Flatten First
A PLACE order command with the flatten_first flag enabled is the most popular alert type at CrossTrade, and for good reason.
Flatten first tells CrossTrade that you want to preempt the PLACE order command with a CLOSEPOSITION command for the same account and instrument.
When flatten_first=true, CrossTrade will first send the CLOSEPOSITION command, which flattens any existing positions or non-strategy-managed orders for the underlying instrument. Regardless of whether or not a position existed, the PLACE order command will then proceed.
This behavior is contrast to the REVERSEPOSITION command, which will only proceed with the new order instructions if and only if a position already exists in the underlying instrument.
Flatten first is useful for peace of mind to ensure you are always entering the market flat.
Important Note: flatten_first will cancel open or pending orders in the account even if a position does not exist that can be flattened. This behavior is distinctly different than a CLOSEPOSITION or FLATTEN command.
Example Payload
The following command will close any positions or orders in NQ 12-24 under the sim101 account before proceeding with the market buy for 1 contract:
key=your-secret-key; command=PLACE; account=sim101; instrument=ES 03-25; action=BUY; qty=1; order_type=MARKET; TIF=DAY; flatten_first=true;
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