How can I download the latest NT8 beta version?

[EquityTrader]

Hello,

How can I download the latest NT8 beta version?

When I click on the "Download" menu item in NT8 my only option is the current production version or earlier, but I would like to download the most recent betas.

My reason: I am using "Draw.Triangle()", which breaks in the back-test results charts in the current production version (mine is 8.0.7.0 64-bit (Multi-Broker)), but I see in the release notes of the beta versions that this bug has been fixed.

Thanks!

EquityTrader

[NinjaTrader_DrewO]

Hello,

Thanks for your note.

Since NinjaTrader 8's major production release, the Beta versions are not available for download.

[EquityTrader]

Hi NinjaTrader_DrewO,

Thanks for the quick reply. Too bad that I can't get my hands of the newest beta, but oh well.

Just to make sure that the bus is fixed in the newest beta, here is the bug in the current production release:

Calling Draw.Triangle(...) on a chart that is opened in the back-test results screen throws an exception, in @Shapes.cs, in the method private static Triangle TriangleCore(...), at line number 901:

midAnchor				= new ChartAnchor((owner as Gui.NinjaScript.IChartBars).ChartBars.GetTimeByBarIdx(chartControl, currentBar - midBarsAgo), midY, currentBar, chartControl);

The problem is that "chartControl" is null (because ChartControl is null in the back-test results screen.

Could you please make sure that this bug is either definitely fixed in one of the beta versions, or please tell the developers about this bug if it is not?

I would hate to think that the bug is fixed based on some release notes, wait for a long time to get my hands on the current beta when it goes into production, and then find out that the bug still isn't fixed (and I would need to wait a lot longer again since I am not allowed to try out betas.)

Thanks a lot in advance for helping with this. I really need triangles to draw correctly in the back-test results screens.

EquityTrader

[NinjaTrader_AlanP]

Hello EquityTrader,

Is this a bug you’ve previously reported?

Would you be able to provide a sample script which when I run a backtest will thrown an exception?

To export a NinjaScript from NinjaTrader 8 do the following:
From the Control Center window select Tools -> Export -> NinjaScript...
Click Add>Select the indicator>OK>Export.
Then attach that file you saved; under My Docs>NT8>Bin>Custom>Select the downloaded .zip file.

I look forward to your reply.

[EquityTrader]

Hello NinjaTrader_AlanP,

No, I just discovered the bug right before I made yesterday's post.

Also, I just now discovered that this bug happens with other "Draw.XYZ(...)" methods as well, i.e. an exception is thrown when the user calls Draw.Triangle(...) or Draw.FibonacciExtensions(...) from a strategy that is viewed in the back-test results chart screen. I presume that this happens in a bunch more of the Draw.XYZ(...) methods, but I haven't tried them all yet.

I believe that I know the reason for the bug: As stated in my last post, ChartControl is null in the back-test results chart screen, so when the drawing methods in @Shape.cs are called, and they call the following line of code...

ChartControl	chartControl	= DrawingTool.GetOwnerChartControl(owner);

and then call the following line of code, without checking if chartControl == null...

extAnchor			= new ChartAnchor(bars.ChartBars.GetTimeByBarIdx(chartControl, currentBar - extensionBarsAgo), extensionY, currentBar, chartControl);

An exception is thrown in the back-test results chart screen, so the user can't even see their buy and sell signals on the chart.

I think that your development team needs to either make ChartControl != null in the back-test results screen (which would actually make a lot more powerful things possible for advanced NinjaScript programmers), or at least find a work-around so that 100% of the Draw.XYZ(...) methods can draw properly on the back-test results chart screen without throwing an exception.

I attached my strategy as a .cs file instead of following your instructions because I tried to export my strategy per your instructions, but under Tools -> Export, there are only three options: "Backup File...", "Historial Data...", and "NinjaScript Add-On...".

This file is a copy of the SampleMACrossOver strategy provided by NinjaTrader. I just added 1 line in the "if" condition where the "EnterLong()" occurs:

Draw.Triangle(this, "Triangle" + CurrentBar.ToString(), 0, Close[0], 10, Close[10], 20, Close[20], Brushes.Blue);

To reproduce the bug, run a back-test on the strategy with a large enough "BarsRequiredToTrade", like 100, to remove that source of errors, then look at the strategy buy and sell signals on the back-test results chart screen. An exception should be thrown if you are using the current production version (mine is 8.0.7.0 64-bit (Multi-Broker)).

Sadly, this is a deal breaker for me. I will have to use another platform if I can't draw all the drawing objects in the back-test results screens in NinjaTrader 8.

I am begging you guys to fix this set of problems as soon as possible... and I would really appreciate access to that beta so that my project is not ruined... I would be very happy to unit test ALL of the Draw.XYZ(...) methods and give you a detailed report if you give me access to the fixed beta.

Thank you,

EquityTrader

[NinjaTrader_AlanP]

Hello EquityTrader,

Thank you for reporting this and I have passed this on to development.

The process of resolving a bug typically starts with a report>fix>release. At this time it’s uncertain whether this will make it to the next release however any fixes in the betas are applied to the latest version released.

I will follow up with a bug ID for which you can check in with to find what release version it'll be resolved in.

Thank you for your patience.

[NinjaTrader_AlanP]

Hello EquityTrader,

The issue has been resolved and will be resolved in the next release.

If you'd like to send an email to platformsupport[at]ninjatrader[dot]com with Attn: Alan P in the Subject line, with a link to this thread, I can provide you with the new shapes.cs file which resolves the issue.

I look forward to your email.

[EquityTrader]

Hello NinjaTrader_AlanP,

Fantastic! I sent the email per your generous offer.

When I get it I will test it and post my results.

Thank you!

EquityTrader

[EquityTrader]

Hello NinjaTrader_AlanP,

I received the @Shapes.cs file and tested it very carefully.

The good news first:

1. Draw.Triangle(...) no longer throws exceptions. Thanks!

The bad news:

1. Draw.FibonacciExtensions(...) still throws the same exception in the back-test results chart screen. I've attached "MyCustomStrategy2.cs" so that you can reproduce this problem.

2. Draw.Triangle(...) doesn't draw a triangle. Please run the strategy I attached to my earlier post ("MyCustomStrategy1.cs") and look at it in the back-test results chart screen to see how only 2 out of the 3 points of the triangle are properly drawn. The middle point is totally ignored. I've attached a screenshot to see how triangles are drawing.

I would sure love a fixed @Shapes.cs. I would be happy to unit test it and report my results.

Thank you very much to you and all the developers for the help today,

EquityTrader

[NinjaTrader_PatrickH]

Hello EquityTrader,

Thank you for your response.

We are looking into this further on our end.

[EquityTrader]

NinjaTrader_PatrickH,

Thank you very much. I really appreciate it.

I'd be very happy to test the fix on my end when it's ready.

Best regards,

EquityTrader