ATM strategy selection

[Day Trading Fool]

I have a few complaints re. Chart Trader and ATM selection. (B7.19)

1) Start of day, the order quantity does not match the indicated ATM strategy.

2) The ATM strategy changes (seems completely arbitrary, but I am sure that it is not). Sometimes it changes when selecting another instrument from a linked MA. Sometimes it changes after a position is closed and I re-enter a position. This second scenario is especially annoying because I can't seem to setup a simulated stop via a right click - is there some way to set up a sim stop on a live position?

This seems buggy, but perhaps it is working as intended? I would like the ATM to remain constant unless I manually change it, regardless of whether it is another instrument or the same instrument.

Thanks for any help.

[NinjaTrader_RyanM1]

Hello Day Trading Fool,

1) Thank you for identifying this. I have seen this and is always a display issue - the actual quantity of targets / stops should match the quantity specified in Order Qty field. You can "reset" by adjusting order quantity up or down.

2) This is dependent on ATMStrategySelectionMode. Please review this page and let us know if you'd like additional clarification:

http://www.ninjatrader-support.com/HelpGuideV6/StrategyMode.html

[Day Trading Fool]

Thanks for the reply Ryan.

Re. 2)

I have reviewed the this section of the manual numerous times. I have 'SelectActiveAtmStrategyOnOrderSubmission' indicated in the ATM selection mode. IF the correct ATM strategy is selected upon order submission, everything works fine.

The problem arises when the ATM strategy switches to 'None' - seemingly on it's own accord. This happened twice today - an order is submitted and filled and everything works fine (ATM is implemented). I close the position and everything is fine. I then choose to submit another order and when it is filled, I notice that no stop loss is indicated on the chart. I check and the ATM indicates 'None'.

And this happens though the ATM was never intentionally changed.

I checked just now and the correct ATM remains selected no matter which instrument I select on the linked MA (which is how it should be). For some reason the ATM occasionally changes to 'None', I have no idea as to why.

This used to happen quite frequently in B7.18 (and prior versions of 7), but it seems to happen to a lesser extent on B7.19.

And it happened twice today.

I am wondering - could I be inadvertently pressing a button/hotkey that I shouldn't be? I don't see anything in the hot key manager related to the ATM strategy.

Thanks for any help.

[NinjaTrader_RyanO]

Hi Day Trading Fool,

Can you please go to File-->Workspaces and then create a new workspace and test the issue with the ATM strategy changing to <None>. Also, can you please upgrade to beta 20 prior to testing a new workspace.

If the issue does persist can you please send an email to support[at]ninjatrader[dot]com and include your log and trace files, as well as attach the workspace you are using by going to My Documents-->NinjaTrader 7-->workspaces.

If you go to Help-->Mail to Support you can choose to include your log and trace files, as well as your workspaces when sending an email to support.

Also, please reference this forum post so that we can test the issue further.

[Day Trading Fool]

So this has happened several times today, in fact I seemed to have narrowed it down to a specific set of actions. Before trying the trouble shooting, I want to be certain that this is unexpected behavior.

I select the an ATM and place an order. I select another Instrument from a linked MA and the ATM switches to 'None'. I change the ATM to the desired ATM, and select any instrument on the linked MA (except for the one currently in position) and the ATM stays selected. If I select the instrument with position, then select another instrument, the ATM switches to 'None'.

I believe that the ATM should be maintained regardless of what I select.

Which is correct?

[NinjaTrader_RyanO]

Hi Day Trading Fool,

Thank you for your clarification.

In testing this issue the ATM strategy will remain selected unless you enter an ATM strategy. If you select an ATM strategy on the chart and then do not enter an order and then change the instrument from the Market Analyzer then the strategy template will remain selected.

If you right click on Chart Trader and then select Chart Trader Properties you can change the ATM strategy selection Mode to Keep Selected ATM strategy Template on Order Submission then the strategy will always be your template regardless of which instrument, and if you entered an order with the template.

[Day Trading Fool]

Ok - thanks for that.

I am telling you that it doesn't. If you repeat the steps I mentioned above you should be able to replicate the problem. Be sure that NT is registering a position on one instrument when you test it.

[NinjaTrader_RyanO]

Hi Day Trading Fool,

I am sorry for the misunderstanding, but I am able to duplicate what you are seeing, and this is expected behavior based on the ATM strategy selection mode.

If you change the ATM strategy selection mode the template will remain selected regardless, of whether you enter an order on an instrument from the chart.

[Day Trading Fool]

Hi -

I am completely confused now.

I think the ATM should remain selected, unless I select another ATM, regardless of anything else that happens.

Are you saying that NT does do this and that it is expected?

I am saying that NT does not do this (B7.20). Select an ATM strategy. Select an instrument that is currently holding a position (and using an ATM strategy for that position). Select another instrument. The ATM will revert to 'None'

[NinjaTrader_RyanO]

Hi Day Trading Fool,

Yes, I see the same behavior. I will confirm with development again if this is an issue or expected behavior, and when I know more will follow up.

[Day Trading Fool]

Hi,

Haven't heard back on this.

And more re. the ATM and order quantity:

I open NT and the chart trader ATM indicates the strategy I want to use - but the value indicated in the order quantity field does not match the order quantity saved with the ATM strategy. I have to select/re-select the ATM for the order quantity to match the saved quantity.

This is what I was referring to in the first post. I am not sure if this is expected behavior, but in my opinion the order quantity should match the order quantity that is saved with the ATM - unless the user overrides the value.

[NinjaTrader_RyanO]

Hi Day Trading Fool,

Thank you for that information. As I understood the issue from post #5 the behavior is expected after working with development to confirm this. Post #6 details changes you can make to alter the behavior of ATM strategies.

Now if the quantity is changing unexpectedly it would indicate the ATM strategy is not functioning as expected please open the ATM strategy window from Chart Trader and then select Manage ATM strategies and remove the strategy. Then please repair the database by going to Tools-->Options-->Data-->Repair DB.

Then please create the ATM strategy new and then test with any of the ATM strategy selection modes depending on the behavior you would like.

[Day Trading Fool]

Hi,

This is still a problem.

Last weekend I un-installed everything about NT, and re-installed and re-created everything from scratch. I updated to .22 this morning and still experienced ATM glitches.

After .22 there seems to be something new, at least I haven't noticed it before. Today sometimes the ATM would switch labels but the parameters remained what they should of been.

As a re-cap:

I am using chart trader with two series (one 5 minute one 15 minute - see attached). The chart is linked to an MA that contains the list of stocks that I am trading for the day. I constantly click on different stocks on the MA to view charts and/or place orders.

ATM Strategy selection mode is: KeepSelectedAtmStrategyTemplateOnOrderSubmission

I only have 2 custom ATM strategies. One with a 50 tick stop and one with a 6 tick stop. Both make use of the simstop option with is set to 200 shares.

The majority of the time I only use one of the ATM strategies - the 50 tick stop. I call this the 'Standard Stop'. This is the only ATM I selected today. My intention was to use this ATM strategy for all of today's trades. I selected it for the first trade of the day (and then subsequently had to re-select it when the ATM strategy changed). I expect the ATM strategy to remain the same regardless of which stock is displayed on the chart.

However, the ATM strategy would not stay selected, it seemed to randomly change to 'None' or the 6 tick stop strategy as I selected different stocks. I say randomly because I cannot determine what triggers the ATM strategy to change.

Yesterday I removed the second series on the chart in hopes that the problem had something to do with the second series, but this seemed to have no affect - the strategy still changed for no apparent reason.

Thanks for any help.

[NinjaTrader_RyanO]

Hi Day Trading Fool,

Can you please go to My Documents-->NinjaTrader 7-->workspaces and attach the .xml file you are using as a workspace to an email. Please send that email to support[at]ninjatrader[dot]com.

Additionally, can you please go to My Documents-->NinjaTrader 7-->templates-->Market Analyzer and attach the Market Analyzer template you are using.

I would like to use your workspace and templates to test this issue with my own ATM strategies.