Multi Time Frame Indicator behaves different upon "Load data based on days or bars"

[td_910]

Hi,
This simple multi time frame indicator behaves different upon "Load data based on days or bars".

[bltdavid]

Hi,
This simple multi time frame indicator behaves different upon "Load data based on days or bars".

Can you attach the complete indicator code?

[td_910]

Sorry, I thought I did.
here you go

[NinjaTrader_BrandonH]

Hello td_910,

Thanks for your post.

If you are loading a different number of days or bars on the chart then it could be possible for the indicator to behave differently since different data is being used. For results to be the exact same then the exact same amount of data would have to be loaded on the chart.

Each added secondary series in the script would need to have a minimum of 20 bars loaded on the chart before the backbrush color is changed.

You could add prints to the strategy that prints out the CurrentBars value along with the time to see exactly how the script's logic is behaving.

Below is a link to a forum post that demonstrates how to use prints to understand behavior.
https://ninjatrader.com/support/foru...121#post791121

CurrentBars: https://ninjatrader.com/support/help...urrentbars.htm

Working with multi-timeframe/multi-instrument NinjaScripts: https://ninjatrader.com/support/help...nstruments.htm

[bltdavid]

I'll add my 2˘, which I interpret to be your problem.

When comparing two charts (and the indys loaded on
those charts) both charts need to be the same bar type
and start at the exact same point in time, so that each
subsequent bar in both charts is built using the start and
end of the same sequence of data.

This problem is extremely noticeable on charts using
tick data, such as Tick, Second, Range, UniRenko, etc.

What this means is, unless the first bar in both
charts starts at the exact same moment on the
same tick, the rest of the bars will be off. You
gotta get the first bars in sync on the same starting
data, so that all subsequent bars are also in sync.

The easiest way to screw this up is to use different
'Days to Load' settings on the charts, or using 'Days
to Load' on one chart and 'Bars to Load' on the other.

This is the only way to make sure your indys on both
charts are exactly the same -- you gotta make sure
all the bars (starting at the very first bar) are exactly
the same.

Time based charts may have less of an issue than
tick based charts, but it does happen. The 'drift'
happens in indys because many indys use a window
of data (think of an EMA) that continues to impact
the calculated results many bars past that window.

Using your two charts,
Trying loading 100 days and 10000 bars -- this might
allow enough bars to pass such that the builtin 'drift'
effects from the unsynced starting bars to mellow
out -- so that the right hand side of both charts has
time to 'settle down', so to speak, but this kind of
side-effect is very indicator dependent.

In summary, just start both charts on the exact same
bar, using same 'Load data' method, when the charts
are created -- your life is much easier if you do this.

This silly foray of 'why are my charts different when
I use different settings to create my charts' is, perhaps,
an interesting discussion, but may continue to waste your
time if you don't change your ways.

Make sense?

[td_910]

I'm not talking about tick or volume charts which are different on almost any reload.
What about M5 bars and 24/7 as trading hours template?

[NinjaTrader_BrandonH]

Hello td_910,

Thanks for your notes.

bltdavid has provided some great information on this topic.

The script has multiple data series added and 5 60-minute bars would be 3 hours whereas 5 1-minute bars is 5 minutes.

As bltdavid mentioned, using 'Days to load' on one chart and using 'Bars to load' on another chart would cause a discrepancy with how the indicator is behaving. Both charts should be set to the exact same 'Load data based on' setting of 'Days' when comparing the indicator on separate charts to ensure the exact same data is being used.

As a general rule, if you are using a multi-series script you should not load data based on Bars. Instead, make sure that you are loading data based on Days when using multi-series scripts.

[td_910]

Hello td_910,

Thanks for your notes.

bltdavid has provided some great information on this topic.

The script has multiple data series added and 5 60-minute bars would be 3 hours whereas 5 1-minute bars is 5 minutes.

As bltdavid mentioned, using 'Days to load' on one chart and using 'Bars to load' on another chart would cause a discrepancy with how the indicator is behaving. Both charts should be set to the exact same 'Load data based on' setting of 'Days' when comparing the indicator on separate charts to ensure the exact same data is being used.

As a general rule, if you are using a multi-series script you should not load data based on Bars. Instead, make sure that you are loading data based on Days when using multi-series scripts.

Thanks for that. What still puzzles me is that the same number of bars are loaded (visible on the chart) with the same starting point...
But let's just call it a discrepancy... LOL

Just need to always tell a user to load data based on days... or is there a way to check that

[NinjaTrader_BrandonH]

Hello td_910,

Thanks for your notes.

There would be no supported NinjaScript methods or properties to set the chart's data series to use Load Data Based On Days.

In the script you could get what 'Load data based on' value the chart's data series is using with ChartBars.Properties.RangeType.

Note that ChartBars.Properties.RangeType could be used in State.DataLoaded in OnStateChange() or in OnBarUpdate().