Futures-Trader, a Simulator for papertrading your IB account

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Hi,
some new toys and goodies from www.futures-trader.net

Reverse at Stop: When in a position, you have the option to use a Trailing Stop / Reverse, when hit. The Trailing Stop will not only cover but reverse your position, using the Reversal parameter used for the Reverse at Market button, when the Reversal Button is pressed.

Lock/Float the Limit Entry Buttons: Above of both Limit Entry Buttons (Short at/Long at) are to new small buttons, which say float when FT is in normal mode. Point your mouse to one of these buttons and turn the wheel. The price will stop to show the latest bid/ask, and will instead move up/down with the turn of the mouse wheel.It will remain fixed, until the button is pressed and an order is entered, or the mouse is moved to the now showing "Locked" Button above. No need to press Locked, just move the mouse to the box. You can't click this box to stop the price from updating, as each mousemovement will turn the lock off. So adjust the price by turning the mouse wheel while pointing on "Long at "/ " Short at".
The Buttons have the same functionality when in a trade. So you can follow the prices, and enter the cover order whenever you want. When real trade this gives you a timing advantage. Also you can be sure you enter the price you want to, as sometimes there is the problem, that the price starts to move while you'r hitting the button, giving you more slippage than you'r willing to pay. The price entered when clicking the numbered Buttons left or right of these Limit entry Buttons use the price shown on the Linit entry button when placing an order.

Most of the new options are now saved, but FuturesTrader will still starts in Full mode to initialize correctly.

Breakout and Range Trades can set both Long and Short entries now. You need to set your entry values first, then click on both Buttons. Each pricechange for the entry will reset the Order Buttons.

Reports are now saved automatically, when you close FuturesTrader. Added a Message file, where all Messages generated by FuturesTrader are saved in with a timestamp.

Croc
 
Hi,
just wanted to let you know, that I posted a new FuturesTrader version.

FT 1.78 fixes some bugs and turns the clock back on the Demo Orderfill module to the method used prior to V 1.75. So you will get partial fills again.
Automatic saving of the Reports caused problems, so back to manual mode.
Added a message file, where all messages reported by FuturesTrader are saved.
Added a time in trade clock, which apears below the blue Tick box, once a trade is open. Up to one hour it shows minutes and seconds, then it switches to hours and minutes.
Added a toggle to the InRange % colum on the Quote Grid. Click on InR% and it will change to Change and show the Change from yesterdays close, if available. (The ESignal datafeed provides Yesterdays Close IB does not.)

Download as always from www.futures-trader.net

Chris
 
i down loaded the ft simulator last sunday ,no problem it work fine,i liked it so much i orderd the real one next day and its working ok on my 2 computers ,its very useful and i highely recommend it.
 
hi chris,

since I haven't used your program yet, I have a couple of questions.
all I trade is the eminis. so for order entry I usually buy at ask and vice versa, does futures trader offer a "chase" function. if the ask is not available anymore and I do want to get in ?
furthermore, since IB now allows stop limits to be held at globex. I want all my orders: entry, target, and protective stop submitted as limit order especially the protective stop should be a stop limit order with a buffer. so if my PC or IB goes down I have both my target and stop held at globex. is all this possible with futures trader ?

thanks
 
Moonriver,
you can enter with a limit order at the ask, or submit the same order with an offset of x ticks, if you wish, or you can enter at market, to make sure you get a fill.
A real chase function is not implemented. If I place a limit order at ask, for a long, which then backs away from your order, I first need to cancel your prior order and only when I get the cancel confirmed message, would I transmit the new order. Otherwise, I think it most likely, that you will get a double fill, as an order can be filled until the exchange has confirmed the cancel.
So use an offset with your order to make sure you get the fill, but don't pay more than you are willing to do.

You can submitt every order as Bracket order, with a runner if you like. As soon as FT gets a confirmation, that the order has been filled the protective Stop and Limit orders are send. I always use Stop market orders, as you want to make sure you are out of the market, when your stop is hit. A stop limit needs not to be filled
at all, if the market goes beyond your limit.

I also don't use the Bracket order function IB supports at the moment submitting Order, ProfitLimit and Stop order at the same time, as until now, it did not work as I wanted it to work. (Bracket with one Stop, 1.Target and Runner with a Trail)

But we talk about around 1 sec, your position is not protected. As this is the time needed for the exchange to report the fill to IB, and to FuturesTrader, and FuturesTrader placing the Bracket
order.

Chris
 
chris,

entering with an offset is fine .
however I want to exit with an offset also, which is basically the same what IB does (change market order to limit with .3% offset). yet I'd like to cut out IB and have it all at globex. so is there a way to have a stop limit exit order placed with an offset of whatever ticks with your software. and if not do you have plans to implement it in the future ?

thanks
 
moonriver,
imho, its not supported by globex or any other exchange I know of. That's why IB holds them. So a Stop limit is sure possible, but IB will hold it anyway.And you should really consider, whether you want to risk your Stop with a 3% limit order.
Gann said, when your Stop is hit, you want to be out of the market, no questions asked. So you Stop out with a market order, and that's something I really belive in. That's why FT has no Stop limit feature at the moment. You can move your Stop until its hit. sure, you should not do it, but sometimes there are rerasons. But if it is hit, you make sure you'r out, as thats what the Stop is for.

Chris
 
chris,

a couple of months ago IB made the change to support native emini stop limits. I am positive (order status green ). since globex does NOT support market stop orders, IB has to simulate and hold them on theirs servers. once triggered IB converts your stop order to a limit with "0.3%" offset. so it beats me why anybody uses market stop orders. all you get is the risk of IB losing connection with globex. your order will be converted to a limit order anyway. so I strongly suggest you reconsider and give the user at least a choice of stop limit versus market stop orders.
 
moonriver,

will take a look at the issue of Stop limit orders and see what can be done. If they are held at the exchange fine, otherwise, you have the risk of a IB-Globex connection breakdown, as you have it with every exchange which supports no Stops or Stop market orders only. But I'm really open to the issue, so if Stop limits are held at the exchange, fine, I will add the feature in a future release.

Chris
 
Hi,
some new goodies at www.futures-trader.net:
FT displays a continues Volume/minute indicator in the watchlist for US stocks and futures. Foreign exchanges are supported, if the datafeed selected delivers any volume information at all. This means Eurex trader get Volume information on the ESignal feed but not on the IB feed. Continues indicator means its not calculated minute by minute, but every 0.5 second for the last 60 seconds.


This new FuturesTrader release supports Murrey Math calculation. The Pivot Grid has been expanded a bit to do that. For those of you who don't know Murrey Math: It's based on squares of natural or whole numbers. The difference between the squares is divided by 8 to provide 8 levels of S/R the 0/8 and 8/8 Level the strongest. You might take a look at this page: http://www.webspace4me.net/~blhill/...urrey.html#math to get some information about Murrey Math.

The upper right corner of the Pivot Grid shows a small D with the respecting MM levels to the left. The D stands for Day or symbolizes, that the MM levels shown are a full Octave between two whole number squares. EG for the ES its 29x29 = 841 as high and 28x28 = 784 as Low of the Full Range. This is obviously to much for Intraday trading, so the resulting Levels are subdivided again between each level in minor octaves. EG 841 - 833.75 for the current trading range. To indicate where the current last price is, the level above the current price is marked green, the level below red.
If the price trades through a minor or full octave, the pricelevels shown are adjusted automatically.

I suggest you upgrade to IB API 7.01, which is the official release now, as future FT releases will support features, not available for API versions below 7.01.

Best regards,

Chris
 
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