NT 8 When Open==Close Price Not Visible When Candle Body Transparent

[Jim W.]

NT 8 If Open==Close Price Not Visible When Candle Body Transparent

A CandleStick in a bar with the same Open and Closing price has no body. The outline top/bottom identifies the Opening and Closing price. If the outline is Transparent the bar will not show the Opening and Closing price, only the Wick, if it has one. If all trades were at the same price there would be no Wick and the bar would be blank.

I first reported this problem in NT 5.
It wasn't fixed in NT 6 so I reported it again and created an NT 6 Shared Indicator.
It wasn't fixed in NT 7 so I reported it again and created an NT 7 Shared Indicator DrawCandleClose available at http://ninjatrader.com/support/forum...d=4&linkid=653 .
It wasn't fixed in NT 8 so I created an NT 8 Shared Indicator DrawCandleClose available at http://ninjatrader.com/support/forum...d=7&linkid=700

CandleStick charts with Transparent outlines create very clean, easy to read charts (Data Series - Candle outline - Color - Transparent), especially when they have a Black background. I find these Chart colors much easier to read than the default and have made them my default Chart colors.

http://ninjatrader.com/support/forum...d=7&linkid=700 has an image that shows four Candlestick charts of the same data:
Top - Default with Black colored Candle Body Outline

Second - Transparent colored Candle Body Outline. Notice that the Open and Close price on some bars can not be determined because the candle has no body. If all trades were at the same price there would be no Wick and the bar would be blank.

Third - Same as Second but the DrawCandleClose Indicator has drawn a Hash at bar Close when Open and Closing price are equal.

Bottom - Same as third but the DrawCandleClose Indicator has drawn a WhiteSmoke Hash at bar Close when Open and Closing price are equal. Chart has Black Background with all Black markings replaced with WhiteSmoke color.

Unfortunately, View Enlarged Thumbnail is still broken in NinjaScript File Sharing so I have attached a copy of the image.

From everything I have seen so far in NT 8, it is great and a pleasure to work with.

[NinjaTrader_DaveI]

Hello,

Thank you for sharing your feedback with us. I have heard this suggestion from others, as well, so I have logged it under tracking ID # SFT-818 so that we can start to track total demand for this change. Note that this is currently implemented as designed, so it is technically not a bug or an issue that needs to be addressed, per se. However, if enough people support this change, then it could well be worth considering for a future release.

[Jim W.]

Dave, Thanks for the update. You could add the links to my Shared Indicators to ID # SFT-818.-- Jim

[NinjaTrader_DaveI]

You got it -- I've linked the entire thread and your links.

[10+YearTrader]

You got my vote, I think this should be changed to show the close natively, without an indicator.

[NinjaTrader_DaveI]

I've added your vote, thank you for adding your voice to the suggestion.

I should also note for everyone that this is entirely possible by creating a custom Chart Style in NinjaTrader 8, which would give you full control over how bars formed and looked.

[10+YearTrader]

I've added your vote, thank you for adding your voice to the suggestion.

I should also note for everyone that this is entirely possible by creating a custom Chart Style in NinjaTrader 8, which would give you full control over how bars formed and looked.

Yeah, if your a coder. Which most of us are not! Just traders! Thanks!

[NinjaTrader_Matthew]

I uploaded an alternative candle stick style which can be installed from here: http://www.ninjatrader.com/support/f...d=9&linkid=702

[Jim W.]

Matthew, Perfect!!!

1 ) Imported CandleStickDoji from info in your post Links and Downloads Manager - NinjaTrader Support Forum (right click link to open in new Tab or Window).

2) Created 3 Charts (see attached):

Top CandleStick: Chart Style = Candlestick

Middle CandleStickDoji: Chart Style = CandleStickDoji
(Notice how our eyes perceive the red and green as brighter without the Black Outline)

Bottom CandleStickDoji on Black Background:
Chart Style = CandleStickDoji , Candle wick = WhiteSmoke ,
Chart Property Background = Black and All marking that were Black = WhiteSmoke.
(My favorite. Looks even better without the glare from the two above.
Much less eye strain when viewed for long periods.
And, best when combined with Black Windows desktop background.)

Will update my DrawCandleClose posts with information about CandleStickDoji

[yongthanyee]

Hi Jim W..may I ask how can I get that analog clock shown on your screen...eric

[yongthanyee]

Thank Jim W...

[Jim W.]

Hi Jim W..may I ask how can I get that analog clock shown on your screen...eric

It is called a Talking Desktop Clock from http://www.cinnamonsoftware.com/desktop_clock.html . It is free but well worth a donation. I have it announce the time every 10 minutes from 9 AM to 4:30 PM ET. Great for trading. Attached are the settings that I use. Also available is a Talking Alarm Clock.

I have an old thread that may interest you titled Using 3rd party Tools With NinjaScripts at http://ninjatrader.com/support/forum...ad.php?t=52374

Here here is a Summary of the tools described in the thread http://ninjatrader.com/support/forum...t.php?p=302259

Some posts are very old so be aware of the date of the post, while reading it.

[Jim W.]

Matthew posted the Candle Stick Doji Chart Style to fix the missing Doji in NT8, when candle has a Transparent outline specified. Reviewing the code, I realized that there was a very simple fix for SFT-818, that could be applied to both NT8 and NT7. The NT8 CandleStick code already recognizes the case of OPEN == CLOSE and draws an Outline colored line instead of a rectangle. The fix is to always draw the Doji Close line with the Wick Color instead of the Outline Color.

NT8 Fix for Tracking ID # SFT-818 , Missing Doji when CandleStick Outline Transparent:
Description: Always draw the Doji Close line with the Wick Color instead of the Outline Color. Note that NT7 had logic to draw a Black Close line, if the Outline color was Transparent and the Background color was White. This logic has been removed in NT8, so the problem appears in NT8 regardless of Background color.

This fix eliminates the inefficiency of having an Indicator check every CandleStick bar close for Open==Close and overwrite the already drawn Transparent Close line.

Applying this fix in no way changes the appearance of CandleSticks that have bodies. This can be verified with the examples provided.

NT8: Lines 63-64 \Documents\NinjaTrader 8\bin\Custom\ChartStyles\@CandleStyle.cs
Replace:

TransformBrush(overriddenOutlineBrush ?? Stroke.BrushDX, new RectangleF(point0.X, point0.Y - Stroke.Width, barWidth, Stroke.Width));
                      RenderTarget.DrawLine(point0, point1, overriddenOutlineBrush ?? Stroke.BrushDX, Stroke.Width, Stroke.StrokeStyle);

With:

TransformBrush([COLOR=Red]overriddenBarBrush[/COLOR] ?? Stroke[COLOR=Red]2[/COLOR].BrushDX, new RectangleF(point0.X, point0.Y - Stroke[COLOR=Red]2[/COLOR].Width, barWidth, Stroke[COLOR=Red]2[/COLOR].Width));
                      RenderTarget.DrawLine(point0, point1,[COLOR=Red] overriddenBarBrush[/COLOR] ?? Stroke[COLOR=Red]2[/COLOR].BrushDX, Stroke[COLOR=Red]2[/COLOR].Width, Stroke[COLOR=Red]2[/COLOR].StrokeStyle);

I recommend the following to apply the fix. It may seem complicated but will save you time in the long run. Note that it is undocumented but NT Backup never includes files that begin with the character "@".

1) Copy \Documents\NinjaTrader 8\bin\Custom\ChartStyles\@CandleStyle.cs
2) Paste the file and rename it @CandleStyle.cs Before SFT-818
3) Edit @CandleStyle.cs with with Notepad
4) Make changes to lines 63 & 64 with Notepad and save changes
5) Compile any NT file with NT Editor. New @CandleStyle.cs will be used in the compile.
6) From next start of NinjaTrader, CandleSticks will use Wick Color for Doji Close line.
7) Copy \Documents\NinjaTrader 8\bin\Custom\ChartStyles\@CandleStyle.cs
8) Paste the file and rename it @CandleStyle.cs After SFT-818

Any NT updates will replace @CandleStyle.cs so you will have to make the changes again. Create Before and After copies of the update, as you did above, adding the update number after 818. Never blindly replace standard files because of the risk of back leveling.
You can use Winmerge to compare updated @CandleStyle.cs and @CandleStyle.cs After SFT-818 and reapply fix to updated.

Cleanup:
1) Delete Indicator DrawCandleClose.cs, if it exists, from \Documents\NinjaTrader 8\bin\Custom\Indicators.
2) Start NT Editor > Right click on blank form and select Compile to remove DrawCandleClose Indicator.
NT will automatically remove the Indicator from any charts that use it.

Test:
Create a CandleStick chart with Transparent outline. Verify that you see Doji.

If you installed Chart Style Doji then:
1) Change Charts that use it to use CandleStick instead.
2) Delete ChartStyleDoji, if it exists, from \Documents\NinjaTrader 8\bin\Custom\ChartStyles.
3) Start NT Editor > right click on blank form and select Compile.

If you would like to have this fix standard NT8 CandleStick behavior, then post your vote for Tracking ID # SFT-818 to this thread.

NT 7 Version fix is available at http://www.ninjatrader.com/support/forum/local_links.php?&catid=4&linkid=653 .

[chinaexpert1]

I tried modifying the code as per the recommendations of this post, and it ruined my Ninjatrader 7. Now I can't compile scripts. I have all the standard indicators and maybe 100 more. I suspect there are references in the code that use the old chartstyles.cs but I am not a programmer. I searched for references to chartstyles.cs and found nothing. Now I have to reinstall my ninja and I'm pulling my hair out. I tried the fix for "error on generating indicator" and it didn't work. I tried it again and followed all the steps and now it can't even find my indicators although they are in the editor list. Any suggestions? Any suggestions? will there be an update to N7 that solves the doji problem on transparent outlines?

[Jim W.]

ChinaExpert1, there are different instructions for NT7 and NT8. You mentioned NT7 so I assume that you followed the instructions here: www.ninjatrader.com/support/forum/local_links.php?&catid=4&linkid=653

1) Copy \Documents\NinjaTrader 7\bin\Custom\Type\@ChartStyles.cs
2) Paste the file and rename it @ChartStyles.cs Before SFT-818
3) Edit @ChartStyles.cs with Notepad
4) Make change to line 490
. . .

The unmodified NT 7 CS file is named @ChartStyles.cs Before SFT-818 and is in your \Documents\NinjaTrader 7\bin\Custom\Type\ folder. To undo the fix:

1) Rename file @ChartStyles.cs to @ChartStyles.cs.bad
2) Copy file @ChartStyles.cs Before SFT-818 and paste it into your \Documents\NinjaTrader 7\bin\Custom\Type\ folder
3) Rename the copied file to @ChartStyles.cs
4) Compile any Indicator

After you compile any Indicator, NT 7 should work as before you applied the fix. Let me know if that fixes the problem. Also, in your reply please paste line 490 in file @ChartStyles.cs.bad .