Signal System Troubleshooting
This article will go over troubleshooting tips if you find that your Signals are not working. There can be various reasons, but please read these steps carefully. They should resolve 99% of Signal related issues.
It is very important that you see this article first to understand how Signals works:
⤷ ‘What Signals Work With The Predator‘
Notes before we get started (PLEASE READ!):
1. Some MTF indicators may cause issues. We are working on a major upgrade to the Signal System. For now, MTF indicators are not recommended to use.
2. It is recommended to NOT use TABS while using Signals. Use a Separate Window for each Chart that you have the Signals Enabled on.
⤷ Many indicators are coded by default to not print signals while in a different tab. This can cause trades to be missed!
⤷ Different windows will ensure the signals are always on the chart!
3. If you are using the color identifier. Please make sure that you select the correct Object Type!
⤷ Select Text ONLY if your Signal is a Text.
⤷ Select OtherObject for anything else (Arrows, dots, trianlges, diamonds)
⤷ Selecting the wrong one will prevent the Predator from enabling and give you an error.
4. Make sure that you always upgrade to the latest version of the Predator before troubleshooting!
The video below shows a good example of how the Signal System works.
Please Continue below for more troubleshooting steps!
1: Check Your Validation System
Do you have check marks next to your Long and Short Signals?
⤷ Make sure they both have check marks.
⤷ An Hourglass usually means that the TAG was typed in wrong or it’s an unrecognized format.
⤷ See ‘What Signals Work With The Predator‘ for more details.
2: Check Bars Ago ENTRY/EXIT/FILTER
It is recommended to test Signals with Market Replay. Using Historical testing may appear as if the Signals are delayed. Market Replay will give the most accurate results to how it will actually perform in real time.
Bars Ago ENTRY 0:
⤷ Should be used ONLY for indicators that print signals on the same bar that is currently forming.
⤷ If your indicator prints a signal only after the bar closes, then do NOT change this to 0!
Bars Ago ENTRY 1:
⤷ This will be the default for 99% of indicators. If your indicator waits until the bar closes to print a signal. Use this option.
3: Enter At Break Of Candle
Having Enter At Break Of Candle selected will make it so that the price of the current bar must break above/below the previous bars High/Low once the signal is detected. If it does not, it will skip the trade.
Enter At Break UNCHECKED:
⤷ Enters when the Signal is detected.
Enter At Break CHECKED:
⤷ Enters when the Signal is detected AND the price breaks above the previous bars High (Long example).
⤷ The first signal we get here does not go above the High of the previous bar, so there was no entry.
4. Other Filters
The Predator has many built in options to help Filter your trades. This comes in the form of built in indicators. Moving Averages, Super Trend, ADX and more.
We also have additional filters such as Time Limits, Trades Per Direction or PNL Limits. These can all lead to conditions that prevent trades at times.
It is highly recommended to test your strategy on Market Replay first so that you understand how it will enter trades OR if a condition exists that could prevent trades.
If all of the other steps have been followed and it is still not entering trades. Please click the ‘reset’ button on your Predator properties. This will reset your template (save first if you do not want to lose what you’ve built).
However, once you reset. I recommend building your template again from scratch. Start with ONLY the Signal for now.
Make sure it takes trades on replay first without any other condition. Start adding one filter at a time and keep testing until you figure out what may have caused an issue. Please see the rest of the guide for information on the filter that may be preventing trades for your signal.
5. When Does Your Indicator Print A Signal?
We must be aware of when our indicator prints a signal that the Predator can read. There are some indicators out there that print signals much later, after a move has already occured.
This can make it seem like the trade was missed. However, the truth is that the Signal was not printed at that time. The indicator just printed the signal much later to make it appear better than it is.
Here is an example. The triangles are the Signals printed from the indicator. However, using Strategy Builder, we were able to print a separate arrow so that it prints when that indicator signal is actually detected.
You can see several bars have passed before the ‘Signal’ was printed. The Predator will not be able to go back in time to catch a signal that did not exist at the time.
We must ensure that the indicator prints a signal on the most recent candle.
6. Does the TAG Contain Numbers?
Some indicator tags may have a number at the end of the TAG but BEFORE the CurrentBar code. This can be confusing at times because the number which is part of the TAG will blend into the CurrentBar code.
Below is an example. The ‘1’ is part of the “TAG”, however, it blends in to the CurrentBar code inside the Drawing Object properties.
We must include every part of the Tag, EXCLUDING the CurrentBar number.
However, we must include any numbers that are part of the TAG itself and not the CurrentBar. See below for an example of how this one should be typed into the Predator.
How to find out if your indicator is coded this way?
⤷ If your indicator is open Source. Open up NinjaScript Editor and look at the TAG like show in the above example. (Screenshot 1 of this Section 6)
⤷ Alternatively, if the code is locked or you are not comfortable looking at the code. You can change the number of bars loaded on your chart.
⤷ Right click on the chart → Data Series → Load data based on: Bars → Load less than 1000 bars (500 in the example should do for most).
If you only load 500 bars on the chart. But your Signal has 4 digits or more after the TAG. It likely means that those initial digits are part of the TAG.
7. If You Are Still Having Trouble?
If you have confirmed you have the latest version of the Predator installed and none of the above steps have resolved your issue. Please use the Contact Us form at the bottom of this page. Please include the following information!
Not including some of these will result in a delays. I will ask for these if you do not send them in!
1. Screenshot of your ENTIRE screen.
⤷ Include the Chart Trader Panel being enabled.
⤷ Include the top Tool Bar.
⤷ Include the entire chart with the VALIDATION SYSTEM SHOWING!
⤷ Point to the Signal it was supposed to take.
2. Please send a screenshot of the Draw Object Properties.
⤷ Include the entire Draw Object screen.
⤷ Include the left ‘Configured’ column.
⤷ Include the Right ‘Properties Column’
⤷ If the Tags are different. Send a screenshot of 1 of each being highlighted.
⤷ EXPAND IT so I can see the ENTIRE Tag.
3. SAVE your Predator Properties XML Template and send it to me.
⤷ Or Take a screenshot of ALL of your Predator properties and send it to me. All the way from the Top to all the way to the Bottom.
⤷ Even if you don’t think it’s important, please send all of the info.