TradeStation Help

Format Analysis Techniques & Strategies - Strategies

The Strategies tab allows you to manage strategies that have been applied to a specific chart. Each strategy is listed in a grid format, along with status and inputs associated with the strategy.

 Access using the menu bar Format > Analysis Techniques menu sequence and select the Strategies tab.

Name/Input Values/Status/Buy/Sell/Sell Short/Buy to Cover

Allows you to review and modify the inputs and status of the strategies on the active Chart Analysis window.

  Select a strategy component from the list.

• Format - Formats the inputs, entries, exits and calculations associated with the strategy. The Format Strategy dialog for the selected strategy is displayed.

 If you decide to optimize the inputs of a selected strategy, the strategies tab will display an optimization details section in lieu of the automation section in the dialog.

• Properties for All - Modifies the general, back-testing and automation settings associated with the strategy. The Strategy Properties for all Strategies dialog for the selected strategy is displayed.
• Status - Toggles the selected strategy on or off. The current status of the strategy is displayed in the Status column.

 If a strategy that is applied to a Chart Analysis window becomes unverified, the Status column will display "Not Verified". When the strategy is verified again, the Status column will automatically update to reflect a status of "On".

In addition to turning on/off the overall status for the selected strategy, the status for each order type (Buy, Sell, Sell Short, Buy to Cover) in the strategy can be separately controlled using the drop-down items in each column.  

When the overall status of the strategy is turned On, the following order column selections become active:

• Buy - Click to select On, Off, or Exit Only status for all buy orders in the selected strategy. Exit Only will close a short position but not enter a new long position.
• Sell - Click to select On or Off status for all sell orders in the selected strategy.
• Sell Short - Click to select On, Off, or Exit Only status for all sell short orders in the selected strategy. Exit Only will close a long position but not enter a new short position.
• Buy to Cover - Click to select On or Off status for all buy to cover orders in the selected strategy. 

• Move Up/Move Down - Repositions the sort order of the selected strategy in the dialog.  
• Edit EasyLanguage - Launches the TradeStation Development Environment.
• Remove - Removes the selected strategy from the active Chart Analysis window.
• Save Analysis Group - Saves the strategies and their format and properties settings as an analysis group to be used in the future. The Save Analysis Group dialog is launched.

Automation  

Contains the settings in how strategy orders are sent to TradeManager, strategy orders are automatically executed by account numbers, and how confirmations are received of strategy orders before they are placed.  

• Generate strategy orders to display... - Check this setting to send any orders that are generated by a strategy to the Strategy Orders tab in the TradeManager window.
• Automate execution using [Account No] ... - Check this setting to select an account number from the drop-down list to automatically execute any trades generated by this strategy from the selected account. An order confirmation will be received before any strategy-generated trades are placed, unless you choose No from the ...account with confirmation drop-down list.
• ...account with confirmation - Select On from this drop-down list box if you want to receive confirmation of any orders generated by a strategy before they are placed. Select Off if you do not wish to receive a confirmation before placing a strategy-generated order.

Optimization Details  

Contains the type and method used when strategies are optimized, as well as advanced settings that can be modified. This section is displayed only if the inputs for one or more strategies have been setup for optimization. See Optimizing Strategies on a Chart for more information.

• Type - Select the desired optimization type for an optimized strategy.
• Standard - Select Standard from the drop-down list when no Walk-Forward Analysis is required.
• Walk-Forward - Select Walk-Forward from the drop-down list to use the TradeStation Walk-Forward Optimizer (WFO) to optimize strategies using Walk-Forward Analysis (WFA). During a Walk-Forward Analysis, multiple walk-forward runs are performed where the performance on the Out-Of-Sample (unseen) data will be compared with the performance on the In-Sample (seen) data. The Walk-Forward Optimizer will apply different criteria to evaluate the consistency of the walk-forward optimization and, based on this analysis, it will provide an overall rating of the system's robustness.
• Walk-Forward Test Name - Displayed only if Walk-Forward has been selected. Enter a name to be associated with the walk-forward test data to be saved for use by the Walk-Forward Optimizer.
  • Method - Select the desired optimization method in how the strategy is calculated.
  • Exhaustive - A comprehensive method that calculates all possible combinations of all strategy input parameters within the range specified. Since all parameter combinations are calculated, the exhaustive method guarantees that the algorithm finds the optimal set of strategy parameters of those compared.
  • Genetic - An optimization method based on an evolutionary algorithm. Genetic optimizations are preferable when the exhaustive method is too time consuming or processing intensive. Running optimizations in shorter times, will also allow you to select wider range of parameters in your strategy optimizations. Genetic optimizations do not calculate all possible strategy parameter combinations but will use an algorithm based on natural selection that will arrive to an answer that is statistically significant.
• Advanced Settings - Customizes the settings for the optimized strategy. The Advanced Settings dialog is displayed.
• Save results to file - Check this setting to save the selected optimization strategy results. The Browse button allows you to navigate to the desired location to save your file.

 Click OK to apply changes or Cancel to exit without changes.