NT programming (by NT)

[nickse2003]

Hello,

A suggestion that I think is really pertinent is giving us the option to have custom indicators and strategies developed by Ninjatrader employees themselves.

I haven't had positive experiences with many of the programmers listed on the 'consultant' link. Of course, I understand that Ninjatrader doesn't recommend or endorse any of these sites. But that's the problem I'm experiencing- being left on my own on this issue.

I sent e-mails to four of these sites, and haven't received a reply back. There were other responses that were prompt and professional, but were inept in coding real-time indicators correctly. It was also difficult to make some of them understand more complex concepts of my ideas no matter how clearly I explained (screenshots of drawings and whatnot).

One of the consultants I would definitely not do business with again is 'quantmotion.com'. My indicator was coded incorrectly, and after requesting for it to be fixed, I didn't receive a response after several e-mails and got hung up on after calling. I filed complaints with the BBB and the FTC. This is not a company you want your name to be associated with.

Custom coding several indicators and strategies is an expensive investment, and I can't afford to hire programmers with compromised abilities and ethics. It's a serious problem.

Please give this suggestion some serious consideration. MultiCharts, and several other platform software companies offer these services (paid). I think it will make Ninjatrader more competitive, as I'm currently on the fence about purchasing a NT life-time license.

Thank you.

-Nick

[Frameshifter]

I have had similar experiences with fly by night code monkeys. I am learning to do it myself (I have a programming background) and I only deal with people I have worked with a long time. One in particular I have known for 15+ years. He was with me from the birth of the web and we still talk weekly.

For the headaches you could save yourself from time and again, it might be worth it to try to have a go yourself.

[NinjaTrader_Bertrand]

Thanks for the suggestion Nick and it's unfortunate to hear about your challenges. I will make sure to add your thoughts to our internal tracking list for product enhancement.

We also plan on offering more in depth education classes for learning how to program in NinjaScript, which ultimately would allow for highest flexibility as Frameshifter also pointed out here.

[koganam]

Hello,

A suggestion that I think is really pertinent is giving us the option to have custom indicators and strategies developed by Ninjatrader employees themselves.

I haven't had positive experiences with many of the programmers listed on the 'consultant' link. Of course, I understand that Ninjatrader doesn't recommend or endorse any of these sites. But that's the problem I'm experiencing- being left on my own on this issue.

I sent e-mails to four of these sites, and haven't received a reply back. There were other responses that were prompt and professional, but were inept in coding real-time indicators correctly. It was also difficult to make some of them understand more complex concepts of my ideas no matter how clearly I explained (screenshots of drawings and whatnot).

One of the consultants I would definitely not do business with again is 'quantmotion.com'. My indicator was coded incorrectly, and after requesting for it to be fixed, I didn't receive a response after several e-mails and got hung up on after calling. I filed complaints with the BBB and the FTC. This is not a company you want your name to be associated with.

Custom coding several indicators and strategies is an expensive investment, and I can't afford to hire programmers with compromised abilities and ethics. It's a serious problem.

Please give this suggestion some serious consideration. MultiCharts, and several other platform software companies offer these services (paid). I think it will make Ninjatrader more competitive, as I'm currently on the fence about purchasing a NT life-time license.

Thank you.

-Nick

Could you give an example (hide the secret sauce), of a Technical Spec that you sent out, just so that I can see what we are talking about. In my experience, many potential customers balk at even providing a Technical Spec. You seem to imply that you have provided Technical Specs in the past. If I may, can I take a peek. I may be able to offer some advice.

Many developers that I know, me included, and many that I do not, will now not even start thinking about coding until there is a bounded Technical Spec. Too many have been burned by ever-expanding, never-ending projects, where the customer eventually claims to be dissatisfied, because his latest brainstorm has not been included in what was originally scoped to be a small project with a definite time line. (Yes, I have been there too, and it even happened on one that I was coding for free to boot!).

I am not saying that that is what you intend to do: I am merely explaining what sometimes happens when one wants to start a project and contacts a developer.

Just my $0.02.

[nickse2003]

Hello Koganam,

Sure, of course. I don't mind providing an attachment of one of the drafted ideas. But for the sake of an example, I wanted a simple bid ask ratio indicator coded in histogram form calculated (0 to 100%). The developer I had mentioned in my previous post gave me an estimate on that project without any further questions asked. Then it just went downhill from there.

I agree with you that the customer should provide explicit details regarding the scope of their project, and be willing to communicate any and all details that the programmer needs to fully understand the project. That's common sense. I also respect the time and effort that is involved in completing these projects. If the customer wants something edited or modified, then they should expect to pay for it accordingly.

Mind you, with the exception of Quantmotion; even though I was dissatisfied with a few of the other vendors services, I respected them as individuals even though not necessarily as good coders. This is because I felt that they coded my project to the best of their abilities, and they communicated with me in a professional manner. We came to a mutual agreement, despite being disappointed with a few technical glitches.

Anyway, I attached one of my drafts titled 'Buy Sell Volume Range', if you're curious to take a look. And as Frameshifter suggested, I'm going to eventually learn how to code, myself.

Thanks for your reply and insight

-Nick

[koganam]

Hello Koganam,

Sure, of course. I don't mind providing an attachment of one of the drafted ideas. But for the sake of an example, I wanted a simple bid ask ratio indicator coded in histogram form calculated (0 to 100%). The developer I had mentioned in my previous post gave me an estimate on that project without any further questions asked. Then it just went downhill from there.

I agree with you that the customer should provide explicit details regarding the scope of their project, and be willing to communicate any and all details that the programmer needs to fully understand the project. That's common sense. I also respect the time and effort that is involved in completing these projects. If the customer wants something edited or modified, then they should expect to pay for it accordingly.

Mind you, with the exception of Quantmotion; even though I was dissatisfied with a few of the other vendors services, I respected them as individuals even though not necessarily as good coders. This is because I felt that they coded my project to the best of their abilities, and they communicated with me in a professional manner. We came to a mutual agreement, despite being disappointed with a few technical glitches.

Anyway, I attached one of my drafts titled 'Buy Sell Volume Range', if you're curious to take a look. And as Frameshifter suggested, I'm going to eventually learn how to code, myself.

Thanks for your reply and insight

-Nick

Well! That is as close to a perfect Technical Spec as I have ever seen. Thanks for sharing it.

The only query that I would then raise is: "So this is a real time only indicator, incapable of backtesting? Is that right? I say so because the only way to test whether the last price was above the bid or ask, is to do so in OnMarketData(), or by using GetCurrentBid() and GetCurrentAsk(), both of which only really return real time values."

"While it may be possible to use a Bid and Ask price DataSeries, there would still be no way to associate quanta of historical Volume to specific prices. How would you want to handle historical bars? There are ways to get an approximation, mainly by using the propertionality of the candle body to its range, but is that what you want to do?"

[nickse2003]

You got it, Koganam! Feel free to use the idea as you see fit.

Yes, that is correct- Since this current version of NT doesn't store ask/ bid information, the closest way to backtest an idea like this is to run it on a virtual private server, and allow it to run to create the bars' values. Even for short-term/ day trading, I would subscribe to several months of service or as long as possible so that I can analyze the higher time frames (or tick, range, whatnot), and trade in the direction of the trend or even try to anticipate a possible reversal point.

Regarding the comparison of the average volume to range against the current volume to range (ask and bid volume aside), the calculations generated solely for that aspect of my idea by the formulas in my attachment would be backtestable in historical data, as is. But I see what you're saying though, and you're right about having to having to use 'OnMarketData()', and the other commands you mentioned for the ask and bid values to be calculated correctly.

That reminds me of the goods news I read here! Is it by next month that the beta trial of 'NT8' will be released? I hope so! According to it's listed features, ask and bid values will be stored.

Anyway, like I said, feel free to implement my idea if you find it to be helpful in your analysis.

Good luck in your trading!

-Nick

[koganam]

... Regarding the comparison of the average volume to range against the current volume to range (ask and bid volume aside), the calculations generated solely for that aspect of my idea by the formulas in my attachment would be backtestable in historical data, as is.

-Nick

I did get a bit busy trying to get something out to a customer, so did not really have time to look at this until now.

Regarding the part that I have quoted, I think I have it coded correctly. However, even though you published the technical spec, per my request, I am going to let you decide if you want it distributed, so I cannot post the final (beta) code in here.

Though the wording of your Tech Spec was understandable, I changed it to the following, which seems just a tad clearer. "The multiplier value for the volume range is calculated by dividing a lookback period's cumulative bars' volume by the cumulative bars' range (high-low). This value is then multiplied by the current price bar's range, to get the current bar's volume range, and forms as an outline on the bar."

Please send me a PM, so we can arrange for you to have the code for testing.

This is what it looks like.

[bluelou]

Hello,

A suggestion that I think is really pertinent is giving us the option to have custom indicators and strategies developed by Ninjatrader employees themselves.

I haven't had positive experiences with many of the programmers listed on the 'consultant' link. Of course, I understand that Ninjatrader doesn't recommend or endorse any of these sites. But that's the problem I'm experiencing- being left on my own on this issue.

I sent e-mails to four of these sites, and haven't received a reply back. There were other responses that were prompt and professional, but were inept in coding real-time indicators correctly. It was also difficult to make some of them understand more complex concepts of my ideas no matter how clearly I explained (screenshots of drawings and whatnot).

One of the consultants I would definitely not do business with again is 'quantmotion.com'. My indicator was coded incorrectly, and after requesting for it to be fixed, I didn't receive a response after several e-mails and got hung up on after calling. I filed complaints with the BBB and the FTC. This is not a company you want your name to be associated with.

Custom coding several indicators and strategies is an expensive investment, and I can't afford to hire programmers with compromised abilities and ethics. It's a serious problem.

Please give this suggestion some serious consideration. MultiCharts, and several other platform software companies offer these services (paid). I think it will make Ninjatrader more competitive, as I'm currently on the fence about purchasing a NT life-time license.

Thank you.

-Nick

nickse2003,
I had a really bad experience with quantmotion, too. Really, they just took my money. But, there's other bad ones "certified" by Ninja. In fact, only worked with one really good NT consultant of the 3 I've tried so far. NT probably shouldn't certify anyone.