OnStartUp() Best Practices

[Spiderbird]

Hi there,

I've been trying to do some research on how best to utilize the OnStartUp() function in relation to my strategy code. Right now, I just have it opening an output window at the start of my script via the following:

protected override void OnStartUp() 
		{
			//  Show the output window on startup
			NinjaTrader.Gui.Globals.OutputWindow.Show();
		}

Beyond controlling GUI environments, are there any documented best practices with using OnStartUp()? Anything related to setting variables or??

Thanks in advance!

[NinjaTrader_ChelseaB]

Hi Spiderbird,

Generally, anything that you want set that you don't want changed by the user but still have a public parameter, such as CalculateOnBarClose or you can set in OnStartup() and this will superseded anything the user sets.

Also, any calculations you want done before starting the script would go here as well.

Other than that, this is to be used by you for anything you want to have happen before the first call of OnBarUpdate().

[ninZa]

Hi Spiderbird,

Generally, anything that you want set that you don't want changed by the user but still have a public parameter, such as CalculateOnBarClose or you can set in OnStartup() and this will superseded anything the user sets.

Also, any calculations you want done before starting the script would go here as well.

Other than that, this is to be used by you for anything you want to have happen before the first call of OnBarUpdate().

I also do this.

For example, some indicators require COBC set to False, otherwise they won't work.
I put COBC = False in OnStartUp(), and therefore the value is always False no matter how users change COBC in the indicator dialog.

Thanks.
Pi

[sledge]

http://www.ninjatrader.com/support/forum/showpost.php?p=371352&postcount=11

[Spiderbird]

Thanks all!

Hi Chelsea_B,

Thanks for the explanation, and sledge's link also tied in Initialize as well. So let me show a couple of code examples I'm using and I'll take a stab at where they could go.

For review:
Initialize() - Called once when the strategy is started. Ideal for initializing DataSeries objects.
OnStartUp() - Ideal for setting things once before processing.
OnBarUpdate() - Where your strategy code would ideally go.

Would any/all of the below code examples be ideally planted in OnStartUp()?

Code Example #1 - Declaring variables

double
env_StartPrice,
env_EndPrice,
env_PriceRange;

Code Example #2 - Status Messages

//  Print out the current date and time
	Print("Time Stamp: " + Time[0].ToString("H:mm:ss tt"));
	Print("----------------------------------------------");

Code Example #3 - Methods

private void calculate_Performance()
			{
				profitLoss_GrossProfit = Math.Round(Performance.AllTrades.TradesPerformance.GrossProfit,2);
				profitLoss_GrossLoss = Math.Round(Performance.AllTrades.TradesPerformance.GrossLoss,2);
				profitLoss_Commissions = Performance.AllTrades.TradesPerformance.Commission;
				profitLoss_Totals = Math.Round((profitLoss_GrossProfit + profitLoss_GrossLoss) - profitLoss_Commissions,2);
			}

Code Example #4 - Variable calculations

//  All DoubleStochastics variables are set here
					stoch = Math.Round(DoubleStochastics(15)[1],2);
					stoch_Prev = Math.Round(DoubleStochastics(15)[2],2);

[ninZa]

Hi Spiderbird,

Example #1, #3: put OUTside OnBarUpdate, OnStartUp, Initialize

Example #2, #4: put INside OnBarUpdate

Cheers.
Pi

[Spiderbird]

Great! That's what I currently have. Much appreciated.