I'm thinking of swapping to NT

[alichambers]

Hi,

I currently use Amibroker, but have found a serious problem - there is a maximum of 500,000 bars allowed per symbol. This means for serious backtesting (5 sec bars), I cannot go back very far.

So....after all the talk on this forum I am thinking of swapping to NT.

I have a few questions:

1. Is backtesting comprehensive? It is very good in AB

2. Is the facility to Optimise variables present in backtest? In AB, I can use:

Optimise(variable1 name,min,max,step);
Optimise(variable2 name,min,max,step);

etc... and backtest results can be sorted by profit, drawdown, etc

3. How easy is it to code a backtest system? My main use will be finding optimal stoplosses and limitprofits for the BuyZone.

3a. Can I code in advanced PositionSizing for backtests, eg:

Buy 7 contracts if current equity = x
if current Equity > xxxx, buy 10 contracts, etc...

4. Is there a limit to the amount of data per symbol (eg: 3 years of 5 sec data - a big file!)

5. How fast is the optimisation / backtesting on average?

Thanks,
Alex

[Patch]

Hi Alex

I don't know much about NeoTickers backtesting. One thing I like a great deal is that you can get tick data and go back and run the actual bar formations as they actually built, tick by tick and at various speeds. I think this is huge. I am not a fan of back testing, ever since I first got a live data feed with Tradestation years ago and found all the completed bar formation back testing didn't hold water as I sat watching the ticks moving up and down and all around as the current bar was actually forming. That was when I began to seriously doubt completed bar back testing.

Patch
In VA

[Luke]

Disclaimer: I am an amateur/hobbyist trader.


I currently use Amibroker, but have found a serious problem - there is a maximum of 500,000 bars allowed per symbol. This means for serious backtesting (5 sec bars), I cannot go back very far.

I've never used Amibroker but I believe you can go back as far as you want.


1. Is backtesting comprehensive?

Back testing is IMO very good. But it requires a separate products, the NT Grid Optimizer.


2. Is the facility to Optimise variables present in backtest?
etc...
and backtest results can be sorted by profit, drawdown, etc

Yes & yes.


3. How easy is it to code a backtest system? My main use will be finding optimal stoplosses and limitprofits for the BuyZone.

Depends on your diligence, intelligence & prior programming skill.


3a. Can I code in advanced PositionSizing for backtests, eg:

Buy 7 contracts if current equity = x
if current Equity > xxxx, buy 10 contracts, etc...

If you call the above logic advanced position sizing then yes. They give you access to the order/account status and you can program in your own logic.


4. Is there a limit to the amount of data per symbol (eg: 3 years of 5 sec data - a big file!)

No.


5. How fast is the optimisation / backtesting on average?

If you are using 5 second bars then you need to use tick data. This is the slowest method for backtesting (using tick data) and would take a good amount of time for 3 years. It would however greatly depend on the number of input parameters.

You should know that you should import data from your broker if you are trading fx. For stocks and futures you will still need to import your own data. You can use eSignal but you will might have to buy tick data somewhere else if want 3 years of it.

[Idalbod]

Wow, is there really no limit on the amount of data a symbol can hold in NeoTicker? in MetaStock the limit seems to be around 64000 bars, which I've found quite limiting.