Migrating custom software from Transact

[jmyers0482]

I am migrating my custom indicator database and software from Transact to NT. Presently, Transact offers both a C# API and web socket API to subscribe to tick data for any given contract. What is the comparable method to use with NT?

[NinjaTrader_ChelseaB]

Hello jmyers0482,

Welcome to the NinjaTrader forums!

Are you creating a NinjaScript Indictor that runs internally in NinjaTrader or are you creating an external application to connect with the API?

Below is a link to a forum post with details about the API for external applications.

https://ninjatrader.com/support/forum/forum/ninjatrader-8/strategy-development/100199-orders-are-not-displayed-in-chart?p=793626#post793626

Also, below is a link to a forum post with helpful information about getting started with NinjaScripts which run internally in NinjaTrader.

https://ninjatrader.com/support/forum/forum/ninjatrader-8/indicator-development/97575-sample-scripts?p=786040#post786040

[jmyers0482]

This will be an external application running as a service. Does NT need to be running for these libraries to work?

[NinjaTrader_ChelseaB]

Hello jmyers0482,

Yes, to send or receive data or orders NinjaTrader must be running and connected to the data feed / broker.

[jmyers0482]

This is a fundamentally different approach than the Transact API. Do you know of an API that runs independently from any trading platform that you would recommend? For the indicators to work properly real-time tick data is needed.

[jmyers0482]

I suppose another approach I could use is creating a socket connection in an indicator and use the onMarketData event to push the tick through the socket connection to my software. That essentially replicates Transact's functionality. The only thing I don't like is I have to have ninja trader running and would not be able to use the license on another computer.

[NinjaTrader_ChelseaB]

Hello jmyers0482,

Do you mean to interface with NinjaTrader to an external application? The NinjaTrader API would be all that is documented and supported by NinjaTrader, but there may other undocumented ways with general C#.

You can use the Simulation Only license key from a computer you do not plan to trade from. Send an email to platformsupport [at] ninjatrader [dot] com to request the Simulation Only license key.

[jmyers0482]

Yes from NT to an external app. Then the external app would parse the data and provide a signal back to the trader either through an indicator on a chart or separate UI.

Thanks for your help... you got the wheels turning.