Option Chain Data Access

Option Chains lets you access data groups for any equity or futures symbol. The Equity and Futures Option Chains include all the available options for a root symbol. For example, if you enter MFST (Microsoft), the system finds all the options currently available for Microsoft. The options are divided into LEAPS (Long-Term equity Anticipation Securities), which are long-term options that expire in the following calendar years. You can recognize LEAPS by the first few letters of the options.

You can select a symbol from a drop-down list or input a new symbol. If you do not know a symbol, you can search for it. For the selected symbol, you must choose the criteria to search for using the “Criteria” Button. This tells our server what kind of symbol it is (Equity, Futures, Futures Option, Futures Spread) as well as what months or strike ranges you would like returned.. You can select which data to return by changing the options within the Criteria settings screen.

To access DTN.IQ Option Chains data:

1. From the DTN.IQ Smart Bar, click the Option Chains icon. 

The Option Chains window appears, with a blank data table.

2. Click on the Symbol box arrow and select a security symbol.

Or

In the symbol box, type a security symbol.

Note: To search for a symbol, click on the Symbol Search icon .

3. Press Enter.

Or

• Click on Criteria  icon to choose why kind of symbol and which contracts you would like returned from the server.

A list of contracts matching the criteria chosen will be returned and quote data will start updating for those symbols.

To input a new symbol:

1. Click the symbol box in the top left-hand corner.

Tip: If a symbol is in the box, type over it. The original symbol remains in the list.

2. Type a security symbol and press Enter.

A list of contracts matching the criteria selected in the Criteria Settings Page is retrieved.

The new symbol remains in the list.

Tip: Click on Criteria icon to change the settings for which contracts to return.

To search for a company symbol:

1. Click on the Symbol Search icon. 

The Search for Company dialog box appears.

2. Type the name of the company whose symbol you want.
3. Click on Search.

The system displays a companies and symbols that match the name you entered.

4. Double-click on a company’s symbol.

The Search for Company dialog box closes and the symbol appears in the Symbol box on the toolbar.

5. Press Enter.

A list of contracts matching the criteria selected in the Criteria Settings screen is retrieved.

The new symbol remains in the list.

To sort puts and calls data:

1. Display Option Chains data for a selected symbol.
2. From the right mouse menu, select Sort Lists.

The Sort Selection dialog box appears.

3. Select one or both of the following sort options:

• Apply Sort to CALLS
• Apply Sort to PUTS

4. From the Column Selection drop-down lists, select one, two, or three columns on which to sort the data.

Tip: Click on Clear Columns to clear all the Column Selection fields.

5. For each column, select a sort order:

Ascending

Or

Descending

6. Click on OK.

Note: The sort is done when you request it, not each time an update tick is received.

To set filter conditions for Chains data:

You may choose the filtering criteria via the “Criteria Settings Screen” to have only the contracts you want returned, or use the following method to filter the data after it has been received.

1. Access Option Chains data for an equity symbol.
2. From the right mouse menu, select Filter Lists.

The Set Filter Conditions and Scope dialog box appears.

3. Select one or both of the following options:

• Apply Filter Targets to CALLS
• Apply Filter Targets to PUTS

4. Select a condition for the Logical Operators:

• All conditions must be true

Or

• Any condition must be true

5. For each column on which to set filter conditions, do the following:

• From the column drop-down list, select the column header.
• Select an operator.
• Enter the value to check.

Tips: You can clear all selections for columns, operators, or values. You cannot clear individual selections. You can change an individual selection by making another selection in that box.

6. Click on Done.

Puts and calls data meeting the filter criteria are retrieved.

Note: Filtering is done when you request it, not each time an update tick is received.

Sample Filter Conditions

To hide selected rows of data:

1. Access Option Chains data for a security symbol.
2. Select the rows you want to hide.

Tip: You can use the mouse along with the Shift or Ctrl key to select multiple rows.

3. From the right mouse menu, select Hide Selected Rows.

The system refreshes the window and hides the selected rows of data.

To re-display filtered data and hidden rows:

1. Access Option Chains data with filtering or hidden rows.
2. From the right mouse menu, select Undo filtering.

All data for the selected security symbol appears based on your criteria.