Automated Program Launch for Autotrading

[borland]

Can anyone provide some suggestions for launching the program for automated trading, immediately following a timed cold boot, using the PC's power management BIOS settings?

I'm assuming a third party task scheduler to:

- login to Windows
- launch the program and login to the data provider using a keyboard/mouse macro recorder.

And also, at the end of the trading day to:

- exit the program and shutdown the PC with a keyboard/mouse macro recorder.

Thanks

[mrlogik]

borland,

why not just leave the computer on all the time?

in terms of loading NT, you can also just leave that up with the strategy running, and have some time based logic in your strategy to keep it only trading between specified times...

What you're suggesting allows many potential problems.

[borland]

borland,

why not just leave the computer on all the time?

in terms of loading NT, you can also just leave that up with the strategy running, and have some time based logic in your strategy to keep it only trading between specified times...

What you're suggesting allows many potential problems.

Leaving the computer on 24/7 wastes energy and computer life. I don't know what your suggesting; I don't see any problems.

I figured out how to do this with a macro recorder and third party task scheduler. It can be done on both secure (Windows password protected) and on system that have no Windows password.

I use the BIOS timer to powerup the PC before trading, then immediately following bootup, using Splinterware Software Solutions, System Scheduler Pro, I schedule separate events to do the following:

- Logon to Windows,
- Launch the trading platform and login,
- Lock Windows,
- Shutdown the PC

As a macro recorder to do the program launch and login, I used JitBit Software's Macro Recorder 4.2. Macro Recorder 4.2 can create executibles (e.g., exe).

I use the macro exe to launch the trading platform and enter the password, so it would be difficult to hack this password, but anything is possible. Search the web and you can find information on resetting the Windows password, so nothing is completely safe.

At any time, I can logon Windows or use a remote connection, should I need to take manual control.

[mdrichards]

Leaving the computer on 24/7 wastes energy and computer life.

That's not necessarily true. The wear & tear on the moving parts during startup and shutdown is considerable and modern pc's have good power management during idle times if configured properly.

[mdrichards]

As a macro recorder to do the program launch and login, I used JitBit Software's Macro Recorder 4.2. Macro Recorder 4.2 can create executibles (e.g., exe).

Thanks for the info on this. I have to restart NT and reload all of my strategies every 24 hours after my forex broker reset. It's inconvenient, time consuming, error prone, and the #1 reason I would stop using NT. This may help alleviate some of my aggravation on that.

[borland]

That's not necessarily true. The wear & tear on the moving parts during startup and shutdown is considerable and modern pc's have good power management during idle times if configured properly.

It's only five daily startup and shutdowns per week, that shouldn't cause any excessive wear. I think the idle time with 24/7 would be considerable in terms of energy usage, even with efficient power management.

I'm running a Dell Optiplex with Dell's Energy Smart Design. The power supply is a large brick similar to a laptop is supposed to be very efficient. I've got the power management settings on "Power Saver" mode, and the Windows Task Manager shows average CPU usage around 1%.

Here are links to the macro recorder and task scheduling utilities I'm using....

http://www.splinterware.com/products/wincron.htm

http://www.jitbit.com/macrorecorder.aspx