Any way to copy chart alerts to a new chart?

[ErikY]

I created a chart with about 75 alerts. I want to have 5-1 charts with different instruments running at all times with all the alerts.

Much to my disappointment, when I duplicated the chart window with all the alerts, the alerts did not come over to the new window.

I then tried saving my chart with the 75 alerts to a template, hoping they would get attached to the template, no luck.

Any way to copy the alerts over to the other charts? It took me days to get the first chart alerts done, I'd rather not spend weeks doing this if possible.

[NinjaTrader_PaulG]

Hello Erik,

Thank you for your post.

Both in NinjaTrader 7 or NinjaTrader 8, there is no way to duplicate a chart with the alerts or move alerts from one chart to another. Unfortunately, you will need to recreate the alerts on each chart. If you are using that many alerts, I would suggest using custom NinjaScript to create the alerts, and then that would be applicable to all charts easily.

I am able to forward your post to the NinjaScript Department for assistance creating custom scripts and alerts.
Please let me know if you would like to speak to them.

I look forward to your reply.

[ErikY]

Thanks Paul, In hindsight, the Ninjascript alerts would have been the way to do this. I just didnt realize that was even possible. For now I am looking into manipulating the xml files with ctrl-h and copy and paste to see if I can do it that way.

[brucerobinson]

ErikY - 2 things 4 you in case they’re helpful/avoid further waste of time/frustration:
- a quick search of Alerts in this forum will show the torrid history - but the (constructive) point being many such as you and I have been dismayed to find the many hours invested cannot be copied, and many have tried such as .XML files etc. I think it likely if it could be done someone would have (I’ve no idea on such matters).
- just in case it helps in case you’re not aware (may or may not be relevant to your use case) - Alerts can be put on Market Analyser. I gave up on putting on charts and put on MA (a shortcoming on MA method is instruments don’t rollover, if that’s relevant to your trading.
best,

[ErikY]

Bruce, thanks. I actually was able to get it to work via the XML. I had to go through a very specific thought out process, but I got it to work well.

I had actually tried the MA before going the multiple chart and multiple indicator route, but I was not getting good consistent calculations. I was getting a lot of calculations that made no sense, and inconsistencies with the same code on different machines, which really was maddening. So I went this route. It was painful but now hopefully working OK.

If anyone interested I can explain my process for using the XML to copy

[brucerobinson]

Erik - glad to hear that. What would be useful from Support would be to find out how you did it and put it up as a solution, seeing as many have been surprised and frustrated to find the limitation, asked and NT has not resolved.

My use case is to alert when price approaches a level so it isn't critical (such as triggering an entry, for example). I too believe I get inconsistent triggers. Again I've no idea of your situation, but to share my 'caution' - given that you have a large quantity - my alerts (which trigger a sound file) noticeably affect platform performance (chart lag) during high volatility. Even with only a single chart.
I've no idea if it will affect your use, whether it matters if Alerts on chart or MA, triggering sound file, alert message, whatever use etc. Just that my experience has been that when you say 75 alerts and wanting to duplicate across charts puts a shiver down my spine.....

I had the same experience being able to put indicators on DOMs. Technically it is a new 'Feature'. My experience in practice was not fit for purpose & abandoned. Looks like alerts are heading the same way under today's conditions.

[ErikY]

Bruce, basically what I did was this process:

Copy workspace and work in copy as not to mess up original working version
Strip down the workspace to nothing other than the one chart with all the alerts. This made the workspace XML more manageable.
Create one new blank chart with no indicators, no alerts, just an instrument and a bar type/value

Open up workspace xml
Find entire chart from <chart> to </chart> tags
Copy entire chart and paste to new blank xml page

go back to workspace
copy the ID from the blank chart
co to xml file that has copied chart xml
replace the id on the existing chart with the one copied from the blank one on both start tag and end tag, I just did a ctrl h and replaced all which was 2 instances

copy this entire chart xml with replaced id

paste it over the entire blank chart xml in the workspace file.

save it, close it, open ninja and open the workspace.

Now I have two charts with the same instrument, and all the alerts are in both charts. the two charts will have the exact same position and will appear to be only one chart. Move one and change the instrument. Alerts are now in two windows.

I repeated that process for all the windows I wanted the alerts in. Took about 5 min per chart, which is nothing compared to all the alerts and conditions.

If any part of this doesnt make sense let me know, happy to expand upon it.

As for the bogging down, I am afraid of that. I have noticed that instrument changes are slower than usual, but also inconsistent, some fast, some slow. I just need to play with it and see if it works over time. But the alers are in multiple windows

[brucerobinson]

Thanks Erik. "Took about 5 min per chart, which is nothing compared to all the alerts and conditions." Hopefully the next 'you' that comes along will find this before wasting their time, frustrated and to be told it can't be done - rather than offered such a solution. Or code your own solution, after you've learned Ninjascript. Whether you want to or not. Poorly conceived by Development from the outset. When I first embarked on it, was when released to the unsuspecting public as fit, but still horribly beta. Consequently each Version 'update' repeatedly 'broke' the Conditions database meaning had to re-create all Alerts time and again. A conservative estimate would be in excess of 100hrs of my life, all in all.
I'm still in therapy....
All the best

[ErikY]

Bruce, I am a developer and have been coding my own indicators in NinjaScript, which makes working with XML much more manageable than someone who isn't familiar with it. If someone isn't familiar with XML, that is probably not a valid solution. Knowing what I know now, I would have just coded my alerts into an indicator rather than the way I went about it, I just didnt do enough research prior to jumping into the alerts. I should have.

[jculp]

Just started working with alerts and had the same dismay upon finding that I couldn't copy to another chart. Glad to have found this thread before I got very far. I think I'll work on developing alerts via script. Thanks for your insights.

[willwin]

Thank you for the instructions ErikY. would you please explain to me where i find the id?
(go back to workspace
copy the ID from the blank chart)
You say there are 2 instances. I do not see those.
Also would you tell me how use indicator for alerts as mentioned?
Thank you

[pwmmmm]

Bruce, basically what I did was this process:

Copy workspace and work in copy as not to mess up original working version
Strip down the workspace to nothing other than the one chart with all the alerts. This made the workspace XML more manageable.
Create one new blank chart with no indicators, no alerts, just an instrument and a bar type/value

Open up workspace xml
Find entire chart from <chart> to </chart> tags
Copy entire chart and paste to new blank xml page

go back to workspace
copy the ID from the blank chart
co to xml file that has copied chart xml
replace the id on the existing chart with the one copied from the blank one on both start tag and end tag, I just did a ctrl h and replaced all which was 2 instances

copy this entire chart xml with replaced id

paste it over the entire blank chart xml in the workspace file.

save it, close it, open ninja and open the workspace.

Now I have two charts with the same instrument, and all the alerts are in both charts. the two charts will have the exact same position and will appear to be only one chart. Move one and change the instrument. Alerts are now in two windows.

I repeated that process for all the windows I wanted the alerts in. Took about 5 min per chart, which is nothing compared to all the alerts and conditions.

If any part of this doesnt make sense let me know, happy to expand upon it.

As for the bogging down, I am afraid of that. I have noticed that instrument changes are slower than usual, but also inconsistent, some fast, some slow. I just need to play with it and see if it works over time. But the alers are in multiple windows

My instruments are also changing over slower than usual. I'm wondering if this is just a processor issue. Do you have a very fast system? Processor/Threads, Ram, HDD, etc??

[ErikY]

My instruments are also changing over slower than usual. I'm wondering if this is just a processor issue. Do you have a very fast system? Processor/Threads, Ram, HDD, etc??

I actually don't have a very fast system, I am using a pretty old laptop and could use a much faster processor. I am not using the alerts like this anymore, but I suspect if I was, I would still have the same slowness

[NinjaTrader_ChelseaB]

Hello ErikY,

I wanted to also note, there is a feature request open for the ability to copy Alerts on charts, tracked with ID # SFT-107, copy Alerts, Columns, and Indicators in the Market Analyzer, tracked with ID # SFT-82, and for saving templates for Alerts tracked with ID # SFT-1988.

I've added votes on your behalf for these requests.

Please note, we receive many requests and cannot reasonably implement all requested features or changes. Interest is tracked internally and if enough interest is tracked, it would be weighed against how feasible it would be to make those changes to consider implementing, so we cannot offer an ETA or promise of fulfillment.

When new features are implemented, they will be listed in the Release Notes page of the Help Guide. The ID number may be different than the internal feature request tracking ID, but the description of the feature will let you know if that feature has been implemented.

Release Notes - https://ninjatrader.com/support/help...ease_notes.htm

[terua9]

Hello ErikY,

I wanted to also note, there is a feature request open for the ability to copy Alerts on charts, tracked with ID # SFT-107, copy Alerts, Columns, and Indicators in the Market Analyzer, tracked with ID # SFT-82, and for saving templates for Alerts tracked with ID # SFT-1988.

I've added votes on your behalf for these requests.

Please note, we receive many requests and cannot reasonably implement all requested features or changes. Interest is tracked internally and if enough interest is tracked, it would be weighed against how feasible it would be to make those changes to consider implementing, so we cannot offer an ETA or promise of fulfillment.

When new features are implemented, they will be listed in the Release Notes page of the Help Guide. The ID number may be different than the internal feature request tracking ID, but the description of the feature will let you know if that feature has been implemented.

Release Notes - https://ninjatrader.com/support/help...ease_notes.htm

Sometimes features should not be judged by votes, I e.g. do not have the will to go and vote for features that have very few votes but are probably extremely important for most traders once it is in, what would be the use to vote then? Do you have a forum entry to physically vote for these? I get it, how do you prioritize features and you check which is the most popular. BUT:-

Not being able to copy Alerts on charts is a pretty basic oversight. I understand on Market Analyzer and so can be a bit complicated, but charts is basic. E.g. having 8 currency futures charts with 8 common Alerts on each and not being able to make them universal, you must admit, is a feature that should be there since alerts were invented (whether it is via a preset or template, both are easy to implement). Expecting to use a script or manipulate xml files to implement this is also silly, most users are not interested in programming. I am new to Ninjatrader, but a very fast learner, happy with generally the features of NT compared to other platforms, but these small things are irritating.

Hope I didn't come over too harsh, it is a good platform, LOVE the way I can setup multi data series with nearly limitless multi TF ideas and just the general capabilities of arrangement of charts is truly great, but these tiny things drive me up the wall as it wastes so much time, especially if I optimize my alerts and having to go to every chart to re-adjust... anyway... add my vote (lol).

(PS: Just to prove my point, it seems there is no simple way to change the wicks of a candlestick to the color of the candle unless it is hollow, but I do not want hollow csticks, basic things like that make the layman trader look at other platforms which always had this as a basic setting..)