# OptionsChain Toolstrips — Button Reference
This document lists the actual buttons and controls available on the OptionsChain (OA) toolstrips in SOAP2, grouped by function. Use this as a quick reference to find the action, its purpose, and keyboard shortcut where available.
## Top toolstrip — primary controls
- Expiry selector (`Expiry ▼`)
- Purpose: Choose the option expiration shown in the grid.
- Behavior: opens a dropdown of available expiries and updates the chain when changed.
- Shortcuts: `Ctrl-Right` / `Ctrl-Left` (next/previous expiry), `Ctrl-1`, `F1`, `F2`, `F3` (jump to specific expiries).
- Trading class buttons (`M`, `W`, `A`)
- Purpose: Filter trading class to Monthly (`M`), Weekly (`W`), or AM settlement (`A`).
- Behavior: toggles visible contracts to the selected trading class.
- Strike interval controls
- Minimum interval toggle (icon / `Ctrl-M`):
- Purpose: enable minimum allowed strike interval for this contract.
- Strike interval dropdown:
- Purpose: choose display spacing (every Nth strike).
- Panel expand/collapse
- Top panel expand/collapse:
- Shortcuts: `Alt-Down` (expand top panel), `Alt-Up` (hide top panel).
- Purpose: show or hide auxiliary controls and summary panes.
- Refresh / Toggle weeklies
- Refresh icon:
- Purpose: refresh the risk graph and visible chain data.
- Shortcut: `Ctrl-U` (refresh risk graph).
- Toggle weeklies:
- Shortcut: `Ctrl-W`.
## Model, descriptor and view controls
- Reset descriptors / Clear view
- Reset descriptors button:
- Shortcut: `Ctrl-D`
- Purpose: reset chain descriptors to defaults for the current symbol.
- Clear grid / New trade (`Clear` / `New`)
- Shortcut: `Ctrl-T`
- Purpose: clear grids and restore the UI to a new trade state.
- Model Save / Restore
- Save model button:
- Purpose: persist the current model parameters for the active chain.
- Restore model dropdown:
- Purpose: apply a saved model to the active chain (only valid models applicable to the symbol/expiry are shown).
## Risk, Greeks and analytics
- Show Greeks (`Greeks`)
- Shortcut: `G`
- Purpose: toggle Greeks overlay columns or a dedicated Greeks panel.
- Risk graph / Update risk
- Risk graph button:
- Purpose: update the risk graph using the currently selected model/positions.
- Request HSkew / Volatility skew
- Request HSkew:
- Shortcut: `Ctrl-H`
- Purpose: request historical skew/volatility surface data for plotting.
## Order, commit and trade actions
- Commit / Send trade (`Commit`)
- Shortcut: `T`
- Purpose: open the commit form to send, simulate, or record the trade.
- Open Orders / Fill tools
- Purpose: quick access to order entry, fill simulation, or order preview dialogs (if present on the toolstrip).
## Data requests, cancellation and connectivity
- Cancel contract definition requests
- Shortcut: `Ctrl-F`
- Purpose: cancel background contract definition requests to reduce load or stop stuck lookups.
- Cancel all data / Disconnect
- Shortcut: `Ctrl-Q`
- Purpose: cancel active data requests and disconnect from TWS (use with caution).
## Advanced / Debugging tools
- Show hidden columns (`Alt-V`)
- Purpose: reveal debug-only columns and diagnostic fields in the grid.
- Hidden/diagnostic tools
- Purpose: other developer-focused buttons that surface internal IDs, reqId mappings, or saved contract metadata.
## Typical quick workflows (examples)
- Analyze current expiry
1. Set expiry via `Expiry ▼` or `Ctrl-Right`/`Ctrl-Left`.
2. Select trading class (`M`/`W`/`A`).
3. Adjust strike interval and enable minimum interval if required (`Ctrl-M`).
4. Show Greeks (`G`) and update the risk graph (`Ctrl-U`).
5. Commit a trade using `T` when ready.
- Debugging / reconnect
1. Reveal hidden columns with `Alt-V`.
2. Cancel background contract definition requests (`Ctrl-F`) to stop excessive lookups.
3. If needed, cancel all data and reconnect with `Ctrl-Q`.
## Tips
- Tooltips: hover any icon to see a brief description and available keyboard shortcut.
- Shortcuts: most frequently used actions expose keyboard shortcuts for rapid use.
- Models: Save models only against the matching chain (symbol + expiry + class). Restoring a model will only apply if it matches the current chain.
- Debugging: when troubleshooting data or grid-refresh issues, reveal hidden columns and check reqId/ConId mappings.
## Related documentation
- [OptionsChain (OA Window) Guide](./optionschain_overview.md.html)
- [Handling expiries in SOAP2](./optionschain_expiries.md.html)
- [Keyboard shortcuts](./keyboard_shortcuts.md.html)
For more details, see the [SOAP2 Help Guide](index.md.html) or access help from the toolstrip.
Contact: [email protected]