Dropdown Interval Selector on charts

[Irukandji]

Hi


Can you add 1 hour, 2 hours and 4 hours to the selector? These are pretty common.


Thanks.

[NinjaTrader_PaulH]

Hello Irukandji,

Thanks for your post.

In NinjaTrader7 the dropdown selector is fixed and cannot be changed.

In NinjaTrader 8 we made it so that you can customize the dropdown selector to whatever intervals you wish. When you select the interval, note the word "configure" at the bottom right. For editing details, please see: "How to change a Data Series" in: https://ninjatrader.com/support/help...price_data.htm

[Irukandji]

Hi


OK, I did manage to clear it up a bit getting rid of things I won't use.


No option for hours though, which is a shame, would be useful to have 1 hour, 2 hour, 4 hour.


(yes it can be done in minutes but hours would be handy to have)


However... when I change to 120 or 240 minutes... the charts can't handle it and return only about 6 or 7 candles.


Another problem of some sort?


Thanks.

[NinjaTrader_PaulH]

Hello Irukandji,

Thanks for your reply.

By default, a minute chart will only load 5 days of data, less if after a weekend.

You can change the default number of days to load for the minute based chart so that it is more appropriate for your typical charts. To change the default days to load, right mouse click on a minute based chart and select "data series". In the data series window change the "days to load" to be the number of days you would need to see. Next at the bottom right note the word "preset", left click on preset, then click "save". Any future charts created or any charts where you switch minutes charts will use the new default setting.

Each bar type will have it's own default days to load and can be similarly changed as needed.

Reference: "How to edit Data Series parameters": https://ninjatrader.com/support/help...price_data.htm

[Irukandji]

OK.


You can see now why it would be better to have more hour options in there!


2 and 4 hour charts are used quite a lot in FX trading (which is what NT was originally built for)


I'm surprised these are not defaults.


Can they be added?



Thanks.

[bltdavid]

2 and 4 hour charts are used quite a lot in FX trading (which is what NT was originally built for)

Do you have a source for that?
Maybe an article? Thread posting? Interview?

Just curious, because I always thought NT was originally built for trading Futures ...

[Irukandji]

Well futures and FX as far as I know... (as opposed to equities which I use it for)


Thanks.

[bltdavid]

In NinjaTrader7 the dropdown selector is fixed and cannot be changed.

Well, it can be changed.

As evidence, see this product and this product.

[NinjaTrader_PaulH]

Hello Irukandji,

Thanks for your posts.

As member bltdavid advises if you wish to purchase something to provide more selection that is possible.

Also, wanted to advise that there is an even easier built-in way to do this (select most any time frame). Simply left click on the chart once and then type a number followed by a letter and then press the enter key. For example for a 127 minute chart type 127m, for a 45 minute chart type 45m, for a 1000 tick chart type 1000t, for a 2000 volume chart type 2000v. etc. etc. As soon as you start typing a "mini dataseries window" will appear. This allows you to quickly change timeframes and even type of bars.

Please review, "How to change a Data Series" here: https://ninjatrader.com/support/help...price_data.htm as this shows all of the letter codes to use. Also, using the mini dataseries window you can likewise change instruments, for example, left click on the chart and then type AAPL and enter for a chart of AAPL (assuming you have a data subscription with that symbol), ES 09-18 if you have futures.

[Irukandji]

The problem isn't that I can't already customize it - I have.


I have set up 120 minutes and 240 minutes.


(and remarkably for Ninjatrader, this is instantly replicated across all existing charts automatically!)


The problem is, the candles displayed have problems - as I'm viewing say, 240 minute candles, it's accessing previous prices in minutes (not hours) and so is limiting how many minutes I can see based on that setting. Then it displays that data as one 240 minute candle.


This means I end up with about 5 candles only on a chart!


If there were a pre-built-in option for many more hour types, I don't think I would be having this problem.


Make sense?


Thanks.

[bltdavid]

Did post #4 help at all?

[Irukandji]

Hi bltdavid


Not really and I'll hopefully explain why.


But firstly, why am I only getting 3 days worth of data when the setting is for 5 days?


(see image)


Thanks.

[NinjaTrader_PaulH]

Hello Irukandji,

Thanks for your post.

The number of days would be a calendar based number of days. Please note that as previously advised, if you want more data you need only specify the number of days (based on calendar days) in the data series window. As previously advised, once you set the number of days you would save the "preset" so that any new charts would use that new default number of days to load.

You do have two other options in the data series regarding data to load, note the row "Load data based on" which by default is days but you can also specify Bars or a custom range of dates. These selections are available when you left click on the current selection.

[Irukandji]

Hello Irukandji,

The number of days would be a calendar based number of days.

What does this mean? You mean it includes weekends in those 5 days? If so, why?


Back to my problem, let me try to explain.


When I look at daily charts, I have it set to 365 days to load - this gives me a years worth of data to look at on my chart - this is perfect for the daily.


When I look at my 5 minutes charts, it's set to 5 days - this too is perfect, a weeks worth of data.


But because there is no hour option, I have to use minutes and customize myself - 120 and 240 minutes.


So, because minutes are set to 5 days only (for my 5 minute charts) that means I only see 5 days for my 2 hour (120m mins) and 4 hour (240 mins) charts.


So what I end up seeing is maximum 10 candles on a 240 minutes chart or 20 candles on a 120 minute chart - obviously this is useless.


My solution then would be to increase the days to load from 5 to say 200.


This would mean I see a reasonable number of candles when I load 120 or 240 minute charts.


BUT.... this then completely screws up my 5 minute charts! So instead of seeing a weeks worth of data, I'll see half a years worth of data displayed as 5 minute candles!


And my guess is loading this much data takes a long time to load - no use at all when I'm quickly flicking through 5 minute charts.




Does this make sense? Thanks.

[NinjaTrader_PaulH]

Hello Irukandji,

Thanks for your reply.

Days to load is based on calendar days because "trading days" which is what you are talking about, are different for a futures trader, a forex trader and an equities trader, so calendar days are used for commonality.

For your minute based charts, you may want to test using the Bars to load option in the data series and see if there is a compromise setting that provides the number of days needed for each bar size. For example, with a 5-minute bar and using 5 days as the example there would be 5 x 24 x 60 / 5 = 1440 bars. If you set bars to load at 1440 as the preset then a 5-minute bar will be loading 5 trading days. If a 120-minute bar is selected then it would be 120 x 1440 / 60 / 24 = 120 trading days. If a 240-minute bar is selected then it would be 240 x 1440 / 60 / 24 = 240 trading days.

I will create a feature request to provide "hourly" bar settings that can have their own presets. A feature request does not mean the feature will or will not be added and provides a means for program management to routinely review user interest in a feature. I will update this thread when I have further information.