How can I learn C# from scratch? Thinking of transferring to NinjaTrader

Thanks everyone for your helpful responses. Am I correct in assuming that there is no book for learning programming in C# that is appropriate for someone with little or no prior programming knowledge?
Yes there are books, go to the bookstore.
 
Learning to code in an Object-Oriented language like C# is a big investment of time. It takes years, and a lot of time staring at code, when you could be trading, doing market research, or staring at market movement. If you're simply looking to interface to Excel, you might look at a 3rd-party application like this. For $40 your problem is solved:
http://www.indicatormall.com/export-to-excel/

If you're committed to learning C#, consider first writing what you need in Interactive Brokers, and then switch to Ninja. IB has a C# API; it's a great place for you to start. You're familiar with IB, have an account established, are used to the software, and have your Excel spreadsheet set up. You'll learn in an environment that you're used to, and can test with the IB paper trading so that you don't blow up your real account. You'll be able to re-use much of the logic at Ninja.
http://interactivebrokers.github.io/tws-api/#gsc.tab=0

Would you mind sharing why you're fed up with IB?
 
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Ofcourse, if you can already program and understand the logic which most can't ever grasp, then it's just a different syntax.

Just google around, find examples with a similar theme to what your doing, copy/paste and modify, wrote an entire system using Google Sheets and Java script which I'd never touched before in about 4hours, shhhhhh client thinks it took weeks :)
 
After many years trading futures with Interactive Brokers I need to transfer my futures trading account out of IB (enough is enough!). But I need to replicate my Excel-based trading method. Although there are other brokers that offer Excel-based APIs, as near as I can tell no other broker offers an Excel-based API that can both place and cancel and/or modify orders. And that is what I need. So, I'm thinking of going with NinjaTrader as they require only exchange-minimum margins and they only charge $0.53 per side for ES after buying a Lifetime license.

However, I will need to program NT and apparently it uses C#. I have minimal programming knowledge (just some Excel) but have no problem putting in the effort to learn C# if pointed in the right direction. So, before I transfer my account, is there some resource that I can find or buy (preferably--but not necessarily--focused on trading) where I can learn C# and that assumes no prior programming knowledge?

Hello,

I am also considering learn to program with either NT or Tradestation. I have read that Traderstation is easier.

For now, I am manual trading my system. The reason I have not fully moved to automated trading and learning to program is because I don't have enough trading ideas to program for now. I am comfortable manual back testing just for experiences and gather ideas.

It doesn't make sense to spend alot of time learning to program and no trading ideas to program.

Thanks
 
Learning to code in an Object-Oriented language like C# is a big investment of time. It takes years, and a lot of time staring at code, when you could be trading, doing market research, or staring at market movement.
Disagree with you here Keith. The guy isn't looking to build Goldman's execution software, he's just trying to code up a simple system in C#. A basic course in coding 101 should cover what he needs.
 
Thanks everyone for your helpful responses. Am I correct in assuming that there is no book for learning programming in C# that is appropriate for someone with little or no prior programming knowledge?
Isn't there a "C# for dummies" book available? That was my first step when I wanted to learn java and it served me well. After that it was practice, practice, practice.
 
Ninjatrader has a great forum and the mods are quick to answer questions, but usually a good idea to search the forum for the code before posting.

Plus Ninjatrader 7 has a strategy wizard, where it creates the code for you based on most retail ideas. So you have to create the variables for inputs and also tie in indicators. Once you get use to it, it's pretty versatile. Tradestation as far as I know doesn't have strategy wizard.

Chris
 
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