Going Live

Discussion in 'Automated Trading' started by Norm, Jan 24, 2006.

  1. Norm

    Norm

    Hello,

    I have thoroughly back tested my strategy and have been monitoring its performance on live data (with fake money) for about a week. I am very happy with its performance. I plan to monitor it on live data with fake money for about two or three more weeks to get a better feel for its performance on a variety of different kinds of trading days.

    It's an intraday trading program (it typically trades 10 to 20 times per day) and I need more sideways and slightly down days. It did extremely well on last Friday (the day the DOW lost over 200 points), by providing a surprisingly acceptable loss. Actually, it immediately lost about $1,000 and then spent the rest of the day recouping about $500 to end the day about $500 down. It made $500 in each of the two previous days, so the loss was better than acceptable.

    I was actually very proud of the program's heroic efforts to make up for the initial loss (yes - I know that is a bit silly, but I am still very proud).

    The strategy is written in EasyLanguage and runs on the latest TradeStation platform. It is merely the code necessary to define my entries, exits, and stop loses.

    This is my first effort at automated trading. Should I put anything else in the code before going live with real money? Do I need anything other than my trading strategy?

    Thanks,
    Norm
     
  2. MAESTRO

    MAESTRO

    I have been practicing a brain surgery procedure for two weeks now on live patients. I used a very sharp Buck knife and some pliers. So far 2 out my 10 patience died but they were not that important to me (distant relatives).

    I am very happy with my performance. I plan to practice on a few more live patients that I’m not related to get a better feel for my skills on a variety of different kinds of patients.

    It's an out patient type of a surgery where you just cut a rear side of the brain.
    I was actually very proud of my heroic efforts to make up for the initial loss of patients (yes - I know that is a bit silly, but I am still very proud).

    The procedure is based on a few clamps that I found in my dad’s garage, a heater that I borrowed from my sister and a battery charger to make my patients paralyzed. It is merely the tools to cut the skull open and extract the right side of the brain.

    This is my first effort at performing a brain surgery. Should I put anything else on my operating table before I start cutting my relatives? Do I need anything other than my surgery procedure?

    Thanks,
    Brain Surgeon
     
  3. I'm sorry.. But how can you be proud of a strategy where you lost money on a day when Dow moved 200 pts. Those are the days any system/trader should capitalize on. Even I made money that day.

    I think your system needs a bit more work.
     
  4. siki13

    siki13

    :D :D
     
  5. Norm

    Norm

    Maestro,

    I am amazed at the number of people who are incapable of offering useful advice, yet still feel the urge to post.

    I said that I had thoroughly backtested the strategy. I am merely doing the live with fake money so that I can better understand the program on a daily basis. It is a sort of series of walk forward tests. It forces me to review the results more closely, since I am not dealing with the volume of data used in backtesting.

    Besides, no one dies and in all likelihood, I'll just lose a few hundred dollars if the program fails to work as expected.

    What more would you have me do?

    Norm
     
  6. Norm

    Norm

    Ripley -

    The system is design for use in an IRA. That is whaere I presently do my trading. So, at the moment, it only goes long. The backtest return excees 100% per year. I can only determine the real return by going live.

    I plan to add shorting in the future. But for now, I am happy with the strategies performance.

    Again, do I need any code other than the mere strategy?

    Norm
     
  7. LMeyers

    LMeyers

    :)

    Good to see that you have recovered from your ailments and are back to running on all cylinders.
    Happy trading in 2006.
     
  8. MAESTRO

    MAESTRO

    You don't get it do you? Oh, well, go ahead, I was just about to attach a small flash light to my knife so I could see better. Those awful dark corners of the brain! I hate them. You always end up cutting the wrong piece! I hate those patients with such small skulls! But that’s about it. What else do you want me to do?
     
  9. MAESTRO

    MAESTRO

    Thanks. Yes I'm back! thank you all of you guys for your support and prayers! I'm back, baby!
     
  10. You never know if you can get the backtested results till you go live.

    But, I hope you have a huge enough bankroll in your IRA account to accept some losses.

    From what you wrote, it looks like it is a system for stocks. Have you ever thought about going with a futures system where I assume you can go long and short even in an IRA account.
     
    #10     Jan 24, 2006