Understanding Value when it is not calculated

[uday12]

Suppose I have a code where the Value[0] is calculated only after say 10 bars are passed, example below:

-----
protected override void OnBarUpdate()
{

if (CurrentBar < 10)
return;

Value[0] = High[0] - Close[0];
}

---

1. If I use this indicator in a strategy, what would be values of Value[0] for the first 10 bars? Will be 0, or will be double.NaN ?

2. What would Value.IsValidDataPoint(0) return for the first 10 bars?

[NinjaTrader_AlanP]

Hello uday12,

Thank you for your note.

The value for the first 10 bars would be null, since its not being set.

With if (CurrentBar < 10) at the top of OnBarUpdate, you would never process any code after this line, so Value.IsValidDataPoint(0) would never even be called. If you wanted to dig into this more, you could modify the script to what I’ve posted below and see what the output window says.

protected override void OnBarUpdate()
{
if (CurrentBar >10)
{
Value[0] = High[0] - Close[0];
}
Print(Value.IsValidDataPoint(0).ToString());

Please let us know if you need further assistance.

[uday12]

Thanks Alan.

I was checking the NT 8 guide, and saw there are two related functions: IsValidDataPoint() and IsValidDataPointAt(). The difference was not clear from the documentations. Can you explain it?

[NinjaTrader_AlanP]

Hello uday12,

You would use IsValidDataPoint() if you wanted to know if the 2,000th bar was valid. From the most left bar, the first bar, counting to the right.

You would use IsValidDataPointAt() if you wanted to know if 10 bars ago whether or not that point was valid. So counting to the left from the most recent bar.

Please let us know if you need further assistance.