Platforms/Methods

C

Clovist

Just wondering what method of implementing automated trading is considered the least difficult. I don't really know enough to answer this myself but im pretty sure the least difficult for me would be something that allows me to code a lot in a scripting language such as python.

Because although im more of a programmer than most people i still have a lot of trouble looking at things similar to c++. Even a platform that supports custom indicators written in something like python would be a start.

I suppose if this just isn't realistic then i would like to know is something like mql4 a viable alternative because if there isnt anything that supports a scripting language like that then learning a harder language is certainly easier than writing a program that supports it myself.
 
MQL4 is not a scripting language. It's based on c, and it's a compiled language.

TradeStation's easylanguage is probably closer to what you're looking for. eSignal also has a very basic automated strategy development support that works in javascript, although I would not recommend using it for strategies that work on tick data.

Wealth-lab.net also has a scripted environment that is pretty simple, you can actually design most of the systems by dragging and dropping gui objects, and then customize the scripts later.

I will also mention my own humble project, TradeLink... it doesn't offer scripting, but it is open-source and it uses c# which is script-like in it's simplicity (the c# IDE is one of the best out there, makes learning it pretty simple). Also TradeLink is free and supports a number of different brokers. http://tradelink.googlecode.com

good luck.
 
i wasn't saying mql4 was a scripting language and i don't really require scripting just something that is relatively easy to code in.

tradestations easylanguage is something i will have a look at, could i try this first without spending any money? doesn't need to be live trading could just be eod data i just don't want to have to rush to try it in a trial period

i don't think wealth-lab will be able to fulfill what i want to do if its based on drag and drop objects and if it can il be impressed, can you give the link for it again btw that one doesn't work even if i prefix it with www

i will see what your own project is like as well, will it run on linux? no problem if it doesn't just means i need to wait a while until my psu is replaced because i don't want to fiddle around installing windows through usb.

i really think im just hitting another wall which isn't really there its just caused by my own problems, i better stop just thinking soon and actually learn one of the options.
 
tradestation may have a trial period, I'm not sure.

wealth-lab has a 1yr free trial. the GUI strategy tool builds code for you. several years ago I worked at fund that managed $1bill in futures and our proprietary platform was not as good as wealthlab. it's more designed towards swing trading.

tradelink is a .net platform, so it *might* run on linux using MONO but it's never been tried and it's not supported to do this.
 
Multicharts is a better way to go. I tried it and it works well and uses EasyLanguage.

To my knowledge you have open a $5000 brokerage account to get access to TradeStation but maybe that's changed or I'm mistaken.

Sincerely,
Wayne
 
Quote from Clovist:

Just wondering what method of implementing automated trading is considered the least difficult. I don't really know enough to answer this myself but im pretty sure the least difficult for me would be something that allows me to code a lot in a scripting language such as python.

Because although im more of a programmer than most people i still have a lot of trouble looking at things similar to c++. Even a platform that supports custom indicators written in something like python would be a start.

I suppose if this just isn't realistic then i would like to know is something like mql4 a viable alternative because if there isnt anything that supports a scripting language like that then learning a harder language is certainly easier than writing a program that supports it myself.
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Your forums question is very timely. It is the same as the one we have been discussing in the “Programming experience” forum.

The crux of the issue with platforms for trading development is the extensiveness of the toolset for programming. Most platform languages concentrate only on the extensions place brokerage orders, define trading set ups or manipulate price data. Most trading platforms offer limited tools to test and debug the resulting strategy. An example of this type of environment is Tradestation based on the old 2000I platform.

In the C, C++, or C# environment, trading development has a broad set of tools for the programmer to debug and test their strategy. However, these newer environments are just beginning to add extensive macros to their language sets to do what the older platform languages can do with brokerage orders and special trading tasks. An example of this type of environment is Ninja Trader which offers traders the ability to use C#.

What Ninja trader seems to lack is the pre defined macro or function set of Tradestation. An example of this is the SetProfitTarget(10000) in easy language on Tradestation is a predefined function in easy language that is a quick and simple way for traders to take profit at there target. This diverse set of macros often sway new programmers who do not want to invent the wheel.

On the other hand debugging in Tradestation is tedious. Using print statements to dump variables for debugging is as archaic as it gets. This is the method in vogue in the 1960s when computer languages first began.
 
Quote from Rabbitone:
What Ninja trader seems to lack is the pre defined macro or function set of Tradestation. An example of this is the SetProfitTarget(10000) in easy language on Tradestation is a predefined function in easy language that is a quick and simple way for traders to take profit at there target. This diverse set of macros often sway new programmers who do not want to invent the wheel.
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Please see here for SetProfitTarget feature in NinjaTrader: http://www.ninjatrader-support.com/HelpGuideV6/SetProfitTarget.html

There is similar logic available for SetStopLoss and SetTrailStop

We have recurring free online events to introduce to NinjaScript: http://www.ninjatrader.com/webnew/trading_online_events.htm
 
Quote from Rabbitone:

In the C, C++, or C# environment, trading development has a broad set of tools for the programmer to debug and test their strategy. However, these newer environments are just beginning to add extensive macros to their language sets to do what the older platform languages can do with brokerage orders and special trading tasks. An example of this type of environment is Ninja Trader which offers traders the ability to use C#.

What Ninja trader seems to lack is the pre defined macro or function set of Tradestation. An example of this is the SetProfitTarget(10000) in easy language on Tradestation is a predefined function in easy language that is a quick and simple way for traders to take profit at there target. This diverse set of macros often sway new programmers who do not want to invent the wheel.
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By the way, TickZOOM (free but still in alpha testing) also has those macros and Dierk is right, of course, NinjaTrader has them, I used them.

NinjaTrader also has the advantage( did you mention it) of being free for testing. You only pay when you want to connect to a broker.

TZ and NT get often compared. But there's no real comparison. NT is FAR better than TZ at certain things and TZ is FAR better at other things.

For a real beginner just learning, it seems that EasyLanguage is a better way, with MultiCharts to get your feet wet with the basics of creating strategies.

Then you can graduate to a C# based system like NT or TZ depending on your needs.

Sincerely,
Wayne
 
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