Configuration
SignalPipe settings are managed from the Settings tab on the SignalPipe page.
API Credentials
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| API Key | Your Alpaca API key ID |
| API Secret | Your Alpaca API secret key |
| Account Type | Paper or Live -- determines which Alpaca environment the keys connect to |
You can connect both a paper and a live account simultaneously. Each account has its own credentials, settings, and deal history.
Trading Mode
The Paper / Live toggle in the SignalPipe header controls which account you are viewing and managing. Incoming webhook signals are routed to your default account (the one currently selected) unless the webhook payload includes an explicit account field.
Important: Your API key type must match the account type. Paper trading keys will not work for a live account and vice versa.
Deal Management
| Setting | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Max Active Deals | The maximum number of open positions allowed at any time. When this limit is reached, new buy signals for new tickers are silently skipped. Safety orders for existing positions are always processed regardless of this limit. | 3 |
| Take-Profit Percentage | The percentage above your average entry price at which a limit sell order is placed. For example, 5% means positions auto-close at a 5% profit. | 5% |
| Quote Currency | Controls how crypto ticker symbols are transformed. "USD" converts suffixes like BTCUSDT to BTCUSD. "auto" passes tickers unchanged. Only affects crypto -- stock tickers are never modified. | USD |
| Automation Enabled | Master toggle for order execution. When OFF, webhook alerts are still received and logged but no orders are placed on Alpaca. | On |
| Accept New Deals | When OFF, SignalPipe will only process safety orders and sell signals for existing positions. New buy signals for new tickers are skipped. This is useful when you want to stop opening new positions while still managing your current ones. | On |
Webhook Configuration
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Webhook URL | The full URL to paste into TradingView's webhook field. This is auto-generated and cannot be changed. |
| SignalPipe Secret | Your unique authentication token. This is embedded in the alert message that TradingView sends with each webhook. Auto-generated on first dashboard load if not already present. |
signalPipeSecret -- a cryptographically generated identifier unique to your account. The same secret is used for both Alpaca and Capital.com.
How Settings Affect Behavior
Automation Enabled = OFF
Webhooks are received and logged, but no orders are placed. Use this to temporarily pause trading without deleting your TradingView alerts.
Accept New Deals = OFF
Existing positions continue to receive safety orders and can be closed by sell signals. New positions are not opened. Use this when you want to wind down your active positions without opening new ones.
Max Active Deals Reached
When all deal slots are occupied, new buy signals for new tickers are skipped. As soon as an existing deal closes (TP fill or sell signal), the slot becomes available. Safety orders for existing positions are never blocked by this limit.
Paper Mode vs Live Mode
Paper mode uses Alpaca's simulated trading environment. Orders execute with simulated fills and no real money is involved. Paper mode also bypasses market hours restrictions, allowing you to test 24/7. Live mode enforces extended trading hours for US stocks (Mon-Fri 4:00 AM - 8:00 PM ET). Crypto pairs trade 24/7 in both modes.