
Trade Signals
This section allows BlackBird to be setup as a fully automated trading system by setting up an indicator that generates discrete trade signals. Custom indicators that output a trade signal (not a chart marker) can be used, as well as BloodHound signals. Please note, chart makers are not output signals.
Input signals come in two types. They are either and entry signal or an exit signal.
Entry Signals: An entry signal is what submits the buy or sell entry order to the exchange. Simply put, an entry order opens a position or reverses a position. For example, if a long position is already open, it will be closed out and sell entry orders will be placed. When a position is already open BlackBird will not place anymore entry orders in the same direction to protect against having to many contracts open. For example, a long signal comes in and a long trade is opened. Then, two bars later another long signal occurs, but the long position is still open. That second long signal is ignored, because there is a long position already open. But, if a short signal comes in the trade is reversed. The long position and any working orders are closed first. Then the sell entry orders are submitted.
Exit Signals: An exit signal is used to flatten a position and cancel working orders. In an opposite scenario an exit signal could preserve profits. For instance, a trade could be in a profitable position, but the market hasn't quite reached the last profit target order, but various indicators are suggesting a possible trend reversal. An exit signal could be built to identify that possible trend reversal, and thus close the trade out early before the market reverses and more profits are lost.
This type of signal can be useful to close a position out early instead of waiting for the stop-loss to get hit, thus minimizing the loss. An exit signal does nothing when there is no position open. It is not necessary, nor recommended, to reverse a trade. Neither will it reverse a trade.
Multiple Signal sources can be setup. You can see that the interface allows multiple BloodHound templates and/or indicators to be setup. When multiple signals are setup they are all treated as a single signal source. i.e. All signal sources are combined together using a logical OR function. Entry signals are combined together as if they are one, and Exit signals are combined together as if they are one Thus, if anyone of the signal sources produces a long entry signal, a long trade will be executed.
BloodHound Signal
Select this option to use BloodHound signals as the automated entry signal source. BloodHound signals can be used to flatten/exit the entire position as well. Changing the BloodHound template file must be done using this menu. Do not use the blue BloodHound buttom on the top of the chart to load a different file.
Do not build BloodHound systems using an instance of BloodHound running inside of BlackBird. Issues can occur when doing so. Most notably, lost work/changes. Create and/or modify your BloodHound systems only within an instance of BloodHound that is added to the chart from NinjaTrader's Indicators window, not by BlackBird.
After editing is finished, reload the template file into BlackBird. To do that, open BlackBird's interface. Click on the BlookHound Signal menu. Click on the Template File button to open the BloodHound interface. Go to File » Open, and load the updated file.
Indicator Based Signal
Select this option to use a custom indicator's output signal as a automated entry signals. An indicator signal can be used to flatten/exit the entire position as well.
Workshop Video
This video comes from the workshop in 2016.