Beginner Advice Needed

[pswarts]

here is my code:
#region Variables
privateint ema = 5;
privateint sma = 40;
privateint profitfactor = 1;
privateint stopfactor = 1;

#endregion
///<summary>
/// This method is used to configure the strategy and is called once before any strategy method is called.
///</summary>
protectedoverridevoid Initialize()
{
Add(EMA(Ema));
Add(SMA(Sma));
Add(ATR(20));
SetProfitTarget("Entry1", CalculationMode.Price, (1*Profitfactor) * (ATR(20)[0]));
SetProfitTarget("Entry2", CalculationMode.Price, (2*Profitfactor) * (ATR(20)[0]));
CalculateOnBarClose = true;
}

[pswarts]

cont'd:
///<summary>
/// Called on each bar update event (incoming tick)
///</summary>
protectedoverridevoid OnBarUpdate()
{
// Resets the stop loss to the original value when all positions are closed
if (Position.MarketPosition == MarketPosition.Flat)
{
SetStopLoss("Entry1", CalculationMode.Ticks, Stopfactor*100, false);
SetStopLoss("Entry2", CalculationMode.Ticks, Stopfactor*100, false);
SetStopLoss("Entry3", CalculationMode.Ticks, Stopfactor*100, false);
}

[pswarts]

cont'd
// If a long position is open, allow for stop loss modification
elseif (Position.MarketPosition == MarketPosition.Long)
{
// Once 1st Profittarget attained, set stop loss to breakeven
if (High[0] >= Position.AvgPrice + ((1*Profitfactor) * (ATR(20)[0]))
&&High[0] <= Position.AvgPrice + ((2*Profitfactor) * (ATR(20)[0]))
&&Close[0] > Position.AvgPrice )
{
SetStopLoss("Entry2", CalculationMode.Price, Position.AvgPrice, true);
SetStopLoss("Entry3", CalculationMode.Price, Position.AvgPrice, true);
}
// Once 2st Profittarget attained, set stop loss to trail by Low of (x)bars
elseif (High[0] > Position.AvgPrice + ((2*Profitfactor) * (ATR(20)[0]))
&&MIN(Low ,3)[0] > Position.AvgPrice)
{
SetStopLoss("Entry3", CalculationMode.Price, MIN(Low, 3)[0], true);
}
}

[pswarts]

cont'd
// Entry Conditions
if (EMA(Ema)[0] > EMA(Ema)[1]
&& SMA(Sma)[0] > SMA(Sma)[1]
&& EMA(Ema)[0] > SMA(Sma)[0]
&& Close[0] > Open[0])
{
EnterLong(1, "Entry1");
EnterLong(1, "Entry2");
EnterLong(1, "Entry3");
}
}

[NinjaTrader_Bertrand]

pswarts, are there any error messages in the Control Center rightmost Log tab as you attempt to run your script?

[pswarts]

This is the message ,seems like a problem with Initialize,I dont know what that means or how to fix it though:

07/12/2011 12:15 AMStrategyFailed to call method 'Initialize' for strategy 'TestingEntriesProgressive1/eb21fcb29fee4622a90312ecc6dd760f': Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

[koganam]

This is the message ,seems like a problem with Initialize,I dont know what that means or how to fix it though:

07/12/2011 12:15 AMStrategyFailed to call method 'Initialize' for strategy 'TestingEntriesProgressive1/eb21fcb29fee4622a90312ecc6dd760f': Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

Your 2 SetProfitTarget() statements are attempting to access barObjects that do not yet exist.

SetProfitTarget("Entry1", CalculationMode.Price, (1*Profitfactor) * (ATR(20)[COLOR=Red][B][0][/B][/COLOR]));
SetProfitTarget("Entry2", CalculationMode.Price, (2*Profitfactor) * (ATR(20)[COLOR=Red][B][0][/B][/COLOR]));

Initialize the SetProfitTarget() statements to static values, then set them in OnStartUp().

[pswarts]

Just to confirm: I'm to add the following between my Initialize and OnBarUpdate ?
protected override void Initialize ()
SetProfitTarget("Entry1", CalculationMode.Ticks, 200);
SetProfitTarget("Entry2", CalculationMode.Ticks, 200);

protected override void OnStartUp ()
SetProfitTarget("Entry1", CalculationMode.Price, (1*Profitfactor) * (ATR(20)[0]));
SetProfitTarget("Entry2", CalculationMode.Price, (2*Profitfactor) * (ATR(20)[0]));

protected override void OnBarUpdate ()
asbefore........

[koganam]

Just to confirm: I'm to add the following between my Initialize and OnBarUpdate ?
protected override void Initialize ()
SetProfitTarget("Entry1", CalculationMode.Ticks, 200);
SetProfitTarget("Entry2", CalculationMode.Ticks, 200);

protected override void OnStartUp ()
SetProfitTarget("Entry1", CalculationMode.Price, (1*Profitfactor) * (ATR(20)[0]));
SetProfitTarget("Entry2", CalculationMode.Price, (2*Profitfactor) * (ATR(20)[0]));

protected override void OnBarUpdate ()
asbefore........

Pretty much. Remember to reset your SetProfitTarget() when you go flat.

[pswarts]

The strategy as discussed above when backtesting , give me frequent Exit on Close orders with (to me ) random distances from the entry orders at times, at other times the orders execute properly ,but I have no ExitLong or any other Exit for that matter in my code at all. Please advise on what the problem may be. Tnx

On the attached image the 2nd stoploss was at low of last three bars which is correct, the first order with an ExitOnClose makes no sense. I can attach more images if you need to demonstrate

[pswarts]

My current code as follows
protectedoverridevoid OnBarUpdate()
{
// Resets the stop loss and Targets to the original value when all positions are closed
if (Position.MarketPosition == MarketPosition.Flat)
{
SetStopLoss("Entry1", CalculationMode.Ticks, Stopfactor*3000, false);
SetStopLoss("Entry2", CalculationMode.Ticks, Stopfactor*3000, false);
SetStopLoss("Entry3", CalculationMode.Ticks, Stopfactor*3000, false);
SetProfitTarget("Entry1", CalculationMode.Ticks, 3000);
SetProfitTarget("Entry2", CalculationMode.Ticks, 3000);
}

[pswarts]

code cont'd
// If a long position is open, allow for stop loss and target modification
elseif (Position.MarketPosition == MarketPosition.Long)
{
SetProfitTarget("Entry1", CalculationMode.Price, Position.AvgPrice+((1*Profitfactor) * (ATR(20)[0])));
SetProfitTarget("Entry2", CalculationMode.Price, Position.AvgPrice+((2*Profitfactor) * (ATR(20)[0])));
SetStopLoss("Entry1", CalculationMode.Price, MIN(Low, 3)[0], true);
SetStopLoss("Entry2", CalculationMode.Price, MIN(Low, 3)[0], true);
SetStopLoss("Entry3", CalculationMode.Price, MIN(Low, 3)[0], true);

[pswarts]

cont'd
// Once 1st Profittarget attained, set stop loss to breakeven
if (High[0] >= Position.AvgPrice + ((1*Profitfactor) * (ATR(20)[0]))
&&High[0] <= Position.AvgPrice + ((2*Profitfactor) * (ATR(20)[0]))
&&Close[0] > Position.AvgPrice )

{
SetStopLoss("Entry2", CalculationMode.Price, Position.AvgPrice, true);
SetStopLoss("Entry3", CalculationMode.Price, Position.AvgPrice, true);
}

[pswarts]

con'd
// Once 2st Profittarget attained, set stop loss to trail by Low of (x)bars
elseif (High[0] > Position.AvgPrice + ((2*Profitfactor) * (ATR(20)[0]))
&&MIN(Low ,3)[0] > Position.AvgPrice)
{
SetStopLoss("Entry3", CalculationMode.Price, MIN(Low, 3)[0], true);
}
}
// Entry Conditions
if (EMA(Ema)[0] > EMA(Ema)[1]
&& SMA(Sma)[0] > SMA(Sma)[1]
&& EMA(Ema)[0] > SMA(Sma)[0]
&& Close[0] > Open[0]
&& Position.MarketPosition == MarketPosition.Flat)
{
EnterLong(100, "Entry1");
EnterLong(100, "Entry2");
EnterLong(100, "Entry3");
}
}

[NinjaTrader_Bertrand]

pswarts, do you intend to hold positions overnight with this strategy? Then simply add ExitOnClose = false; to your Initialize() section and recompile - and those NT end of session exits should be disabled.