underlying. Also, multiple links so clicking one watch list will update everything, but another will update only certain selections. 3. Two options chains on one page. I never thought this would be something I would have to ask for--then I demo TWS. 4. Data feed pause buttons for pages/tools. I don't need market depth all the time eating my computer resources, but I need it at a moment's notice when I do. And so many other tools too. For example, you click the watch list, all tools update with a 'snapshot', then if you need real time you can just unpause. 5. A follow-up to the previous two: demo accounts with sample data from past trading days (including a few extremes) to get an idea of how a platform's performance will be when the real thing hits. That I can offset to start at any time--so I can test stuff when, you know, I'm not trading elsewhere. I'd like to know what a regular day will look like without having to pay full level II data. I'd also like to know if I'm going to freeze up the next time there's a flash-crash (which might be considered a "feature" if it saves me from flattening out at the bottom ) Why aren't these off-the-shelf features of ALL platforms? I really feel like we're using 1997 technology here, but no one thinks to ask, "how could this be better?" because the user has become an extension of the tool, forgetting that tools are supposed to be extensions of the user. I'm sure there's some I'd like that I'm forgetting, and some I'm overlooking. So post features you'd like too. Also, if I'm just an idiot and these do in fact exist, can someone tell me how to do this in TWS? (and right-click on symbol work around for second option chain--this doesn't work for reasons explained in the one-way linking idea) Thanks all in advance!
One of many reasons people have this programmed as you never going to get everything you need in one software. Like I always wanted intraday and daily charts of individual option charts so I could trade them like the underlying, so instead of a line on close, I have bars. www.barchart.com which is free I believe have some of what you seeking.
Beer&: in the upper left of every chart is a roller/drop-down, into which you can input various contracts. It will keep studies from one chart to another, but not individual edits/comments. as well, that little chain-link thingie, I THINK, is mostly what you're looking for -- if you hit the IB webinars on charting/set-ups (with a beer, cuz they are slowwwwww), you should see your ideas (and others!) carried out.
Thanks all. @Handle123, I'm aware of barcharts.com--and actually really like it. But it's just not economical for trying to crunch that much data that fast. I can get through TWS' charts faster than that. For both esignal and sierra charts, I've got a cheaper option for a platform I'm more familiar with (that doesn't solve most of those problems, but I'm fast in it). And @tommcginnis, I did figure that one out about the charts. Still quite slow and doesn't have the same visual impact of having all the charts right there in front. I catch a lot of big moves early just seeing it in the FAANG chart page (the forest through the trees). I'll look a bit more into linking, but I didn't at first blush see anything that looked like "high end" (read: programming standards circa Windows 98) link settings. I'll keep playing around with it. Aside from the two options chains thing, what I have currently isn't much of an improvement over IB. At least not to the extent that it's worth the commission difference.
Ahhhhhh HA! Okay, so, in years and years of usage, this eclipses all of my TWS charting knowledge....
I got most of that fooling around with the demo...though, I think I saw the VWAP option I'm missing. I have found that too...you get settled in your ways with a chart and forget other info available to you. That said, my charts have gotten immensely simpler in the last year.