Programming help wanted

[Amazon]

Some interesting comments about auto trading. I completly understand the views expressed.

But i am stil not sure why one would not trade it on auto completly. I understand the slippage etc and market price changing quickly, but I am sure these can be coded.

Wth regards to entries and exits, i think these would be the most important requirements tostart even thinking about autotrading so maybe the concern regarding exits could be eliminated.

The biggest thing I can think of is regarding how long the system will continue working for before it changes its outcomes. I understand this aspect and more importantly what causes the systems to fail when they do. This is one of the major factors of my work and the system itself. Although I ahve not proved this in the way I prefer, via an auto tested system and data. I ahve been using the approach manually for some time.

But I do not use indicators and agree with the points on using these.

I also agree with the fact that are way too many combinations to make it possible, once again I believe there is a way. I have devised my method and in theory it looks and makes sense, but any issues with it will be discovered when I can actually backtest it and maybe even run it live.

 

[McQuant]

Hello Mcquant,

Thank you for your message. Not negative at all and very helpful. I am not a prgrammer so advice from expereinced people is always welcome. I undertand what you mean about custome built systems. I have looked ath Lean just now and it looks good, but makes very little sense to me. Iwill have to get someone to install it and work on it a little for me.

you can use this tutorial "Custom Trading Server A How To Guide" to make it running on your local machine or server.

If you have used it you may be able to tell me if the stratgeies re stored on their server or remain on on my server. I know some of these programs require you to upload it because the platform is on their server, which means they can view your code.

Once you set up and run the LEAN on your own server nobody can see your code. It requires some effort but it worth it.
The QuantConnect allows running it life on their infrastructure, but as you said, your intellectual property can be compromised then.

 

[Amazon]

you can use this tutorial "Custom Trading Server A How To Guide" to make it running on your local machine or server.


Once you set up and run the LEAN on your own server nobody can see your code. It requires some effort but it worth it.
The QuantConnect allows running it life on their infrastructure, but as you said, your intellectual property can be compromised then.

Hello Mcquant,

Thank you that is great. I will see how I get on. Much appreciated.

 

[android24]

Just a few cents from a stranger…
It's really kind that you offer to use your strategy. But consider that programmers with experience in automated trading might (hopefully) have their own strategies within their very own comfort zone and risk parameters, and therefore no use case for other strategies other than basic curiosity. If you find one you might need to simply pay her/him.
I read your posts twice and I really don't understand what you have and what you don't have. Did your programmer develop a standalone C# app? Taking data from where, do you do order management by yourself, how do you want to visualize and backtest and operate and monitor?
Have you considered (besides any error that could arise like code malfunction, data feed server down, ...) your trading costs, slippage, ...?
Do you have a basic understanding of statistics = can you put a number on "how sure are you your results are not random"?
If you continue down this road, it will be a long journey, but can be rewarding, especially if you bring an open mindset to the table and enjoy learning about many side topics …
All the best!

 

[Amazon]

Just a few cents from a stranger…
It's really kind that you offer to use your strategy. But consider that programmers with experience in automated trading might (hopefully) have their own strategies within their very own comfort zone and risk parameters, and therefore no use case for other strategies other than basic curiosity. If you find one you might need to simply pay her/him.
I read your posts twice and I really don't understand what you have and what you don't have. Did your programmer develop a standalone C# app? Taking data from where, do you do order management by yourself, how do you want to visualize and backtest and operate and monitor?
Have you considered (besides any error that could arise like code malfunction, data feed server down, ...) your trading costs, slippage, ...?
Do you have a basic understanding of statistics = can you put a number on "how sure are you your results are not random"?
If you continue down this road, it will be a long journey, but can be rewarding, especially if you bring an open mindset to the table and enjoy learning about many side topics …
All the best!

Thank you for your reply Android24, I understand what you are saying. From my own experience over the last 14 years or so with programmers, I find that most ofthe mare very good programmers but very very few also good traders. There is an edge they can develop as programmers which makes some of them proftable some of the time. But most i have come across are actually limited by their programming skills, the ones who are also good traders and understand the markets fully are already doing well and you will rarely find them on the forums or public eye. If theyare curious it is only because they may have a strategy that can be improved.

Fortunately my programmer is backnow so I dont have the requirement any more, but yes it is a standalone C#App taking its data from IB and have taken all those things into consideration.

Iknow it is along road, have been at this lark for years now, so seen most of the difficulties( I think). In terms of statistics my trading is proof enough. I have a high percentage of winners, even while using part of the system manually, automation will only increase the opportunities and improve results. I can see, and also define when the system will work and how it will perform qith a fair degree of acuraccy.

Whether it can be transferred to code 100% , I will soon find out, I personally believe it wil be down to the coding ability that will eventually define this, but am confident that it can be done.

Thank you

 

[android24]

Interesting what you say about your experiences of only few people having both skillsets, decent programming and market understanding.
I haven't had the pleasure (?) to have a programmer working for me yet.
But if I will employ one in the future, only for non-critical parts of the machine… I wouldn't want to miss out making all the beautiful mistakes by my own

Maybe you enjoy this podcast episode:

213 · An Obsession with Edge, Powered by Automation w/ John Roberson

John Roberson’s a proprietary trader at KTG (Texas), who begun exploiting one “tiny edge” in 2007, and today, runs a portfolio of 80+ automated strategies. Listen, as John describes the techniques he uses to maximize market anomalies...

chatwithtraders.com

 

[FX-PIP]

provide total finalized task you wanna do in C# i will take a look

 

[TickCOM]

@stevecartwright I partially agree with you. It's also the reason why Quantopian shut down the business. But it also does not mean it's not possible at all.
Other than that, algo trading does not necessarily only mean fully automated trading robot. That's just a retail dream. Personally I do not believe that institutions would trade on full automat. Algorithm can save your time when you staring on the monitors. If you are able to define solid resilient rules, then your algorithm can notify you that the rules were triggered/fulfilled.

On indicator note, algotrading to me is not trading based on indicators, I agree with you that way is blind for sure.

Interesting comment on Quantopian - if this 200M$ VC money no issue had to close as users could not program anything useful, there is little chance you will be able. Strategy development require to pass >5 years learning curve. The comment that fully automated is a retail dream is correct, in the past - I am currently testing a new non-programming platform which I think will completely change this space.

 

[vma]

although entries are relatively easy its the exit that gets you every time.

write this on my tombstone as a warning to others.