ChartTrader

Instructions

Transmit orders instantaneously from a chart using the armed Hot Buttons, or create an order from the buttons panel and modify it on the Orders tab.

In order to use ChartTrader, this feature must be enabled in your settings. To do so, please take the steps outlined below.

Enable ChartTrader

  1. Open a real-time chart by selecting a contract on the trading screen and using the right-click menu to select Charts followed by New Chart.

  2. Click the View menu and select Buttons Panel and ChartTrader.

  3. The ChartTrader is activated and displays the Orders, Log, Trades and Portfolio panels.

    The ChartTrader menu in TWS.

To Create Orders in ChartTrader

  1. Click the blue Buy button to create a buy order, or the red Sell button to create a sell order. The cursor becomes a dotted line.

  2. Move your cursor into the chart and position the dotted line at the order price you want. Note that your exact price position is highlighted along the price axis.

  3. Click to create an order. The order is displayed in the Quote panel, and can be modified. If the order was not transmitted instantaneously, you must transmit the order.

    The Create Orders in ChartTrader window in TWS.

    1 - Click to Arm your curser, which turns into a dotted line and allows you to easily place trades upon a click.

    2 - Cursor is armed to transmit a BUY order at the price level you click, indicated by the blue line and blue highlighted price.

    3 - Click BUY followed by clicking the graph to place an order at that price.

Orders are transmitted instantaneously when an asterisk(*) appears next to the button title, or when you activate the cursor using the armed Hot Buttons.

Note: Orders that you create using ChartTrader also display on the Trading page that displays the contract data. Trading pages that hold an order display the page title in red.

Instantaneously Transmit Orders

  1. Check the red Transmit order instantaneously checkbox and click OK.

  2. On the button panel, click the button you set up for instantaneous transmit to arm your cursor.

    Any buttons set for instantaneous transmit will have an asterisk (*) next to their name.

  3. Move your cursor into the chart and position the broken blue (for Buy) or red (for Sell) line at the order price you want. Note that your exact price is displayed along the price axis.

  4. Click to transmit an order. Your order appears in the Quote panel, and the broken line becomes solid.

 

Additional Resources

Learn About ChartTrader Trader Workstation at IBKR Campus

Visit the Trader Workstation Website