Does anyone here use IB data to trade index futures using very short-term charts?

Thunderdog · Jun 27, 2007

I only use a 1-minute chart. I'm a bit confused because different people seem to suggest different things. I'm just going to sit here and take it all in for a while. Sitting is good.

OldTrader · Jun 27, 2007

Quote from TL Trader:

OLDTrader,

I'm going to try not using the auto refresh. Do you have the Preserve existing bars tab checked?
And does having the symbol on a quote page mean you can change pages and still not need to refresh a chart?

TIA

Yes, you should be able to change pages without refreshing. I don't use the preserve existing bars tab, although maybe that's an advantage. Ensign originally told me to uncheck the auto refresh.

OldTrader

Lucrum · Jun 27, 2007

Quote from OldTrader:

Yes, you should be able to change pages without refreshing. I don't use the preserve existing bars tab, although maybe that's an advantage. Ensign originally told me to uncheck the auto refresh.

OldTrader

Thanks OT,
That's odd though, because they told me I should check the auto refresh.
Typical.

joesan · Jun 28, 2007

Kiwitrader

IB does not provide tick data download, how long period of tick data does Sierrachart allow to backfill, one day, longer, or one have to keep receiving tick data during the session ?

Also , does Sierrachart allow making customized indicators?

Quote from kiwi_trader:

Thunderdog,

You are running into the "IB Snapshot data doesn't include all snapshot highs and lows cause its only taken every 200ms" problem.

1. What timeframe are you charts (because IB are now providing a new true data feed of 5 second bars which is on the latest API so you should get Howard to build an alternate symbol that never needs backfill for each contract).

2. Only use IB backfill for IB data ... It does have all the highs and lows.

I use SierraChart rather than ensign and my approach is that as a setup clarifies I hit the refresh button for the last 20 minutes (I also regularly hit the refresh button). This means that the pattern is correct.

The downside of the 5 second feed is that the bar comes out at the end of 5 seconds. So I will have a long term (my main chart) chart using 5 second data and my short term entry data will still use the normal symbol to show bar breaks etc.

kiwi_trader · Jun 28, 2007

Quote from joesan:

Kiwitrader

IB does not provide tick data download, how long period of tick data does Sierrachart allow to backfill, one day, longer, or one have to keep receiving tick data during the session ?

Also , does Sierrachart allow making customized indicators?

SC will download months of tickdata from data services that provide it but IB's fastest backload is not tick data (I think its 5 second data).

SC lets you make customised indicators using either worksheets (its like excel language) or full programming. You can even use the charts background data to create other types of charts (I have just done PC (bar = XX price changes) bars and am about to do Constant Tick and Constant Volume bars because the standard SC volume and tick charts do the normal thing of not splitting up the extra volume in incoming ticks ... I plan to prorate any ticks that overflow the volume). You can do almost anything and its compiled so its very fast and resource light.

joesan · Jun 28, 2007

Hi, kiwitrader
Thanks for the explanation about Sierrachart.

For HSI, how do you get its tick data, do you have to keep receiving IB ticks during the session, or is there some else tick data service (for backfill ) available ?

Lucrum · Jun 29, 2007

Apparently, for whatever reason, checking the "Preserve Existing Bars" frequently prevents a complete refresh. I move around a lot and cannot leave my computer on all the time and have to do refreshes frequently.
I also discovered that checking or un-checking the "Auto Refresh" changes that setting on every chart on every page
with out having to make the change individually.

robinxing · Jun 29, 2007

joesan does not amibroker store and receive tick data?"

joesan · Jun 29, 2007

Robin
Yes. But I do not like receiving the tick data throughout the session cuz you can only backfill tick data of maybe 2-3 hours.

kiwi_trader · Jun 29, 2007

Quote from joesan:

Hi, kiwitrader
Thanks for the explanation about Sierrachart.

For HSI, how do you get its tick data, do you have to keep receiving IB ticks during the session, or is there some else tick data service (for backfill ) available ?

One of the nice things about Sierra is that you can specify the contract two different ways.

I use HSIN7-FUT-HKFE to store live (unrefreshed data) for tick charts and HSI-200707-HKFE to store data for my longer term charts (I refresh this with 30 sec data so that it is a relatively small file despite containing the last 6 months of rolled over contracts).