IB Trader Workstation Day Trading Setup

[Dhat 0]

Guys,

I have been practising in DAS Trader Pro (paper trading) for over 6 months. I am now confident enough to start using real money, but my margins are small, so $150 per month would put a bit of a dent into my earnings. I have setup IB Trader Workstation to be almost identical to my DAS Trader Pro setup. I just have a few questions:

1. Has anyone/is anyone currently using the platform and have any tips on the pros/cons of it?
2. Can you setup the charts to have the daily open and close prices (same as DAS Trader)?
3. I've transferred money, more than enough to cover my level 2 subscription costs, but the subscription hasn't been activated yet...not sure why?

Any info is much appreciated.

[BrianS 5]

Hi Dhat,

I have also used TWS and will trade from it.  I have a super beefy computer so I have not ever run into slow platform issues.  I have also never configured any hot key entries but I think you can do it. My primary dislike with TWS is that I just don't like the charting.  I don't like that you cannot see different shades between pre-market and regular trading.  I find the scaling clunky and just find making separate windows a pain.  I also don't like their drawing tools.  All of these things could be overcome I am sure.  As Peter mentioned above, they used to not have VWAP that was intraday which is what drove me from the platform but that does seem to be fixed now.

One pro is that the symbol linking with Trade-Ideas always worked well for me where ThinkOrSwim would always break.  If you are trading larger time frames, I think the order entry is just fine but a lot of people in the community seem to trade a little quicker than I currently do (or am able to) so they might need the faster execution of a platform like DAS or maybe multicharts. 

Lastly, I also had a little trouble getting data turned on and found that you could not do it through the app but have to go and log into the website.  So Peter's last point seems spot on to me.  I always feel Interactive Brokers takes pride in trying to confuse me 🙂

[Dhat 0]

Thanks Pete and Brian,

Peter, I am not sure how you got the previous day close and open to show on your charts, any pointers on that?

This will be my first week using the IB TWS system, will let you all know how I get on and how it compares to DAS.

My immediate thoughts are DAS was very intuitive/light weight.

[vle60 0]

I've just signed up with IB, and scared when I read your comments on how tedious it is to set up TWS. In DAS, Andrew gives us the default and hotkey files that he uses.

Can I please ask the experienced users of TWS to post here or email me their TWS default and hotkey files? It would undoubtedly save me from many mistakes and lots of time.

My email is [email protected]. Thank you for your help.

Virginia

[Jim D 0]

@pbenci how did you set up the "close portion of positions" hot key?  I have haven't been able to figure that one out.  I asked support and they said it couldn't be done, but obviously, you did it, so they probably didn't understand my question.

[Will S 0]

The only way I know to close partial positions is by using this function called "Reverse Position". You have no way of setting it as a specific type of order (market, limit, etc), so I'm not really sure what it uses. But you are able to set a specific percentage of position that you want to close. For example;

50 - close all

25 - close 50%

12.5 - close 25%

Yes I have no idea why, but it works like that. Try and see if it differs from mine.

Perhaps there is a better way to do this?

[Will S 0]

To sidetrack, does anyone know if it's possible to use a shortcut key to mark horizontal trend line in IB?

I find it really troublesome to have to click select the function every single time I have to draw a line.

[CassA 0]

Will S, thanks for the hotkey tip about using the "Reverse Position" button to scale out.  It works great.  I've wondered the same thing about adding horizontal trend lines on TWS charts.  I click the "Edit Chart" icon in the chart, and then select "Add Horizontal Trendline".  It take 2 clicks for me. Three clicks if you count placing the actual horizontal line.  I haven't found a Hotbutton or Keyboard short cut for it either.

Does anyone know why some buttons are greyed out when in a position?  For example, "Close Position" will be inactive for some of my open positions.  Other times it works just fine.

[CassA 0]

I can only get it to reproduce for short positions.  This is in simulator for what it is worth. 

 

[CassA 0]

Yes, the position above the buttons is the current position I want.  The positions information is correct. And, I'm sure this is for stocks. 

These windows are linked through the green group.  I usually click on the left Favorites window to select the symbol for the stock I want to view.  It's not that the Buttons never work for shorts.  Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't.  I haven't been able to find the reason through online searches and through TWS help.  I haven't cared enough to contact IB just yet.

[baymax_hiro 0]

Hi all,

I am also a user of TWS mainly because I use Linux and also paying an extra platform . Nice info in this thread.

I have the same issues pointed out here: making horizontal lines takes too long...has anyone written to IB support asking for some support on it?

Other question: how do you put the executed trades mark on the chart as triangles? I have only little bars...

Concerning the closing and partial closing of the open orders I have done it by using the reverse order thanks to the tip of Will S and in my version there is the action for the hotkey close position, but I still have to test it.

 

Looking forward to your reply.

 

 

Edited January 13, 2019 by baymax_hiro

[baymax_hiro 0]

Hi Peter,

 

thanks for your reply and for the tips.

Has anyone figured out how to have the same horizontal lines that are available on DAS for previous day low/high and "2 days ago" low/high?

Looking forward to your ideas on that.

 

 

 

[PeterNL 6]

Hi,

I've read the posts about TWS from IB and I understand it's better to pay a $ 100 more and get  the DAS platform, right? 

Can anybody tell me if TWS has ECN? 

And is it possible to configurate the charts in white/black, as many BBT-members have?

Thanks

All other suggestions are also welcome 😁!!

[CassA 0]

Hi Peter De Beir,

I think ECN fees are dependent on broker/routing/exchange or some combination.  Maybe someone else can clarify, or talk to you broker.

For TWS charts, I have not found a way to replicate BBT's DAS chart colors exactly.  It is possible to make the charts close, but the "Bar Up" color seems to be tied to the Background somehow.  In a chart, click Edit, then "Global Chart Configuration", then "Chart Colors (on the left of the pop-up window).  Under the "General" Tab, you should see, "Bar up", "Bar down", "Background", etc.  For me, I can get BBT's DAS color's except the Bar up is not white (it seems to me "Bar up" has to be a different color than the background).

My 2 cents about TWS.  I've used it many months to save money after using DAS.  I made due paying for Q data only and only trading Q stocks (<$50 per month).  I paid the $25 for the 2 week challenge to try DAS again.  DAS is much more responsive (when seconds count) and the charting is better.   So, it depends.  I used TWS because of the month to month cost.  If DAS is within your budget, then there's no benefit in using TWS except for a backup (DAS goes down).

I hope this helps.

[PeterNL 6]

2 hours ago, CassA said:

Hi Peter De Beir,

I think ECN fees are dependent on broker/routing/exchange or some combination.  Maybe someone else can clarify, or talk to you broker.

For TWS charts, I have not found a way to replicate BBT's DAS chart colors exactly.  It is possible to make the charts close, but the "Bar Up" color seems to be tied to the Background somehow.  In a chart, click Edit, then "Global Chart Configuration", then "Chart Colors (on the left of the pop-up window).  Under the "General" Tab, you should see, "Bar up", "Bar down", "Background", etc.  For me, I can get BBT's DAS color's except the Bar up is not white (it seems to me "Bar up" has to be a different color than the background).

My 2 cents about TWS.  I've used it many months to save money after using DAS.  I made due paying for Q data only and only trading Q stocks (<$50 per month).  I paid the $25 for the 2 week challenge to try DAS again.  DAS is much more responsive (when seconds count) and the charting is better.   So, it depends.  I used TWS because of the month to month cost.  If DAS is within your budget, then there's no benefit in using TWS except for a backup (DAS goes down).

I hope this helps.

Hi CassA.

It certainly helps. The platform should response immediately. This seconds count a lot for the way I daytrade, so it will be DAS.

Coincidentally, I read today in the first book of Andrew that he does not recommend TWS for daytrading. It might look like saving money, but it will probably cost more money in the end. 

Thanks!