|
Q |
How do I enter an option Symbol? |
| |
Each source has their own syntax for option
symbols, and support different amounts of data.
IQFeed and MSN use an expiration month code
in their symbols,
The symbol for a MSFT July 2012 $30 call,
expiring on Saturday 21st, would be:
(G is the
code for a July Call)
-
InteractiveBrokers: MSFT
120721P00030000[SMART,OPT,USD]
(note that
is 2 spaces between root symbol and the rest. If the root
is 2 characters that would be 4 spaces etc.)
They
provide realtime data including greeks, as well as
intraday backfill and historic data.
-
IQFeed: MSFT1221G30
If the amount was 30.50, it would be entered as 30.5
They provide delayed or realtime data, as well as intraday
backfill and historic data, but no greeks.
-
TDA: MSFT_072112P30
They provide realtime data including greeks, but no
intraday backfill or historic data.
-
MSN:
.MSFT\12G21\30.0
They provide delayed price, but no
bid, ask or historic data
-
Yahoo: Since 2010 Yahoo
no longer provides download data for
options.
|
|
Q |
How do avoid the prompt "Accept
Incoming Connection" when working with InteractiveBrokers? |
| |
You need to enter
127.0.0.1 (i.e. your local computer) as a trusted IP address into the
trader workstation configuration option (in the API section). In TWS
choose the menu Configure / API. Also consult the xlq help file which
includes instructions with images. |
|
Q |
How do I enter symbols
in InteractiveBrokers? |
| |
For options see above.
As they cover numerous markets, and allow you to
choose the origin of the data, xlq allows you to enter the exchange and
currency along with the symbol. i.e. the symbol format is
symbol[exchange,type,currency],
e.g. hae[nyse,stk,usd].
The default parameters are smart, stk, usd, in
which case using the symbol hae would be sufficient.
A cross rate would be
EUR.USD[IDEALPRO,CASH,USD]
The type, is per their api settings, and can be
STK, OPT, FUT, IND, FOP, CASH and BAG
The exchange can be SMART (global), or depending on
the symbol a specific exchange may be chosen.
To help determine the symbol to use, within their
Trader Workstation, you may right click a row, and choose Contract Info
/ Description, and use the symbol, exchange and currency mentioned. |
|
Q |
What version of Excel should I
use? |
| |
XLQ will work with
any version of Microsoft Excel starting from 97. To have xlq
automatically connect with Excel, version 2000 or later is
required.
XLQ is optimized for Excel 2002 and later. XLQ uses realtime
data functionality available in these versions, allowing for
much faster processing and greatly reduced calculation times.
If you use xlq and excel regularly or have very large and
complex workbooks, excel 2002 or later is recommended.
|
|
Q |
What is the difference between
"refresh" on the xlq menu in excel and on the Q in the task bar? |
| |
Refresh on the xlq menu in the task
bar is used if you want to force a refresh of data from the
internet from one or more data sources.
Once the data has been retrieved, excel etc. will be notified of
updates, and only values that have changed will be updated.
Refresh on the xlq menu
in excel
will force every xlq formulae in open workbooks in the specific
instance of excel to refresh the data from xlq and be
redisplayed. This will reload the values from xlq, but not force
xlq to retrieve the values from the web (which will continue to
done at the interval chosen in preferences). |
|
Q |
Can I prevent my active non xlq workbook from being
recalculated, but keep my stock workbook updating? |
| |
Microsoft Excel automatically
recalculates all workbooks that are open, so if both are open in
excel at the same time, both will be recalculated.
However it is possible to have more than one copy of excel
running. And if only one is connected to xlq, you may view your
stocks updating in one while working in the other without any
interfering recalculations.
|
|
Q |
How can I refresh all historic data for a symbol? |
| |
If you would like to force the
re-retrieval of all data for a symbol for either daily or
historic data, the fastest method is to delete the symbol from
the data source. To do so select the xlq stock manager by double
clicking the Q in the task bar. Choose the data source from the
tabs. Choose your symbol and check the delete
column. If you would like to select multiple symbols, highlight
each row you would like to delete with the mouse, using the ctrl
or shift keys to select the range, and then either press delete,
or right click and select delete. Then press apply/refresh.
The stocks will again be
automatically added as they are used in excel, or they may
be added manually.
|
|
Q |
Can XLQ be used from other programs / programming languages? |
| |
Yes, from version 2.2 you may use xlq
from any language or program supporting COM.
|
|
Q |
If I register now, what about future versions? |
| |
You are entitled to all upgrades released
during a period of 1 year. After 1 year, you may continue using
the last entitled version of xlq, or purchase
a 1 year renewal license at a reduced rate.
Note that the program itself does
not expire, only the right for new versions.
|
|
Q |
Does xlq support currencies? |
| |
Yes. See xlqDemo.xls for an example.
|
|
Q |
Excel 97 crashes when I try to use
XLQ. |
| |
Due to a bug in Microsoft Excel 97, you
need to ensure that you are using Excel 97 (SP1). You can check
this in Excel, by selecting Help / About Microsoft Excel, where
you should see SP-1 (or later) mentioned after Excel 97. To
update Excel, you need to download Service Patch 1, which you
may do from Microsoft's web site for free, or by clicking here,
(or for international versions here)
|
|
Q |
I cannot see the help file. |
| |
If you get an error message when
trying to open xlq help, you need to update your system by
either installing Internet Explorer 5, or downloading and
running the file hhupd.exe from Microsoft's web site.
|
|
Q |
Does XLQ support Excel 95. |
| |
No, xlq will not work with Microsoft
Excel 95. Excel 97 or later is required, although it is still
possible to run xlq separately or use xlqCompanion.
|
|
Q |
Can I use XLQ with Excel on a Mac. |
| |
No, xlq will only run on a Windows
platform.
It is possible to use xlq via
parallels etc. but with Excel running on the virtual machine.
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