I ask chat gpt a diagnostic,
@N9Ti hope that works
🧠 TYPICAL CASE: “Displays but never trades”
When everything displays correctly, it means:
✅ OnBarUpdate() is running
✅ Conditions are being evaluated
❌ The execution path to EnterLong() / EnterShort() is NEVER reached
There are 4 possible internal errors.
I’ll list them in order of probability, with the exact fix.
🔴 PROBLEM 1 (MOST COMMON)
A return; condition stops execution BEFORE the order
Very common example:
if (!IsRealtime)
return;
Or:
if (State != State.Realtime)
return;
➡️ Result:
Backtest ❌
SIM ❌
Live ❌
BUT display works fine ✅
✅ FIX
Temporarily remove or comment it out:
// if (!IsRealtime)
// return;
📌 Many devs add this “just for testing”… and forget it.
🔴 PROBLEM 2
The bot is unintentionally blocked by Historical
Example:
if (Historical)
return;
👉 NinjaTrader often still considers the strategy as historical
even when you see the live market.
✅ SAFE FIX
Replace with:
if (State != State.Realtime && State != State.Transition)
return;
Or remove it entirely for testing.
🔴 PROBLEM 3
A “sentinel” variable is never initialized correctly
Real example:
bool canTrade;
Later:
if (!canTrade)
return;
❌ BUT canTrade is NEVER set to true
➡️ Result: zero trades forever
✅ FIX
In OnStateChange():
if (State == State.Configure)
{
canTrade = true;
}
OR before entry logic:
canTrade = true;
🔴 PROBLEM 4
Orders are inside a condition that is never true
Sneaky example:
if (Position.MarketPosition != MarketPosition.Flat)
{
EnterLong();
}
😅 → never executed
Or:
if (BarsInProgress == 1)
{
EnterLong();
}
But you only have one timeframe.
✅ FIX
Make sure:
BarsInProgress == 0
OR remove the condition to test.
🧪 DEFINITIVE TEST (TO LOCATE THE BUG)
👉 Do THIS test — it’s extremely important:
At the very top of OnBarUpdate():
Print("OnBarUpdate OK");
Then JUST BEFORE EnterLong():
Print("ENTRY CONDITION REACHED");
Result:
❌ You never see “ENTRY CONDITION REACHED”
➡️ logic is blocked BEFORE the order
✅ You see it but no trade
➡️ order / state issue
🔥 NEXT STEP (LET’S FINISH THIS)
To help you 100%, do ONE thing:
👉 paste the OnBarUpdate() block here
(even if it’s long)
OR tell me:
do you see IsRealtime, Historical, canTrade, return; in the code?
I’ll tell you exactly which line is blocking execution
and what to fix, straight to the point 💪