is it right to use Count to do something within certain amount of time?

[HiddenPhilosopher]

Hi,

I'm trying to code a strategy that a status is valid for certain amount of bars being updated.

protected override void OnBarUpdate()

private bool canEnterLong;
private int enterLongTiming;

if (...some condition)
            {
                canEnterLong = true;
                enterLongTiming = Count;
            }

if (Count - enterLongTiming >= 30)
            {
                canEnterLong = false;
            }

My code tries to turn on canEnterLong status to be true only for 30 bars (if on 1 minute chart, it's 30 mins), and turn it off after 30 bars. Am I using Count correctly? I'm assuming that Count is the updated total number of bars on primary series, when the bar is live updating. Count number is plus 1 when current bar is closed. When canEnterLong is true, enterLongTiming records a count number. Then when current Count exceeds 30 more bars, it means 30 bars have passed and canEnterLong is false.

Thank you very much! Please advise if I'm using it right.

[NT-Roland]

Hi HiddenPhilosopher,
What you refer to as "Count" is basically "CurrentBar".

https://ninjatrader.com/support/helpGuides/nt8/?currentbar.htm

I recently made a post covering the same topic ("valid until"), basically using the same technique.

https://ninjatrader.com/support/forum/forum/ninjatrader-7/strategy-development-aa/1102547-identifying-full-range-bars

You might consider to add Prints to your code with the number of CurrentBar when you set your bool canEnterLong to true and again when reverting back to false.
If you open an OutputWindow before running the strategy in StrategyAnalyzer, you can see if the "timer" logic works fine.
NT-Roland

[HiddenPhilosopher]

Hi HiddenPhilosopher,
What you refer to as "Count" is basically "CurrentBar".
https://ninjatrader.com/support/help...currentbar.htm
I recently made a post covering the same topic ("valid until"), basically using the same technique.
https://ninjatrader.com/support/foru...ull-range-bars
You might consider to add Prints to your code with the number of CurrentBar when you set your bool canEnterLong to true and again when reverting back to false.
If you open an OutputWindow before running the strategy in StrategyAnalyzer, you can see if the "timer" logic works fine.
NT-Roland

Hi Roland - If I'm understanding it right, my code should be:

protected override void OnBarUpdate()  
private bool canEnterLong;
private int enterLongTiming;  
if (...some condition)
            {
                canEnterLong = true;
                enterLongTiming = CurrentBar;
            }
if (CurrentBar - enterLongTiming >= 30)
            {                
                canEnterLong = false;
            }

Is this correct?
Also, what does Count do every time a bar updates? I think I misunderstood the help guide.

[NinjaTrader_ChrisL]

Hi HiddenPhilosopher, thanks for posting.

CurrentBar counts up from the beginning bar of the chart (the left most bar is CurrentBar == 0). There is no Count property in the default indicator/strategy class, so that must be some custom variable.

Please let me know if I can assist any further.