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Pattern matching for automatic translation of IBKR symbols

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[2024-10-09 16:55:45] #1 [Go To First Post]
sean3000 - Posts: 52
I am trying to set up my global symbol settings so that any symbol ending with "-NQTV" will automatically have a trade only symbol of "-STK-SMART-USD" for use with Interactive Brokers. I am looking at this line from Global Symbol Settings as reference: "This is also useful for stock symbol patterns in the case of Interactive Brokers. For example, for the symbol pattern -NQTV you can set Trade/Quote Symbol to -STK-SMART-USD." It seems like the simplest way to do this would be to modify the existing ????-NQTV entry to have ????-STK-SMART-USD as the trade/quote symbol, but that's not working. I am switching symbols after each change to ensure it's reloading the settings. I then tried duplicating the ????-NQTV entry above and changing "?" to "*" in all field but that didn't work either. "Use Pattern Matching" is enabled for the symbol I am experimenting with, MSFT.

[2024-10-09 18:14:11] #2 [Go To First Post]
John - SC Support - Posts: 35538
It seems like the simplest way to do this would be to modify the existing ????-NQTV entry to have ????-STK-SMART-USD as the trade/quote symbol, but that's not working. I am switching symbols after each change to ensure it's reloading the settings. This is the correct thing to do. Make sure the option at the top of the Symbol Settings window for "Use Custom Symbol Settings Values" is enabled (has a checkmark next to it), otherwise nothing you change in the Symbol Settings will apply. Refer to the following: Global Symbol Settings: Use Custom Symbol Settings Values (Global Settings >> Symbol Settings) Also, check your setting for "Chart >> Chart Settings >> Trading >> Clear Trade and Current Quote Symbol on Symbol Change". This needs to be set to "No", otherwise your Trade and Current Quote Symbol will be cleared instead of changing to the desired symbol. One other note, you need to make the change to all of the -NQTV symbols, so make sure you update ?-NQTV, ??-NQTV, etc. For the most reliable, advanced, and zero cost futures order routing, use the Teton service: Sierra Chart Teton Futures Order Routing

[2024-10-09 19:13:28] #3 [Go To First Post]
sean3000 - Posts: 52
Thank you. The trade/quote symbol is still not updating dynamically. The field remains as it was with the prior symbol. I followed your suggestions: - Symbol Settings window >> "Use Custom Symbol Settings Values" is enabled with a checkmark next to it - "Chart >> Chart Settings >> Trading >> Clear Trade and Current Quote Symbol on Symbol Change" is set to "No" I have tried reconnecting, reloading the chartbook, and restarting Sierra Chart, but no luck.

[2024-10-09 19:59:17] #4 [Go To First Post]
John - SC Support - Posts: 35538
How are you changing the symbol? If you are typing it in on the Chart Settings window, then this will NOT update the Trade and Current Quote Symbol. But if you use any other method (typing the symbol in the chart (with the appropriate settings), using a watchlist, using a linked Quote Board, etc) then the Trade and Current Quote Symbol will update. For the most reliable, advanced, and zero cost futures order routing, use the Teton service: Sierra Chart Teton Futures Order Routing

[2024-10-09 20:27:33] #5 [Go To First Post]
sean3000 - Posts: 52
I'm using a quote board or watch list to switch the symbol. One thing I found when experimenting is that I can get it to work when I modify the predefined "????" global symbol pattern with no "-NQTV" suffix. For example, if I set the trade/quote global setting for the "????" pattern to "????-TEST" and switch to MSFT via the quote board, the trade/quote symbol on the chart becomes MSFT-TEST as expected. When I try to replicate the above behavior by setting the "????-NQTV" global symbol pattern to "????-NQTV-TEST", switching symbols via the quote board does not update the trade/quote symbol. It remains blank or shows the value for prior symbol.

[2024-10-09 21:27:22] #6 [Go To First Post]
John - SC Support - Posts: 35538
What you are seeing with "????" and the Trade and Current Quote Symbol updating to MSFT-TEST is the way it should work for the -NQTV symbol settings. You had stated that you had tried creating symbols with **** (or something along those lines). If those are still in your Symbol Settings then please remove them. We think they may be interfering with the symbol updating. For the most reliable, advanced, and zero cost futures order routing, use the Teton service: Sierra Chart Teton Futures Order Routing

[2024-10-09 22:00:55] #7 [Go To First Post]
sean3000 - Posts: 52
That's what's so strange. It clearly works for the "????" format but not "????-NQTV". I deleted my custom symbol settings in the SymbolSettings folder to make sure there weren't any conflicts. The "****" experimental pattern is gone, but it's still not working. I did discover that GOOG-NQTV is one symbol that works correctly with the ????-NQTV-TEST format, and I noticed that it's not in the symbol list in the Global Settings >> Symbol Settings window. GOOGL-NQTV is there, but not GOOG-NQTV. I also noticed that if I enter a fake symbol that isn't found in the Symbol Setting list, such as ZZZZ-NQTV, the trade/quote symbol in the Chart Settings window is updated correctly to ZZZZ-NQTV-TEST (but obviously no data is loaded). Also, I can set up the ????+-NQTV pattern with ????+-NQTV-TEST and MSFT+-NQTV updates to MSFT+-NQTV-TEST as expected in the Chart Settings window. So it seems that if a symbol has an exact match in the Symbol Settings list, the pattern matching doesn't apply?

[2024-10-10 13:57:48] #8 [Go To First Post]
John - SC Support - Posts: 35538
Make sure you are changing the symbol settings for ????-NQTV only. Please try this and let us know if it works for you. For the most reliable, advanced, and zero cost futures order routing, use the Teton service: Sierra Chart Teton Futures Order Routing Date Time Of Last Edit: 2024-10-10 14:10:46

[2024-10-10 14:16:13] #9 [Go To First Post]
John - SC Support - Posts: 35538
Also note that if there is a symbol setting for the specific product, then you would need to update that specific product as well. For instance, for MSFT-NQTV, if there is an existing symbol setting for that specific symbol (which there should be), then you would need to update that MSFT-NQTV symbol settings for the Trade/Quote Symbol. The generic ????-NQTV is only going to work for those symbols that do not have specific symbol settings already setup. For the most reliable, advanced, and zero cost futures order routing, use the Teton service: Sierra Chart Teton Futures Order Routing

[2024-10-10 16:24:56] #10 [Go To First Post]
sean3000 - Posts: 52
Thank you. I think I was misunderstanding how the pattern matching behavior works. The high-level issue I'm trying to address is that I would like to automatically map all equity symbols to have the -STK-SMART-USD suffix so I can trade them. I would prefer not to have to set this manually any time I want to trade a new ticker that I haven't previously configured. Is there any way to do this? Essentially, I'm trying to do what I thought pattern matching accomplished based on this part of the documentation: "This is also useful for stock symbol patterns in the case of Interactive Brokers. For example, for the symbol pattern -NQTV you can set Trade/Quote Symbol to -STK-SMART-USD."

[2024-10-10 18:22:04] #11 [Go To First Post]
John - SC Support - Posts: 35538
In general, you are understanding it correctly. And for most symbols traded on the NASDAQ, updating the ?-NQTV, ??-NQTV, ???-NQTV, ????-NQTV, and ?????-NQTV symbols to have the respective Trade/Quote symbol will work (such as ?-NQTV having a Trade/Quote setting of ?-STK-SMAR-USD). But for tickers that already have symbol settings established (such as MSFT-NQTV), you would need to update those specific symbol settings such that when switching the symbol to MSFT-NQTV, the Trade and Current Quote Symbol will update as well. In this case, the Trade/Quote symbol entry would be MSFT-STK-SMART-USD (you could use the pattern matching, but you do not need to). Right now, we just want you to setup the ????-NQTV symbol settings (not the ????+-NQTV, just ????-NQTV) to have the Trade/Quote symbol set to "????-STK-SMART-USD". And then change the symbol to a ticker that does not have a specific symbol already setup (we tested with COST and ADBE earlier today). You will see the settings update properly. Once you have that one working properly, then move on to the rest. For the most reliable, advanced, and zero cost futures order routing, use the Teton service: Sierra Chart Teton Futures Order Routing

[2024-10-10 21:39:08] #12 [Go To First Post]
sean3000 - Posts: 52
I apologize this is turning into such a long thread. I currently have the ????-NQTV to have the Trade/Quote symbol set to "????-STK-SMART-USD". For symbols like MSFT-NQTV that are in the main Symbol Settings list, the trade/quote symbol doesn't update automatically. Manual setting is required. I understand that symbols not in the list (e.g. COST) update correctly with pattern matching. The issue is that hundreds of equities are already configured in the Symbol Settings list, so the ????-NQTV pattern matching doesn't apply for a large number of symbols. Since some, but not all, symbols are pre-configured, I am unable to rely on pattern matching to consistently format the trade/quote symbol. For example, if I switch to TSLA-NQTV, it would not be formatted because it is in the list. I switch to SCMI-NQTV it would be formatted because it's not on the list. My goal is to automatically and consistently format the trade/quote symbol for any ticker added to my quote board, regardless of its status in the Symbol Settings list. If this is not possible I will just resort to manually checking and setting each symbol as I encounter it.

[2024-10-11 13:54:16] #13 [Go To First Post]
John - SC Support - Posts: 35538
The only way to do this is to manually set the "Trade/Quote Symbol" in each of the symbols for which an existing symbol setting exists. For MSFT-NQTV, for example, this means going to that specific symbol in the symbol settings and setting the "Trade/Quote Symbol" to be "MSFT-STK-SMART-USD". For the most reliable, advanced, and zero cost futures order routing, use the Teton service: Sierra Chart Teton Futures Order Routing

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