Inconsistent and bad number formats

[Profitmake]

The number format of the main window is so weird. It also poses some problems. See:


For value 20,000 - 29,900, it will still be displayed as 0.02M. It should simply show 27,000 (preferred). "K" as in "27K" is not preferred either because "27K" cannot reflect the value between 27,000 - 27,900.


It's harder to read the numbers in T&S because it doesn't format properly with separators. It's easier to read 200,000,000 / 30,000,000 than 200000000 / 30000000.


Different volume indicators may have different formats. The daily volume indicator acts so weirdly. Sometimes it displays as 5,195,000. Sometimes it displays as 5.1M. It acts like a mischievous child who likes to do every little thing to distract you and make you confusing at times. It's not good at all!
(image in market analyzer)


Volume numbers in different places have different style and formatting. There are just so many for example:

Pure number without separator, e.g. 200000000
Pure number with separator, e.g. 200,000,000
in K (00,000), e.g. 2000K and 25K and 2000
in K (000,000), e.g. 2000K and 25500 and 2000
in M (00,000), e.g. 2M and 0.02M and 2000
in M (0,000,000), e.g. 2M and 25500 and 2000
in M and K, e.g. 2M and 25K and 2000

It can be really distracting, annoying and confusing at times especially when you are stressful at trading.

May I ask you why you don't just keep it simple and consistent all the time?

Thank you.

[NinjaTrader_Jason]

Hello Profitmake,

I will forward your suggestion to display values consistently to our development team and ask them if they can add this to the list of future considerations for the software.

Thank you for your feedback. Am I correct the DailyVolume indicator is a custom indicator? When I test default indicators in the Market Analyzer they all use the same price format. Could this be related to the way the indicators have been coded? Unfortunately I am not very familiar with programming.

[Profitmake]

No. I sucks at programming too. The DailyVolume is an item readily available when you go to Market Anaylzer -> Columns....

It isn't always like that. I believe it displays as pure number with separators most time. You have to keep watching and it occasionally changes into the "M" format. I can't seem to find any logic in it. It's just so weird, possibly a bug.

Related to custom indicators, thanks for the help of others, some custom indicators have been created just for the display of bid/ask/last size (to be used in Market Analyzer). See attachment:

http://www.ninjatrader.com/support/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=11481&d=1273696851

I don't know whether I can specify what format I should use by coding. Anyway I haven't specified what format I use when it shows ask/bid/last size. It appears the system has its own default format for numbers in the custom indicators too:
A) It doesn't use comma as a separator.
B) It uses K instead of M for million, e.g. 2700K rather than 2.7M/

Well this is confusing too. Please look into this and see what;s wrong. Again why don't we just use pure number with proper separators for all numbers?

[NinjaTrader_Jason]

I believe it will use the 'M' format when there is no room to display the entire 'pure' value.

Your suggestion to display values in a consistent format has been forwarded.

[Profitmake]

I don't think so.

There is much room around. Other numbers are longer than the last one. Still it displays the pure value.
In addition, the number occasionally switch formats. The width is constant so it shouldn't switch if that is the case.

It should be some other reasons, perhaps bugs.

PS: The staff is right about that the value in "M" will be larger than others if it's displayed in pure number.

[NinjaTrader_Jason]

22.61 M (22.610.000) is one number larger than the other 3 values. I experience different value formats in the software as well. The suggestion to use the same price format for all values is on the list of future considerations of the software.

[Profitmake]

Yes you are right on the point that 22.61M is larger than other numbers in the example. My mistakes.

But the point that the value will use the "M" format doesn't seem to be right.

Please do a simple test. Maximize the window to see how the number is formatted. Try to find stocks which have high daily volume.

[NinjaTrader_Jason]

Yes, I experience different formats throughout the software as well - this can be as expected.

The suggestion to use the same format for all values is on the list of future considerations.

[Profitmake]

Thank you. I realise you experience different formats throughout the software as well.

1. I just want to confirm that you also see the system to use different formats even on the same place, i.e. DailyVolume in this case. Are you able to reproduce it? It doesn't always happen so you have to be patient.

2. Also please make a note on this too, in case if you miss it previously, that is the strange default behaviour of values given by a custom indicator (e.g. Bid Size, Ask Size) and by preset items present in NT (e.g. Daily Volume). I haven't specified anything about the format in the code. But it uses the "K (but no M)" format by default, e.g. 2000K (not 2M or 2,000,000). It's slightly different than the behaviour of the preset items, e.g. it uses 2M.

3. Pure number format with separators would be the most desirable. I have stated the reasons in previous posts. If you decide to fix it, please pick pure numbers with separators (e.g. 23,455,000).

[NinjaTrader_Jason]

I will check into this next week. Thank you for your patience.

[NinjaTrader_Jason]

Hello Profitmake,

I have not reproduced the DailyVolume discrepancy yet. Thank you for your feedback.