Enabling a Builder Strategy with wrapping ChartControl != null to pass values

[Tonofit]

I have to wrap this line of code: if (ChartControl != null)

around OnBarUpdate() section of code to Enable checkbox to stay on and enabled for Strategy Builder. All the code except the vertical lines is a template that was prebuilt. I added an indicator for the trend strength which shows vertical lines and the Colored Label on the upper right side of the chart. I can't get the vertical lines to be read by StrategyBuilder using a value of TrendBreak that I named. How can I get TrendBreak to work to pass the value to Strategy Builder as I have used this way of passing values to Strategy Builder previously, but those aren't using a template, where as I'm adding an indicator that only strength and weakness vertical lines and a Trend label like this is?



public class StackedEMAs : Indicator
{

private Series<double> trendBreak;

protected override void OnStateChange()
{
if (State == State.SetDefaults)
{

AddPlot(new Stroke(Brushes.Transparent, 2), PlotStyle.Bar, "TrendBreak");
}
else if (State == State.DataLoaded)
{
trendBreak = new Series<double>(this);
}
}

// OnBarUpdate code

protected override void OnBarUpdate()
{
if (BarsInProgress != 0)
return;

if (CurrentBars[0] < 1)
return;


if (ChartControl != null)
{
EMA8 = EMA(8)[0];
EMA5 = EMA(5)[0];

SNS = EMA5 < EMA8

if (SNS) // Negative
{
trendBreak[0] = -1;
}

// Properties

[Browsable(false)]
[XmlIgnore]
public Series<double> TrendBreak
{
get { return trendBreak; }
}

[NinjaTrader_Jesse]

Hello Tonofit,

For indicators to be used as signals in the builder you have to have the indicator plot a value. if it is using drawing objects that won't be able to be detected in the builder.

The code you added if (ChartControl != null) would not be needed for the strategy its self, if one of the indicators you are using requires a chart that may be what the reason is for needing that code. If thats the case then the indicator needs to be fixed and add that code in so the strategy does not require it.

[Tonofit]

I'm using multiple EMA values and the realtionship's they have to each other to indicate strength and weakness of a trend and drawing a marker such as a vertical line or arrow for instance. I'm trying to use trendBreak as a plot. How should a plot be done with EMA's to show this relationship to use by Strategy Builder to signal a long or a short?

public class StackedEMAs : Indicator
{
private Series<double> trendBreak;

private double EMA13;
private double EMA8;
private double EMA5;

private bool SPS;
private bool SNS;

protected override void OnStateChange()
{
if (State == State.SetDefaults)
{
Description = @"";
Name = "StackedEMAs";
Calculate = Calculate.OnBarClose;
IsOverlay = false;
DisplayInDataBox = false;
DrawOnPricePanel = true;
DrawHorizontalGridLines = false;
ScaleJustification = NinjaTrader.Gui.Chart.ScaleJustification.Right;
IsSuspendedWhileInactive = true;

else if (State == State.DataLoaded)
{
trendBreak = new Series<double>(this);
}


AddPlot(new Stroke(Brushes.Transparent, 2), PlotStyle.Bar, "Lock");
AddPlot(Brushes.Transparent, "TrendBreak");


protected override void OnBarUpdate()
{
if (BarsInProgress != 0)
return;

if (CurrentBars[0] < 1)
return;

EMA13 = EMA(13)[0];
EMA8 = EMA(8)[0];
EMA5 = EMA(5)[0];

SPS = EMA5 > EMA8 && EMA8 > EMA13;
SNS = EMA5 < EMA8 && EMA8 < EMA13;


if (SNS) // Negative Strong
{
if (Lock[1] != -1)
{
Draw.VerticalLine(this, "TrendDownStrong" + CurrentBar, 0, Brushes.Red);
trendBreak[0] = -1;
}
//PlotBrushes[0][0] = TransparentBrush;
Lock[0] = -1;
}
else if (SPS) // Positive Strong
{
if (Lock[1] != 1)
{
Draw.VerticalLine(this, "TrendUpStrong" + CurrentBar, 0, Brushes.Green);
trendBreak[0] = 1;
}
//PlotBrushes[0][0] = TransparentBrush;
Lock[0] = 1;

}


[Browsable(false)]
[XmlIgnore]
public Series<double> Lock
{
get { return Values[0]; }
}

[Browsable(false)]
[XmlIgnore]
public Series<double> TrendBreak
{
//get { return Values[0]; }
get { return trendBreak; }
}

[NinjaTrader_Jesse]

Hello Tonofit,

From what you have shown that appears to be correct for making a signal. The TrendBreak plot could be set to values of -1,0,1 to denote different states. The strategy could then read that value as a signal using a condition.

You would need to use the capitalized TrendBreak for setting the plot.

[Tonofit]

Hi Jesse,

Thanks for taking a look at this...

I've attached a chart and the indicator StrategyEMAs export zip file. I'm not findiing the problem with enable Strategy Builder still occurs.

If I enable the Builder Strategy without my StackedEMA's indicator code having If (ChartControl != null) wrapped around inside the function OnBarUpdate() and the indicator code still won't stay enabled for the strategy. I'm interested to see how this will work for Trend Strength, Weakness. I made a 1 Min MNQ chart and added my indicator and tried it without using the more complex template and the same results of momentary enable and then a disable of the checkbox for strategy still happens.

Strategy using StackedEMAs indicator code

protected override void OnBarUpdate()
{
if (BarsInProgress != 0)
return;

if (CurrentBars[0] < 1)
return;

// Set 1
if ((StackedEMAs1.TrendBreak[0] == 1)
|| (StackedEMAs1.TrendBreak[0] == 2))
{
EnterLong(Convert.ToInt32(DefaultQuantity), "");
}

// Set 2
if ((StackedEMAs1.TrendBreak[0] == -1)
|| (StackedEMAs1.TrendBreak[0] == -2))
{
EnterShort(Convert.ToInt32(DefaultQuantity), "");
}

}

[NinjaTrader_Jesse]

Hello Tonofit,

I missed from your last message is that you are not setting a plot, you made a variable. You need a plot to use the Values collection:

[Browsable(false)]
[XmlIgnore]
public Series<double> TrendBreak
{
//get { return Values[0]; }
get { return trendBreak; }
}

needs to be

[Browsable(false)]
[XmlIgnore]
public Series<double> TrendBreak
{
get { return Values[1]; }
}

The [1] is because the AddPlot with TrendBreak is the second AddPlot, that makes the count of the index for this plot 1 and the other addplot is 0.

[Tonofit]

Hi Jesse,

I revised the code to get it to work now. I used if (ChartControl != null) and wrapped the code for the label in the upper right corner of the chart as isn't part of the plot. The plot I used trendbreak within TrendBreak so Values[1] looked correct but it worked the way I did it.