Help Intrabar backtest

June 16th, 2014, 10:05 AM

Hey Guys,

I am struggling to make a system with intrabar backtest capabilities. Is this even possible in NT7? I was able to do this in 6.5 a few years back. But now that I no longer have 6.5 and would like to use just NT7; I need a solution.

I tried the following ( Strategy: [AUTOLINK]Backtesting[/AUTOLINK] NinjaScript Strategies with an intrabar granularity - [AUTOLINK]NinjaTrader[/AUTOLINK] Support Forum) just to get it to work but all this code does is fills the trade at 6:01 opposed to 6:00, meaning it waited 1 minute to run the code.

Has anyone seen this same issue in NT7 or have sample code that actually works to backtest intrabar.

Thanks in advance, Cheers,

SodyTexas

June 16th, 2014, 10:56 AM

In real time, there is CalculateOnBarClose = false meaning it will execute the tick that changes your signal to enter a position.

But for backtesting, there is no such thing.

Instead, you'll need to use actual tick data for backtesting. I suggest using a 1 range bar, I found it most accurate. Use that for your execution dataseries, and you can use a secondary bar series for your signal. You'll need to research using multiple time frames in strategies.

Mike

June 16th, 2014, 11:40 AM

Thanks Mike for taking the time, I know you are a busy guy!

I believe that is exactly what I was doing, with the exception of using 1 minute bars on the BarsInProgress == 1 on a 15 min backtest.

Code

Add(PeriodType.Minute, 1);

&

Code

		if (BarsInProgress == 0)
			{
				if (CrossAbove(EMA(Fast), EMA(Slow), 1))
				{
					//BarsInProgress = 1
					EnterLong(1, 1, "Long: 1min");				
				}
				
				else if (CrossBelow(EMA(Fast), EMA(Slow), 1))
				{
					//BarsInProgress = 1
					EnterShort(1, 1, "Short: 1min");
				}
			}
			
			if (BarsInProgress == 1)
			{
				
			}

When the backtest runs I get the follow execution times:

Entry: 8:01 AM
Exit: 9:31 AM

Entry: 6:01 PM
Exit: 9:01 PM

Entry: 10:31 PM
Exit: 11:31 PM

and so on...

Do you see what I am doing wrong?

Sody

June 16th, 2014, 11:44 AM

Here is the entire code:

Code

#region Using declarations
using System;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Drawing.Drawing2D;
using System.Xml.Serialization;
using NinjaTrader.Cbi;
using NinjaTrader.Data;
using NinjaTrader.Indicator;
using NinjaTrader.Gui.Chart;
using NinjaTrader.Strategy;
#endregion

// This namespace holds all strategies and is required. Do not change it.
namespace NinjaTrader.Strategy
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Reference sample demonstrating how to achieve intrabar backtesting.
    /// </summary>
    [Description("Reference sample demonstrating how to achieve intrabar backtesting.")]
    public class SampleIntrabarBacktesV2t : Strategy
    {
        #region Variables
		private int	fast	= 10;
		private int	slow	= 25;
        #endregion

        /// <summary>
        /// This method is used to configure the strategy and is called once before any strategy method is called.
        /// </summary>
        protected override void Initialize()
        {
			/* Add a secondary bar series. 
			Very Important: This secondary bar series needs to be smaller than the primary bar series.
			
			Note: The primary bar series is whatever you choose for the strategy at startup. In this example I will
			reference the primary as a 5min bars series. */
			Add(PeriodType.Minute, 1);
			
			// Add two EMA indicators to be plotted on the primary bar series
			Add(EMA(Fast));
			Add(EMA(Slow));
			
			/* Adjust the color of the EMA plots.
			For more information on this please see this tip: http://www.ninjatrader-support.com/vb/showthread.php?t=3228 */
			EMA(Fast).Plots[0].Pen.Color = Color.Blue;
			EMA(Slow).Plots[0].Pen.Color = Color.Green;
			
            CalculateOnBarClose = true;
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Called on each bar update event (incoming tick)
        /// </summary>
        protected override void OnBarUpdate()
        {
			
			if (BarsInProgress == 0)
			{
				if (CrossAbove(EMA(Fast), EMA(Slow), 1))
				{
					//BarsInProgress = 1
					EnterLong(1, 1, "Long: 1min");				
				}
				
				else if (CrossBelow(EMA(Fast), EMA(Slow), 1))
				{
					//BarsInProgress = 1
					EnterShort(1, 1, "Short: 1min");
				}
			}
			
			if (BarsInProgress == 1)
			{
				
			}
			
			
			
			// When the OnBarUpdate() is called from the secondary bar series, do nothing.
			else
			{
				return;
			}
        }

        #region Properties
		/// <summary>
		/// </summary>
		[Description("Period for fast MA")]
		[Category("Parameters")]
		public int Fast
		{
			get { return fast; }
			set { fast = Math.Max(1, value); }
		}

		/// <summary>
		/// </summary>
		[Description("Period for slow MA")]
		[Category("Parameters")]
		public int Slow
		{
			get { return slow; }
			set { slow = Math.Max(1, value); }
		}
        #endregion
    }
}

June 16th, 2014, 11:55 AM

SodyTexas

Do you see what I am doing wrong?

Not using tick based bars, like a 1-range bar.

Edit: Sorry I see you were trying to do a 15 minute. Entries would figure once per minute.

Print debug output in the loops and you'll see where you went wrong.

Mike

June 16th, 2014, 12:26 PM

Thanks Mike,

Debugging with Print helped. I used:

Code

Print(ToTime(Time[0]))

And I found the issue with the sample, instead of adding the entry on BarsInProgress == 0, I moved the code to BarsInProgress == 1, doing nothing on the 15 min bar (BarsInProgress == 0).

The backtest smaple provided from Ninjatrader.com is now working correcltly and I can start my project of building out my system. I will also use your suggestion with the range bar with tick granulation.

Here is the corrected code that provides minute granulation:

Code

#region Using declarations
using System;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Drawing.Drawing2D;
using System.Xml.Serialization;
using NinjaTrader.Cbi;
using NinjaTrader.Data;
using NinjaTrader.Indicator;
using NinjaTrader.Gui.Chart;
using NinjaTrader.Strategy;
#endregion

// This namespace holds all strategies and is required. Do not change it.
namespace NinjaTrader.Strategy
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Reference sample demonstrating how to achieve intrabar backtesting.
    /// </summary>
    [Description("Reference sample demonstrating how to achieve intrabar backtesting.")]
    public class SampleIntrabarBacktesV2t : Strategy
    {
        #region Variables
		private int	fast	= 10;
		private int	slow	= 25;
        #endregion

        /// <summary>
        /// This method is used to configure the strategy and is called once before any strategy method is called.
        /// </summary>
        protected override void Initialize()
        {
			/* Add a secondary bar series. 
			Very Important: This secondary bar series needs to be smaller than the primary bar series.
			
			Note: The primary bar series is whatever you choose for the strategy at startup. In this example I will
			reference the primary as a 5min bars series. */
			Add(PeriodType.Minute, 1);
			
			// Add two EMA indicators to be plotted on the primary bar series
			Add(EMA(Fast));
			Add(EMA(Slow));
			
			/* Adjust the color of the EMA plots.
			For more information on this please see this tip: http://www.ninjatrader-support.com/vb/showthread.php?t=3228 */
			EMA(Fast).Plots[0].Pen.Color = Color.Blue;
			EMA(Slow).Plots[0].Pen.Color = Color.Green;
			
            CalculateOnBarClose = true;
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Called on each bar update event (incoming tick)
        /// </summary>
        protected override void OnBarUpdate()
        {
			
			if (BarsInProgress == 0)
			{
				
			}
			
			if (BarsInProgress == 1)
			{
				if (CrossAbove(EMA(BarsArray[0],Fast), EMA(BarsArray[0],Slow), 1))
				{
					//BarsInProgress = 1
					EnterLong(1, "Long: 1min");	
					//Print(ToTime(Time[0]));
				}
				else if (CrossBelow(EMA(BarsArray[0],Fast), EMA(BarsArray[0],Slow), 1))
				{
					//BarsInProgress = 1
					EnterShort(1, "Short: 1min");
				}
			}
			
			
			
			// When the OnBarUpdate() is called from the secondary bar series, do nothing.
			else
			{
				return;
			}
        }

        #region Properties
		/// <summary>
		/// </summary>
		[Description("Period for fast MA")]
		[Category("Parameters")]
		public int Fast
		{
			get { return fast; }
			set { fast = Math.Max(1, value); }
		}

		/// <summary>
		/// </summary>
		[Description("Period for slow MA")]
		[Category("Parameters")]
		public int Slow
		{
			get { return slow; }
			set { slow = Math.Max(1, value); }
		}
        #endregion
    }
}

Cheers,

Sody

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Help Intrabar backtest