Exposing Plot Values to Strategies

[NinjaTrader_RyanM1]

Zeos,

I'm not familiar with the issue you present. If you can post a sample indicator and strategy file I will check it out here. Thank you.

[Zeos6]

Hi Ryan,

I am confused by your reply. I thought the question was fairly straight forward.
Anyways, suppose I have an indicator in which I do the following:

int[] bars = new int[] {1,3,5,7,9};
foreach(int i in bars)
{
myPlot.Set(100);
}

Clearly myPlot.ContainsValue() will be false for even bars less than 10.

Now assume I expose this indicator plot (myPlot) to a strategy. How can I test in the strategy if myPlot contains a set value? .ContainsValue() does not work in the strategy. Do I use

if(myPlotValue != null ) do something
or
if(MyPlotValue > 0) do something

[nailz420]

Set it to a dummy value.

int dummy = -9999;
int[] bars = new int[] {1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9};
foreach(int i in bars)
{
    //if odd bar
    if(i % 2==1)
        myPlot.Set(i, 100);
    else
        myPlot.Set(i, dummy);
}

[Zeos6]

Hi nailz420,

Thanks for your post. Your code is same as

int[] bars = new int[] {1,2,3,4,5,67,8,9};
foreach(int i in bars)
{ //if odd bar
if(i % 2==1) myPlot.Set(i, 100);
else myPlot.Reset();}
}

However, you are missing the point. The point is whether I need to do this Reset or dummy variable assign in the first place in order to distinguish between a set and dummy value in a strategy or whether a Plot that has not been set defaults to null or zero in the strategy.

[nailz420]

I don't think there is a way to do this by default. I would make a copy of the indicator in which I want to be able to distinguish the set or defaulted plot values and customize it to implement the dummy value.

[Zeos6]

Thanks nailz420. So am I to understand that you are saying I need to use the Reset() in my indicator/plot (to assign a non plotting value of zero and then in my strategy I simply use if(myPlot[0] > 0) do something?

[nailz420]

Something like that, I am just not sure or trust how Reset() works.

[Zeos6]

Thanks nailz420. Reset() sets a non plotting mathematical zero value.

[Zeos6]

Okay. I think I have this figured out. For anyone who may be interested here it goes:

As far as I can tell, not setting a Plot value (or applying the Reset() to a Plot value) will cause the data series to hold a non-plottable value that is equal to the bar's close value. The .ContainsValue() will return a false for these bars.

In your strategy you can apply the .ContainsValue() method to determine if the exposed plot value for the bar is a valid set value. The syntax for the current bar is myPlot.ContainsValue(0). It will return a true or false depending on whether the value was set in your indicator. I hope this helps.