Indicator Code Not Executed When Added to a Strategy

[dp2002]

Hi, I am using NT8 and having some difficulty accessing boolean properties for an indicator that has been added to a strategy. When attempting to access the properties exposed by the indicator, the properties only return the initialized values of the associated bool variables.

My custom indicator, dpSlope, has two public boolean properties; "isRising" and "isFalling":

		[Browsable(false)]
		[XmlIgnore]
		public bool isRising
		{
			get { return SlopeRising; }
		}

		[Browsable(false)]
		[XmlIgnore]
		public bool isFalling
		{
			get { return SlopeFalling; }
		}

The return variables are defined as follows:

      #region Variables
        private bool SlopeRising = false;
        private bool SlopeFalling = false;
        #endregion

These variables are updated in the OnBarUpdate() method for the indicator:

            if (IsRising(Values[0]))
            {
                PlotBrushes[0][0] = Brushes.Green;
                SlopeFalling = false;
                SlopeRising = true;
            }
            else if (IsFalling(Values[0]))
            {
                PlotBrushes[0][0] = Brushes.Red;
                SlopeFalling = true;
                SlopeRising = false;
            }

These "if" statements are properly executed when I use Visual Studio to debug the indicator, itself. The indicator bars show the proper color on the chart window and the bool variables show the correct values within Visual Studio.

In the Strategy, I added the indicator so that it plots it in the chart.

			else if (State == State.Configure)
			{
				AddChartIndicator(dpSlope(SlopePeriod, SlopeLookBack, false));
                                AddChartIndicator(MACD(12, 26, 9));
 			}

The strategy plots the dpSlope indicator properly with the correct colors for the bars.

In the strategy OnBarUpdate method, I use the following code to access the bool properties:

           Print("isRising " + dpSlope(SlopePeriod, SlopeLookBack, false).isRising);
           if ((dpSlope(SlopePeriod, SlopeLookBack, false).isRising) && (CrossAbove(MACD(12,29,9).Diff,0,1)))

This code only returns the initialized value for SlopeRising defined in the indicator. For example, if I initialize this variable to "true", then dpSlope(parameter list).isRising will return "true". The same holds true if I access the isFalling property.

If I use Visual Studio to set breakpoints at the point these variables are updated in the indicator, they will never be hit.

I am at a loss as to why this may be happening. Any help would be appreciated.

Regards,

dp2002

[sledge]

Without some full sample code to download and test...

Is your issue related to this?

http://ninjatrader.com/support/forum/showthread.php?t=84176

[dp2002]

Thank you for the quick reply, Sledge.

The attached file contains the exported files; dpSlope (Indicator) and dpSlopeTest (Strategy).

I believe the problem is in someway related to the post you provided. I inserted a print statement which outputs the Values[0][0] of the indicator dataseries. It prints a value of zero whether I add the strategy or refresh the strategy.

When I change the initialization values for "SlopeRising" and "SlopeFalling" in the indicator code to 'true", surprisingly the entry and exit signals are executed. The entries are on every "positive" crossover of the MACD signal since the test condition is obviously true. It appears the indicator is collecting the correct values for the dataseries, yet the output of the print statement is still zero.

P.S. The attached code should still have the SlopeRising and the SlopeFalling variables set to "true". Also, the input properties for the UniRenko bars are not used in the code.

Regards,

dp2002

[NinjaTrader_PaulH]

Hello dp2002,

Thanks for your posts and code.

In your public properties you will want to call Update(). Please see: http://ninjatrader.com/support/helpG...us/?update.htm

For example:

[Browsable(false)]
		[XmlIgnore]
		public bool isRising
		{
			get { [COLOR="Blue"]Update();[/COLOR] return SlopeRising; }
		}

		[Browsable(false)]
		[XmlIgnore]
		public bool isFalling
		{
			get {[COLOR="Blue"]Update();[/COLOR] return SlopeFalling; }
		}

[dp2002]

Thanks Paul,

The Update() method fixed the issue.