How can this be an entry?

• 12/21/2021 at 10:36 PM #183713
  Mike Boorman

  Your help please folks…

  The most simple of code is producing a strange result. The cross of the blue SMA 8 and green SMA 20 is the trigger for crossflag to equal 1, and yet when I graph crossflag it says it’s zero.

  The entry itself is correct by these simple rules, but it becomes a problem when I add more complicated variables to derive “crossflag”. I can’t trust my system until crossflag becomes 1, -1 or zero when it ought to.

  How can this code actually enter when crossflag is graphing at zero? I just can’t understand! And is there a different way of presenting this logic to make crossflag graph at 1 in the bar I’ve highlighted in the screengrab?

  Thanks in advance for your help.

  

  Mike Boorman

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  12/22/2021 at 12:24 AM #183717
  robertogozzi

  Actually where your mouse is sitting no crossover occurred, as Sma8 is below Sma20, while on the right side of your chart there’s been a crossover, which is correctly reported.

   

   

  

  robertogozzi

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  12/22/2021 at 2:33 AM #183720
  Mike Boorman

  But SMA8 is lower than SMA20 to the left of the mouse, and then it is higher one bar to the right of the mouse. How could this happen without there being a crossover?

  

  Mike Boorman

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  12/22/2021 at 6:37 AM #183724
  robertogozzi

  Yes, right.

  I need the code to figure out what’s the cause.

   

  

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  12/22/2021 at 11:28 AM #183739
  Mike Boorman

  Oh sorry, I forgot to include it! And now I can’t see the “include code” button, so here it is below in plain text.

   

  DEFPARAM CumulateOrders = False

  Longcross= Average[8](close) > Average[20](close)

  Shortcross= Average[8](close) < Average[20](close)

  if longcross and not longcross[1] then
  crossflag=1
  endif

  if not onmarket and crossflag=1 then
  sl=abs(close-lowest[3](low))+5
  tp=sl * VL
  Set target profit tp
  Set stop loss sl
  BUY 1 PERPOINT AT market
  crossflag=0
  endif

  if shortcross and not shortcross[1] then
  crossflag=-1
  endif

  if not onmarket and crossflag=-1 then
  sl= abs(close-highest[3](high))+5
  tp=sl * VL
  Set target profit tp
  Set stop loss sl
  Sellshort 1 PERPOINT AT market
  crossflag=0
  endif

  graph crossflag

  

  Mike Boorman

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  12/22/2021 at 11:52 AM #183740
  PeterSt

  Hi Mike – allow me to jump in. Assuming that what you showed is the full code :

   

  if longcross and not longcross[1] then crossflag=1 endif

  1 2 3

  if longcross and not longcross[1] then   crossflag=1 endif

  Since this is the only time you set crossflag to 1, the culprit has to be the combined condition which won’t become true.
  Besides that, for me it would look odd if two subsequent bars would cross (any signal). Thus there it has to go wrong ?

  Additionally, this looks a bit odd as well :

  if not onmarket and crossflag=-1 then sl= abs(close-highest[3](high))+5 tp=sl * VL Set target profit tp Set stop loss sl Sellshort 1 PERPOINT AT market crossflag=0 endif

  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

  if not onmarket and crossflag=-1 then   sl= abs(close-highest[3](high))+5   tp=sl * VL   Set target profit tp   Set stop loss sl   Sellshort 1 PERPOINT AT market   crossflag=0 endif

  First off, this suggests that you want to know crossflag at the next call (bar) of your code. Do notice that this would require a

  once crossflag = 0

  1	once crossflag = 0

  somewhere at the start of your code.

  Also, personally I would have the Set Stop Loss (and I think Set Target Profit as well) after the Sellshort. It may be fine, but if I would be the PRT code parser ;-), I would set those only at the next call of the code and then it would not even happen because by that time OnMarket will be True.
  Possibly it is fine anyway, but I would not depend on that (the code executes from top to bottom and how to set a SL if there is no position yet).

  Maybe Roberto has better ideas for you ?

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  PeterSt

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  12/22/2021 at 12:30 PM #183741
  Mike Boorman

  Thanks for the suggestion, Peter. I haven’t quite managed to work out how to use ONCE statements effectively, but I’ll have another look in the manual to see how I could apply it here. The SL code has been fine in previous systems, so I think I’ll just leave that one.

  What I’d really like to do is have the flag reset to zero on the flip of the PSAR, and then have the cross creating 1 or -1. Or alternatively have each PSAR flip indicate that it’s going to be a long cross or a short cross. I attempted it with this code but it didn’t work:

  PSAR flip variation

  DEFPARAM CumulateOrders = False Averagecrosslong= Average[8](close) >Average[20](close) Averagecrossshort= Average[8](close) <Average[20](close) if SAR[0.02,0.02,0.2] > SAR[0.02,0.02,0.2][1] then longsar=1 shortsar=0 endif if SAR[0.02,0.02,0.2] < SAR[0.02,0.02,0.2] then shortsar=1 longsar=0 endif if longsar=1 and averagecrosslong and not averagecrosslong[1] then crossflag=1 endif if not onmarket and longsar=1 and crossflag=1 then sl=abs(close-lowest[3](low))+5 tp=sl * VL Set target profit tp Set stop loss sl BUY 1 PERPOINT AT market crossflag=0 longsar=0 endif if averagecrossshort and not averagecrossshort[1] then crossflag=-1 endif if not onmarket and shortsar=1 and crossflag=-1 then sl= abs(close-highest[3](high))+5 tp=sl * VL Set target profit tp Set stop loss sl Sellshort 1 PERPOINT AT market crossflag=0 shortsar=0 endif graph crossflag

  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46

  DEFPARAM CumulateOrders = False   Averagecrosslong= Average[8](close) >Average[20](close) Averagecrossshort= Average[8](close) <Average[20](close)   if SAR[0.02,0.02,0.2] > SAR[0.02,0.02,0.2][1] then longsar=1 shortsar=0 endif if SAR[0.02,0.02,0.2] < SAR[0.02,0.02,0.2] then shortsar=1 longsar=0 endif     if longsar=1 and averagecrosslong and not averagecrosslong[1] then crossflag=1 endif     if not onmarket and longsar=1 and crossflag=1 then sl=abs(close-lowest[3](low))+5 tp=sl * VL Set target profit tp Set stop loss sl BUY 1 PERPOINT AT market crossflag=0 longsar=0 endif   if averagecrossshort and not averagecrossshort[1] then crossflag=-1 endif   if not onmarket and shortsar=1 and crossflag=-1 then sl= abs(close-highest[3](high))+5 tp=sl * VL Set target profit tp Set stop loss sl Sellshort 1 PERPOINT AT market crossflag=0 shortsar=0 endif     graph crossflag

   

   

  

  Mike Boorman

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  12/22/2021 at 1:22 PM #183744
  fifi743

  or

   

  DEFPARAM CumulateOrders = False Averagecrosslong= Average[8](close) CROSSES OVER Average[20](close) Averagecrossshort= Average[8](close) CROSSES under Average[20](close) if SAR[0.02,0.02,0.2] > SAR[0.02,0.02,0.2][1] then longsar=1 shortsar=0 endif if SAR[0.02,0.02,0.2] < SAR[0.02,0.02,0.2] then shortsar=1 longsar=0 endif crossflag=0 if longsar=1 and averagecrosslong then crossflag=1 endif if not onmarket and crossflag=1 then sl=abs(close-lowest[3](low))+5 tp=sl * VL Set target profit tp Set stop loss sl BUY 1 PERPOINT AT market longsar=0 endif if shortsar=1 and averagecrossshort then crossflag=-1 endif if not onmarket and crossflag=-1 then sl= abs(close-highest[3](high))+5 tp=sl * VL Set target profit tp Set stop loss sl Sellshort 1 PERPOINT AT market crossflag=0 shortsar=0 endif graph crossflag

  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44

  DEFPARAM CumulateOrders = False Averagecrosslong= Average[8](close) CROSSES OVER Average[20](close) Averagecrossshort= Average[8](close) CROSSES under Average[20](close) if SAR[0.02,0.02,0.2] > SAR[0.02,0.02,0.2][1] then longsar=1 shortsar=0 endif if SAR[0.02,0.02,0.2] < SAR[0.02,0.02,0.2] then shortsar=1 longsar=0 endif crossflag=0 if longsar=1 and averagecrosslong  then crossflag=1 endif if not onmarket and crossflag=1 then sl=abs(close-lowest[3](low))+5 tp=sl * VL Set target profit tp Set stop loss sl BUY 1 PERPOINT AT market longsar=0 endif if shortsar=1 and averagecrossshort  then crossflag=-1 endif if not onmarket and crossflag=-1 then sl= abs(close-highest[3](high))+5 tp=sl * VL Set target profit tp Set stop loss sl Sellshort 1 PERPOINT AT market crossflag=0 shortsar=0 endif graph crossflag

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  fifi743

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  12/22/2021 at 2:05 PM #183748
  JS

  Simple MA -crossing

  DEFPARAM CumulateOrders = False VL = 1 Longcross= Average[8](close) > Average[20](close) Shortcross= Average[8](close) < Average[20](close) //if longcross and not longcross[1] then //crossflag=1 //endif if Longcross=1 then //sl=abs(close-lowest[3](low))+5 //tp=sl * VL //Set target profit tp //Set stop loss sl BUY 1 PERPOINT AT market //crossflag=0 endif //if shortcross and not shortcross[1] then //crossflag=-1 //endif if Shortcross=1 then //sl= abs(close-highest[3](high))+5 //tp=sl * VL //Set target profit tp //Set stop loss sl Sellshort 1 PERPOINT AT market //crossflag=0 endif graph Longcross graph Shortcross

  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36

  DEFPARAM CumulateOrders = False   VL =  1   Longcross= Average[8](close) > Average[20](close)   Shortcross= Average[8](close) < Average[20](close)   //if longcross and not longcross[1] then //crossflag=1 //endif   if Longcross=1 then //sl=abs(close-lowest[3](low))+5 //tp=sl * VL //Set target profit tp //Set stop loss sl BUY 1 PERPOINT AT market //crossflag=0 endif   //if shortcross and not shortcross[1] then //crossflag=-1 //endif   if Shortcross=1 then //sl= abs(close-highest[3](high))+5 //tp=sl * VL //Set target profit tp //Set stop loss sl Sellshort 1 PERPOINT AT market //crossflag=0 endif   graph Longcross graph Shortcross

  When using only Longcross and Shortcross there is no problem…

  (SL and TP omitted for a better view)

  

  JS

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  12/22/2021 at 2:37 PM #183753
  JS

  If you want to use Crossflag then remove from your code:
  “not onmarket” (because your always on market)
  “crossflag=0”

  Using Crossflag

  DEFPARAM CumulateOrders = False Longcross= Average[8](close) > Average[20](close) Shortcross= Average[8](close) < Average[20](close) if longcross and not longcross[1] then crossflag=1 endif if crossflag=1 then //sl=abs(close-lowest[3](low))+5 //tp=sl * VL //Set target profit tp //Set stop loss sl BUY 1 PERPOINT AT market //crossflag=0 endif if shortcross and not shortcross[1] then crossflag=-1 endif if crossflag=-1 then //sl= abs(close-highest[3](high))+5 //tp=sl * VL //Set target profit tp //Set stop loss sl Sellshort 1 PERPOINT AT market //crossflag=0 endif graph crossflag

  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33

  DEFPARAM CumulateOrders = False   Longcross= Average[8](close) > Average[20](close)   Shortcross= Average[8](close) < Average[20](close)   if longcross and not longcross[1] then crossflag=1 endif   if crossflag=1 then //sl=abs(close-lowest[3](low))+5 //tp=sl * VL //Set target profit tp //Set stop loss sl BUY 1 PERPOINT AT market //crossflag=0 endif   if shortcross and not shortcross[1] then crossflag=-1 endif   if crossflag=-1 then //sl= abs(close-highest[3](high))+5 //tp=sl * VL //Set target profit tp //Set stop loss sl Sellshort 1 PERPOINT AT market //crossflag=0 endif   graph crossflag

  

  JS

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  12/22/2021 at 2:40 PM #183755
  Mike Boorman

  Thanks for the suggestions. If I remove not onmarket, when I have a live trade, won’t it enter in a counter direction when these signals are met?

  

  Mike Boorman

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  12/22/2021 at 3:10 PM #183756
  PeterSt

  Mike Boorman wrote:

  I haven’t quite managed to work out how to use ONCE statements effectively

   

  Once MyCounter = 0 // Cause its value to be known at a next (bar) call. MyCounter = MyCounter + 1 Graph MyCounter // Goes up and up and up and ...

  1 2 3 4

  Once MyCounter = 0   // Cause its value to be known at a next (bar) call. MyCounter = MyCounter + 1   Graph MyCounter   // Goes up and up and up and ...

  MyCounter = 0 MyCounter = MyCounter + 1 Graph MyCounter // Always shows 1.

  1 2 3 4

  MyCounter = 0 MyCounter = MyCounter + 1   Graph MyCounter   // Always shows 1.

  Easy ! (and the most useful)

  

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  12/22/2021 at 3:17 PM #183757
  Mike Boorman

  fifi743 wrote:

  DEFPARAM CumulateOrders = False Averagecrosslong= Average[8](close) CROSSES OVER Average[20](close) Averagecrossshort= Average[8](close) CROSSES under Average[20](close) if SAR[0.02,0.02,0.2] > SAR[0.02,0.02,0.2][1] then longsar=1 shortsar=0 endif if SAR[0.02,0.02,0.2] < SAR[0.02,0.02,0.2] then shortsar=1 longsar=0 endif crossflag=0 if longsar=1 and averagecrosslong  then crossflag=1 endif if not onmarket and crossflag=1 then sl=abs(close-lowest[3](low))+5 tp=sl * VL Set target profit tp Set stop loss sl BUY 1 PERPOINT AT market longsar=0 endif if shortsar=1 and averagecrossshort  then crossflag=-1 endif if not onmarket and crossflag=-1 then sl= abs(close-highest[3](high))+5 tp=sl * VL Set target profit tp Set stop loss sl Sellshort 1 PERPOINT AT market crossflag=0 shortsar=0 endif graph crossflag

  That code was okay for only longs, but it didn’t reset properly when I added in shorts. But I think I’ve solved it with this amended version of your code. I added “crossflag=0” at the very top and removed any instances of “crossflag=0” from the rest of the code.

   

  New code

  if SAR[0.02,0.02,0.2] > SAR[0.02,0.02,0.2][1] then longsar=1 shortsar=0 endif if SAR[0.02,0.02,0.2] < SAR[0.02,0.02,0.2][1] then shortsar=1 longsar=0 endif if longsar=1 and averagecrosslong then crossflag=1 endif if not onmarket and crossflag=1 then sl=abs(close-lowest[3](low))+5 tp=sl * VL Set target profit tp Set stop loss sl BUY 1 PERPOINT AT market longsar=0 endif if shortsar=1 and averagecrossshort then crossflag=-1 endif if not onmarket and crossflag=-1 then sl= abs(close-highest[3](high))+5 tp=sl * VL Set target profit tp Set stop loss sl Sellshort 1 PERPOINT AT market shortsar=0 endif graph crossflag

  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

  if SAR[0.02,0.02,0.2] > SAR[0.02,0.02,0.2][1] then longsar=1 shortsar=0 endif if SAR[0.02,0.02,0.2] < SAR[0.02,0.02,0.2][1] then shortsar=1 longsar=0 endif   if longsar=1 and averagecrosslong  then crossflag=1 endif if not onmarket and crossflag=1 then sl=abs(close-lowest[3](low))+5 tp=sl * VL Set target profit tp Set stop loss sl BUY 1 PERPOINT AT market longsar=0 endif   if shortsar=1 and averagecrossshort  then crossflag=-1 endif if not onmarket and crossflag=-1 then sl= abs(close-highest[3](high))+5 tp=sl * VL Set target profit tp Set stop loss sl Sellshort 1 PERPOINT AT market shortsar=0 endif   graph crossflag

  

  Mike Boorman

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  12/22/2021 at 3:35 PM #183758
  JS

  No, it will open only in the direction of “crossflag”
  Add Crossflag = 0 at the top of your code and everything works fine 🙂

  Simple MA -crossing

  DEFPARAM CumulateOrders = False Crossflag = 0 VL = 1 Longcross= Average[8](close) crosses over Average[20](close) Shortcross= Average[8](close) crosses under Average[20](close) if longcross and not longcross[1] then crossflag=1 endif if crossflag=1 then BUY 1 PERPOINT AT market sl=abs(close-lowest[3](low))+5 tp=sl * VL Set target profit tp Set stop loss sl //crossflag=0 endif if shortcross and not shortcross[1] then crossflag=-1 endif if crossflag=-1 then Sellshort 1 PERPOINT AT market sl= abs(close-highest[3](high))+5 tp=sl * VL Set target profit tp Set stop loss sl //crossflag=0 endif graph crossflag

  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35

  DEFPARAM CumulateOrders = False   Crossflag = 0 VL = 1   Longcross= Average[8](close) crosses over Average[20](close)   Shortcross= Average[8](close) crosses under Average[20](close)   if longcross and not longcross[1] then crossflag=1 endif   if crossflag=1 then BUY 1 PERPOINT AT market sl=abs(close-lowest[3](low))+5 tp=sl * VL Set target profit tp Set stop loss sl //crossflag=0 endif   if shortcross and not shortcross[1] then crossflag=-1 endif   if crossflag=-1 then Sellshort 1 PERPOINT AT market sl= abs(close-highest[3](high))+5 tp=sl * VL Set target profit tp Set stop loss sl //crossflag=0 endif graph crossflag

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  JS

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  12/22/2021 at 3:36 PM #183760
  fifi743

  once is to initialise the variable once on the first reading of algo

  

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