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

[sidlercom80]

I have exported my add-on in NT 8.1.2.1 using the version of Agile.net 6.9.1.2 obtained from the url provided (https://ninjatrader.com/support/help...l_security.htm)

I am still getting the error as everyone else is having when trying to load the add/on within 8.1.1.7 and earlier. This did not resolve the issue using this version. Can anyone else confirm the same issue?

I believe you immediately and without hesitation. I don't think NT support knows exactly what it's all about, because they can't check it themselves because they don't have a license from Agile to be able to check it at all. That alone is laughable enough.

[NinjaTrader_BrandonH]

Hello Jdmtrader,

Thanks for your notes.

My team lead NinjaTrader_Chelsea has tested exporting a protected assembly from NinjaTrader 8.1.2.1 with the NinjaTrader Edition Agile.NET 6.9.1.2 and confirmed the exported assembly was successfully imported into NinjaTrader 8.1.1.7.

First, ensure you are using the current version of NinjaTrader (8.1.2.1) by going to Control Center > Help > About.

Once you confirm you are using the current version of NinjaTrader, uninstall Agile and then reinstall Agile 6.9.1.2 using the installer linked in the help guide page below.

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

Verify the version of Agile is correct (6.9.1.2) and make sure you launched it and put in the license.

Then test exporting a protected assembly using NinjaTrader 8.1.2.1 and Agile 6.9.1.2. After exporting the protected assembly, test importing the export into NinjaTrader 8.1.1.7 and report your results.

[sidlercom80]

Hello Jdmtrader,

Thanks for your notes.

My team lead NinjaTrader_Chelsea has tested exporting a protected assembly from NinjaTrader 8.1.2.1 with the NinjaTrader Edition Agile.NET 6.9.1.2 and confirmed the exported assembly was successfully imported into NinjaTrader 8.1.1.7.

First, ensure you are using the current version of NinjaTrader (8.1.2.1) by going to Control Center > Help > About.

Once you confirm you are using the current version of NinjaTrader, uninstall Agile and then reinstall Agile 6.9.1.2 using the installer linked in the help guide page below.

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

Verify the version of Agile is correct (6.9.1.2) and make sure you launched it and put in the license.

Then test exporting a protected assembly using NinjaTrader 8.1.2.1 and Agile 6.9.1.2. After exporting the protected assembly, test importing the export into NinjaTrader 8.1.1.7 and report your results.​

Just to avoid any misunderstandings, is this only compatible from version 8.1.1.7 or before?

[Jdmtrader]

I think I may have figured out why this isn't working. SecureTeam responded and said that you have to replace your old license with a new license. I received a new license key from them, deleted out the old license files and relicensed Agile.Net and it appears to have worked. (the directory they provided is actually AgileDotNet for me, not CliSecure

[jeronymite]

This is another thorough mess! Let's be clear: these problems should not have happened.

The astonishing factors involved include:

• NinjaTrader does not appear to have both the NinjaTrader-specific version of Agile.net and the full-function version of Agile.net -- both should be available to the NinjaTrader Development Team and NinjaTrader Support Team
• This would enable Development to ensure compatibility with new releases for its customers who develop, and also fully protect the new release as one would expect
• It would also give Support the ability to actually test these things when customers report issues -- given that there seems to be an almost impenetrable barrier (and an insane and totally unreasonably high bar!) for the movement of matters from Support to Development, this is as essential as Development having both versions
• NinjaTrader and Agile.net should have a depth of professional relationship that ensures these issues simply do not happen -- if all tests on a new release work with the current release of Agile.net, that's good; but if there is any issue at all, the two companies need to have confidence to address the matters as expeditiously and effectively as possible
• While recognising that continuing development means "new" ways of doing things, there seems to be a complete lack of concern for any degree of backwards compatibility
• Once again, all this is symptomatic of an almost disdainful approach to having professional IT Service Management (ITSM) principles and practices in place [I have spoken at length about this here, and it obviously continues to plague the company's ability to produce and release reliable software.]
• With the many issues that afflict 8.1.2.x, it would be both sensible and prudent to withdraw it and allow 8.1.1.7 to be the most recent version until a reliable 8.1.2.x version is ready [Again, I have spoken of this here.]

Until there is a sea change in how the software is developed and managed, as well as in management attitudes to professional ITSM and to customer engagement, it seems we, the customers, are slated to continue to be treated as beta testers. So much potential and goodwill squandered needlessly.

Thanks.

[sidlercom80]

jeronymite You hit the spot exactly, thank you for your kind words. Maybe we'll be lucky and there will be an update in the next 10 years that works correctly and for all relevant versions. As we all know, hope dies last.

[QuantKey_Bruce]

There's no excuse for how all of this happened, but it did, and here we are. Once some of the more serious problems with 8.1.2.x are resolved (remember me checkbox, fix the compiler hangs indefinitely problem, at least) I suspect the center of gravity of average developer work will shift to 8.1.2.x but until those things are resolved I don't see how it can. In fact, some are still on 8.0.28.0 because it's just too annoying to deal with the login prompts continually all day long and although I personally spend most of the time on 8.1.1.7, I would shift to 8.1.2.x if they fix the compiler hanging indefinitely problem. When the center of gravity for development moves to 8.1.2.x the issue of backward compatibility via SecureTeam various releases is still an issue but less significant.

[intelligenttrader]

Do we have any updates from NinjaTrader and Agile on this. I am with Bruce. If there are still other issues with the 8.1.2.1 besides Agile I would rather wait. No offense meant to anyone, but I don't get paid to debug my platform. Would be nice to have a vendor bypass on mail login.

[NinjaTrader_BrandonH]

Hello intelligenttrader,

Thanks for your notes.

SecureTeam pushed out a change to allow the NinjaTrader version of Agile.NET 6.9.1.2 to work the same as the full version of Agile.NET 6.9.1.2.

To export assemblies protected with Agile.NET, make sure you are updated to NinjaTrader Desktop 8.1.2.1 and use Agile.NET 6.9.1.2.

See this help guide page for more information and for a download link to Agile.NET 6.9.1.2: https://ninjatrader.com/support/help...l_security.htm

Further, the Development team will be implementing a fix for this in a future NinjaTrader release. We do not have an ETA for when that release will be available at this time.

[jeronymite]

For those vendors who support both 8.0.x.x and 8.1.x.x versions of NinjaTrader, the following statements in the Agile.NET information reference above are problematic:

At this time we recommend using version 6.9.1.2
For clients on 8.0.28.0 or older you can continue to use 6.6.0.35

How can vendors support both 8.0.x.x and 8.1.x.x versions of NinjaTrader with Agile.NET. There needs to be a solution for this!

Thanks.

[NinjaTrader_BrandonH]

Hello jeronymite,

Thanks for your notes.

The Development team will be implementing a fix for this in a future NinjaTrader release.

The newer Agile.NET version was necessary because of the update to Roslyn and C# 8 in 8.1.2.0.

With NinjaTrader 8.1.1.7 and Agile.NET 6.6.0.35 exports should work (and should import into any NinjaTrader version)

[jeronymite]

Thanks, NinjaTrader_BrandonH. Please confirm: The fix will allow export from and import to any 8.0 or 8.1 version without issue using just ONE version of Agile.NET.

Thanks.

[QuantKey_Bruce]

Hello jeronymite,

Thanks for your notes.

The Development team will be implementing a fix for this in a future NinjaTrader release.

The newer Agile.NET version was necessary because of the update to Roslyn and C# 8 in 8.1.2.0.

With NinjaTrader 8.1.1.7 and Agile.NET 6.6.0.35 exports should work (and should import into any NinjaTrader version)

This actually seems like not a change from the previous status - before all this happened, we had to use 8.1.1.7 if we wanted to be compatible with 8.0.28.0, 8.1.1.7, and 8.1.2.x. And from what you are saying here, that is still the case. What am I missing?

[QuantKey_Bruce]

Further to this, if you would please fix it so we have a "remember me and keep me signed in" checkbox at startup and it doesn't get stuck there at that dialog when restarting, I suspect compatibility with 8.0.28.0 would cease to be a big concern and more would update to 8.1.

Although I'm sure that's not the ONLY reason people are still using 8.0.28.0, I believe it to be the primary one, and I would imagine that going forward continuing to support 8.0.28.0 with some sort of parity would be increasingly difficult - not to say that it can't be done but this issue with Secure Team goes to show how every little thing makes it more difficult to keep compatibility across versions. If we could get almost everyone onto 8.1 that would be a better situation all around, but the "remember me and keep me signed in" so it skips that dialog (perhaps it continues after a short countdown delay if they do not click anything) is what I believe to be the main thing holding so many back on 8.0.

[NinjaTrader_BrandonH]

Hello jeronymite and QuantKey_Bruce,

Thanks for your notes.

jeronymite:

I have confirmed with my lead that with the change that SecureTeam pushed out (mentioned in post # 130) scripts that are exported from NT 8.1.2.1 using Agile.NET 6.9.1.2 should successfully import in NT 8.1.1.7 and NT 8.0.28.0.

The NinjaTrader Development team will be implementing a change to the platform in a future release that will also help resolve issues regarding this topic.

QuantKey_Bruce:

Your vote was added to the feature request to add a 'Remember me' button to the NinjaTrader 8.1.X.X login screen so that you would not have to enter credentials each time NinjaTrader is opened. We do not have an update regarding this feature request at this time. Ultimately, it will be up to the NinjaTrader Development team to decide on if/when to implement this feature in the platform.