IB TWS: A tragedy in the making?

[rwk]

Quote from kiwi_trader:
. . . I've only been full auto for a week or so after 6 months of auto assist. It's interestingly relaxing.
In the same sense as flying an aircraft on autopilot with your blindfold on.

My apps are not designed to run unattended. I never turn my back on the beast while it has permission to enter orders.

I have found that I don't like making decisions under pressure. My apps are designed to look for certain conditions, then spring into action. The computer trades much better than I do. It never gets bored or anxious, and it couldn't care less whether it is making or losing money. I wish I could be like that. . .

 

[kiwi_trader]

I have just been lying on the floor with my eyes shut, extremely relaxed.

TWS is in talky mode so if a trade is entered by Sierra Chart I hear it and get up.

It took 3 trades yesterday: +13 points, -45 points, and +172 points. I wouldn't have stayed for 172 points (or -45 actually) if it had been me driving it. So eyes shut (except to check nothing untoward occurred) is a pretty sound strategy so far.

I plan to get a baby minder so I can go fishing while I trade but need to build a bit more confidence first (and perhaps some extra safeguards).

 

[maxpi]

Quote from kiwi_trader:

Thanks rwk,

Yeah ... I agree ... if you hadn't raised it and Bob hadn't had a solution it would have got me sooner or later.

Although it does depend on your strategies specifics and maybe that's why more hadn't raised the issue. Personally I've only been full auto for a week or so after 6 months of auto assist. It's interestingly relaxing.

In the same sense as flying an aircraft on autopilot with your blindfold on.

Full auto, congrats!! Are you executing with Sierracharts? I'm using their screen trader for a day now, it's ok but I had suggestions for them... full auto has been the goal here for an awfully long time and I've sorted things out well enough to go ahead and wade into that..

I just had that password problem today for the 1st time, probably the last, since it's pretty hard to create it.. it was just so ridiculous that I had to comment on it.. it was the simulated account but probably the real one would do the same, no? I might go back and try to recreate it just so I know what to do if it ever happens again..

 

[kiwi_trader]

I think that the live TWS operation is generally more robust than Sim. But bizarre problems can occur with so many bits of software on your pc interacting (ps, thanks to OldTrader, I've upgraded to java 1.6.0_16 and the new tws+java launches faster than the old tws and old java.)

Full Auto. Using SierraChart with everything in dll modules (c++ subset). I run modules that:

- generate structure (zig zags and mas give me trend and s&r)
- generate entry signals + brackets + stop trailing rules.
- simulate bar by bar for testing and to compare real with hypothetical
- display the signalled entries and exits
- output files of events for debug and record keeping
- and last but not least translate the orders from the System module into orders and order management for TWS.

I'm happy to share any of it except the actual systems on the SC support board as usual if you decide you want to look at my stuff. Caveat -- its all your own fool fault


================


System as it looks on screen

 

[maxpi]

Sure, thanks for the offer. As I get more into Sierracharts I'll be interested in seeing all that stuff...

I found out how the login problem happens, I pulled up Sierracharts, then IB and as I was typing the password Sierra came in and put in the password so it was wrong then it all goes into the mode where IB is putting the message up on top of where you need to type and you can't undo that.... and three strikes and you are out for sixty seconds and you still have the error message plastered on top of where you need to enter the password..

 

[DAV]

The problem is caused by Sierra Chart trying to bypass TWS's logon. Please report this to Sierra support.

Also, TWS does not require login/password after a disconnect.

Thanks

 

[SideShowBob]

IB, any chance you could update the release notes in such as a way that you have the ability to see all notes since a specific version?
For example I am using 890.6 and let's say I want to upgrade to 898. Could I run a query via your website to show me all release notes for versions greater than 890.6 up to 898? Instead of having to browse through god knows how many pages?

 

[maxpi]

Quote from DAV:

The problem is caused by Sierra Chart trying to bypass TWS's logon. Please report this to Sierra support.

Also, TWS does not require login/password after a disconnect.

Thanks

Sierracharts causes the IB message to overlay, and move with, the login screen? Sierracharts was set to fill in the logon name and password and it did that while I was typing them in.. Sierracharts was doing that every five seconds like it's supposed to... and I was not understanding what was going on and trying to type in the info in between flashes of the TWS warning that was overlaying the logon screen no matter where I moved the logon screen...

You report it to somebody, I don't care if you fix your shit or not really, I'm not your bitch boy beta tester...

 

[dcraig]

Quote from maxpi:

Sierracharts causes the IB message to overlay, and move with, the login screen? Sierracharts was set to fill in the logon name and password and it did that while I was typing them in.. Sierracharts was doing that every five seconds like it's supposed to... and I was not understanding what was going on and trying to type in the info in between flashes of the TWS warning that was overlaying the logon screen no matter where I moved the logon screen...

You report it to somebody, I don't care if you fix your shit or not really, I'm not your bitch boy beta tester...

I think you are being a bit unreasonable. This sounds very much like a Sierra problem, for which IB is not responsible.

I'm sure that if you ask IB, they would say that auto login is not supported and anybody attempting it (including Sierra) is on their own and must fix their own problems. A position that I would suggest is entirely reasonable for a number of reasons, not the least being that auto login must pose some sort of security risk.

I don't know what Sierra is doing to achieve auto login, but I will suggest that the best way of doing it is to use the Java Robot API (or something like Netbeans Jemmy that is built on that API) and forget about overlaying anything.

 

[maxpi]

Quote from dcraig:

I think you are being a bit unreasonable. This sounds very much like a Sierra problem, for which IB is not responsible.

I'm sure that if you ask IB, they would say that auto login is not supported and anybody attempting it (including Sierra) is on their own and must fix their own problems. A position that I would suggest is entirely reasonable for a number of reasons, not the least being that auto login must pose some sort of security risk.

I don't know what Sierra is doing to achieve auto login, but I will suggest that the best way of doing it is to use the Java Robot API (or something like Netbeans Jemmy that is built on that API) and forget about overlaying anything.

I'm reasonable, I report things to developers that can and will fix things, IB can't /won't, it's reasonable to not help them.. their error message comes up on top of their login screen so you cannot see what's going on with the login and it's Sierracharts fault? Who's being unreasonable here?

They can change it so that when the login screen is moved the error message does not follow it or not, I don't care... I can still use my great little third party apps like Sierracharts, Openquant, AMIBroker, etc.. they can hassle with IB's problems and everybody's happy...

The thread title is about TWS becoming a disaster, I pointed out an odd way that you could wind up tearing your hair out... how would you like to be trapped in a 60 second timeout loop with the error screen coming up and covering the login screen every three seconds if you were in a disastrous position?? Hee hee.. I don't want to even think about it, I might have nightmares...