Bot Import Format Reference

The complete Bot Import file format: define multiple trading bots and their configurations in a single text file, with templates for shared settings. For the import workflow itself, see Clone, Share, and Import Bots.

File structure

The import file is structured in sections. Use templates to define common parameters that can be reused across multiple bots:

[templates]
template_name=my_template
param1=value1
param2=value2
...

[[trade_params]]
bot_name=My Bot
type=ShortCall
symbol=AAPL
...

[[trade_params]]
.......

Bot types

The import utility supports the following bot types:

Single option strategies

• ShortCall: short call option
• LongCall: long call option
• ShortPut: short put option
• LongPut: long put option

Spread strategies

• PutCreditSpread: put credit spread
• CallCreditSpread: call credit spread
• CallDebitSpread: call debit spread
• PutDebitSpread: put debit spread

Multi-leg strategies

• ShortStrangle: short strangle
• LongStrangle: long strangle
• ShortIronCondor: short iron condor
• LongIronCondor: long iron condor

Required parameters

Basic parameters

• name: bot name (can use variables like {symbol} in the name)
• type: bot type (see above)
• symbol: trading symbol
• template: template name to use (optional)
• accountNum: account number to use for this bot (optional, can be set in template)
• stratCode: Strategy ID to assign the bot to (optional, view available Strategy IDs on the Bot Import page)
• entry_time: entry time in HHMM or HHMMSS format (e.g., "0933" or "093310")
• entry_time_end: end of entry window in HHMM or HHMMSS format (e.g., "0935" or "093510")
• entry_weekday: trading days (1-5, where 1=Monday, 5=Friday)

Position sizing

• quantity_type: one of:
  • bpu or bpu-percent: percentage of account balance, entered as a decimal (e.g., 0.5 for 50%)
  • leverage: leverage-based sizing
  • fixed: fixed quantity
• quantity_target: target value based on quantity_type

Strike target type

• entry_type: one of:
  • delta: delta-based entry
  • price: price-based entry
  • minimum_premium: minimum premium-based entry
  • percent: percentage-ITM or OTM based entry, entered as a decimal (e.g., 0.5 for 50%); positive is OTM, negative is ITM
  • points: points-ITM or OTM based entry; positive is OTM, negative is ITM
• entry_target: target value based on entry_type

Spread parameters (for spread strategies)

• spread_type: one of:
  • delta: delta-targeted spread leg
  • percent: percentage-ITM or OTM based spread leg, entered as a decimal (e.g., 0.5 for 50%); positive is OTM, negative is ITM
  • price: price-targeted spread leg
  • points: points width from main strike of spread
• spread_target: target value based on spread_type
• spread_max_width: maximum width for price-based spreads

DTE parameters

• dte_min: minimum days to expiration
• dte_max: maximum days to expiration

Entry window configuration

• entry_window_length: entry window duration in minutes (can include fractional minutes for seconds precision, e.g., 0.5 for 30 seconds)

Optional parameters

Stop loss (algo stops only)

• stoploss_type: one of:
  • priceOffset: price offset stop
  • percent: percentage-based stop, entered as a decimal (e.g., 0.5 for 50%)
  • delta: delta-based stop
  • none: no stop loss
• stoploss_target: target value based on stoploss_type
• stop-grouping: one of:
  • single: Each Leg
  • vertical: Verticals
  • shorts-one: Each Short
  • shorts-shorts: All Shorts on Short
  • shorts-all: Entire Trade on Short
  • longs-all: Entire Trade on Long

Auto conflict resolution

• opt#-autoConflict: set to "1" to enable auto conflict resolution for the leg number # (replace # with the leg number)
• autoConflict-to: set to the maximum points to adjust towards the money to resolve a conflict
• autoConflict-from: set to the maximum points to adjust away from the money to resolve a conflict

Profit target

• profittarget_type: one of:
  • percent: percentage-based target, entered as a decimal (e.g., 0.5 for 50%)
  • price: price-based target
• profit_target: target value based on profittarget_type

Price filters

• minimum_price (alias minPrice): minimum price for the entire trade that the bot will attempt to enter
• maximum_price (alias maxPrice): maximum price for the entire trade that the bot will attempt to enter

Timed exit

• forceclose_time: force close time (HHMM format)
• forceclose_day: days before expiration to force close

Skip special days

• entry_filter_special_days: binary string of special days to trade on (1=trade, 0=skip). Digit order is:
  • 0=All Other Days
  • 1=FOMC Day Before
  • 2=FOMC Day Of
  • 3=FOMC Day After
  • 4=CPI Day Before
  • 5=CPI Day Of
  • 6=CPI Day After
  • 7=End of Month
  • 8=End of Quarter
  • 9=OPEX Day Before
  • 10=OPEX Day Of
  • 11=OPEX Day After
  Example: to skip the day of and day after FOMC, you would enter 110011111111

Sequential trades management

• seq_max_trades: maximum number of trades
• seq_max_stops: maximum number of stops per day
• seq_reentry_delay: re-entry delay in minutes (supports fractional minutes for seconds precision, e.g., 0.5 for 30 seconds)

User endpoint filter

• user_endpoint_filter: custom endpoint filter URL for trade entry conditions

Example

Here is an example of a complete bot import file:

[templates]
template_name=default_template
entry_window_length=30
accountNum=########  <-- replace with the account number you want to use for this bot

[[trade_params]]
name={symbol} Short Put
type=ShortPut
symbol=AAPL
template=default_template
stratCode=STRAT123
entry_time=0930
entry_weekday=12345
quantity_type=bpu
quantity_target=0.1
entry_type=delta
entry_target=-0.3
dte_min=30
dte_max=45
stoploss_type=percent
stoploss_target=0.5
profittarget_type=percent
profit_target=0.3
minimum_price=10
maximum_price=20
entry_filter_special_days=110011111111

[[trade_params]]
.......