This version includes:
1. Support for manual override of brokerage and OCH fees in Multiple Leg Trade (as suggested by Neil).

2. Standardized computational logic of overridden brokerage/OCH fees in Close Trade, Enter Trade and Multiple Leg Trade windows.

3. Re-adjustment of Banking Summary and Banking Transactions to show data in ascending order instead of descending (discovered by Alfonso to be incorrect and confusing).

4. Support for fractional shares/qty (as needed by Larry and others).

5. A new look and feel of the installer as suggested by Sean (simpler, more sleek and customized to have the Roo-Trader feel).

6. Some technical optimizations on the code-side which is non-visible to users (for enhanced maintainability).

7. Re-orientation of some windows (e.g Broker Details), some controls are inaccessible in low-res displays (e.g. Alfonso’s case).

8. Code-refactoring as suggested by Re-Sharper tool.

9. Other minor bug-fixes (mostly having impact on the front end side).

We are testing this last release with our beta users and then going live!

Thank you for all of you support and hard work.

The OTrader / Roo-Trader Team!

The next two changes are allowing fractional shares and different charges by your brokers. These changes are based on our users feedback. We will have them implemented in another point update beta 8c. Then we will go live with version 6.

We still have a lot of updates to work on in the coming years. As users ask for changes, we are happy to include them.

Thank you all for working with us. OTrader was started in 2003 and now, Roo-Trader is expanding the software and its user community!

Cheers!

The Roo-Trader Team

This update took a while to complete. We pulled back and refined a few pieces based on our beta users feedback.

Items included:

1. Trading Rules – Multiple rules with multiple guidelines for each rule can be set, also Exchanges and Instruments can be set to which the rules apply.

2. Broker Styles have been added – default settings include AUS, EU, US – Broker Style Settings can be accessed at:
Menu->Edit->Preferences And Setup -> Brokers -> Broker Styles

2.a. When portfolio of user is upgraded to have the Broker Styles, all current Broker’s are set to use AUS by default. Users can modify this by editing their Brokers settings (this window has also been updated).

2.b Broker styles determine the necessity for Broker fees, taxes OCH fees and taxes, including stamp duty and these fields are shown/hidden appropriately in Enter Trade window depending on the selected Broker. This has been integrated with the existing logic to also determine the necessity of these fields based on the selected Instrument.

3. User can now turn off annoying message asking if he wants to enter Trade Notes after entering a trade.

4. “Close Trade” menu item is not available for Single Trades. (Only “Close Single Trade”).

5. A lot of computational bug fixes brought about by the method to convert string to double datatype.

6. Fixed several UI errors and non-working windows (e.g. Finance Costs).

7. Automatic schema updating of old portfolios to use new DB schema, for new installs though the new schema/structure is readily available.

8. Bug fix on “Create New Portfolio” as found out by Aries (can make the DB structure but cannot add “default” records).

9. Minor details like add icons to context menu in View Trades window, and some icons in Main Menu.

10. Some other bug fixes and enhances which came our way.

Note: A user request to support input based on his Regional Settings (using comma’s and decimal points the EU way to enter data) is very tricky (that’s the reason why some other software don’t really support that), but we are looking more deeper into it on what is the best/safest approach.

We look forward to shipping the new version to you in May!

Nik

The new version is also being called Roo-Trader.

We are changing the branding to help reach the bigger markets. Our software has evolved to cover options, stocks, Forex and other instruments.

The OTrader name has been registered and used since 2003. However, we need to reach beyond options traders and allow a larger audience to use our tools to build their business.

The other main factor was otrader.com is owned by another company. We get a lot of emails from people in EU, Asia, USA and Canada asking if we only work in the Australian markets. To reach beyond OZ, we needed to use a “com” address.

Roo-Trader builds on our Australian heritage (Roo is short for Kangaroo) and then put a new logo on the software. This allows us to reach a global audience and still show where the software was started.

We hope you like the new site. We hope you will like the new software. We hope you will stay with us as we try to grow.

Trading is a serious business. Our goal is to help you build your business with a solid tool designed to help you plan your trade.

Plan your trade, trade your plan!

Happy Trading!

Nik

We got feedback from a several users that we needed to make the changes they requested. This will be our last beta before we ship the final release.

Our current plan is to:
1. Ship Version 6 beta 8 and get our users feedback.
2. Finalize and ship Version 6 to new users from the web site.
3. Build the migration wizard for our version 4.2.5 to bring their existing data into the new Version 6 database.
4. Migrate our existing users and ensure they are operational.
5. Continue improving the tools to help you in your trading.

A simple plan, but it will take us months to get through this simple plan.

Our beta testers will have the software this week (2012-04-16) and the new version will ship within a few weeks depending on their feedback.

We took our time on this release, but we were certain we never wanted to ship a half backed solution. We are here to help you in your business, not to do one-time sales.

Happy Trading!

Nik

Right now, the entries cover both the USA and AUS (as well as other countries). The difference is in how taxes are charged by the brokers for a trade.

We had everything on one page. This was not an elegant solution since it caused trouble tickets where the USA users would ask if they had to fill in the VAT components since they didn’t apply. By breaking this interface out, we are hoping to clean up some of the confusion.

With so many trading centers around the globe, trying to get a generic interface built just didn’t work. So, we are trying to make it more specific. Pick where you are, and what you need, then set up your accounts.

So far, we have:
1. A new Trading Rules section. This tool has been completely redesigned so you can build a new rule, pick the type of financial instrument it applies to, and what markets you want to use it with.

2. A completely new interface for the Trading Notes section. These notes are now integrated into the database so you can search for the notes on your previous trades. This should make them more helpful as you review your successes and failures at the end of the week.

3. Several logical errors we found in our code. This is a constant review with every beta release. We keep pushing to ensure our code is as clean as possible by the time we release.

4. Still working on the DDE updates. Some of our testers wanted specific imports. We are working to include them as menu options for everyone. As an example, one user wanted to import their end of data from their trading site using DDE. We are working to make that choice available for everyone. If you have an existing account, you will need to enter your user name and password to pull the data.

Your feedback will help us make this tool more helpful to our users. So, please send your suggestions for version 6 Beta 9 after we release Beta 8.

We expect to release Version 6 Beta 8 within two weeks for another round of testing by our users.

Thank you all!

The Roo-Trader / OTrader team.

www.roo-trader.com
www.otrader.com.au

This release will test pulling price updates. It also fixes some smaller features that we had not turn on yet. Help buttons, some menu choices, small bug fixes from previous testing, etc.

All of this means we are close to shipping our next big release. Our next beta release, Version 6 Beta 6, will be released at the end of February. Beta 6 will focus on the migration wizard to pull your Version 4 data into the new database.

Remember, if you have your paid support agreement, this is a free upgrade to you.

Thank you for all of your support these past eighteen months!

Happy Trading!

William and the OTrader/Roo-Trader Team!

We will put this early beta out to a few of our members to test the functionality. This first release duplicates everything version 4.2.5 currently provides to you. We need to make sure everything is smooth for our users before releasing it as our official product.

If you have a current license, you will get the update as part of your yearly support fees. In addition to all the future modifications as long as you are current.

Our goal is to release small quick updates to the code. This complete rewrite will allow us to add more functions that you have been requesting. This is the code base that we will use to build a more robust platform.

Our tentative release date is 2012-FEB-15. Like all software we may slip a week or two. But the early testing is looking good.

We have tried to clean the menu up for your use. The journal and risk management features are now integrated into the main interface. As we go forward, we need to add alerts, and more reports as well as more calculations for planning your trades before you get into the trading day.

Thank you all for your patience. This has been a 16 month project and it is finally coming to fruition. Your support has allowed us to rebuild OTrader and focus more on your needs!

Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones!

The OTrader / RooTrader Team!

We rolled back to the previous release after testing the minor change we did to the DDE update option. We are still working on pulling Google updates and some other sites for our users.

However, instead of putting man hours into writing the software for our current version, we are putting the changes into the new version that is nearing completion. We only have so many hours in the week, so, the new software is our primary focus.

Version 4.2.5 is stable and used by our users this fall. So, the changes are not needed from a stability perspective. This was only to expand capability.

Sorry Sean, I forgot to update the blog and web pages. So, nothing but coal in my stocking this year!

I am hoping this was a joke. If not, then see below.

While I can appreciate someone getting a degree in a liberal arts subject, didn’t anyone make this young lady take a class in Economics? Exactly what is the worldwide market for a degree in Hispanic, Transgender, Gay and Lesbian studies? What university took this woman’s money?

The Occupy Wall Street movement has spawned clones around the world. Unemployed adults, some families, a few Hollywood stars, all sitting in, hanging out, and complaining about the current wave of Robber Baron’s ruining their futures.

Here in Vancouver, BC, it looks like a lot of energy, with no clear message, targeting the wrong people. Cities are starting to force the protestors off of the public squares where they have been camping. Who should they be targeting?

First, who sold you this degree? If you bought a car with no engine, you would attack the automaker. If you got a $96,000 education from a university, with no clear way to repay your student loans, go protest at the university! Do they not have a stake in making sure their graduates can actually use the degree they sold them? How about a few class action law suits against the Board of Regents for allowing the school to produce worthless educations?

Second, Wall Street is a business. The finance industry operates in a regulatory environment. The governments released the tight controls from the 1930′s and built the financial system that has grown over the past several decades. The laws and meetings can all be traced back to the politicians and regulatory officials who passed the new rules. These people are NOT in Wall Street. They are all in Washington DC. Get a map and go there to protest. In the US, that means you need to talk to approximately 336 people who run the government for the people.

Third, this is a non-event. The press popularizes these gatherings like a massive wave of protest. Having gone by two sites, one in Oakland, CA and one here in Vancouver, BC, I can say, it is a small minority of disaffected people. I have seen bigger gatherings at a high school hockey game. Just be glad this isn’t a global wave of hockey fans trying to make a point. There would be a lot more blood!

Fourth, this is a sad commentary on the state of higher education. If this is a “movement”, then the universities need to get these people back in the classroom and teach them political history. Then the university should explain why they can’t get a job with the worthless degree they sold them.

Finally, while unemployment is high, capitalism is nothing but a tool, based on human nature and economic theory. Man uses tools for good or evil. Do not blame the tool for how it is used or exploited.

In defense of good old fashioned capitalism, more people are fed, clothed, and housed right now, than at any point in the history of the world. While a lot of people are still struggling, the bright shining beacon of hope is not communism, socialism, or any other failed social experiment.

The beacon of hope for the world is capitalism. With a stable financial system (this is the role for the bankers), minimal taxes (you need an incentive to work), a level playing field (this is the role of government), entrepreneurs (small business), and a strong work ethic, capitalism will allow the greatest number of people to feed their families and reach their individual dreams in life.

The Tea Party movement dwarfed this lost Occupy movement. Maybe the Occupy Movement should hire some consultants to get a clear message, and then spend some money to get there message out. Oh wait a minute…