MBTrading Connection and Crash Problems

[sdcindy]

My connection issue with MB Trading could not be resolved because Ninja requires I interact with a text box that pops up at 2:00pm PDT that tells me the MBT has to disconnect for rollover. I am at work at this time so this issue cannot be resolved I have to shut down Ninja every morning before I go to work or come home to a Ninja crash.

However now I have another issue. My charts are telling me that there is an Error on loading chart data for $EURUSD Default' Error (errServerSideGeneralRemote ) on loading historical data. This happens with the GBPUSD pair too. So now I am hosed as I can no longer use Ninja to trade Range Bars. About ready to trash this software. Shame.

Cindy

[Crassius]

Cindy,

No doubt it takes labor to use the free data from MB Trading with NinjaTrader. You could always pay for data, and that would take care of everything except the disconnect issue at rollover.

I have been thinking about how to programatically cause NT to disconnect each day at that time, because I am usually asleep at that hour.... it is really a pain to have to wake up and shut NT down. I don't know if this is possible, but it may be.

The server side failure you are getting is a generic message that doesn't necessarily say anything usefull. I have been connected and trading on MB's data all week, so I am sure that there is no problem on the server side.

I have found that this error can be cleared by getting the local database back to only full hours worth of data and deleting any partial hours that may be in the database.... see my post below.

You can open up the Historical Data Manager, open the Edit tab and look at the data hour by hour... each hour of each day has a seperate folder. Delete all hours working backward until you get a DB that has nothing but full hours. You want to get rid of any hours that are only partially filled... you want from 1:00:XX to 1:59:XX.

Then use the Download tab to manually down load the data you are missing up to the current time. This has been working for me.

That has always cleared the problem for me... but the next logical step would be to delete from the local DB working backwards until you have only full days... no partial days.

Sometimes of course there is a problem on the server.... but that isn't the case here... you're just getting a generic error message. I have no idea why this fix works, but it does.

[billr]

Hi Cindy,
I share your frustration and have been where you are. I have been using NT/MBT for well over a year. All I can say is that in my opinion, most of the problem is the denial that MBT does not really support Ninja. Neither side wants to admit it outright, but from what I can see it is a marriage that is doomed for divorce. MBT wants customers to adopt its own platform and maybe MT4 or Lightwave. The writing is on the wall, MBT considers NT users a nuisance. When speaking to MBT customer service, you can see the rolling of the eyes when you mention you trade via NT. Its too bad. MBT has a great mix of products but for some reason wants to join the countless other brokers that use MT4. I don't know why. Maybe there are favorable licensing deals or MT4 provides them with a model that has proven to generate more transactions?? In any event, if you like the product mix of MBT (like I do) you might have to subscribe to Kinetick or another good data provider. This solved my problems with MBT (same as you described). I think NT should offer MBT users some sort of discount for using Kinetick. Don't give up. Change brokers first.
Bill

[Crassius]

I wouldn't be quite as negative as Bill. My experience with MBT since 2008 is that they have always been open to users employing other platforms, but it is true that they provide minimial support to anything except their own product Desktop and perhaps MT4.

I think it is more a policy of, you can use other products like NinjaTrader, but its a Think or Swim attitude.... if you do, you are expected to be a self sufficient trader and are largely on your own. They will tell you if the server is up and running, clear any account log on problems, but functionality is up to you.

NinjaTrader had NO SUPPORT at all for historical data until the v7 release, so the difficulties with historical data should be viewed in the context that this is brand new functionality for the platform, and has the normal growing pains.

Certainly paying for data solves the Historical Data labor involved in making MB's free data work. They are aware that improvements need to be made as far as the reliability of available data.... there should ALWAYS be 40 days worth of tick data available for example, and it shouldn't be unpredictably varying like it is now. Downloadable backups would be a good addition as well.

I have made those suggestions, and have been told they are making efforts to improve. My experience w/ MB Trading is that they do listen to their customers, and they have implemeneted changes I have advocated in the past.

I like NinjaTrader's use of C# and the .NET framework. The ability for me to code custom behavior in C# and .NET and not some DSL is the whole reason I am using NinjaTrader. I'm not gonna change software, and I'm not gonna change brokers. If the Historical data labor becomes too tiresome, I'll just pay for data.

[billr]

Crassius, I appreciate your pointing out a negativity that I didn't necessarily mean to convey. Your assessment of the MBT point of view is probably more accurate and productive. My general level of frustration with the NT/MBT tends to color my commentary.