Position.MarketPosition == MarketPosition.Flat - Doesn't work in both directions

[smtraders]

Hi, I am not an expert programmer and trying to achieve a simple cross over strategy to work but i wanted to make sure the Market Position is Flat before entering long or short trades.

I couldn't achieve with short entry but below code works in long entry please help or guide me to also accomplish on short entry.

/Thanks, SM.

protected override void OnBarUpdate()
{
if (CurrentBar < BarsRequiredToTrade)
return;

if(CrossAbove(EMA1, EMA2, 1) && Position.MarketPosition == MarketPosition.Flat)
EnterLong();

else if (CrossBelow(EMA1, EMA2, 1))
ExitLong();


}

[NinjaTrader_BrandonH]

Hello smtraders,

Thanks for your post.

That would be the correct way to check if the current market position of the strategy is Flat.

The code you shared would check if a crossabove condition occurs and the strategy position is Flat and places a long entry order with EnterLong();

If the strategy is not entering short positions, then it is likely that the condition to place a short entry order is not becoming true.

To understand why the script is behaving as it is, such as placing orders or not placing orders when expected, it is necessary to add prints to the script that print the values used for the logic of the script to understand how the script is evaluating.

Prints will appear in the NinjaScript Output window (New > NinjaScript Output window).

Below is a link to a forum post that demonstrates how to use prints to understand behavior.

https://ninjatrader.com/support/foru...121#post791121

Let me know if I may assist further.

[jeronymite]

smtraders It would appear that your code, as provided, is not actually entering a short at all.

It may help if you state your logic in plain language first and then translate that into code.

For example: if flat and cross above, go long; but if flat and cross below, go short; if not flat, do <whatever you want>;

Something like this might be similar to what you're intending:

protected override void OnBarUpdate()
{
    if (CurrentBar < BarsRequiredToTrade)
        return;

    if (Position.MarketPosition == MarketPosition.Flat)
    {
        if (CrossAbove(EMA1, EMA2, 1))
            EnterLong();
        else
        if (CrossBelow(EMA1, EMA2, 1))
            EnterShort();
    }
    else
    {
        // Do whatever when not flat
    }
}​

That code will enter when flat, according to the cross. But after that, you need an exit condition to bring it back to flat if that is your mandatory requirement to enter another position.

Hope that helps.

Thanks.

[smtraders]

Thanks for the replay !

I tried to modify the code accordingly but now getting strange error not sure what's gone wrong here !


namespace NinjaTrader.NinjaScript.Strategies
{
public class EMACross54 : Strategy
{
private EMA EMA1;
private EMA EMA2;
private EMA EMA3;
private double ask;
private double bid;



protected override void OnStateChange()
{
if (State == State.SetDefaults)
{
Description = @"EMACross54";
Name = "EMACross54";
Calculate = Calculate.OnBarClose;
EntriesPerDirection = 1;
EntryHandling = EntryHandling.AllEntries;
IsExitOnSessionCloseStrategy = true;
ExitOnSessionCloseSeconds = 30;
IsFillLimitOnTouch = false;
MaximumBarsLookBack = MaximumBarsLookBack.TwoHundredFiftySix;
OrderFillResolution = OrderFillResolution.Standard;
Slippage = 0;
StartBehavior = StartBehavior.WaitUntilFlat;
TimeInForce = TimeInForce.Gtc;
TraceOrders = false;
RealtimeErrorHandling = RealtimeErrorHandling.StopCancelClose;
StopTargetHandling = StopTargetHandling.PerEntryExecution;
BarsRequiredToTrade = 20;
ask = GetCurrentAsk();
bid = GetCurrentBid();
// Disable this property for performance gains in Strategy Analyzer optimizations
// See the Help Guide for additional information
IsInstantiatedOnEachOptimizationIteration = false;
Fast = 10;
Slow1 = 20;
Slow2 = 30;

}
else if (State == State.Configure)
{
}
else if (State == State.DataLoaded)
{
EMA1 = EMA(Close, Convert.ToInt32(Fast));
EMA2 = EMA(Close, Convert.ToInt32(Slow1));
EMA3 = EMA(Close, Convert.ToInt32(Slow2));



EMA1.Plots[0].Brush = Brushes.Goldenrod;
EMA2.Plots[0].Brush = Brushes.SeaGreen;
EMA3.Plots[0].Brush = Brushes.Green;

AddChartIndicator(EMA1);
AddChartIndicator(EMA2);
AddChartIndicator(EMA3);


}
}



protected override void OnBarUpdate()
{
if (CurrentBar < BarsRequiredToTrade)
return;

if (Position.MarketPosition == MarketPosition.Flat)
{
if(CrossAbove(EMA1, EMA3, 1))
EnterLongLimit(bid);

else if (CrossBelow(EMA1, EMA2, 1))
ExitLongLimit(ask);
}
else
{
if(CrossBelow(EMA1, EMA3, 1))
EnterShortLimit(ask);

else if (CrossAbove(EMA1, EMA2, 1))
ExitShortLimit(bid);
}
}

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
error :

2022-11-02 21:46:27	Default	Strategy 'EMACross54': Error on calling 'OnStateChange' method: You are accessing an index with a value that is invalid since it is out-of-range. I.E. accessing a series [barsAgo] with a value of 5 when there are only 4 bars on the chart.

[NinjaTrader_BrandonH]

Hello smtraders,

Thanks for your note.

I see that you are calling the code below in State.SetDefaults.

ask = GetCurrentAsk();
bid = GetCurrentBid();

The GetCurrentAsk() and GetCurrentBid() methods should be called in the OnBarUpdate() section of your script so that the data being used to access the current Ask and Bid values have been loaded.

See the help guide documentation below for more information and sample code.

GetCurrentAsk(): https://ninjatrader.com/support/help...currentask.htm
GetCurrentBid(): https://ninjatrader.com/support/help...currentbid.htm

Let me know if I may assist further.