Problems w/TT, questions about other broker technologies

[bluelou]

I'm having real problems using NT w/Velocity Futures and TT. Almost every time I hold a position overnight all of the account information is incorrect in NT and this can only be fixed by a manual change of the broker side risk mgmt software followed by a reboot of NT.

Velocity has advised me to either drop either NinjaTrader or TradingTechnologies/Velocity since they can't be used together for positions held overnight.

I don't recall the NT docs recommending against using TT. This has been a real waste of time and effort. I think the fact that NT and TT are not compatible needs to be made more clear.

What other broker technologies are not compatible w/NT for overnight trading? I clearly have to drop either TT or NT. I'm thinking of switching to IB. Are there any known compatibility issues with NT and IB regarding positions held overnight or otherwise?

-Lou

[NinjaTrader_Michael]

Hello Lou,



Thank you for your suggestions.



The one broker technology compatible with NinjaTrader who does not have a server reset would be Zen-Fire. I'm aware of IB having a server reset time but do not have the knowledge of how the orders are maintained after the reset.

[bluelou]

Michael,
So, are you recommending against using Ninjatrader with Interactive Brokers if I plan to hold positions overnight?

If I switch to IB should I expect to see ghost positions and to have to reboot NT if I hold positions overnight as I do with TT and Velocity?

If you're suggesting that only brokers using Zen-Fire do not have these issues then do you know of a broker using Zen-Fire that has equities, futures, and FX trading capabilities?

I was just about to close my Velocity acct and I'm about to finish the IB acct app so I'd like some real advice ASAP.

-Lou

[bluelou]

As a follow up to my last post, it appears that equities trading isn't available with Zen-Fire. Is there a broker that NT recommends for equities trading if I plan to hold positions overnight? How is overnight trading with MB Trading? I see that they offer equities + futures + FX.

-Lou

[NinjaTrader_Michael]

Hi Lou,


1) Interactive Brokers would be a good choice for holding overnight positions, after the server reset time you would need to re-connect IB/NT.

2 ) I'm not familiar with customers experiencing ghost orders after holding overnight positions with IB.

3 ) Zen-Fire offers futures and forex, equities are not available with NT at this point.

4 ) Unfortunately we are not able to recommend one broker over another.

5 ) I'm aware of people that have held positions overnight but I'm not sure how customers view it, I would recommend contacting MB Trading for information regarding their process.

[bluelou]

Michael,
MB Trading said that their server reset time is 11:58-00:06 and that I would have to reconnect w/NT after that time. Actually, they weren't 100% sure if I would have to reconnect, reload my strategies or reboot NT altogether.

With IB do I just reconnect NT after the server reset or do I have to reload my strategies or reboot NT altogether?

Also, b/f I make the call myself would you happen to know what the server reset time is for IB? Is it always at this time?

-Lou

[NinjaTrader_Michael]

Hello Lou,


All you would need to do is re-connect to IB, after doing so your strategies will be available.

Unfortunately I'm not positive what time IB's server resets but I'm sure it occurs at the same time. If you do acquire this information please let us know.

[bluelou]

Michael,
Unfortunately, it's not as easy as it sounds. IB told me that their server reset time is b/t 23:50-3:00 EST and takes approx 1 minute and that I would need to reconnect NT to IB at that point in time. It sounds like MB Trading is the better way since they reset no later than 00:06 EST.

I'm going to give NT one last try w/MB Trading. After that I'm just using NT to make pictures/charts and going with broker APIs. After all, I don't use a single function from NT except for OnBarUpdate() and Initialize(); everything else is custom. NT is proving to be more of a pain in the ass than anything else.

Thanks,
Lou

[mdrichards]

Michael,
MB Trading said that their server reset time is 11:58-00:06 and that I would have to reconnect w/NT after that time. Actually, they weren't 100% sure if I would have to reconnect, reload my strategies or reboot NT altogether

With MBT you need to restart NT after the reset, but once you do strategies continue properly. I suspect this is a defect in the way NT handles connections to the broker. The MBT Navigator appears to maintain three connections to different servers. The only one that disconnects for the reset is the order server. It keeps trying to reconnect every few seconds and once it does everything picks up fine. NT never reconnects to the order server and if you try to do it manually by disconnecting and reconnecting the whole connection, it tells you to restart.

It's a pita and makes me afraid to leave any strategies running in NT if I'm leaving the house and not sure I'll be back for the reset.

[bluelou]

mdrichards,
I'm not sure I totally understand what you're doing w/NT when MBT resets.

1) Are the server resets only occurring b/t 23:58 and 00:06 as MBT told me or are they occurring throughout the day?

2) It sounds like you're saying that sometimes NT reconnects to MBT automatically after a reset and sometimes it doesn't. Specifically, what actions do you take if NT doesn't reconnect?

What do you mean by "restart" NT? Are you just doing a manual reconnect or are you actually logging out of MBT, shutting down NT and then reopening NT and manually reconnecting to NT. Or, are you keeping NT open but reloading and restarting your strategies?

3) Other than the 23:58-00:06 reset what has been your experience with MBT disconnecting from NT? Does NT reconnect automatically during these periods or have you found yourself having to shut down NT or your strategies and having to manually reconnect?

I'm holding off on the switch to MBT until I hear back from you or NT on this subject. Thanks again for your help.

-Lou

With MBT you need to restart NT after the reset, but once you do strategies continue properly. I suspect this is a defect in the way NT handles connections to the broker. The MBT Navigator appears to maintain three connections to different servers. The only one that disconnects for the reset is the order server. It keeps trying to reconnect every few seconds and once it does everything picks up fine. NT never reconnects to the order server and if you try to do it manually by disconnecting and reconnecting the whole connection, it tells you to restart.

It's a pita and makes me afraid to leave any strategies running in NT if I'm leaving the house and not sure I'll be back for the reset.

[bluelou]

Can anyone else confirm what mdrichards has said about MBTrading in the post below?

[NinjaTrader_Michael]

Hello Lou,

1 ) MB Trading only has one server reset which is at the time you have specified previously.

2 ) NT will not re-connect automatically after a server reset.

3 ) After the reset period I recommend restarting the software then re-connecting.

[bluelou]

Michael,
It's 3) that I'm not clear on. So, are you saying that even if I have a strategy-generated position on prior to the reset that I should shut down and restart NT, and then reconnect to MBT?

Once I relaunch my strategy after shutting down NT will both NT and the Position log be in sync with the actual position that I have with the broker? What about stops? Since my strategy automatically sets stops do I also cancel stops prior to relaunching NT in order to prevent the stops from doubling up?

Also, what happens if the connection to the server is dropped during the trading day? Will NT automatically reconnect or do I have to shut down and restart NT?

-Lou

Hello Lou,

1 ) MB Trading only has one server reset which is at the time you have specified previously.

2 ) NT will not re-connect automatically after a server reset.

3 ) After the reset period I recommend restarting the software then re-connecting.

[NinjaTrader_VinceB]

Lou,

You might want to take a look here for order location:

http://www.ninjatrader-support.com/vb/showthread.php?p=27076#post27076

[bluelou]

Vincent,
Thank you for that info but that's not really what I'm asking about. My question pertains to how NinjaTrader handles the strategy upon a shut down and restart of the program.

For example:
a.] Through a strategy-generated trade I'm short 1 ZC contract plus I have a buy stop-loss set as of 23:57 Tuesday evening,
b.] The MBT server resets at 00:08 Wednesday,
c.] Since NT will not reconnect automatically this requires me to shut down NT, then restart NT and my strategy. Is this correct?

d.] Upon doing c.] will NT know the state that it was in b/f the shutdown? Upon restarting NT and reloading the strategy will NT assume that the short ZC position and the buy stop-loss have already been executed properly? Or, will NT try to place another stop loss or will the strategy somehow forget that there is a live short ZC position on? This is my concern. Please tell me what happens in steps c.] and d.].

Thanks,
Lou