Inaccurate global trendlines across timeframes

[ra1den]

I found a couple threads on this topic from 2011, but from what I can tell this issue has not been resolved, or I am experiencing a different issue perhaps...

The issue is that when I draw a global trendline on, say, M5, then switch over to M1 and look at it, it is significantly inaccurate. This can happen regardless of whether I choose tightly spaced or widely spaced points for the two trendline anchor points.

Attached are two pictures of the same global trendline on M5 and M1 (it was drawn on M5), you can see the values are identical, however on M1 the trendline is very inaccurate (compared to M5, where it was drawn).

I've determined via experimentation that this is likely due to the instrument I'm using, as this issue does not happen on CL, but it does happen on NG (natural gas), and I suspect it may be due to the much smaller pricing of NG (in the $2-$3 range versus CL which is in the $60-$70 range). My guess is that the calculation of these trendlines is not accurate enough to properly display on low-priced instruments when they are drawn on higher timeframes initially.

If this is indeed what is occurring, is there any way to mitigate this? By the way, the exact same thing happens on NT8, I tested it.

[NinjaTrader_AlanS]

Hello ra1den,

Thanks for writing in.

Please send me your log and trace files so that I may look into what occurred.

You can do this by going to the Control Center-> Help-> Mail to Platform Support.

Ensuring 'Log and Trace Files' is checked will include these files. This is checked by default.

Please include a link to this forum thread in the body of your email.

[ra1den]

Hi Alan, thanks so much for your reply.

I can indeed send you the log and trace files if you wish, however this is extremely easy to reproduce on your end. All you need to do is open up an NG chart and draw a global trendline on M5 between two significant points. Then open up an M1 chart and view that trendline, you will see it is inaccurate. This happens consistently on NT7 and NT8, on the instrument NG.

If this is not possible I can send you the log and trace files, but I believe what I suggested above is much less work for you. Please let me know which you prefer, thanks!

[NinjaTrader_AlanS]

Hello ra1den,

From the image you provided, the ray is still being drawn at the exact same data points.

Any differences on the chart would be due to the scaling differences between the two charts which can be influenced by the difference in interval.

[ra1den]

Hi Alan,

Indeed the data points are identical on both charts, that is why this is so puzzling. The problem is the spot I circled, the trendline drawn on M5 is not hitting price on M1, despite the anchor points being correct.

I don't think scaling has anything to do with it, no matter how I scale each chart, the lines don't move at all. This can be seen if you do what I described above, scale has no effect. The example I posted is not an isolated case, it happens every time on NG.

And most noteworthy of all, this does not happen on higher priced instruments like CL. This is also more evidence that scale has nothing to do with it...I only see it on NG, which is a very low priced instrument. So I suspect it has something to do with the decimal accuracy of how these trendlines are being drawn.

[NinjaTrader_AlanS]

Hello ra1den,

I don't experience the same behavior on my end.

Please send us your log and trace files so we can investigate the behavior.

[ra1den]

Hello Alan,

OK, I will send them when I am back at my main PC. I will just clarify one more thing...if you are just looking at the anchors of the trendlines, then these do indeed remain accurate across timeframes, this is expected. However if you look at my picture, you can see the spot where the problem is is not on one of the trendline anchors.

If you try placing your anchors in random spots, as I did in my picture, while still making the trendline go through a given point, do you still find them accurate? When you say you can't reproduce it, I have a feeling you may just be looking at the anchors of the trendline. The problem occurs as you move away from the anchors.

[ra1den]

OK I have sent the email and uploaded the log and trace files. I'll include just two more pictures here. You can see how these two trendlines are parallel on M5, they are duplicates of each other.

Then if you look at these on M1, you can see they intersect. Whatever is causing this is the same issue I mentioned above.

[NinjaTrader_PatrickG]

The reason this particular symptom was occurring was because overnight, in a instrument with periods of low volume, there are some minutes where no ticks came in. 'Equidistant bar spacing' is compressing the time in some parts of the chart which then makes the slope of the line cross in different areas. This gets worse over time.

The solution in this case was to make 'Equidistant bar spacing' = 'false' in the Chart Properties window.

[HinduMVP]

Thank you patrick! I was having this issue and this fixed it! You deserve a raise!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!