The Send Order Request

NOTE: This method has been deprecated as of version 8.0 and will be completely eliminated in version 9.0

The purpose of this functionality is to provide the client, a way to place QST orders via Excel. The orders can be placed either directly in the Excel spreadsheet – via the RTD function or with the help of a VBA script.

The reqSendOrder format

The reqSendOrder request receives a total of 12 parameters which represent the order placement details.
If some parameters are not used, e.g. GTD date, an empty string will be used instead.
The parameters are separated by a vertical bar ‘|’ character.
reqSendOrder(xOrderID | xSymbol | xQuantity | xPrice | xAccount | xSide | xOrderType | xLifetime | xOrderExpirationDate | xIncrementalQuantity | xTag | xLimitPrice)

The standard call of the RTD function which uses reqSendOrder:

=RTD(“qst.rtd”, “”, “reqSendOrder(xOrderID | xSymbol | xQuantity | xPrice | xAccount | xSide | xOrderType | xLifetime | xOrderExpirationDate | xIncrementalQuantity | xTag | xLimitPrice)”)

The reqSendOrder parameters are explained below:

  • xOrderId – the client order id, chosen by the user

  • xSymbol – the QST contract symbol, ex. ZCZ20

  • xQuantity – order quantity

  • xPrice – QST contract price

  • xAccount – account on which the order will be placed (QST needs to be connected to this account)

  • xSide – side of the order: BUY or SELL

  • xOrderType – QST order type, ex. LIMIT, MKT, STOP

  • xLifetime – order lifetime, ex. Day, GTC, GTD

  • xOrderExpirationDate – the expiration date of the order (applies only to GTD lifetime)

  • xIncrementalQuantity – the incremental quantity used when placing Iceberg contingencies

  • xTag – a tag to identify the client, used as a Special Instructions in QST

  • xLimitPrice – the limit price when placing STWL orders

Note

The order of these parameters is mandatory, ex. Parameter 1, xOrderId, cannot be switched with parameter 2, xSymbol.

Examples of reqSendOrder requests.

  • placing a Buy 2 ZCZU20 @321^6 LIMIT, Day lifetime with the tag “Client1” on account 9999:

    reqSendOrder(1001 | ZCU20 | 2 | 321^6 | 9999 | BUY | LIMIT | Day | | | Client1 | )

  • placing a GTD order with expiration date June 5th 2020, Sell 1 ESZ20 @MKT:

    reqSendOrder(1002 | ESZ20 | 1 | | 9999 | SELL | MKT | GTD | 2020-06-05 | | | )

  • placing an Iceberg with incremental qty 3, Buy 10 ECLH21 @32.83 LIMIT, GTC lifetime, with the tag “Client2”:

    reqSendOrder(1003 | ECLH21 | 10 | 32.83 | 9999 | BUY | LIMIT | GTC | | 3 | Client2 | )

2. Placing orders via RTD function.

After selecting any desired cell from the Excel spreadsheet, copy paste the RTD function in the formula bar, having replaced the RTD parameters accordingly, for example:
=RTD(“qst.rtd”, “”, “reqSendOrder(1001 | ZCU20 | 2 | 321^6 | 9999 | SELL | LIMIT | Day | | | Client1 | )”)
If the order was accepted, the result will be displayed in the selected cell:
../_images/reqSendOrder_from_Excel.png

3. Placing orders via VBA script.

Orders can also be placed via VBA script. The script will read the data input from the Excel spreadsheet (the order details), it will programatically create the reqOrderSend request, use it to place the order via the RTD function and display the result. The VBA script can be run from the Excel spreadsheet if it’s linked to an Excel button.
Below are the steps for creating a VBA demo script:

  • add quote(s) live-linked to QST; in the demo, the last, bid and ask prices are used;

  • fill only the necessary order details (the parameters needed by the reqSendOrder) in the Excel spreadsheet;

  • add a button in the Excel spreadsheet which will trigger the order placement by executing the VBA script;

  • add a Result cell which will store the order placement result;

../_images/order_details.png
At this point we need to open the VBA editor, and add the code which will take the parameters from Excel and create the reqSendOrder request, and in the end run the RTD function.
The VBA editor can be opened from Excel with the Alt + F11 key combination.
Below is the demo code snippet that can be copy-pasted into the VBA sheet:
Sub OrderBox()
Dim xSymbol, xAccount, xSide, xOrderType, xLifetime, xTag, xOrderExpirationDate, xResult, xIncrementalQuantity As String
Dim xQuantity As Integer
Dim xPrice, xLimitPrice As Double

Set Range_Ref = Range("A1")

xOrderID = "RTD-" & Format(Now(), "yyyyMMddHHmmss")
xAccount = Range_Ref.Offset(1, 1).Value
xOrderType = Range_Ref.Offset(2, 1).Value
xSymbol = Range_Ref.Offset(3, 1).Value
xSide = Range_Ref.Offset(4, 1).Value
xQuantity = Range_Ref.Offset(5, 1).Value
xPrice = Range_Ref.Offset(6, 1).Value
xStopPX = Range_Ref.Offset(7, 1).Value
xIncrementalQuantity = Range_Ref.Offset(8, 1).Value
xLifetime = Range_Ref.Offset(9, 1).Value
xOrderExpirationDate = Range_Ref.Offset(10, 1).Value
xTag = Range_Ref.Offset(11, 1).Value

topic = "reqSendOrder("
topic = topic & xOrderID & "|"
topic = topic & xSymbol & "|"
topic = topic & xQuantity & "|"
topic = topic & xPrice & "|"
topic = topic & xAccount & "|"
topic = topic & xSide & "|"
topic = topic & xOrderType & "|"
topic = topic & xLifetime & "|"
topic = topic & xOrderExpirationDate & "|"
topic = topic & xIncrementalQuantity & "|"
topic = topic & xTag & "|"
topic = topic & xLimitPrice
topic = topic & ")"

xResult = WorksheetFunction.RTD("qst.rtd", "", topic)

Range_Ref.Offset(12, 1) = xOrderID
Range_Ref.Offset(17, 1) = xResult

End Sub
../_images/vba_code.png

The next step is to link the button from the Excel spreadsheet with the VBA script:

../_images/assign_macro.png

and then select the corresponding macro:

../_images/select_macro.png

In the end we can test in Paper Trading and click the Place Order button to place the desired order, observe the order placement result from Excel and then check the Orders and Positions Monitor.

../_images/vba_place_order.png