Help with data upload

[smistretta]

Hi everyone,

I am new to NT and by nature i'm not a programmer, i'm an old fashioned trader. But I have 40 years worth of data spanning 40 indices and I am interested in uploading this data into NT and test some of my strategies. Now I have managed to format my data so that it is yyyyMMdd;open price;high price;low price;close price;volume but I only have the closing px for each day. So when I am compiling my data i use the close price the same as the open price, high price, low price & close price. I uploaded the data into NT and it told me it was succesful, but when I try to even draw a standard chart for my data nothing happens....it's blank. Cans some help a very frustrated NT user please...thanks
Steve

[NinjaTrader_Chip]

Hello smistretta,

Thank you for your post.

You can import historical data from an external source into NinjaTrader, just be absolutely sure it is in the proper format first. For more information on this feature & steps to complete the import, please see the following:

http://www.ninjatrader-support.com/HelpGuideV6/helpguide.html?Import

You can import historical data using a text file in ". txt" format via the Tools-->Historical Data-->Import menu. Tick data is used to build tick and volume bars of all intervals, minute bars are used to create minute bars of all intervals and daily bars are used to create day bars of all intervals.

A few tips:

If you are importing historical data for a futures or forex instrument, the instrument MUST exist in the Instrument Manager and if it does not, you must add it first
Any data imported where the instrument does not exist in the Instrument Manager will automatically be imported as a "Stock" instrument type
NinjaTrader bar time stamps are end of bar. This means that a 9:31 bar consists of data from 9:30:00 through 9:30:59. Please ensure that your source data time stamps are inline with this.

In this case, please send a sample of the formatted data that you have attempted to import into NinjaTrader so that I can test it on my end.

Include a reference to this thread & make it to my attention. You can email it to support AT ninjatrader DOT com.

Make sure the file size is less than 2 MB, otherwise it will not make it through.

I look forward to hearing from you.

[smistretta]

I have tried uploading the following data

19730102;100;100;100;100;100
19730103;100.03;100.03;100.03;100.03;100
19730104;99.55;99.55;99.55;99.55;100
19730105;100.52;100.52;100.52;100.52;100
19730108;101.3;101.3;101.3;101.3;100
19730109;101.57;101.57;101.57;101.57;100
19730110;100.99;100.99;100.99;100.99;100
19730111;102.7;102.7;102.7;102.7;100
19730112;101.87;101.87;101.87;101.87;100
19730115;100.18;100.18;100.18;100.18;100
19730116;99.58;99.58;99.58;99.58;100
19730117;99.81;99.81;99.81;99.81;100
19730118;100.19;100.19;100.19;100.19;100
19730119;100.26;100.26;100.26;100.26;100
19730122;98.83;98.83;98.83;98.83;100
19730123;98.59;98.59;98.59;98.59;100
19730124;97.66;97.66;97.66;97.66;100
19730125;97.67;97.67;97.67;97.67;100
19730126;97.68;97.68;97.68;97.68;100
19730129;96.5;96.5;96.5;96.5;100
19730130;96.04;96.04;96.04;96.04;100
19730131;97.39;97.39;97.39;97.39;100

But this is just one month. I have 40 years worth of data to upload across 40 sectors. This data is for the US_DS Gen Retailers - Tot return INDEX. I have set up the intrument and saved the file as a CSV MS_DOS (txt) file, but nothing seems to work. I basically only have closing prices so I have used the same price across the board...any ideas?

[NinjaTrader_Chip]

Hello smistretta

In order for me to test the actual issue you are encountering, please send a sample of the formatted data.

Include a reference to this thread & make it to my attention. You can email it to support AT ninjatrader DOT com.

Make sure the file size is less than 2 MB.

[smistretta]

Here you go chip...many thanks

See the thing is chip, NT tells me that the file has uploaded successfully, but when I go to display the chart of the data i get a blank chart...i have set the instrument up correctly from following the help guide, so i'm not sure what to do next really...thanks

steve

[NinjaTrader_Chip]

Hello smistretta

I noticed the following in the sample you provided:

19730124;97.66;97.66;97.66;97.66;100
19730125;97.67;97.67;97.67;97.67;100
19730126;97.68;97.68;97.68;97.68;100
19730129;96.5;96.5;96.5;96.5;100
19730130;96.04;96.04;96.04;96.04;100
19730131;97.39;97.39;97.39;97.39;100

The last price "100" is out of sequence. This would be the high price. Please review the following format.
yyyyMMdd;open price;high price;low price;close price;volume

Please let me know if I can answer any additional questions.

[smistretta]

Ok, so I have reformatted my numbers to make it in sequence and still i can't even generate a chart using my data...i don't get what i am doing wrong?? Do you have any other ideas?

[NinjaTrader_Chip]

Hello smistretta,

Please post the updated sample so that I can test it on my end.

[Adina]

Hi, I also always seem to get this problem.
I use NT to test some data occasionally and when I import data into it I cannot get a chart up.
However the next day or the next time I log into my computer the chart sometimes comes up.... so I know it is not the data.
It seems random and drives me crazy.
The process I have tried varies in order to try different ideas, eg; connect to a data feed, disconnect etc.
The data is imported as correctly formatted data (I know it is as it works sometimes)
The files are named exactly the same.
I have set it up as a stock before in order to make it simple.
Still sometimes just does not work.

[NinjaTrader_Chip]

Hello Adina,

Can you detail the steps you take to chart imported data?

What errors/messages do you see (if any).

Please provide any detail/steps in order for me to duplicate this issue.

I look forward to hearing from you.

[Adina]

Chip - I think I worked out the issue......
It has to do with the dates in the text file.
Basically when opening the chart (File>new>chart> Range settings) you need to manually enter the dates that are in the text file, otherwise it will not chart. That is align the last date in the text file, with the last date as shown in the Format Data Series box that is used when loading the chart. In other words you need to open or at least know the exact dates used in the text file and enter these.
Hence I the seemingly random nature of the charting - if the dates were current then it seemed to chart the data with no problems. If it missed by a day or two then nothing.

As a suggestion, could not the text file data be read and the dates automatically be picked up by NT - either from the first or ideally the last line of data?

I hope this helps the other users

[NinjaTrader_Chip]

Hello Adina,

I will forward your suggestion to our Development Department so that they can evaluate this further.

Please let me know if I can answer any additional questions.

[Adina]

Hi just a follow up....FYI
I decided to import some different data that I have been manipulating around myself.
The data is in the right format, it imports successfully and I have managed to work out all the correct dates. No problems...... however, you still cannot get a chart up using this data. Its is blank.
Yet when I close NT6.5 down and reopen it again without importing the data, then the charts will work. I assume that I should not need to close NT down every time I want to import data and look at a chart?
This sort of continual frustration is worrying there are other things going on behind the scenes that relate to the complaints from others regarding the issue of importing data.

[NinjaTrader_Chip]

Hello Adina,

Please send a sample of the data set/file you are referring to so that I can test on my end.

Reference this forum thread in your email & send to support AT ninjatrader DOT com

Thank you,