TWSLink quicktstart

"TWSLink quicktstart

The most common actions done with InteractiveBrokers API are:

  • placing oders
  • getting market data
  • getting account information
This and much more can be achieved easily with TWSLink. No need to care about details. TWSLink saves your time and helps to simplify your projects dramatically. In addition TWSLink can be used with a wide range of applications, programming- and script languages.

Have a look at this sample for Excel which comes with all necessary steps to successfully place an order. ' create the TWSLink object (do this only once)

Global TwsLink As Object
Set TwsLink = CreateObject("twslink2.twslinkCom")

' connect to TWS or gateway on local machine and standard port 7496 (do this only once. TWSLink keeps connection to TWS / gateway along with all subscribed requests)

Dim connected as Long
connected = TwsLink.CONNECT("",7496,77,20000)

' get an unique id for EUR.USD cash contract (do this only once)

Dim uidcontract as Long
UidContract = TwsLink.REGISTER_CONTRACT2("EUR","CASH","USD","IDEALPRO","","",0.0,"")

' place a sell limit order 30000 shares at 1.50

Dim uid_sell_limit as Long
uid_sell_limit = TwsLink.PLACE_ORDER(uidcontract,0,"SELL","LMT",30000,1.50,0.0,"GTC",1,0)

' place a buy limit order 30000 shares at 1.30

Dim uid_buy_limit as Long
uid_buy_limit = TwsLink.PLACE_ORDER(uidcontract,0,"BUY","LMT",30000,1.30,0.0,"GTC",1,0)

' change buy limit order to 1.3030 (mind 2nd parameter)

uid_buy_limit = TwsLink.PLACE_ORDER(uidcontract,uid_buy_limit,"BUY","LMT",30000,1.3030,0.0,"GTC",1,0)

' cancel sell limit order

uid_sell_limit = TwsLink.CANCEL_ORDER(uid_sell_limit,0,"",-1,"")

Summary:

  1. create TWSLink object (when used as COM) or load TWSLink (when used as DLL) -> single action.
  2. connect to TWS or gateway -> single action.
  3. Register your contracts in order to get a manageable id representing this contract and wich is passed to each function which needs contract specification -> single action.
  4. Place orders and / or
  5. Request for market data -> REQ_MARKET_DATA(uidcontract,...), request for realtime bars - >REQ_BAR_DATA(uidcontract,...) and other functions
  6. Get the complete documentation about all functions here