trading live software & tips

For the live traders here: What support tools (software, hotkey scripts, screen trappers, etc.) do you find work the best for you? Please be as specific as possible, and feel free to leave examples here (or product links) if appropriate.

59 views and no replies. I thought there were more live traders around here than that.

No one here actually trades the forex with real money. It's far too risky.

Magic,

I'm so sorry no one has replied to your post. Usually there is someone if nothing else a smart a..

Anyway I am live with MetaTrader 4 platform running on FXDD's brokerage. I've found that for small time (ie me) this platform has the most bang for the buck...free.

I have programed a trading method using this platform that works respectably well enough for me to take it live. So far my broker has honored all orders and order modifications sent in by the platform including stop trailing, order splits, and take profit (limit) orders.

While I don't use this feature, you can program it to take a screen shot of the chart at the point of entry, exit, or any other condition you tell it to. It will e-mail signals or trade automatically however you want to set it up. It is relatively user friendly (assuming some basic programing skills) and will use any proprietal or freely available file programed or ported for this platform.

I hope this helps a little.

Excel (w/VBA), VB6, NinjaTrader, DOS bat and vbs , IBs API, MQLs C import, scripts w/ hotkeys, msAccess

Heh, yeah, ok I was being a smartass. But that's better than being a dumbass!

Hey, magic. In their efforts to acquire and retain clients many of the larger retail brokers have lots of useful resources available like news and analysis, toolbar widgets, MT4 indicators, etc. Some are available only with live, funded accounts. Others are open to anyone with a demo account. Still others can be accessed by anyone with an internet connection.

Three come immediately to mind. IBFX, FXCM, and Oanda. To list all the goodies they offer would require several pages so my best suggestion would be to explore their websites.

Disclaimer: I'm not associated with any of the brokers I just mentioned. Come to think of it, I'm not associated with any broker other than being a simple joesixpack retail trader wannabe. Soooo, trade at your own risk, minimize your downside exposure, and never ever draw to an inside straight.

What the hell kind of water is FF members drinking this week? WTF is going on with you people?

172 views now, 5 replies, only 2 of which follow my original post. What gives?

FWIW, I've noticed the same sort or behavior over many of the threads this past week, not just here.

But getting back to my question, I woud like to hear back on what you are using. What sort of support tools, shortcuts or trading aids & add-ons do you find most helpful in your live trading?

An automated trading system not linked to MT4 in any way. A system so advanced that it can anticipate every move that is motivated by fear, greed or just plain stupidity. 500,000 lines of code interlinked and working for just one purpose....to empty your account. Go ahead, click that order button, it knew you would.

Seriously. I actually just monitor my software a few times a day to make sure everything is still working. Although not artificial intelligence it does make trading decisions by a well defined set of rules. Simultaneously trading 3 different accounts, managing risk, optimized to take advantage of longer term trends as well as intelligent enough to trade the 3 min charts when market conditions dictate. It can switch between scalping, intra-day and trend trading automatically. Unless I pull a report, most of the time I am not even aware of what pairs it currently owns at any given moment.

The rest of my time is just making improvements to the software. Automation is the way to go. If you trade by a well defined set of rules, why not automate? Because most do not know the rules by which they trade. Most just buy or sell when this thingy lines up with that thingy. Mostly because someone on some forum or web site somewhere told them this system was the best ever created. Why is it that 95% (not sure if that is accurate) of traders fail? Because most are too lazy, too greedy or were unfortunately sold a bill of goods that forex is easy and that anyone can do it.

You mean ungrateful, demanding, and arrogant? Kind of like a spoiled 8yo child who takes herself way to seriously and can't have her way? Yeah, I've noticed that same behavior too. Just awful, ain't it?

Right. I'm spoiled and arrogant. Yep, that describes me to a "T". Since I'm not worth your time, feel free to stop stalking my threads.

MF, thanks for that.

Yep. That's me. "The Stalker" ¤¤-all rights reserved-¤¤