Best Practices When Using Indicator Values

[RandomTask]

I'm developing a strategy that uses values from a custom indicator for entries/exits etc. I notice that in most of the samples, outside the strategy indicators are referenced inline each time a value is needed. That is, if we are using the value of an EMA at various points within our code you will see EMA(xxx)[x] in every spot it is needed. Is this the preferred technique? The reason I ask is that I went down the road of making an internal data series within the strategy, setting it equal to the external indicator once, and then using it internally for all calculations. Is this any more efficient or am I just adding extra code for no reason?

Thanks

[NinjaTrader_Jim]

Hello RandomTask,

Thanks for your post!

The best practice would be to create an instance of an indicator and assign that instance of that indicator to an indicator call with the parameters you need in State.DataLoaded or State.Historical. The instance of the indicator can then be accesses for historical values just like you can with another Series<double> object.

private SMA mySma;
 
protected override void OnStateChange()
{
  // when the indicator begins processing
  // save an instance of the SMA indicator with the desired input   
  if (State == State.Historical)
  {
    mySma = SMA(20);
  }
}
 
protected override void OnBarUpdate()
{
  // use the referenced mySMA throughout the lifetime of the script
  if (Close[0] > mySma[0])
  {
    Print(mySma[0]);
    EnterLongLimit(mySma[0]);
    Draw.Dot(this, Time[0].ToString(), false, 0, mySma[0], Brushes.DarkGreen);
  }
}

This best practice and others can be publicly referenced here: https://ninjatrader.com/support/help...tm#Performance

Please let us know if we can be of further assistance.

[RandomTask]

Awesome. Thank you.

[RandomTask]

It seems that when I try this with a custom indicator I get the following error in the compiler:

private MyCustomIndicator myInd;

'NinjaTrader.NinjaScript.Strategies.Strategy.MyCus tomIndicator(double, double, int)' is a 'method' but is used like a 'type'

[NinjaTrader_Jim]

Hello RandomTask,

I do not see an error taking this approach. I have attached an example strategy and indicator to demonstrate.

Please let me know if you are receiving any compiler errors with this Strategy and Indicator on your end.

[RandomTask]

That one works just fine.

It ended up being a namespace issue. My custom indicators are in a custom namespace and so in order for the variable declaration to work I needed to do this:

private NinjaTrader.NinjaScript.Indicators.MyCustomNamespa ce.MyCustomIndicator myInd;

Thank you.