Can't make stock Swing indicator work on an indicator.

[ProfitPilgrim]

Attached is a screen shot of misdrawn swings from the Swing indicator when applied to a either one of two plots from a custom multi-instrument indicator. Notice they do not draw at the correct level.

For the Swing settings I use the custom indicator as the initial input series. That requires setting two properties of the custom indicator, those properties being the Plot parameter, and an input series, the latter of which I leave set to "Close" (the default) as the input series, assuming it now refers to the close of the chosen plot as it must not be allowed to reference any one series since it is a multi-instrument custom indicator.

[joromero]

I had / have a similar issue with the Dynamic Levels indicator one of the NT guys updated for NT 8. I think the issue could be that it is looking for more than 1 series of data. In my case, it was looking for the High & Low, and Indicatgor on Indicaotr only appears to allow one of the plot series to be passes.

John

[ProfitPilgrim]

Yes Joromero. I've been tracking (and commented) on the Dynamic S/R indicator problem which I also encountered. Perhaps Ninjatrader support would consider allowing the user to dismiss identifying input series when indicator on indicator is using a multi-series indicator that has already processed multiple input series to produce its plot. There should be no need to additionally identify any input series when referencing plots from a multiplot indicator. Hopefully support will comment on this.

[NinjaTrader_DaveI]

Hello,

Are you guys finding that the input series actually being used is the first data series added to the custom indicator, by chance? Or have you identified it as something else? Can you share a sample script which would reproduce this issue when used as the input series for Swing, so that I can investigate further on my end?

[joromero]

I have not run it through VS debugger, but yes, it appears based on the values it plots at that it is using the original ES prices not the Cum Delta values, which does have an OHLC set of values.

John

[NinjaTrader_DaveI]

Does anyone have a sample script of a multi-series indicator with a plot based on one of the series, so that I can test on my end using the same scenario that you guys are running into? If I'm interpreting this correctly, the issue appears when Indicator A uses a plot of Indicator B as input series, with the plot of Indicator B being based off of a non-primary data series added in code -- is that correct?

[joromero]

Dave,

I think the issue is the 2nd indicator is based on more than one price point and NT is only letting pass a single price point. So, in my case, The Cum Delta has OHLC just like a symbols data, but when I try to apply another indicator on to it, when choosing what 'Source' the 2nd indi is going to use, one would select Indicator, then pick Close, etc as the input.

I am trying to put the indicator your NT guys migrated -> Dynamic Lines onto Cum Delta indicator. Dynamic SR Lines needs high and low.

Hope that makes sense. Just my guess.

John

[NinjaTrader_DaveI]

Thank you. I've created a set of sample scripts which appears to accomplish the goal of using a secondary input series in Indicator B, which can then be passed into Indicator A as expected. This does not resolve the core issue of not being able to specify which plots of Indicator B to use as input series in the UI (I am going to either submit a bug report or feature request on this item, based on whether it is currently functioning as designed), but it does provide a semi UI-driven workaround that should get you headed in the right direction.

In these scripts, "testMultiPlot" adds two data series, and then sets a single plot to the close price of either the first or second added data series (which will be different than the series on the chart for testing). There is a UI-exposed int property which can be set to determine which input series to use for the plot. In this example, a value of 0 will set the plot to AAPL, and a value of 1 will set the plot to EURUSD. The other indicator, "testIndi," simply prints the value of Input[0], so it prints whatever value is given to it from testMultiPlot (this may be another key that your indicators may have missed).

To test this setup, apply testIndi to an ES chart, then set its input series to testMultiPlot. In the Input Series dialogue, set the "plotChoice" property to 0 or 1, and then you should see testIndi printing the appropriate input. As long as you have control over all indicators in your setups, you should be able to replicate this setup. However, as I noted, this is not meant to be a long-term solution. I will look into submitting the appropriate report to consider a longer-term change.

Update: This is currently implemented as designed, so I've added a feature request (SFT-1019) and added a handful of votes from this thread.

[soulfx]

Hello,i just found this thread on this topic. I have written a custom indicator which returned a number of values (Plots) - the plan was to be able to select one of the returned series to be used as input to another indicator. Keeping it simple an EMA on this indicator outputs.

I modified to only return 1 series ie Values[0] and still get 0 line plotted for the ema on the series. I happen to have additional plots defined for the purposes of having some colour settings which will be used in the indicator BUT the properties section ONLY has 1 returned series.

I am trying to understand what is at issue here with NT8 design.
Is there presently a limitation issue in having an indicator based on another indicator be it single data series or a Multi Data series indicator.

Once i understand the issue then i can ask some more questions relating to this.

thanks

[NinjaTrader_DaveI]

If you have reduced your indicator to using a single plot, then I would not anticipate any trouble using it as input to another indicator. Can you share the indicators you are working with, so that I can test to see if there are any other issues at play?

[soulfx]

Hello, there are still issues with it, can i send in via email as do not want to share on this forum as is confidential. Do i send to support for your attention with the thread in the subject line?

thanks

[NinjaTrader_DaveI]

Yes, please do, and if you wouldn't mind, please add a note here after sending (or send me a PM), so that I know to check the Support emails.

[soulfx]

Hello, ok in preparing this to send to you i took out my custom logic for creating bars and replaced the values with High Low Open Close so in essence i was repainting the price bars in a different panel. I then applied an EMA to this and of course as expected it worked - and even reduced the Plot return values to 1.
So now from Joromero's post i now see his issue which i presume you addressed in your reply as a needed feature request to specify or somehow map the outputs of a custom indicator to the high low close open values expected?. In that when applying an EMA or other technical indicator which takes open high low close values how does one translate those for a custom indicator plot and map to those values to then be used by an EMA for example. Now i see why it is drawing a zero line.
Can you confirm this is the case and for now there is no need to submit the code i proposed if this is a current limitation. Was this feasible in N7 out of interest?
thanks

[NinjaTrader_DaveI]

Yes, it does seem that your scenario runs up against this limitation, as well. Without the ability to utilize multiple plots from an indicator used as input to another, there will not be a way to set up your own custom OHLC values using indicator plots in this way.