$5DAW

Just a reminder, did it again THIS WEEKEND March 13 2011 Moved US clocks FORWARD 1 hr.

IMO there's no magic bullet when it comes to indicators, I also believe if you add enough lines on a chart something is going to line up. The trick is to test the indicator/indicators again and again and again and only when it proves itself within your comfort/risk level, trade it. I like Bollinger Bands, I use them in conjunction with other indicators to enter and exit most all my trades. I find them very useful for identifying the continuation of a move, and maybe more importantly alerts me when (more times than not) the move is over. My tests, on my time frame, with my parameters, in my market, prove to me these signals are valid. Of course there are exceptions and continuations do occur, but I have no problem taking profits when the buy/sell signal is generated and leaving the MAYBE wildly profitable continuation alone. I don't need to buy the low or sell the top on each move to be profitable at the end of the week.

I'm NOT an E-mini trader, or a tick scalper for that matter. But the comments about the simulated platforms raised my brow, particularly the "if touched" fills (a lot of other good stuff too). The quote above "smells" like real live trading and I'll tell you why, order flow and the queue. It's a good idea to know how the exchange (e.g. CBOT CME) processes orders in the market you're trading , many are FiFo (first in first out) but not all, some benefit larger orders. IF the market is FiFo and I place a limit order on a (target) price as prices approach that price, my order is now sitting on the bottom of the list (queue). Depending on the instrument I'm trading I may be the 20th contract (Mini Dow) in line to be filled or the 2000th (T Bonds). As djohnsonhot stated earlier watching prices trade on your target and not fill is a real dilemma, watching that target get hit 2,3 and 4 times and "burn off" a 1000 or 1500 contracts and still NOT GET FILLED, feels demoralizing. So you drag your target below the market and take profits. A final comment about programed strategies. Many traders have found themselves in positions they didn't intend to be in because their stop was trailing "to close" when their target was filled. The markets move fast these days, but that target has to be "reported back" to the broker as filled before the stop is canceled. And a tight 3 to 5 tick trailing sell stop on a long position (for instance) CAN BE FILLED if prices hit your target and find enthusiastic resistance causing prices to "zip" down and trigger your stop order BEFORE the target order is verified as filled and the order to cancel the stop is sent. I'm just saying, it does happen.

How true, I struggle with maintaining a healthy balance when I become passionate about a new method or set of indicators I really want to test, I have to make a conscious effort to walk away on occasion and enjoy the other parts of my life. I have three indicator based systems I use for live trading. I've set-up a "weekend workspace" for each, basically I take the charts of the time-frames I trade from and add a set of true/false parameters. When all the indicators are "true" I have a little green arrow display for longs (red for shorts). These arrows signal entries, that must be confirmed on a smaller time frame chart (I use a chart 1/3 the size), I find this method works very well and helps keep me "intimate" with the historical data . Sure, I could have a similar set of parameters for exits, but that's where the FUN is, trying to find that sweet spot of maximum profit over a 100 trade sample. I have a hard target for my live trades but I'm always looking for a "better mousetrap." Depending on your record keeping this simple exercise can prove it's self quite rewarding, so if you're itching to trade on Sat or Sunday give it a try.

All hope is gone. I got the following reply from Ensign. Hi, I am sorry you did not get the appropriate answer sooner. I have trained my staff on this matter in the past, but perhaps they forget the details of the answer. The Beep feature in Ensign Windows was based on a Windows API call to a sound function where we could pass the frequency parameter and a duration parameter. This would play the sound through the little speaker. Starting with Windows platforms around Windows XP and later, ie Windows 7, the API function was removed and no longer available. The article you sent in your other email documents that change in the Window operating systems quite well. Thus the functionality going away is a result of the operating system and not a result of any change in Ensign Windows. I have looked hard in the past for a work around and not found one. Thus, I am sorry to say, the Beep feature will not be available in the newer operating systems. Yes there is a Windows Beep, but not the sound API call where we could play a frequency for a duration. Since this is due to operating system changes, we are choosing to eliminate offering the Beep check box on the chart property forms in the redesigned Ensign program called Ensign 10. This will keep users from having the hint of a feature that is most likely unavailable because most users will be on newer operating systems as time passes. Sincerely, Howard Arrington Ensign Software, Inc.

I'm still searching for a fix to my little beep issue. Ensign Software appears to have blown me off, (two emails - NO replies) but I'll email again and give them the benefit of doubt. I did come across this link, so I know I'm not alone in my search for a cure. What's up with the Beep driver in Window 7 I'm surprised nobody here in the Traders Laboratory uses this combination of software, Ensign and Windows 7. Please, if you do, and you get the "beep" post a simple YES.

I'm set-up on the East coast of the USA, and trade the currency futures during the German/London opens. I don't "stay up," I "get up" at 1am est and boot up around 1:30am est. I'm usually finished by 4am but "my" session runs til 6am. As far as caffeine, I make a 1/2 pot. that gives me 2 lattes and 2 cups of sporty black :-) Furthermore, I agree, it was, "a fishing trip for some easy email addresses from the gullible."

Ensign charting software uses the computer's internal motherboard speaker to emit a single beep each time the price moves 1 tick. I have used this software for several years and became accustom to this audible signal of price movement, so when I chose the motherboard for my new trading computer I made sure it had a pin header to connect that little speaker. When I boot my computer I hear a single beep and and when I check the beep.sys in/under devices, windows says "it's working properly." The problem is it AIN'T "beeping" in my Ensign program (and I'm suffering withdraws). I have no other programs that utilize this speaker so trouble shooting has been exhausting. I'm running windows 7 Pro (64 bit) my old box was XP Pro 32 bit (no issues). Any suggestions ??? I've emailed Ensign (to soon for a reply) and spoke with the Mobo tech (they said, "it should work") I'm thinking the issue is in windows 7 pro (64). Anybody running Ensign with Win 7 pro (64) and GETTING the beep ???

A lot of good information here, and many differing opinions. Is Trading Just a Sort of Gambling? On some level I'd have to say, yes, on another I'd say no. I think of the markets as an enigma, they're made up of many participants with just as many points of view or opinions as to the direction of future price movement. All trading strategies have the possibility of failing, some have a higher probability of success than others, but no strategy has a 100% success rate. So if I have a system that has proven to me in real-time trades that 85% of the time I'll be stopped out with a profit, then what is my gamble? Am I gambling that my next trade is the first loser and all my trades thereafter are losers and the system ceases to perform as it has for the last year or two? Or am I "gambling" that this trade is one of the 15% of the losing trades my system has proven to generate over the last year or two. Risk, gamble or probability call it what you want, the outcome is the same. As for luck, I believe it has no place in trading, good or bad. I've found, if I use the word luck in any sentence to describe my days trading........ I'm only making excuses for not doing what really needs to be done.

I keep a couple boxes of South Beach Bars in my trading room. I'm usually done trading after a few hours so I never plan on "camping out" in front of my computer.

plungee I'll be sure to give that a look. Thanks for your reply.

cbaer Thanks for the reply, that's exactly what I was intending to do, run two computers for a while and try to time my change over to the markets rollover date. I'll reassess my time frame. Thank you

Thanks VT I am ** not ** familiar with the bells and whistles of W-7 (my fear) and your reply is VERY MUCH appreciated, I will surely look into those options, thank you ~

Thanks for the reply, I've always said you'd have to pry XP "out of my cold dead hands" but the times they are a changing! Again thanks.

I'm building a new trading computer and all my trading programs are available in a 64/bit version. The closer I get to D-day the more I fear this change over. My question is, if I install a fresh new 64 bit OS and reinstall all my programs in their 64 bit versions, will I have to re-enter ALL the parameters to ALL my indicators ?? I'm aware of the XP mode in Windows 7 pro but I really want to "try" to run everything in 64 bit in this new box. Any experiences making the switch ?