Slope

[dtf139]

How do I use "slope" in the condition builder? Specifically a moving average that has an upward slope.

[NinjaTrader_Ray]

Any value that is greater than 0 has a positive slope. You can select slope and compare it to a value on the right of the condition builder.

[dtf139]

So, if I wanted the slope of a 20 ema for the last 5 bars to be sloping up:
On the left side I would select "slope" with a series value of EMA(20), start bar(5), end bar(0)
Right side, "numeric value" with a value of 1?
Numeric value of 2 would be a higher angled slope than 1?

[NinjaTrader_Ray]

Correct although a value of > 0 would be positive, and 2 would be higher angle than 1.

[dtf139]

I've got something wrong. I tried a quick strategy using those parameters as entry criteria on a 5 min chart for a month of data. Zero trades triggered.

[dtf139]

No one uses slope?

[NinjaTrader_JoshP]

You don't want to use >1. The slope returns the answer in decimals. I believe it is radians. Scale is -1 to 1. To test for positive you need to do >0 not >1 since it will never be >1.

[dtf139]

On the left side of condition builder:
Slope selected:
Series: EMA(close,20)
Start bar: 10
End bar: 0

Right side of condition builder:
Numeric value selected.
Value: 0

Is this correct?

I setup a simple backtest to enter long with a trailing stop, 5 min bars. Tested on RIG starting 12-1-2007 to today. 0 trades executed.

[NinjaTrader_Ray]

Unfortunately it is not correct and after further review, working with Slope is not possible in the wizard.

The problem is that you are passing in "barsAgo" values where the Slope function is really looking for the true bar number. Unfortunately, you can not assign the true bar number in the wizard. I will change the implementation of slope to use bars ago logic. This will show up in our next beta version.