Re Design you Instrument Manager, please.

[studio88]

Now I dont mean to sound crude here, but I have been through this time after time and continually finding myself consumed by the small stuff. Although small, it is important, but obviously not enough importance is placed on it that it really matters that other people in the world may want to use NT to actually trade more than ES or CL and perhaps trade some stocks in their currency, time zone, and exchange of their liking.


Overall, I have come to the conclusion that whom ever designed the Ninja instrument manager really needs to Take Off their horse driver glasses/shades and start trading other stocks or instruments around the world, so this way you can then see what it is like for yourself. Meaning, every now and then you will come across certain stocks that just dont want to import, or they do import, or do get created, but then when adding to the Market Anaylser watchlist the code then displays the data from some other code in another country.

You then have a song and dance to do EACH time you encounter this and as much as its not a problem for writers of the code, it is total crap for an end user to go through this much grief.

Again, some people in the world actually want to trade more than just a few default futures contracts.

Now, is somebody from this NT company actually going to listen and hear what some end users have to say?? Or are you going to brush this under the carpet or is somebody going to reply with an answer I have already read 20 times over only to find it still does the same thing.

You know, I actaully wish to buy NT, I honestly do.

I want to become a customer of yours, so yes again, I honestly do,

BUT I cannot. WHY? Well, because this product seems to be only fully effective in trading stock codes that are easy to get into the frigging program an it should not take 30 minutes of a trading day just to find that ONE code and make it work at the price it is meant to be at.

Its not a session manager thing, its not a template thing either, after doing all of that it comes back to some other codes share price, and I am sick of it.

Please dont tell me to contact my broker, (IB) as they just tell me to ask the product support of your application.

Round and Round in circles I go and I can honestly say that I have had a gut full.

Now, I am sorry if this seems a little over the top, but who else do I turn to? I dont enjoy making posts like this, but what choice do I have except dont post and dont use the fieakin program.

[NinjaTrader_Jason]

Hello studeio88,

"Meaning, every now and then you will come across certain stocks that just dont want to import, or they do import, or do get created, but then when adding to the Market Anaylser watchlist the code then displays the data from some other code in another country."

In a situation like this, you will need to add the instrument in question manually in the Instrument Manager. Select the Default exchange and the actual exchange the stock is traded on. Subsequently add it to an instrument list, so you can easily add it to the Market Analyzer.

Can you please provide me an example of such an issue - tell me which stock displays different prices than you expect.

[studio88]

In a situation like this, you will need to add the instrument in question manually in the Instrument Manager. Select the Default exchange and the actual exchange the stock is traded on. Subsequently add it to an instrument list, so you can easily add it to the Market Analyzer.

Can you please provide me an example of such an issue - tell me which stock displays different prices than you expect.

Hi again Jay,

Ok, now I do exactly what you have said previously, but just wish to assure you that I have tried that.

I get to the point where I add the stock into the MA, except when I add the stock in the stock price is totally wrong, like its not the stock that I just added.

an example is a stock on the ASX which is code is: LNC

LNC on the ASX approximately is trading around $1.02 give or take 5c here and there.

Now when I add it into MA I dont get any data like the rest of the ASX watchlist I have setup, I only get a price showing up as $26.xx dollars.

Even if I add or send it to a chart, still $26.xx bucks which is Wrong.

I had made sure I set it to AUD, and the exchnge is ASX on with the right template, but the data is not right. Sometimes I experience this same situation with other stocks too, most other stocks show up and are all consistent, but this whole process is frustrating and seems to require "a great deal" of effort or so it seems.

[NinjaTrader_Jason]

Hi studio88,

Can you please verify how you add the stock to the MA. Do you select it from an instrument list or do you type the stock symbol?

If you type the stock symbol, it will likely retrieve data for the US equivalent. You will need to select the stock from your instrument list. The stock added to your instrument has been setup as per the proper exchange, so it should reflect the price you expect.

Let me know if this will not work for you.

[studio88]

Hi studio88,

Can you please verify how you add the stock to the MA. Do you select it from an instrument list or do you type the stock symbol?

If you type the stock symbol, it will likely retrieve data for the US equivalent. You will need to select the stock from your instrument list. The stock added to your instrument has been setup as per the proper exchange, so it should reflect the price you expect.

Let me know if this will not work for you.

Hi Jason,

Yes however in order to have an ASX instrument list, I need to create one because there is none there by default. So, I previously created one a ASX list, and then by importing a set of ASX symbols into that list.

The LNC code in question works like many of the other codes, but when adding it to the Market Analyzer, it shows the wrong price.(again)

I tried also typing it into the Available master instruments from the Instrument Manager, and its the same deal, the stock shows up, looks like the correct as the name shows correctly so I delete the old one that was imported from the instrument list and then add the new LNC code (Linc Energy), so I add it to the Instrument list and then the MA and its still the same.

I had a problem like this with BHP also a while back. I had to remove All or any old data from the BHP from a Data section somewhere in the settings, and this drew charts with the correct price.

But, my problem here is, that every time this happens, I am the one that is doing a song and a dance and this is not the answer to my problems "every time" this occurs.

Do you not agree with me that this is a song and dance one needs to go through each time this happens? I am curious to know your thoughts on not only the issue, but your thoughts on the design of such "instrument manager".

IMO, I would hardly call it a manager, perhaps a manager that should be fired and a new one Re Hired in its place, is what I am more inclined to think. And I say and mean this in the most respectable way for the benefit of NT.

[NinjaTrader_Jason]

Ok, so the LNC stock you imported never reflected prices you expect, correct?

Could you please post screenshots of the Definition and Misc tabs that display all settings for the current LNC instrument.

I suspect the issue occurs as soon as there are multiple instruments with the same name listed in the Instrument Manager.

If you have one LNC stock listed, which is setup correctly and you add it to the MA by selecting it from an instrument list, it should reflect the proper data.

[studio88]

Jason,

Will maybe post some screen pics tomorrow, my eyes are dropping faster than the pirce of oil atm, as its late here in Aus and another early day to start.

I fully believe what the problem here is if there is another stock somewhere in the US, then it will grab those prices regardless of what is setup in the template.

If the stock code was not the same as another stock on the US markets then it would display the ASX prices, and correctly too.

There was no other LNC pre-existing in the default list (which are mainly future contracts) or other lists. As I say, LNC originally got inserted from an imported list of asx stocks of which I added to a list I created from the Instrument manager.

So even if I delete it totally from my system and add it again no matter which way, it still provides the data of the US version.

To me, this is something that Ninja needs to start caring about a little bit more, as for me, it is an essential function, and there are some other programs out there that are Free, that may not have as good as charting function as NT, but as far as Instrument Managers and Watchlist/MA' the free version kicks NTs butt, and I am honestly surpised or partially stunned to the degree of how much of a problem this has been for me.

On another note, using NT for standard futures or only a few instruments is great besides a few reported bugs that still need ironed out.

It is my hope that at some stage although even now with version 7 and in beta, that they actually think about some basic, and simple and important stuff like this, and not just Indicator or strategy problems that people are razzled and dazzled and blinded by.

Anyways, good night for now and cheers for your time.

[NinjaTrader_Jason]

Hello studio88,

Tomorrow I should have access to an IB connection again, so I can test it.

Do you notice a difference if you only check the Asx exchange instead of both the Default and Asx exchange?

I will await the screenshots and will test it tomorrow. Have a good night as well.

[studio88]

Hello studio88,

Tomorrow I should have access to an IB connection again, so I can test it.

Do you notice a difference if you only check the Asx exchange instead of both the Default and Asx exchange?

I will await the screenshots and will test it tomorrow. Have a good night as well.

Ok Jason, I think I got it.

After much digging and digging, I compared some other stocks that were in the list to the LNC one and as it turns out, on the MISC tab, written in every Symbol Map was LINCENERGY all one word.

All the other had stocks just had their code, so I followed suit and named that accordingly to just LNC unlike that of the above.

It may pay for NT programmers to ADD a "use same for ALL" type tickbox so users can just one click add the same symbol for all to the Misc Tab.


The other thing I also did was delete my ASX200 list of 200 or so stocks and then recreate it by using File>> Utilities>> Import Symbol List which I feel seems to work alot better


Btw, there seems to be no difference if I had ASX and default being ticked previously, in fact, I found that no matter what I did, when viewing the stock in edit mode it always seemed to show that the default would always remain ticked anyway. If you test that you will see that if you go back to edit, that default will still be ticked no matter which way you cut the cake.

The other thing to report is when Importing a brand new list successfully, and choose the correct settings for currency, exchange and session template (which you may have made a ASX session template with the correct times) and you then go to the instrument manager, and choose to click and view or Edit the stock, it then chooses or displays the Wrong Session Template, as well as the default still being ticked, which to me is a bug or is wrong, it should have displayed properties of what I imported the list set to, not defaults.

So to me, I ask you, is this a Bug???

Anyway, looking at the Instrument Manager as a whole, IMO there should be much more work to be done to make this integration a lot more simplified or even automated.

Cheers for now.

[NinjaTrader_Jason]

Hello studio88,

Good to hear you found the cause of the issue. I will forward the suggestion of the 'use same for all' function to Development.

When I tested a stock list on my end, it worked as expected. The Default exchange is always enabled as per stock instrument types.

I imported a stock list with the exchange set to Xetra. Once I checked the instruments in the Instrument Manager, it listed both the Default and Xetra exchanges as expected.

The session template and currency were listed as selected upon importing the stock lists on my end. Can you please tell me what steps you performed when this occurred.

[studio88]

Hello studio88,

Good to hear you found the cause of the issue. I will forward the suggestion of the 'use same for all' function to Development.

When I tested a stock list on my end, it worked as expected. The Default exchange is always enabled as per stock instrument types.

I imported a stock list with the exchange set to Xetra. Once I checked the instruments in the Instrument Manager, it listed both the Default and Xetra exchanges as expected.

The session template and currency were listed as selected upon importing the stock lists on my end. Can you please tell me what steps you performed when this occurred.

Hi Jason,

Thanks, it will be good for the dev team to hear such things to make simplicity more transparent for end users.

Adding to this, there are a couple of other suggestions too.
Can you request the following from me as well.

Watchlist - MA management tweak.
1. Enable the ability to send one security from a watchlist/MA to another watchlist/MA by right clicking a security and then using the Send To option in the dialog box. So rather than sending the security to a DOM, Chart, Level II or Tiime and Sales, we can copy or move it to another watchlist or MA, to save re-importing the security (good MA management).

2. Add some thing which is like a Container, which basically is like a group of charts or a mix of say 1 x MA, 2 x Charts and 1 x DOM that are all contained in 1 window/container that can be easily moved to say a different LCD screen and also can Auto Resize respectively when placing or positioning on screens. This would be pretty handy for desktop realestate and management, plus this gives users options rather than working with individual pieces which also has its benefits.


Now you said,

"Can you please tell me what steps you performed when this occurred"

Well, what I did was delete my old list from the instrument manager.
I then used the File, Utilities, Import Stock symbol list as mentioned before, set the parameters accordingly, made a new list too whilst inside there to where the stocks would be imported to and then it imports.

I then go into the instrument manager, I type in a stock, it finds a stock which already is in my list I just imported, but when I click edit, the session template is different and not the one I created via the import method specified previously.

Whilst in the instrument manager and doing the same search on a stock as mentioned, "some" stocks after clicking on the MISC tab would show the wrong code or a name and not the basic code. So I dont know if you have checked up to over a 100 stocks but not all stocks seem to play ball here.

I also found out why with some other penny stocks not playing ball.

Penny stocks have a 0.0001 need to be specified and stocks over 2.00 here use 0.01 format so I wish there was some Auto Detect feature also added here.

It would be good for NT dev or whomever to work with each individual exchange to get these auto formats, but in my instance, I am with IB and I realise they use their own formats which pretty much sucks at times.

I am also trying to get some Indicies or Index sorted out by importing that into Ninja, but I have been unsuccessful at this, meaning the XAO for example.

Can you manage to get the data to show for the XAO ??

I asked IB this previously and they said to contact their API department so I did, they wrote back and said to contact your charting application people and I have, as I say, its almost like coming full circle nearly each time you get a problem.

Saying that, and to be fair, one time I did ask IB for some assistance with their format to NT and I did get an answer, and a correct one, so I thank them for that.

Anyway, I hope this has been a help, I thank you for your efforts too.

Cheers for now.

ps: I will add a ASX 200 IB format text file to the attachments area for those who are stupid enough like me to still be trying trade ASX stocks, hopefully you will not experience what I have in an effort to add securities.

For those who wish to import stocks from IB, they use a space between Symbol, Exchange and Currency.

So if you wish to import a list, just type the below format of stocks into a .txt file and then save it as Yourfile.txt and then import it as mentioned above, just change to the codes to whatever you wish to trade and also take into consideration the 0.01 issue for penny dreadfuls, below as an example:

BHP ASX AUD
CBA ASX AUD
FMG ASX AUD
NAB ASX AUD

etc etc,
Just rename or enter in your codes and keep going and you will have an ASX list ready to import as an exmaple, but also dont forget to name a new security list either in the instrument manager or when you to import, as this must be done before the import will succeed.

Again, Hope this helps.

[NinjaTrader_Jason]

Hello studio88,

I will forward these two suggestions to our Development team as well. Thank you for your feedback.

"and not the one I created via the import method specified previously."

When I tested this on my end, I do not experience this behavior. The instrument I imported via a stock list contained the same session template in the Instrument Manager. Are you able to reproduce the issue when you import a new stock list?

The Misc-tab should list the symbol you typed upon importing the stock list. For example, if you enter AAPL in the stock list window, it should list AAPL for each connectivity provider in the Misc-tab. Can you please tell me what stock you imported via a stock list that did not reflect the proper symbol mapping under the Misc-tab.

Unfortunately NinjaTrader does not auto-detect anything when importing a stock list. It will import the stocks as configured in the stock list window.

Our IB account does not support the XAO index, so I could not test it. However I suggest to setup the instrument as per the attached screenshots and check if you receive data.

In addition, the information you included at the bottom of your post will import AUD and ASX stocks as well. Please see the instructions below to import stock lists.

http://www.ninjatrader.com/support/helpGuides/nt7/importing_a_list_of_stock_symb.htm?zoom_highlightsub=stock%2Blist

[studio88]

Hi Jas,

I have attached the following images that show what happens to when I previously done an import.

See the settings that I have set whilst importing and take note of the session template. This template I created for asx times so I dont get any candles showing different days etc etc

Now, if I go to instrument manager, I type in a code that may be on the list, say LYC as an example. It shows up and then I click the edit button, and the session template has changed. to default 24/7, but it should not be that, it should be ASX Equities.

Your pic also shows the 24/7 default session template also. But should it not be one you may have created/defined or would have wanted if you were me?

Then on the next tab, the Misc tab, I dont just get 1 code for interactive brokers being LYC, I get all brokers getting LYC listed and I never typed them in, they just list like that which is beyond my control it seems. Yet your pic only shows IB, so I dont know if that is a bug or not.

Of course, everyting now works for me, but now rewind back to my first post when this first started happening, I had imported the same file of codes and then decided to add LNC to my Market Analyzer, but it would come up with some US stock prices. This is what I never understood, I had done nothing different with LYC and it imported fine in the beginning.

Thanks for the link as well. Cheers.

ps: I came across another little issue when changing the background colour of a chart and some lines and then it crashed NT, will post that on another thread and on another day as it is again getting late here in aus again.

[NinjaTrader_Jason]

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.

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.

[Adina]

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.