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[Samus1111111]

Ok, here is what I have for my trader trap:

#BBBBBBBBB#
#FFFFFFFFF#
#  dddddd  #
#  dddddd  #
#  dddddd  #
#  dddddd  #
#  dddddd  #
#      ?      #
####D####

# - wall
D - door
B - iron bars connected to lever
F - floor bars connected to lever
d - floors upon which the Depo sits
? - where I need to put something to hold the Depo up

my problem is that I need something (where the ? is on map) that can be raised and lowered by a lever, but will also count as solid matter that the floors under the depo can anchor to and hang suspened over my pit. the floor bars don't count and I have tried grates and bridges.

[Kidiri]

You could use a bridge or floor hatch to connect the door with the depot's floor, and put a support underneath that floor. If you're going for the collapsible Depot, I suggest building a floor on each level and a support on that floor. If you want them to go mad, just one will do.

But as it is, there is no structure that can bear your floor AND be 'removable'. Bridges, hatches, bars... will allow for them to be 'removed' with the help of a lever/pressure plate (and walked upon), but won't bear the load of the floor. Floors (and walls) will bear the floor, but must be removed via the designations menu.

[Samus1111111]

ok, I will try setting up some supports to hold the depo up

[eerr]

build a support into the ceiling?

[Stargrasper]

Trying to kill the elves or get free stuff?  If all you want is free stuff, there's a minor exploit.  After the traders unload all their stuff, forbid the whole depot.  When they leave, all their stuff stays behind waiting for you to reclaim. 

Note #1: Dwarves seem to refuse to take stuff unless you deconstruct the depot.
Note #2: This exploit can cause a bug where the wagons disappear and the horses pulling them wander the fringes of your map until the goblins come along to kill them.  Interestingly, my experience is goblin ambushes are more interested in those horses than your fortress.

If you really want to kill someone(or not exploit a bug), then I suppose your best bet is to use a bridge so the caravan can get to the depot, retract it when they're there.  Then channel/deconstruct the floor where you have the ? to drop them.  You'll have to do a lot of floor reconstruction to reuse the trap, but the treasures you get out of it should easily pay for the effort.

[Samus1111111]

I had a floor where the ? is and it also had some iron bars that I could retract so the traders wouldn't stand on the square, but when I deconstructed the square, my mayor (idiot that he is) was on the depo side of the square and he fell in and then bled to death. That is why I want a completely automated trader trap, so I don't lose any dwarves. (unless I just decide to kill them for annoying me )

[Stargrasper]

I had a floor where the ? is and it also had some iron bars that I could retract so the traders wouldn't stand on the square, but when I deconstructed the square, my mayor (idiot that he is) was on the depo side of the square and he fell in and then bled to death. That is why I want a completely automated trader trap, so I don't lose any dwarves. (unless I just decide to kill them for annoying me )

Consider making the depot side 5/6 instead of the normal 5x5.  Put that extra row of floorspace on the bottom(just above the ?).  Now 'build' a wall the depot side of the ?.  Even if you just suspend construction, supposedly dwarves won't stand where another construction is set when carryout out actions, which would tell your dwarves to be on the safe side when deconstructing the ?.  And if your mayor decides to be a total moron, then set a restricted zone so they won't walk on that area.

[Eater of Vermin]

I'd go for the good ol' "support under the depot linked to a lever" trick, as Kidiri said.

Then the ? could be just another Floor grate, hooked up to the same lever as all the other floor grates.

1. Pull lever 1 to drop the portcullis.
2. Wait until only undesirables are left in the building and pull lever 2 to remove the floor grates.
3. Pull lever 3, connected to the supports.  (or even just the bottom-most support)
4. Profit.
 

For rebuilding the depot... or rather, the support structure underneath, I'd simply set up some retracting bridges from the side of the pit to where the supports should be, for use as scaffolds. 

Extend them to build the supports, then retract them once the support structure is done and you're ready to build the depot on top.  Until the next time you need to reset the trap.   This works around the need to construct/deconstruct stairs every time.