Backtesting, does not have to be representing the "past" .. so if you do your research with backtesting correctly, no cheating and no data torture, parts of it, will represent the "future". It´s all about the IS and OOS.. And therefore can be vital in your research if you have a sound and possible to replicate, EXECUTION LOGIC. Not sure how you can say it IS pointless, perhaps for you it is, for many others it may not be.
Of course it's not. History repeats itself and price is patterned - meaning that the same patterns are repeating themselves over and over again with only some slight variations. What's happened in the past will happen in the future. Again, again and again. If not - how could we possibly suceed as traders? Of course, it doesn't have to be a mechanical back-test on a trading platform, though. There are other and probably better ways to check price history, learn from it and use it to trade the future.
MNQ 450 Tick Range Bars Account Size = $750 Margin is set to $550 per Contract (way more than needed) Purposely set to trade a Maximum of 4 Contracts Per Trade NO - Backtesting Required Trading Time is from 6:30 am to 10:30 am - Pacific Time Zone 10 Days Click on the Pictures - to make them Larger. The following picture shows some Algo Scalp Signals - set to trade from 1 to 10 times Per Bar. On the Bottom Left - because of the Account Size and Margin - it starts out trading One Contract. You can see on March 24th - it traded mostly 3 Contract per trade - then went to 4 Contracts - based on Margin and Total Profit. We set the Maximum Number of Contracts that it can trade to 4 Contracts - although it can trade more. When there are Losses - say we are trading 3 Contracts - based on Margin and Profits - it may back off to 2 Contracts - or even 1 Contract. The Algo was developed with Safety in mind. As traders - many of us start out trading - trying to replace our Income from some job we might have. A very High Percentage of Traders - will end up losing there Trading Capital - and eventually go out of trading. Believe me - I came very close to doing that myself - MORE THAN ONCE. I thought it would be easy to do - based on my background. I took many Trading Classes - tried so damn many Indicators - listened to other traders that really didn't know more than me. Basically I set myself up to FAIL. It really doesn't matter how smart a trader thinks he or she is - we all can fail. Actually - based on my background in the Aerospace industry - I thought I was Smart - thought trading would be easy and because of that - I almost blew it. What kept me going though - was the thought of going back to work - especially the last job I had - admitting - yeah - I failed. Over the years - I have tried just about every Indicator that was available. It wasn't until I started getting rid of Indicators - that I started to make money - CONSISTENTLY. On my Discretionary Trading Method below - I have 2 charts - the chart on Top - with Support and Resistance Lines ONLY. The chart on the Bottom - the same as the Top - without Support and Resistance Lines - but with the Bars basically Divided into One Tick Increment - Range Bars. I switched to Range Bars years ago - it has all the information I need. This setup - is so damn SIMPLE - I don't have to look at a lot of BullS_ _ _ Indicators. The Bars on the Top - are the same as the Big Bars on the Bottom. On the Bottom - there are Green and Red Dots - One Tick Range Bar Increments. The Top Chart - is all that is needed to trade - however - the Green and Red Dots are available for Setups like Head and Shoulders - between the Larger Bars - if I want to do that. The point is - there is ABSOLUTELY - NO NEED - for a bunch of Indicators - that will end up Confusing most traders. At one time in my early trading days - I probably had as many as 6 or more Indicators on a Chart - and basically - with the Setups I had back then - I learned how to LOSE MONEY - FASTER. I have attended some Trading Meetups - where the Presenters have so damn many Indicators on their Charts - with MULTIPLE charts - you would probably have a Headache in Minutes - just looking at those charts. I had not planned on such a long drawn out - what I wanted to say message - but after attending the last Meetup - I just wanted to say something. Actually - I got a little pissed off - just listening to that BullS_ _ _ _. I probably shouldn't have said that. I get e-mails from different Meetup Groups - about Trading - and this last one kind of got to me. I apologize for my rambling on. Edit: If there are any traders who would like to come into a Room - I would be happy to show them - how to trade the Chart below. I trade mostly my Algos now - but sometimes - I will trade the Chart below - because it is so DAMN easy - LOL. Traders will need a Headset_Mic. I just setup a Zoom Room - if anyone is interested. Passcode: 721105 https://us05web.zoom.us/j/88628765240?pwd=Vm0zODZXRERqQ20ycFZsclVJQ1JRZz09
MNQ 200 Tick Range Bars Account Size = $750 Margin is set to $700 per Contract (way more than needed) Purposely set to trade a Maximum of 4 Contracts Per Trade NO - Backtesting Required Trading Time is Pacific Time Zone 10 Days Click on the Pictures - to make them Larger. We set this Algo to trade no more than 4 contracts. It starts at One Contract - and as Profit increases - it will reach a point where it adds another contract. Of course - the Algo can lose - and depending on how much money it loses - it may back off on the Number of Contracts traded. It is all about trading as safe as possible - and preserving capital. I wish all traders much success with their trading.
We are on the wrong tack I guess. Seeing on the chart doesn't mean that the actual orders were executed. I'm not sure for the high (or big number) range bar, but for sure the short numbered one such like 7 tick range bar, it's hard to believe that the algo would work(including execution) in real trading. That's why he mentioned DMA I guess.
Are you conversing with me - or someone else? Even though my Algos give great Signals - personally - I do NOT trust going Full Auto - letting the computer do the trading. I have used several platforms over the years - with totally different code - and I would NOT trust any of them on Full Auto. There are so many things that can go wrong - when you are NOT watching. While my Algos can Scalp - Trend - or do Scalp/Trend combinations - personally - I love Scalping - but once in awhile - I will do a Scalp/Trend combination - all depending on what I see on the chart. I trade a Maximum of 2 Hours a day - when I am trading. Whether I make my Net Daily Goal (NDG) or NOT - at 2 Hours - I am Done for the day. My objective - is to try to make my NDG in a 2 Hour period - NOT to do Full Auto - NOT to trade all day. The Algo Signals are consistent - when I see a Green Arrow - I go Long - when I see a Red Arrow - I go Short. I keep things as Simple as possible. Look above - at Post #514 - the Bottom Picture - this is actually my favorite way to trade. I don't need the Bottom chart - it is only used for seeing things like Head and Shoulders - but is NOT really needed. The Green and Red Dots - are based on a One Tick Range Bar. The Top chart - is a 7 Tick Range Bar - and I only have Support and Resistance lines that are Automatically drawn - NOT a bunch of BullS_ _ _ Indicators on the screen. That setup - is still my favorite - even over the Algos. However - with the Algos - it is very Simple - and I do trade the Algos. I am all about "Discipline plus Simplicity". Most traders make things way to complicated and end up losing. Have I brought you into Zoom or Skype before - don't recall? If I have time - you can watch for awhile - I have nothing to hide. I keep busy - as I have Clients - mainly CTA's and CPO's - and some traders who trade many more contracts than I do. Edit: I just looked up "darkray707" - now I remember you. You can believe it - or NOT believe - really doesn't matter to me. I attended a Meetup awhile back - this trader was showing his Charts - damn near gave me a Headache. He had so damn many Indicators on his chart - and from what he was saying - it sounded like he wasn't making much money. The point I want traders to understand - while Indicators can help - they can also cause traders to LOSE - all depending on how they are setup - and how many they are using. What I have tried to show - especially with the Discretionary Setup - Post #514 - is a trader should really think about KEEPING THINGS AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE. By the way - I am NOT looking for more Clients.
What is the point of showing a pnl summary from a back test, IF IT CANT BE REPRODUCED IN LIVE TRADING, its all fantasy back testing, caused by future leaking code or /and an execution logic that can not be done. Who are you trying to fool ?