Save Chart Data as Historical Option

[tworth]

I've learned that historical data is often off a tick ot two from what I actually traded during the session, enough to alter my trading signals, and make review difficult. I want to ask about the Save Chart Data as Historical option.

Help file says to disable this if I my data provider provides historical data - If I try to use this will it cause problems with my provider data, my charts, my indicators, etc?

I assume NT chart must be running in order to collect the data to save as historical, must I leave it running 24/7? Can I just record session data, would that leave me with blank time periods on my charts? Would the chart data merge with, or be filled in by, my provider data? If I have to reload charts do I have any control over this?

I realize my historical data will never match my session data, but I don't know what the ramifications or pitfalls of using chart data as historical may be, or in what cases it may be worthwhile...

Thanks in advance for any guidance.

[NinjaTrader_Kyle]

Hi tworth,

Thanks for your post.

The main consideration is when data is collected. If historical data is disabled and the 'save chart data as historical' setting is enabled, NinjaTrader will be able to collect data only from the periods when NinjaTrader is connected to your data provider and displaying data.

If, for example, you shut the software down for an hour - there would be no chart data from that hour when NinjaTrader was not connected.

[tworth]

Thanks Kyle,

Alright I understand that, can these two options work together? What if I DON'T have historical server data disabled - does one have priority? Which one will be populating the active chart?

Or, (I trade the US session) could I fire up my charts for the morning session, loading the historical overnight data from my provider's servers, so that my indicators have the overnight data included in their calculations; and then enable Save Chart Data, so that I'll have the actual session for later review?

Would this be a reasonable practice, you think, or am I out to lunch on this?

Comments welcome and appreciated...

[NinjaTrader_Kyle]

Hi tworth,

The two options don't really work together. If historical data is enabled, NinjaTrader will load historical data from the data servers, overwriting anything which was saved in the database up to that point.