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+``ib`` backend
+--------------
+more or less the "everything broker" for traditional and international
+markets. they are the "go to" provider for automatic retail trading
+and we interface to their APIs using the `ib_insync` project.
+
+status
+******
+current support is *production grade* and both real-time data and order
+management should be correct and fast. this backend is used by core devs
+for live trading.
+
+currently there is not yet full support for:
+- options charting and trading
+- paxos based crypto rt feeds and trading
+
+
+config
+******
+In order to get order mode support your ``brokers.toml``
+needs to have something like the following:
+
+.. code:: toml
+
+   [ib]
+   hosts = [
+    "127.0.0.1",
+   ]
+   # TODO: when we eventually spawn gateways in our
+   # container, we can just dynamically allocate these
+   # using IBC.
+   ports = [
+       4002,
+       4003,
+       4006,
+       4001,
+       7497,
+   ]
+
+   # XXX: for a paper account the flex web query service
+   # is not supported so you have to manually download
+   # and XML report and put it in a location that can be
+   # accessed by the ``brokerd.ib`` backend code for parsing.
+   flex_token = '1111111111111111'
+   flex_trades_query_id = '6969696'  # live accounts only?
+
+   # 3rd party web-api token
+   # (XXX: not sure if this works yet)
+   trade_log_token = '111111111111111'
+
+   # when clients are being scanned this determines
+   # which clients are preferred to be used for data feeds
+   # based on account names which are detected as active
+   # on each client.
+   prefer_data_account = [
+       # this has to be first in order to make data work with dual paper + live
+       'main',
+       'algopaper',
+   ]
+
+   [ib.accounts]
+   main = 'U69696969'
+   algopaper = 'DU9696969'
+
+
+If everything works correctly you should see any current positions
+loaded in the pps pane on chart load and you should also be able to
+check your trade records in the file::
+
+    <pikerk_conf_dir>/ledgers/trades_ib_algopaper.toml
+
+
+An example ledger file will have entries written verbatim from the
+trade events schema:
+
+.. code:: toml
+
+    ["0000e1a7.630f5e5a.01.01"]
+    secType = "FUT"
+    conId = 515416577
+    symbol = "MNQ"
+    lastTradeDateOrContractMonth = "20221216"
+    strike = 0.0
+    right = ""
+    multiplier = "2"
+    exchange = "GLOBEX"
+    primaryExchange = ""
+    currency = "USD"
+    localSymbol = "MNQZ2"
+    tradingClass = "MNQ"
+    includeExpired = false
+    secIdType = ""
+    secId = ""
+    comboLegsDescrip = ""
+    comboLegs = []
+    execId = "0000e1a7.630f5e5a.01.01"
+    time = 1661972086.0
+    acctNumber = "DU69696969"
+    side = "BOT"
+    shares = 1.0
+    price = 12372.75
+    permId = 441472655
+    clientId = 6116
+    orderId = 985
+    liquidation = 0
+    cumQty = 1.0
+    avgPrice = 12372.75
+    orderRef = ""
+    evRule = ""
+    evMultiplier = 0.0
+    modelCode = ""
+    lastLiquidity = 1
+    broker_time = 1661972086.0
+    name = "ib"
+    commission = 0.57
+    realizedPNL = 243.41
+    yield_ = 0.0
+    yieldRedemptionDate = 0
+    listingExchange = "GLOBEX"
+    date = "2022-08-31T18:54:46+00:00"
+
+
+your ``pps.toml`` file will have position entries like,
+
+.. code:: toml
+
+    [ib.algopaper."mnq.globex.20221216"]
+    size = -1.0
+    ppu = 12423.630576923071
+    bsuid = 515416577
+    expiry = "2022-12-16T00:00:00+00:00"
+    clears = [
+     { dt = "2022-08-31T18:54:46+00:00", ppu = 12423.630576923071, accum_size = -19.0, price = 12372.75, size = 1.0, cost = 0.57, tid = "0000e1a7.630f5e5a.01.01" },
+    ]