NT Version (8.1.2.0) import error with a protected compiled assembly

[Sebastian - TwinPeaks]

I will be happy to pay for NinjaTrader support to have a NinjaTrader Edition Agile.NET license. Just send me the MAC address of your test machine.

Let's join forces for this. If the poor NT support can't afford an Agile license, then we as a community can certainly help here... "irony off"

[QuantKey_Bruce]

I didn't mean it in any disrespectful way. There could be any number of reasons they don't have one. But, I think they should have one and if I can help with that, I am here.

[sidlercom80]

I don't mean any disrespect when I say that support MUST have such a license, otherwise it's not real support. They need to be able to test things like this and not ask the incompetent development team for help every time, because they don't seem to test their stuff thoroughly before releasing it anyway.
NinjaTrader_BrandonH I have neither the desire nor the time to take on your work or that of your development team. I find it cheeky that we as customers are always supposed to do this test work. Test it yourself! Thank you for answering anyway.

[jeronymite]

...
Since our support team does not have licensing for Agile and we depend on our development team to do testing with this, please perform the test below and write in to [...] to share your [various files and processes].
...
I will share the information with the Development team so they may look into this matter further.
...
Please share the information noted above with us so I may share it with the Development team.

All of this is indicative of a flawed approach to software and services design and management. Asking a customer to do very specific tests that are time-consuming and could just as easily be done by Development, and then simply passing those outcomes through to Development anyway is, frankly, rather bizarre.

Development should be more than capable of doing this! And, in fact, should have done this as part of QA!

Even if Support does not have access to Agile (again, poor design/management), there is zero reason to make a customer jump through hoops that are the professional responsibility of Development and QA.

Whilst the offer by QuantKey_Bruce to fund an Agile licence for Support is admirable, the mere fact that such an offer might even need to be considered is also bizarre, and once again indicative of flawed service management, and, sadly, just one of many flaws of this nature that cause very regular embarrassment for NinjaTrader and disruption to its customers.

Service Management can be improved ... but only if there is a recognition of the need and a willingness to do so. I don't detect either in NinjaTrader, and haven't for a long time. But I keep hoping that will change.

Thanks.

[intelligenttrader]

I saw this today. Does this mean all the issues with Agile have been fixed? I am not promoting any versions above 8.1.1.7 to any of our customers at the moment.

[NinjaTrader_BrandonH]

Hello intelligenttrader,

Thanks for your notes.

Our Development team is no longer able to reproduce the error when exporting a protected assembly from NinjaTrader 8.1.2.1 using Agile 6.9.1.2.

The Development team has informed us that protected assemblies exported from NinjaTrader 8.1.2.1 with Agile 6.9.1.2 are able to be imported to NinjaTrader 8.1.2.1 and previous versions (8.1.1.7 and 8.0.28.0).

https://ninjatrader.com/support/helpGuides/nt8/protection_dll_security.htm

If you happen to see an issue come up regarding this topic, please write in to support[at]ninjatrader[dot]com.

[QuantKey_Bruce]

Be aware that even if this is fully addressed, 8.1.2.1 compiles so much more slowly than 8.1.1.7 that you might find yourself rolling back for that reason. We're not talking a little slower, but something like 2 seconds becomes so many minutes you give up and end it with task manager, then find you trashed your database and now you have to do a repair install. Ask me how many times I ended up doing that while testing 8.1.2...

[QuantKey_Bruce]

One thing that you absolutely cannot do is install Agile 6.9.1.2 and then go back to NinjaTrader 8.1.1.7 or NinjaTrader 8.0.28.0. To do so creates protected assemblies that, when imported, hang NinjaTrader and cause all sorts of chaos. So, understand that if you update to Agile 6.9.1.2 there's no going back to NinjaTrader 8.1.1.x or below or you will have to revert Agile.NET versions.

[QuantKey_Bruce]

I am not able to verify that protected assemblies created from 8.1.2.x even with Agile 6.9.1.2 work in NinjaTrader 8.1.1.7.

[QuantKey_Bruce]

Today, I performed the following tests. They were all conducted on one machine - a machine that has a medium-sized but not ridiculous amount of NinjaScript source code on it (80MB vs maybe 50MB stock for bin folder). Machine working perfectly on 8.1.1.7 at the start of the tests.

(1) Updated to latest Agile.NET 6.9.1.2.
(2) In NinjaScript Editor, did Save As using @SMA.cs and called it MySMA, renaming the file, the class, and the name property, changed nothing else, recompiled.
(3) Put MySMA on a chart to make sure it worked (and of course, it did).
(4) Exported a protected assembly of only MySMA from NT 8.1.1.7 and called the protected file MySMAExportedFromNT8117Agile6912.
(5) Made a complete copy of my Documents -> NinjaTrader 8 folder.
(6) Upgraded NinjaTrader to the latest NinjaTrader 8.1.2.1.
(7) Waited an /unbelievably/ long time for the first compile - over ten minutes - but did not give up and finally it did finish.
(8) Exported a protected assembly of only MySMA from NT 8.1.2.1 and called the protected file MySMAExportedFromNT8121Agile6912.
(9) Deleted MySMA.cs. Recompiled. Waited an unbelievably long time.
(10) Exited NT8. Imported the MySMAExportedFromNT8117Agile6912 assembly. Put MySMA on a chart and verified that it worked.
(11) Removed the MySMAExportedFromNT8117Agile6912 assembly, which took an unbelievably long time. Several errors appeared on the Log tab along the lines of:
2023-11-30 15:10:44:723 ERROR: Indicator 'SOMEUNRELATEDINDICATORHERE': Error on calling 'SetState' method: Could not load file or assembly 'MySMAExportedFromNT8117Agile6912, Version=1.0.0.1, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null' or one of its dependencies. The system cannot find the file specified.
There were six or eight of these, and in each case, the name of the indicator reporting the problem was not anything to do with MySMA nor related to or in the assembly I just removed.
(12) Restarted NT8. Imported MySMAExportedFromNT8121Agile6912. Waited the usual unbelievably long time for it to finish. Put MySMA on a chart and verified that it worked.
(13) Shut down NT8, saved the two protected assemblies and deleted the entire Documents -> NinjaTrader 8 folder, putting back my saved copy which was of 8.1.1.7.
(14) Uninstalled NT8, reinstalled 8.1.1.7.
(15) Deleted MySMA.cs (because it was still in the source when the copy was made. Installed MySMAExportedFromNT8117Agile6912.
(16) Tried to put MySMA on a chart. Platform hung. Ended with task manager, and restarted NT8.
(17). Tried again to put MySMA on a chart. Platform hung at Indicators list with a pop-up (see screenshot below).
(18) Removed that assembly, and installed instead MySMAExportedFromNT8121Agile6912. Restarted NT8.
(19) Tried to put MySMA on a chart, this time platform did not hang at the Indicators dialog, but still did not work and gave error message without requiring end with task manager.
(20) Removed that assembly and put source file back. Restarted NT8. Verified indicator works fine again.

From this, I conclude the following so far:

(A) NinjaTrader 8.1.2.x compiles EXTREMELY slowly compared to NT 8.1.1.7 for any medium or large amount of source code.
(B) You can't make assemblies that work on NT 8.1.1.7 using Agile.NET 6.9.1.2 from either NT 8.1.1.7 or NT 8.1.2.1.

What am I missing?

[QuantKey_Bruce]

If any developer has succeesfully used Agile.NET 6.9.1.2 to create an assembly from NinjaTrader 8.1.2.1 that they are able to get to run in NinjaTrader 8.1.1.7 and/or NinjaTrader 8.0.28.0 could you please confirm? I can repeat my tests on a completely clean machine and completely clean install of everything, but before I do that, I would be curious if anyone else has been able to get it to work.

[intelligenttrader]

I am currently using Agile v6.6.0.35 NTE. All of our compiled and protected assemblies work on versions up to and including 8.1.1.7 and that is why we are hanging here till the dust settles. We don't see any value in having our customers upgrading to new versions of NT yet. Thanks Bruce for your due diligence. Maybe NT should offer you a position in development. (Smile emoji inserted)

[QuantKey_Bruce]

I am not 100% convinced I am not seeing problems because of the complexity of my pre-existing install. I should probably repeat all this using a clean machine, but before I do, I was hoping to hear someone else had gotten it to work.

I am aware that the prior Agile.NET version on NT 8.1.1.7 makes assemblies that work, and I totally agree, that's where the center of gravity should be until this gets sorted.

For one, I can't stand how much longer it takes to compile a non-trivial amount of source, and for that reason alone I'm willing to forgo C# 8 for now. If I am forced to upgrade by circumstances for ongoing development work, I'm not sure what I'll have to do, but quite possibly, not compile in NinjaScript Editor anymore and work solely in Visual Studio. I don't want to have to do that, because to do so means every time there's a change I have to restart NinjaTrader Desktop, and now that it requires the password be typed every time, that's ... suboptimal.

[NinjaTrader_BrandonH]

Hello QuantKey_Bruce,

Thanks for your notes.

The slow compile time in NinjaTrader 8.1.2.x has been reported to the Development team and they are still looking into this matter.

Once they are finished investigating this matter I will update this forum thread with more information on their findings.

NinjaScripts exported as protected assemblies from NinjaTrader 8.1.1.7 must be exported with Agile 6.6.0.35.

NinjaScripts exported as protected assemblies from NinjaTrader 8.1.2.1 must be exported with Agile 6.9.1.2.

Attached is a protected assembly shared by the Development team that was exported with NinjaTrader 8.1.2.1 using Agile 6.9.1.2.

Are you able to successfully import this into a clean environment of 8.1.2.1 and 8.1.1.7 without issue?

Creating a clean environment can be done by following the steps below:

1. Close NinjaTrader 8, and rename the "NinjaTrader 8" folder in My Documents to something like: "NinjaTrader 8.1.2.1 OLD"
2. Uninstall NinjaTrader from the Windows Control Panel and reinstall NinjaTrader 8.1.2.1 using the installer from account.ninjatrader.com
3. Test importing the attached assembly.

Then, create a clean environment for NinjaTrader 8.1.1.7 by following the steps below, import the assembly, and note the behavior.

Creating a clean environment can be done by following the steps below:

1. Close NinjaTrader 8, and rename the "NinjaTrader 8" folder in My Documents to something like: "NinjaTrader 8.1.2.1 Test"
2. Uninstall NinjaTrader from the Windows Control Panel and reinstall NinjaTrader 8.1.1.7 using the installer from account.ninjatrader.com
3. Import the attached assembly.
4. Add the indicator to the chart window and see if the same behavior occurs.

Please report back if you are able to successfully import the attached assembly after following the steps above.

[sidlercom80]

Hello QuantKey_Bruce,

Thanks for your notes.

The slow compile time in NinjaTrader 8.1.2.x has been reported to the Development team and they are still looking into this matter.

Once they are finished investigating this matter I will update this forum thread with more information on their findings.

NinjaScripts exported as protected assemblies from NinjaTrader 8.1.1.7 must be exported with Agile 6.6.0.35.

NinjaScripts exported as protected assemblies from NinjaTrader 8.1.2.1 must be exported with Agile 6.9.1.2.

Attached is a protected assembly shared by the Development team that was exported with NinjaTrader 8.1.2.1 using Agile 6.9.1.2.

Are you able to successfully import this into a clean environment of 8.1.2.1 and 8.1.1.7 without issue?

Creating a clean environment can be done by following the steps below:

1. Close NinjaTrader 8, and rename the "NinjaTrader 8" folder in My Documents to something like: "NinjaTrader 8.1.2.1 OLD"
2. Uninstall NinjaTrader from the Windows Control Panel and reinstall NinjaTrader 8.1.2.1 using the installer from account.ninjatrader.com
3. Test importing the attached assembly.

​Then, create a clean environment for NinjaTrader 8.1.1.7 by following the steps below, import the assembly, and note the behavior.

Creating a clean environment can be done by following the steps below:

1. Close NinjaTrader 8, and rename the "NinjaTrader 8" folder in My Documents to something like: "NinjaTrader 8.1.2.1 Test"
2. Uninstall NinjaTrader from the Windows Control Panel and reinstall NinjaTrader 8.1.1.7 using the installer from account.ninjatrader.com
3. Import the attached assembly.
4. Add the indicator to the chart window and see if the same behavior occurs.

Please report back if you are able to successfully import the attached assembly after following the steps above.

Hi NinjaTrader_BrandonH I don't know how your great development team tested this, but I can't confirm that. As already described in my post 71 My suggestion would be that your development team makes a video that confirms that it should be possible. There are several people here who don't seem to be able to do this properly, including me. If your development team can prove to us with a video that it works as they claim, that would be great. Until that happens, it is not possible for me to export a protected compiled assembly in NT 8.1.2.1 and import it in version 8.1.7.1 without errors.