Re Design you Instrument Manager, please.

[studio88]

Hello studio88,

The 'Default 24/7' session template as per the XAO is listed without any purpose. You can select the session template you like as per the XAO. I created the XAO instrument from within the Instrument Manager and not via a stock symbol list - it will only support the import of stock lists and not indices.

I tested the import of a stock list once more and it still lists the same session template in the Instrument Manager as I had selected in the stock list window.

Jason, I think you are missing my point here, your pic previously shows 24/7 session, and so does mine, and that, is what the problem is, I dont want it to show 24/7, I need it to show ASX Equities like how I apparently saved it previously.

But for me, it does not, and I would like it to as this would give me confidence in believing that things save, store and reopen to what they should do.

Now you are you saying that you created a session template your self? and then your when you click on Edit you view the session as what you originally imported your session with?

Try creating a JasonSession template and then re-import and then go to IM to see if it is still reading JasonSession as a template. I am interested to see what your results are.

When you added the LYC to the MA, you must have added the LYC traded on the US exchange and not the LYC you imported as Australian stock.

No No, I did not, this was another import from my list, and it shows the correct prices when adding to the MA.

Again, all stocks added with my ASX Equities session template, but each of them in the IM edit view show a 24/7 irrespective of which stock.

Now, can you see exactly what I am saying here?

I know you are testing too and finding different results to me, however please note that what you are finding and what I am finding/experiencing are totally different results.

Cheers.

[studio88]

Hi I would just like to add support to Studio88. I have had similar issues in the past and found the whole thing entirely frustrating. I would love to have the instrument manager simpler and easier especially when using non standard instruments, and importing external data.
thanks.

Hey thanks Adina,

Your post makes comforts me by the fact that I now feel like not the only one on the planet that has been having such issues or an opinion about the session manager.

To me, it is beyond me how such intelligent designers and programmers can build such a master piece bit of software, yet when it comes to some simple stuff like adding codes to a watchlist, then can fail so miserably, and then continue adding features to other components of the program and totally forget about the basics.

Meaning, it seems they just dump the ABC's building blocks of the program and push on with the Mathematical Rocket Science, because that is what stimulates the developers brain. Now the dev team do an excellent job at that, but I feel they need to implement somebody with sound knowledge in User Need Analysis to focus on the IM. After all, they have done it with Order Entry, and it is one of the things that make NT a supreme being, why not apply the same approach to IM without the end user having to do a 100 push ups and 500 sit ups just to add a code with the correct template.

As I have said earlier, I have seen free charting programs with Instrument type manager that makes adding/creating/managing codes just so much easier. But I guess the IM is not NTs best strength unlike its order entry, charting, indicators, strategies and Account tracking along with sim.


Adina, what instruments do you trade or were you trading when you were having issues?

Cheers again for your words of support.

[Adina]

Studio88 - ask Toyota, BP or most of the risk management at banks
I also agree NT has a lot of great things on it, but there seem to be a few simple things that do drive me crazy....... (however we may be the minority and if so thats our bad luck). I have not looked at it in a while as I became busy looking at other issues, and have only just restarted so my input is not too specific.
One example would be yesterday upon importing some data as stock, I could not get it to chart. changed many variables, etc; etc;. Nothing
Today I reopen it, and do exactly the same as i did yesterday.....the chart for the imported data works perfectly. Go figure.

[studio88]

Studio88 - ask Toyota, BP or most of the risk management at banks
I also agree NT has a lot of great things on it, but there seem to be a few simple things that do drive me crazy...

One example would be yesterday upon importing some data as stock, I could not get it to chart. changed many variables, etc; etc;. Nothing
Today I reopen it, and do exactly the same as i did yesterday.....the chart for the imported data works perfectly. Go figure.

Funny you should mention that Adina,

I was going to post this in another thread, but since you brought it up, I too have been having Chart Data problems on startup randomly working, randomly not working.

Attached below is a pic that shows what happens to the No Data on my charts on startup. Does yours also do this?

To resolve this problem, I would need to go to File >> Disconnect >> My Broker
and then your data should appear on your charts, Then Re-connect by the same above with Connect.

This seems to happen frequently and I have named it the "Loading Data Saga" because its random, and it seems always ongoing.

I was going to post a 2nd image but it shows the same with only 2 charts loaded.

Back to small things, well, I am in the view that if you cant sort out the small things, then forget about the big things. I know that many folk may not care about small issues such as this, Or the other things like mini X icons on Dialog boxes not being able to close, but they add up to become noticeable.

I would have thought that NinjaTrader would have undergone a complete what is called, User Needs Analysis, which type of tester and system is to iron out task management bringing common commands or tasks to be cut down by the amount of clicks to do such tasks. But to me, it appears there has not been a complete UNA done effectively.

Hope

[NinjaTrader_Jason]

Hello studio88,

"I dont want it to show 24/7, I need it to show ASX Equities like how I apparently saved it previously."

The session template was listed without purpose - you can select any session template you like. So please select the session template you like when you create instrument manually in the Instrument Manager by clicking the New button.

If you select the session template to your liking in the Definition-tab of the instrument in the Instrument Manager and you click Ok, it will be saved. This works as expected on my end. Please provide me exact steps that will cause this behavior on your end.

"Try creating a JasonSession template and then re-import and then go to IM to see if it is still reading JasonSession as a template. I am interested to see what your results are."

Please be more specific in your statements - this can be accomplished and interpreted in different ways. When I create a custom session template in the Session Manager and select it in the Definition-tab of an instrument in the Instrument Manager and click Ok, the same session template is listed when I open the Definition-tab again.

I cannot reproduce this on my end - when I import a stock list and select a session template, the same session template is selected in the Instrument Manager. Please see the attached screenshots which displays that is works as expected on my end.

Please tell me your exact steps as well when this occurs on your end.

In order to keep things more clear, please do not post other issues in the same thread - it will cause things to be even more complicated. I will not comment on your latest report, please create a new thread for this.

[studio88]

Jason, you forgot the screenshot pic.

Ok I wont post other issues in this thread.

I am about to install NT on another machine to parallel test this to see if the same thing happens ( and with dialog boxes closing).

Will post back my findings.

[NinjaTrader_Jason]

Please see the attached screenshots.

[studio88]

Hi again Jason,

After as reported in another thread, with a fresh install of NT6.5 and NT7b18 on another Vista workstation, I can now confirm that by importing a list of stocks or adding stocks now shows the correct session template loading each time I view edit.

I dont get it though, Perhaps I after numerous changing of defaults something has happened so some file that does this.

Over the weekend I will try uninstalling everything and doing the same procedure I have done on the other workstation.

Thanks for your persistence on this, it has been truly frustrating, and I still feel the Instrument Manager should be a lot more user friendly, but that is another story and opinion.

Will let you know how it goes with a change over with fresh installs.

Cheers for now.

[Stopped]

I would like to join Studio88 and Adina (and many others!) on this critical issue. The Instrument Manager (IM) should be THE backbone of the application. Instead, it becomes an utterly frustrating and maddening experience for the end user - particularly international ones. Mapping one instrument at a time (despite the recently improved list import function, we still need to enter the connectivity inputs in the Misc section one at a time...) can take a loooooong time. Surely there should be more efficient ways to do this.

Ideally, NT could coordinate with their data partners to maintain a single, global instrument database made up of many thousand, not just a few hundred items.

I have read old threads (2008 and older I think, although I can't find them now) where other frustrated users have suggested something like developing a master list on a web/forum page so that NT users could contribute to maintain (like Wikipedia). As far as I am aware, this is not happening - and NT seems to be doing little to support it. In the meantime, users have to keep wasting their time duplicating this tedious task.

For an application that is so advanced in multiple other areas, the Instrument Manager makes NT look quite amateurish.

[NinjaTrader_Jason]

Hello Stopped,

Thank you for your feedback I will forward it to my superiors.

[studio88]

I would like to join Studio88 and Adina (and many others!) on this critical issue. The Instrument Manager (IM) should be THE backbone of the application. Instead, it becomes an utterly frustrating and maddening experience for the end user - particularly international ones.

Hey cheers Stopped,

Overall, I guess if nobody ever says anything about their experience or state their opinion then nothing really can ever happen.

Agree about the frustration when dealing with many markets and instruments. There are just so many stocks to have to seperate or change tick value for. There may be a few stocks that suddenly come to your attention or radar and then you wish to add them into NT to track the intraday moves but before you do this, you kinda have to do a song and a dance and by the time that happens, the opportunity is gone.

Cheers again to you and Adina for sounding off on this a big thanks to Jason for passing on such info.

[EddyEd]

Hi,
I'm new with NT and at the moment I'm selecting my instrument lists. If you need to integrate new european stocks to them, it's a really hard and cumbersomely work. Even that you can import only the symbol and not the other important and needed informations like currency, description, exchange etc.., because you have to add this information manually, while you have this information e.g. in an excel sheet.
Also it would be helpful if you would offer a table with the description of the exchanges in NT. For example I imported all stocks of the Toronto stock exchange with TSE (It's the common shortcut in IB and other systems), but in NT it's the shortcut for the japanese stock exchange...
Do you know how long I need to correct this?

So please consider this things more in your next release.

[TheTradingMantis]

Another suggestion... How about a default commission structure per instrument that would apply to all connections that are not specifically overridden with a different commission structure?

[NinjaTrader_Jason]

Hello EddyEd,

Please note that you will configure the exchange, currency and session template (NT7) when importing a stock list. Unfortunately, 'description' will be different for each instrument so it cannot be included when importing a stock list. Can you please tell me what other settings you like to have included when importing a stock symbol list.

I will forward your suggestion for a table that explains all available exchanges to Development.

I suggest to re-import your Toronto stock list and delete the one you imported using the Tse exchange instead of manually changing the exchange for each stock in the Instrument Manager.

Hello gregschr, I will forward this suggestion as well.

Thank you both for your feedback.

[EddyEd]

Hello Jason,

thank you very much for your prompt reply and please excuse my delayed answer. I tried to answer you more detailed, so it needed more time. You can find my explanation and some founded and explained bugs in the attachment.