Properties window not updating for current Strategy

[bluelou]

I'm trying to backtest a strategy in the Strategy Analyzer. When I change the strategy from the pull-down menu (in the backtest dialog box) the properties belong to the previous strategy that populated the dialog box.

I've tried shutting down NT and rebooting my PC multiple times but I'm unable to get the strategy name and the properties associated with the strategy to appear in the same backtest dialog box.

BTW, this problem is only occurring with my custom strategies. There's no problem with the canned NT strategies. I didn't have this problem until today. Please help.

-Lou

[NinjaTrader_Ray]

This happens when you have two strategies that use the same parameter names. This is a known limitation. What we suggest is to provide unique parameter names across strategies.

For example, instead of using the property name Period on strategy A and B, do something like:

StrategyAPeriod, StrategyBPeriod

Hope this makes sense.

[bluelou]

Thanks Ray. I'll give this a try.
-Lou

[bluelou]

Ray,
The problem you described isn't what's happening. I'm not able to get the properties to change even when the properties for each strategy are very different. Your suggestions?

[NinjaTrader_Ray]

To clarify, what do you mean by change?

You have a property with a default value of "5". You start NT and the first time you select this strategy --> It should say 5.
Then you change to 6.
Next time you select this strategy --> Property shows 6

If this is correct, then this is expected.

[bluelou]

Ray,
Here's a description:
1) Given 2 strategies with 3 properties each, here are the default values.
Strategy1: PropertyA = 4, PropertyB = True, PropertyC = 8
Strategy2: PropertyX = False, PropertyY = 1, PropertyZ = 3

2) If Strategy1 was the 1st strategy populating the backtest dialog box and then I use the pull-down menu to select Strategy2, I get the following:

Strategy2: PropertyA = 4, PropertyB = True, PropertyC = 8

In other words, I get the Strategy2 name but with the Strategy1 property names and values.

3) Of course, I get 0 trades when this happens and I get 0 values in the Control Center Log file

[NinjaTrader_Ray]

To clarify -

- All six property names are unique across the two strategies
- Strategy1 has property names A, B, C
- Strategy2 has property names X, Y, Z
- You select Strategy1 --> You see property names A, B, C
- You select Strategy2 --> You see property names A, B, C and NOT properties X, Y, Z

Is this correct?

[bluelou]

That's correct. And it seems to be happening only with my custom strategies, not the canned NT strategies. And I didn't have the problem until today.

[NinjaTrader_Dierk]

Please post simple simple as possible strategies 1 and 2 with properties A, B, C and X, Y, Z to reproduce the issue.

[bluelou]

Dierk,
I was able to come up with a less than ideal solution to the problem but I don't understand why this works, please follow...

1) I'm wondering if a custom indicator that calls a DLL in a strategy can cause the backtest properties to break down. Is this a known problem?

2) I have a custom indicator that I use in my strategy. The indicator name is Wv.

3) It seems that if I create an instance of my indicator in Variables then I get all sorts of problems with the Backtest ->Properties dialog box.

#region Variables
// private NinjaTrader.Indicator.Wv Wv_new = new NinjaTrader.Indicator.Wv();

4) However, if I call the custom indicator in Initialize() and call the indicator throughout my code in the same way then I don't have any problems in the Properties window. Why is this?

Also, I'd prefer to create a single instance of the indicator and use a variable name to reference it rather than calling the indicator w/its parameter set dozens of times throughout the code. Any ideas?

protected override void Initialize()
{
Add(Wv(Close, 1, 3));

[NinjaTrader_Dierk]

Sorry, I don't follow. Do you have simple as possible strategies as per my previous post to reproduce the issue you originally posted? Thanks

[bluelou]

Dierk,
Let's drop it for now. I think the problem is in the Strategy Analyzer, not in my code. However, I think I found a way around the problem. That's what I was trying to explain in my last message. I'll re-post the issue if my workaround breaks down.

-Lou

[NinjaTrader_Dierk]

What you're trying to do in our post #10 won't fly. Please use the suggested way to access an indicator, we don't provide support for accessing indicators by variables.

[bluelou]

Dierk,
That's the answer I was looking for

Thx,
Lou