TradeStation 8.3 new features

Posted on March 5, 2008
Tags: Resources, Day Trading |

I recently re-funded my old TradeStation account so that I can use the platform to backtest some futures ideas. Today I received an interesting email about the next version of TradeStation, the 8.3. The main feature that caught my eye is the Simulator. It’s not clear from the email how it’s going to work but if it’s really a simulator as opposed to just a demo mode paper trading account then it’s quite exciting. This feature is something that Dr. Steenbarger talks a lot about in his excellent book Enhancing Trader Performance.

According to the email, with Simulator, you can:

Simulator

Increase your comfort level with placing orders through the various order entry tools in the platform, such as Strategy Automation, Matrix and Hot Keys.
Learn how to trade new markets—such as equities, options, futures and forex—using the different Simulator accounts provided.
Gain valuable experience placing different types of orders such as OSO (Order Sends Order) and conditional orders.
Learn how to use new TradeStation features such as the Reverse Position included in this release.

There are also some other new features which are relatively basic and available elsewhere like GTC and GTD orders. The rollout of version 8.3 is expected to take a while but once I get access to it I’ll try to write a few words about it.