Request Locking Button for Chart configuration and other requests and observations

[Turtle Trader]

Because I am a visual pattern scalp trader, I only use the chart (not the DOM) to place and manage trades. So, I have to do things fast.

There are times when I accidentally do something that causes the chart to move. I need the chart stable when I am trading and having a LOCK button on the toolbar of the chart would allow me to disable things that might change the chart presentation.

This is a similar idea to the WIndows XP and I imagine Windows 7 "Lock the Taskbar" (on the Desktop) option. You can configure the task bar and when you have it the way you want it, you can lock it so it is stable and not accidentally changed.

Here is one example of the instability I mention. I have a clicktrader I wrote (an posted) where I can click anywhere on the chart and it submits an order at that price.

Sometimes when I left click the mouse to submit the order, and if I happen to move the mouse even a little during the click, Ninja shifts the chart left or right. This is disconcerting, especially if it shifts the chart to the right. Then I cannot see the active bar which I absolutely need to see. This little thing can cause me to miss an immediate signal that I should get out of the trade "right now". Instead I have to set the chart back where I can see the bar. This interrupts my concentration and can lead to unnecessary losses.

Also I don't know about others, but a person who is trading from the chart probably doesn't want to use the control keys (during live trading) to widen or narrow the bars, shift the chart left or right, compress or expand the chart. All those things should be considered setting up the chart activities and then fixed and not changeable when trading live.

If a person wanted to they during live trading, they could toggle the (proposed) Lock/Unlock button and it would allow them to fiddle with the chart view. I don't imagine anyone would want to be doing this during a live or pending trade.

In addition to a Lock/Unlock chart view, there would be a Ninja dialog that allowed the user to specify which actions the Lock/Unlock button controlled. The user could specify which chart actions were able to be Locked.

And, to go one step further, for myself, I would like to configure which keys, if any, change the chart view. (expand/contract, shift left/right, change bar width, et cetera). This would be done in the Hot Key manager.

The only thing I want to move on the chart (excluding user drawn objects) while I'm trading is the time line on the bottom. I use this to compress or expand the chart.

This, and using the horizontal scroll bar, which has a Hot Key, are the only changes to the chart view I use during trading..

Otherwise once I have the chart the way I like it, I never change the configurations I mention. Never during trading, and actually have not now for months...I have found the view that I work with best and don't need to change it.

As a final note...as a coder I would like to use some of the key combinations now fixed by Ninja for screen configuration for other things. If I could set or null these in Hot Keys that would help.

Well, I don't know how many Chart traders will read this, but certainly, being one, I need these improvements.

Thank you.

[NinjaTrader_RyanL]

Hello Turtle Trader,


Thank you for your note and for providing your feedback as we continually strive to improve upon NinjaTrader's features.

Since the type of functionality you are seeking is not presently supported within NinjaTrader's charting with the lock button and the extra configuration options, I have documented this particular feature request and have sent it to our product development team for consideration to be included in our next major release.


Once I have a tracking ID for this particular feature request for the chart locking feature, I will let you know.


In regards to clearing the current hot keys set in the Hot Key Manager, you can remove any of the preset hot keys:

• Control Center > Tools > Hot Key Manager...
• Left mouse click on a hot key you would like to unmap > Click the drop down menu that appears to open the hot key settings
• Click Remove to remove the hot key that is assigned
• Click OK when finished

[Turtle Trader]

thank you

Hello Ryan,

None of the chart presentation manipulation functions I want to disable are available in Hot Key now....

Basically any key that changes the presentation I would like to custom map or null the hot key.

Probably that is another tracking ID, separate from Locking.

Thx and have a great weekend.

[eDanny]

In the mean time...

... you can expand your right margin a bit in the chart properties and then if you accidentally drag the bars to the right you will still not lose your current bar.

Dan

[Turtle Trader]

not on my chart

Hello Dan,

My charts have the right margin set to 110 and a bar width of just 1 or 2.

Dragging the chart even a little pushes these small bars off the chart.

Probably you are using fatter bars and work in a higher time frame. I use Range and Tick bars and thus need high precision for small bars.

Thanks.