Indicators Affecting the Behavior of Other Indicators

[Grasul]

This is probably a pretty dumb question, but here goes...

If I have a set of individually pretty simple indicators that I want to interact with each other, should I:

a) write each simple indicator individually (compiled serparately) and then write a master indicator that takes the values of each preceding indicator and uses them to affect the flow of subsequent ones

or

b) write this as one giant indicator

or

c) am I now talking about a strategy and I should learn more about those? (I have no interest in an automated strategy at this point, these indicators are purely to put the information on the chart relevant to discretionary decision making.)

As a simple example, presume I have an indicator to detect trend-up, trend-down or no trend. If the trend is up, I want to run some tests to see if the trend is healthy, ending, etc. If the trend is down, the topping tests wouldn't be run, others would, etc.

C# programming is pretty new to me, I do have a little background in SQL. If I was writing this in SQL I'd write each "indicator" as its own procedure and then write a master procedure controlling the action (option a), but I'm a little concerned my C# is inadaquate for passing data out of indicators to others, etc.

What do you think? Should I suck it up and learn more C# or is what I am trying to do properly a strategy and I should be learning those or do people write one massive indicator at times?

Thanks in advance.

[NinjaTrader_RyanM1]

Hello Grasul,

What you're looking for is an indicator. A strategy will have order placement capability and an indicator is best for calculating and displaying information.

There shouldn't be too much "interaction" with multiple indicators. You can only read values from other indicators. If the value you're accessing is a plot, there isn't any extra code required to access. For accessing non-plot values, this sample can help with the technique required:

http://www.ninjatrader.com/support/forum/showthread.php?t=4991

How you design the indicator(s) is up to you, but from your description it sounds like it could be best all in one indicator. If all the intermediary calculations are used but not plotted, then it will be more efficient and likely easier to code having it all in one. Knowing C# is helpful, but not necessary to learning how to create indicators. These tutorials are a good way to get started:

http://www.ninjatrader.com/support/helpGuides/nt7/developing_indicators.htm

[Grasul]

Thanks RyanM,

that's not the answer I'd have expected so I am very glad I asked the question.

It is the answer I was hoping for, because I think it fits my expertise level the best, but I didn't want to go too far down the road of writing one indicator without asking.