Futures-Trader, a Simulator for papertrading your IB account

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Croc1964, RTSTrading, et al,

I'm new to this but it looks very interesting and potentially useful.

Could you please direct me to the place where this system is documented? Or, if there's no formal documentation available yet, when is it going to be available? In the meantime, are there any key messages somewhere, over and above what's been posted here at ET, that could help me understand the system's features, dos and don'ts? I'm just interested in learning how to use this tool, not the way it was developed.

Thanks. :)
 
I installed this program on Windows XP Pro. A windows dialog came up and informed me that this install overwrote some system files with ones it does not recognize! It said this could cause OS instability problems. I tried uninstalling the program but the text of the uninstall seems to be German, so I do not know if the uninstall worked as I wanted it to (remove all). I may be faced with reinstalling XP if I cannot confirm that I got the system files back.

I have emailed the author of the program for guidance.

I guess the lesson in all of this is to be wary of FREE stuff you download. At least confirm with the author that an installation on your OS has be verified to work.

This is not intended as a FLAME, just info. Like in trading I have to take the responsibility of the decision to download and install software from the Internet. I just hope to prevent someone else from encountering the same problem.

Cafeole
 
Quote from rtstrading:

Once in a position, you have a "Cover at Target" button and box to select a value.....scroll with the mouse on the value to get it to what you want. Select the contracts in the box above "Cover Market" with the scroll mouse to determine the number of contracts to cover at target.

Same with "stop" box and value.

Bob
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Bob,

Thanks for your help, I appreciate it. I'll try to implement your directions.
 
Instead of reinstalling the OS I found that XP has a restore system function that allow you to reset the state of the OS to specific time. I restored to my system to the state as of Friday evening.

croc has been very prompt in replying to my issues and making suggestions. Thanks, croc.

Before I will try this on my pc I would like croc to resolve the XP warnings. Since I do not know which files XP is complaining about I am reluctant to reinstall on my primary trading platform.

Cafeole
 
cafeole,

generally, you should never install any unknown software on your main trading station. Even if an uninstall is performed, most software leaves program chunks behind, which over timee will slow down your computer or, worse, make it instable.

So the way to go, is to have a second computer to test software on. In case of Futures Trader this would mean not only installing Futures Trader on a second machine, but also IB TWS or ESignal or both on it, to have a datafeed Futures Trader can work with.

But, from my experience, if you have not done this yet, you should have a Backup of IB TWS or ESignal in any case. Normally a main tradestation crashes only in the most inopportune moments - in the middle of a trade -

Concerning the Win XP warnings: The only ActiveX / DLL components FuturesTrader uses, which are not from Microsoft directly are the mousedriver and the IB TWS API. Both are most likely not certified by Microsoft, but both are normally not preinstalled on any Win XP system, so they should not overwrite system files.
What might or might not preinstalled, depending on your Win XP installation and other programs already running on it, are Visual Basic components and the Microsoft supplied ActiveX components FuturesTrader uses. Normally the Setup will ask you, if you want to overwrite existing files if the existing ones have a newer version number than the ones delivered with FuturesTrader.

If however, you have system files on your pc older than the ones supplied with Futures Trader, the Microsoft Setup routine will replace these older system files, and Win XP will complain about a program trying to overwrite your system files and will replace these overwritten files during the next boot. Especially if you have not logged on as a user with administrator rights, you are not allowed to replace system files.

I can not test or comment on the question, which files will be replaced, as this is different for every pc user, unless they have identical soft- and hardware installations.

But one tip: As you can restore a prior state of your computer: Install FuturesTrader, reboot your machine and let Win XP restore its system files, it complained about. Normally Futures Trader should run anyway. But please try this approach first on your Backup machine and logon as administrator.

If you have specific questions, email me at croc1964@web.de

Best regards,

Chris
 
croc,

You are absolutely right about being careful loading software on a trading platfrom. As I said in my earlier post, it was my decision to do this and I only wanted to let others know what I found so they can be aware of the issues.

Thanks for the help.

cafeole
 
Quote from JWS11:

Croc1964, RTSTrading, et al,

I'm new to this but it looks very interesting and potentially useful.

Could you please direct me to the place where this system is documented?
More...

Hi,
I'm in the process of writing a new documentation, but it will still take a while (I think about 2 weeks). In the meantime there is the old doc on my website www.futures-trader.net and the Whats new list, which describes any new features added to the system until today.

If you have specific questions send me an e-mail, take a look in the Futures_Trader Yahoo group or contact me directly in Paltalk (www.paltalk.com).

Best regards,

Chris
 
Re the documentation:
I just added a new Documentation link on my Website (www.futures-trader.net), where in the future you will find the whole FuturesTrader documentation.

It's a start and 4 small chapters have been included already.

croc
 
Hi,

again a new version, but an interesting one, I think.
First a bugfix for the E-Signal feed, which did not request Futures from ESignal correctly

Then a Make Small button, to reduce Futures Trader to the trading part only. No Charts, or other info, just the Watchlist and the Trading frames are visible.
Press <S> to make FT small (right of the Connect button)
Press <B> to return to the Big version.
Needed to move the Connection frame from the right to the left, so everyone can invoke this new mode, even if the original FT is to big for the screen.

As always, Feedback is welcome.
Best regards,

Chris

Download from www.futures-trader.net
 
croc
All your hard work on the FT is really appreciated. Also thanks for steering me to Woodie's group. I think reading your FT post was the best find I've made here on ET. :) :) :)
 
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