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ATM strategy stop vs NinjaScript strategy stop when you are disconnected
Short answer: the stop order itself behaves the same either way. If it is Working or Accepted, it sits at the broker or exchange and can fill while your PC is offline. The difference is in everything around the stop: trailing, breakeven moves, OCO cancelling and simulated stops are worked out by NinjaTrader on your PC in many setups, and they pause while you are disconnected. Server-side ATMs move some of that off your PC, with limits.
The three kinds of "stop" people mean
- A NinjaScript strategy stop. Your strategy's code places it, for example with
SetStopLoss()(sent when the entry fills) orExitLongStopMarket(). [1] - A local (legacy) ATM strategy stop. An Advanced Trade Management template you attach to a manual entry: a stop and a target, plus an optional stop strategy (Auto Breakeven, Auto Trail) that moves the stop as price moves. [2]
- A server-side ATM stop. NinjaTrader's newer ATMs, "exclusive to the NinjaTrader connection" and "currently in beta". [3]
What happens to each when your PC disconnects
| Part of the stop | NinjaScript strategy stop | Local ATM stop | Server-side ATM stop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stop order in Working or Accepted state | At the broker; can fill while you are offline [4] | At the broker; can fill while you are offline [4] | At the broker; can fill while you are offline [4] |
| Simulated stop (TriggerPending) | Held on your PC; cannot trigger while offline [5] | Held on your PC; cannot trigger while offline [5] | Simulated stops are listed as a local-ATM-only feature [3] |
| Moving the stop (trail, breakeven, code changes) | Your code runs on your PC; changes wait for the connection | Local ATM logic runs in NinjaTrader on your PC; changes wait for the connection | Described by NinjaTrader as server side; confirm offline behavior for your connection with NinjaTrader support |
| Cancelling the target when the stop fills (OCO) | For the NinjaTrader and Rithmic connections, OCO is simulated on your PC [4] | Same as the strategy stop [4] | Confirm with NinjaTrader support |
| Strategy-level handling | Follows the On connection loss setting [6] | No NinjaScript strategy involved; check the ATM and its orders after you reconnect | No NinjaScript strategy involved |
The pattern: an order that is already resting at the broker is independent of your PC. Anything that has to decide something (move the stop, cancel the other side, trigger a simulated order) depends on where that decision is made.
Server-side ATMs: what the help guide actually says
- They are exclusive to the NinjaTrader connection and currently in beta. [3]
- "If Multi-provider mode is enabled, server side ATMs will be disabled." [3]
- The help guide lists features only local ATMs support, including local orders (simulated and MIT orders), use with NinjaScript, adding ATMs to unprotected positions and OCO orders with ATMs. [3] So a NinjaScript strategy cannot use a server-side ATM.
- They are switched on in Control Center > Tools > Settings > Strategies, ATM Strategy section, Use server side ATMs (beta) (the help guide still writes this path as Tools > Options). [3][7]
Which one is safer unattended?
Neither is safe by itself. For an automated NinjaScript strategy, the practical steps are:
- Keep the stop as a real stop order at the broker, not a simulated one, so the stop itself does not need your PC. [5]
- Assume trailing and breakeven moves stop while you are offline, and size the initial stop for that.
- Know your connection's OCO behavior. If OCO is simulated on your PC, a stop that fills during an outage can leave the target working. Check the Orders tab after every reconnect. [4]
- Set On connection loss on purpose. [6] See what happens when the internet disconnects.
Sources
- NinjaTrader 8 help guide, SetStopLoss()
- NinjaTrader 8 help guide, ATM Strategy > Stop Strategy
- NinjaTrader 8 help guide, Server Side vs Local ATMs
- NinjaTrader 8 help guide, Where do your orders reside?
- NinjaTrader 8 help guide, Simulated Stop Orders
- NinjaTrader 8 help guide, Settings > Strategies
- NinjaTrader 8 help guide, Settings
General information about NinjaTrader 8 settings, checked against NinjaTrader’s help guide on the date above. Not financial advice. NinjaTrader changes between versions; confirm each setting on your own install.