Request: Want to see connection names again

[molecool]

-=Edge=- wrote:


I would offer an alternative, since it may be constraining to be "forced" to use the first letter where that may be ambiguous for various reasons.

If the connections were numbered automatically by NT8, those numbers would, for the most part, be single digits ("power users" with more than 9 connections would have to accept two digits ).

A second alternative would be, of course, to allow specification of the identifying text (maximum two characters, if you like) as part of the Connection configuration. The ultimate satisfaction is to be gained here, I think.

Two thoughts here: Clearly you can add your own number, so it's not mutually exclusive. Secondly I also suggested that each provider design their own button/lamp/whatever. This way it's instantly recognized what type of connection it is. So Kinetick would have their themed button, eSignal would, Rithmic, IB, etc. So in that case naming would not even be a big deal. Plus those firms will be happy to introduce a bit of branding which they can pimp to their own clientele. Everyone wins.

[-=Edge=-]

I would offer an alternative, since it may be constraining to be "forced" to use the first letter where that may be ambiguous for various reasons.

I'm not sure I understand constraining.. Since I the customer am able to create whatever name I want for a connection.. NinijaTrader, Kinetics, IB, CQG, TradeStation, SwimThink, XFCM, 1Whatever, 2Something else.. I am able to choose whatever I want it to be, rather than having something forced on me.. Am I missing something here?

molecool's idea of a provider provided lamp is kinda cool too, but now your starting to involve outside companies and add a deeper lever of complexity to incorporate.. I was just trying to offer an easy simple solution that shouldn't be real difficult to implement, while allowing me the customer control of what is displayed..

[molecool]

molecool's idea of a provider provided lamp is kinda cool too, but now your starting to involve outside companies and add a deeper lever of complexity to incorporate.. I was just trying to offer an easy simple solution that shouldn't be real difficult to implement, while allowing me the customer control of what is displayed..

All they would have to do is to have their design team produce a custom button. If they don't do it they get the default one. Just an idea... would love to hear more input from you beta testers.

[-=Edge=-]

All they would have to do is to have their design team produce a custom button. If they don't do it they get the default one. Just an idea... would love to hear more input from you beta testers.

hmmm.. I though I just replied to this but somehow it did not take.. so if this ends up being a dupe, my apologies.. but to some up what I just wrote..

Don't get me wrong here, as I think the custom vendor lamps is a cool idea.. But with that, How many companies are you now asking NT to communicate with back and forth with this effort? And how many buttons/lamps/whatever are going to have to be tracked, handled, incorporated, and maintained into the base code? Versus just the one that's already there, done, and only needs duplicated with the addition of a letter..

Just thinking out load here, but if this is a feature that we would like added (add my +1), than adding a little to what's already there should get us something a lot sooner than latter.. yet still be more than adequate, aesthetically pleasing, and a really cool original idea from you all in itself..

[molecool]

hmmm.. I though I just replied to this but somehow it did not take.. so if this ends up being a dupe, my apologies.. but to some up what I just wrote..

Don't get me wrong here, as I think the custom vendor lamps is a cool idea.. But with that, How many companies are you now asking NT to communicate with back and forth with this effort? And how many buttons/lamps/whatever are going to have to be tracked, handled, incorporated, and maintained into the base code? Versus just the one that's already there, done, and only needs duplicated with the addition of a letter..

Just thinking out load here, but if this is a feature that we would like added (add my +1), than adding a little to what's already there should get us something a lot sooner than latter.. yet still be more than adequate, aesthetically pleasing, and a really cool original idea from you all in itself..

In the end I guess it's NinjaTrader's call as they are most familiar with how much integration and cross branding is appropriate. I happily yield to the majority - just throwing out ideas. Perhaps we should have a vote? Ninja team?

[jeronymite]

Request: Want to see connection names again

I wrote:

I would offer an alternative, since it may be constraining to be "forced" to use the first letter where that may be ambiguous for various reasons.

-=Edge=- wrote:

I'm not sure I understand constraining.. Since I the customer am able to create whatever name I want for a connection.. NinijaTrader, Kinetics, IB, CQG, TradeStation, SwimThink, XFCM, 1Whatever, 2Something else.. I am able to choose whatever I want it to be, rather than having something forced on me.. Am I missing something here?

Apologies if my comment caused confusion -- I hoped the quotation marks and winky face might have been enough to identify it as being slightly tongue-in-cheek. Obviously, one can name the connections anything one wants, and they can certainly be made non-ambiguous in the first letter. No issue at all.

The main point of the post was in the suggestion to allow the appearance of the lamps to be configurable on a per connection basis. That could mean specifying the character(s) to appear in the "standard" lamps, or perhaps one could optionally specify a .ico file that could be used in place of the default lamps. With this latter approach, one could use one's own design, or one could adopt a design that might have been made available by any of the providers. It would probably require provision of a few variations on each design to cater for the different connection states that would need to be represented. So, for example, a "green" design for all OK, maybe an "amber" design for some issue that has degraded the connection or lost one or other of price or order connectivity, and a "big red" for completely gone.

In any case, good ideas all round and thanks for raising it.

[-=Edge=-]

In any case, good ideas all round and thanks for raising it.

Absolutely.. Being able to use my own icons would be a great feature too..

But to be honest, it's the idea/feature of having a separate indication for each individual connection is what I'm mainly interested in.. How or what is done to make that happen doesn't really matter to me.. as long as it gets done, and imo, the quicker the better..

I just thought molecool's idea of using the existing icon was kinda cool, aesthetically pleasing, already in the implementation, and shouldn't really be very difficult or time consuming to add..

For my needs, it doesn't really even have to be more than duplicate icons of what's already there.. I personally would rarely have more than 3 connections going at any given time, and I don't use the auto-connect.. So for me, I could tell very easily just by the order of the icons..

If something like that could be implemented quickly, it's got my +1 vs having to wait who knows how long for a more elaborate implementation.. Just give me something that works, and as time goes on work on, make that even better.. Just my last 2cents..

[molecool]

I wrote: It would probably require provision of a few variations on each design to cater for the different connection states that would need to be represented. So, for example, a "green" design for all OK, maybe an "amber" design for some issue that has degraded the connection or lost one or other of price or order connectivity, and a "big red" for completely gone.

Oh, I LOVE that idea! Right now I log into my remote systems and only see whether or not the connection is on or off (green/red). So it's binary and unless I scroll down the logs or the output panel I have no idea if there was an issue. Oftentimes the data feed appears to be functioning but actually has been corrupted and a restart is necessary. This in fact happens to be an issue that that has been costing me a lot of time and headache in NT7 over the past few years. And not just me - several of my trading colleagues report the same issues.

So knowing that something was wrong is a brilliant idea. I would support the green/yellow/red approach as well. Good thinking jeronimyte!

[molecool]

For my needs, it doesn't really even have to be more than duplicate icons of what's already there.. I personally would rarely have more than 3 connections going at any given time, and I don't use the auto-connect.. So for me, I could tell very easily just by the order of the icons..

If something like that could be implemented quickly, it's got my +1 vs having to wait who knows how long for a more elaborate implementation.. Just give me something that works, and as time goes on work on, make that even better.. Just my last 2cents..

Yes, why don't we start out with tri-state lamps that have alphanumerical identifiers? The whole customized button thing was just a 'Schnappsidee' of mine (look it up - hehe) and it can definitely wait for v2 or v3 - I just wanted to throw it out there. That's the fun part of brain storming - all part of the design phase.

[NinjaTrader_Matthew]

Thanks for the ideas guys, we've logged them in SFT-442 and will be reviewed by the PM team in the near future.

Absolutely.. Being able to use my own icons would be a great feature too..

You technically can for the connection colors by editing a skin.

You can make your own ImageBrush in place of the RadialGradientBrush which is currently set for the key="ConnectedBrush" defined in Documents\NinjaTrader 8\templates\Skins\Light\BluePrint.xaml



Here's an msdn tutorial on ImageBrushes to help anyone who wants to explore this area https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/lib.../hh868203.aspx

[molecool]

Hehe - that smiley cracked me up :-)