Understanding MTF bars, bar closure times, etc.

July 5th, 2016, 09:09 PM

I'm trying to consistently mark an indicator panel with a bar-sized block every time the 30 minute bar closes.

(panel properties: fixed, points, 10,110, -10, linear)

My code looks something like:

Code

  protected override void Initialize()
        {
            Overlay = false;
            textFont = new Font("Arial",8);
            Add(PeriodType.Minute, 30);
        }

  protected override void OnBarUpdate()
        {
	      if (CurrentBar < 30)
       		return;

             DrawOnPricePanel = false;

              if (BarsInProgress == 1){
               //drawtext is for debug                
              DrawText(CurrentBar + 3.ToString() + CurrentBar, true, CurrentBar.ToString(), 0, 55, 1, Color.Red, textFont,    StringAlignment.Center, Color.Empty, Color.Empty, 0);
              
		DrawRectangle("tag"+CurrentBar, false, 0, 40, 1, 50, Color.Blue, Color.Blue, 2);
	        }

        //console dump for debug...
        
             if (BarsInProgress == 1){
			Print(Time[1] + "INDEX: " + BarsInProgress + "     BAR# " + CurrentBar);
			}

        }

So the problem is I wind up with seemingly stray rectangles drawn in the wrong place on timeline.
After adding console dump with timestamp + the DrawText to list the CurrentBar # above the squares, it seems like the bar # and times are correct though. Very confusing and unexpected output.

Image 1 (console output):
[img]http://hostthenpost.org/uploads/7022d7fbe119d479e0afe8e3e957dee1.gif[/img]
---
Image 2 (indicator view):
[img]http://hostthenpost.org/uploads/3b4d24c2effbea2cac9d050ab908f5ba.gif[/img]

Any ideas or advice here? Thanks

July 6th, 2016, 11:14 AM

What is your base data series ?
Do you need the base serie ?

July 6th, 2016, 12:54 PM

rleplae

What is your base data series ?
Do you need the base serie ?

Base is 1min. Yes, need base.

I will have 1, 3, 5, 15 on same indicator, but I am just trying to understand why it is doing this with a simple 2 time frame for now.

July 6th, 2016, 03:58 PM

what is the instrument ? what is the liquidity ?

if the instrument is very liquid, I think the 30 min will show 50% in between the 1 hour
if there are no ticks, it might be off and explain what you are seeing...

does that answer your question ?

July 6th, 2016, 04:12 PM

rleplae

what is the instrument ? what is the liquidity ?

if the instrument is very liquid, I think the 30 min will show 50% in between the 1 hour
if there are no ticks, it might be off and explain what you are seeing...

does that answer your question ?

ES in this case.... that was in the middle of the night, but still it was moving within 30 minute TF

I was thinking it could be a "no ticks" situation. No ticks would mean onbarupdate wouldn't fire then, is that what you mean?

I don't think that's the case here though (but not 100% sure yet).

Is there something better or different available within Ninjatrader to accomplish basically marking the panel consistently with the bars from other timeframes? Instead of onbarupdate, maybe something that fires every X seconds or every minute?

This is a roundabout example of what I am trying to accomplish within Ninjatrader:
https://www.luckscout.com/have-all-timeframes-on-one-single-chart-in-your-metatrader-platform-mt4/

From there I do quite a bit more with it, but that indicator view is the starting point.

July 6th, 2016, 09:57 PM

Code

Using declarations

namespace NinjaTrader.Indicator
{
    
   
    public class test : Indicator
    {
        protected override void Initialize()
        {
            Overlay		= false;
	    DrawOnPricePanel	= false;
			
	    Add(PeriodType.Minute, 30);
	    BarsRequired = 1;
        }

        
        protected override void OnBarUpdate()
        {
            if (CurrentBars[0] < BarsRequired || CurrentBars[1] < BarsRequired) return;
			
	    if (BarsInProgress == 1)
	    {
		DrawSquare("a1" + CurrentBars[0], false, 0, 1, Color.Blue);
	    }
          
        }
    }
}

July 6th, 2016, 10:56 PM

srgtroy

Code

Using declarations

namespace NinjaTrader.Indicator
{
    
   
    public class test : Indicator
    {
        protected override void Initialize()
        {
            Overlay		= false;
	    DrawOnPricePanel	= false;
			
	    Add(PeriodType.Minute, 30);
	    BarsRequired = 1;
        }

        
        protected override void OnBarUpdate()
        {
            if (CurrentBars[0] < BarsRequired || CurrentBars[1] < BarsRequired) return;
			
	    if (BarsInProgress == 1)
	    {
		DrawSquare("a1" + CurrentBars[0], false, 0, 1, Color.Blue);
	    }
          
        }
    }
}

How does this look at 15:30-16:00 EST? This is where I am currently seeing a dupe/stray...

July 6th, 2016, 11:11 PM

Jayswiss

How does this look at 15:30-16:00 EST? This is where I am currently seeing a dupe/stray...

This is Pacific Standard Time so 12:30 - 13:00. No strays. Note, however, there is no data between 13:15 and 13:30 so the next square looks closer but its actually correct.

July 7th, 2016, 12:44 AM

srgtroy

This is Pacific Standard Time so 12:30 - 13:00. No strays. Note, however, there is no data between 13:15 and 13:30 so the next square looks closer but its actually correct.

Ah I see. I am actually running a drawing rectangles with start 0 end 30 in(to draw a 30 minute long rectangle). But in the case mentioned above, it winds up overlapping in some of those spots where the is no data.. Using your code and start 0 end 1 bars, it seems to draw them correctly now. I just need to figure out how to draw until the next bar instead of fixed 30 mins.

Understanding MTF bars, bar closure times, etc.

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Understanding MTF bars, bar closure times, etc.