Hotkeys - two-key shortcuts for every order
Every order action on the desk has a hotkey, and every hotkey takes at least two keys: a modifier such as shift, control or alt, plus a key. A single key is refused, because these keys send live orders.
In this video
The 30-second version
The same topic in thirty seconds, made for a phone screen.
Both videos use the desk in paper mode with made-up symbols and prices.
Read the transcript
Hotkeys for every order
Every order action on the desk has a hotkey, and every hotkey takes at least two keys: a modifier such as shift, control or alt, plus a key. A single key is refused, because these keys send live orders. You set every key yourself in the HOTKEYS window, so check it there. The HOTKEYS window is where you change them, and CTRL+SHIFT+F4 opens it.
The defaults
Out of the box: SHIFT+F1 buys the armed stock, SHIFT+F2 closes the armed position, and SHIFT+F3 shorts. SHIFT+F4 is LIQUIDATE ALL, and SHIFT+F5 is FLATTEN ALL. SHIFT+F6 sells half of every long you hold, SHIFT+F7 sells all longs, and SHIFT+F8 covers all shorts. SHIFT+F9 and F10 are the two cancels. A bare F1 to F5 key used to send orders in older releases, and now it only names its replacement.
Which position each acts on
BUY, SHORT and CLOSE act on the armed symbol: the one named on the buttons. Sell all, cover all, sell half, flatten, liquidate and the cancels are account wide, the fleet included. While Ask before sending is ticked, each of those still asks first.
Window shortcuts
There are also window shortcuts, which can never place an order: control one to seven open the scanner, gappers, open and closed trades, watchlist, highs and news, control eight, nine and zero open the ladder, the chart and the journal, and CTRL+SHIFT+F4 opens this HOTKEYS window. Window shortcuts can never place an order, so they are safe to try.
Never while typing
Hotkeys never fire while you are typing in a box, so changing a price or a size can never send an order by accident. And the shortcuts are saved beside your settings, so they survive a restart and an upgrade.