Current setup: ESignal + proprietory gizmos; IB/TWS; Button Trader.
Current useage: Futures day trading - profitable and therefore prefer to implement/test the project using as much of current software as possible to avoid major disruption of new learnig curves etc.
Project: To automatically initiate user defined spread trades based on simple signals (usually just a threshold spread value). Each filled trade to include simultaneous orders to close based on similar signals defining target and acceptable loss + optional time triggers.
I have had some success trading such a system manually. However, the chosen instruments and timeframes (strictly intra-day and oten lasting just a minute or two) often require 6 separate orders placed within a few seconds and fat-finger errors are one of my biggest problems (not to mention seriously concentrated screen-watching).
Other problems with current setup: I can automate the initial order execution from Esignal but the ESignal data-feed is not the TWS data feed. Result - 'slippage' can be magnified; whereas the success of the system is largely a function of keeping slippage to an absolute minimum (in practice swings and roundabouts spring to mind since it also operates in my favour quite often - nevertheless I am uncomfortable using separate data feeds for signal and execution, especially when using market orders)
Button Trader is superb for handling complex bracketed orders and it executes them from TWS/IB data, but it does not handle integrated spread trades (Yet). Also, I don't think there is any API access to its functionality.
Any constructive suggestions/observations gratefully received.
Thanks in anticipation.
Current useage: Futures day trading - profitable and therefore prefer to implement/test the project using as much of current software as possible to avoid major disruption of new learnig curves etc.
Project: To automatically initiate user defined spread trades based on simple signals (usually just a threshold spread value). Each filled trade to include simultaneous orders to close based on similar signals defining target and acceptable loss + optional time triggers.
I have had some success trading such a system manually. However, the chosen instruments and timeframes (strictly intra-day and oten lasting just a minute or two) often require 6 separate orders placed within a few seconds and fat-finger errors are one of my biggest problems (not to mention seriously concentrated screen-watching).
Other problems with current setup: I can automate the initial order execution from Esignal but the ESignal data-feed is not the TWS data feed. Result - 'slippage' can be magnified; whereas the success of the system is largely a function of keeping slippage to an absolute minimum (in practice swings and roundabouts spring to mind since it also operates in my favour quite often - nevertheless I am uncomfortable using separate data feeds for signal and execution, especially when using market orders)
Button Trader is superb for handling complex bracketed orders and it executes them from TWS/IB data, but it does not handle integrated spread trades (Yet). Also, I don't think there is any API access to its functionality.
Any constructive suggestions/observations gratefully received.
Thanks in anticipation.