Error: There is no market data available to drive simulation engine

[alvik48]

Hi.

I am using Interactive Brokers connection and my goal is to launch some calculations and place stop limit orders before the session start. The session starts at 15:30, I launch my strategy 1-2 hrs before this on 5 instruments (TSLA, AMD, NVDA, PTON and ROKU). All calculations are made right and orders are placed. But afterwards in few seconds my strategy fails on a few random instruments (usually it is PTON or/and ROKU) with the error "There is no market data available to drive simulation engine". That's really strange behaviour because it seems not consistent. Some days all instruments work perfectly, some days I get this error on a few of them and I can't understand the logic. What's the problem and why the error appears so randomly? There is no other messages on the log panel.

[NinjaTrader_Jason]

Hello alvik48,

I suspect no ticks happened (no realtime data is received) for these instruments between the time of starting your automated strategy and when the error is reported. Am I correct the instruments that experience the issue are not very volatile?

I suggest to open a T&S window before starting your automated strategy and select one of the instruments. Check if any realtime data is received before the error occurs.

[alvik48]

Hello Jason.

As I wrote, I am launching strategy on pre-market so of course no realtime data is coming from IB. I can understand if NT can't work if no data is coming but it works well - it makes all the calculations, it places stop-limit orders and when the market opens, it works as expected. The error happens only sometimes on some random instruments from my list.

[NinjaTrader_Jason]

Do the error messages impact NinjaTrader or your automated strategies in any negative way?

What time zone is referred with 15:30? Am I correct it refers to 9:30am US Eastern time?

What trading hours template do you have selected for these instruments? The US Equities ETH trading hours template starts at 8:00am, so it will receive realtime data before 9:30am.

[alvik48]

Yes, this error impacts on my strategy - it just closes after receiving this error.

My server's time zone is GMT+2. All the instruments are configured to use US Equities RTH trading hours template (it is configured by default, I didn't change anything) and that's seems to be right.

As I mentioned, my strategy needs to work outside the trading hours so when I launch it, no realtime data expected. Today after few restarts it stopped generating the error message but for sure it will do this in future. So the question is open.

[NinjaTrader_Jim]

Hello alvik48,

I am not sure if you are submitting orders that are calculated based on historical data or using a timer to trigger order submissions when there is not active market data, but the the realtime data is a requirement for the Simulation engine (Sim accounts) to work.

The ultimate solution may be to wait on submitting the orders to the Sim account unless you confirm that you hit State.Realtime and there is active realtime data. You can check if (State == State.Realtime) in OnBarUpdate which will trigger when there is active realtime data where the simulation engine will work. This would not have to be minded for trades on a live account because the simulation engine is not filling the order (which needs active realtime data) and would just come down to Interactive Brokers accepting the order when you submit it.

Let us know if you have any additional questions.