I am just getting started with Wealth Lab. I've written a simple strategy to test how things would function in the real world with live trading. It seems as though you have to activate live trading with Fidelity to open up anything other than live trading paper accounts, which I haven't done yet. I seem to be having issues even getting paper accounts to live trade properly. The trades aren't filling as I'm expected - they get staged but not filled all the time. Just so I'm not missing something obvious: For people who do real-world automated trading with Fidelity, what is your daily workflow in the morning? Do you leave your computers on all day? Do you have to shut down each night and re-start in the morning to get things running smoothly? I am more interested in how to improve the reliability of the platform, if certain steps must be taken like logging in periodically or re-starting the computer. I would say that it was my code, except I've tested it in the chart window and everything worked as expected. It was only when I deployed the strategy that things started acting weird. I've noticed other quirks as well.

QUOTE:
The trades aren't filling as I'm expected - they get staged but not filled all the time

1. What WLP version and build are you running? (Help > About)
2. What does it mean 'not filled'? Are they stuck in submitted status?
3. Have you examined your strategy's code for peeking issues and other subtle errors?

I'll put it to you this way. I was testing the strategy on my computer yesterday and made modifications to the code then tested it again, and none of the modifications changed the strategy outcome. In other words, I "proved" that the platform was unstable on my computer. I re-started the computer, ran the strategy again, and voila, the performance changed. So, there is no question the platform is not working right on my machine.

I'm on the latest version of WLP (recently downloaded it) running on Windows 7 though. Could be the problem. I will need to try on a higher level of Windows to make sure it's not because of that.

But, I would still like to know the daily workflow of people who trade the platform daily. Do you leave your computer on? Have to keep logging in? etc. I am interested in the process people use to increase reliability.

QUOTE:
So, there is no question the platform is not working right on my machine.

For me, there is hardly a question that you may be experiencing some peculiarity not obvious to newbie users or even doing something incorrectly in the code. But it's just me, having learnt to always suspect my code in the first place. You're not giving enough detail for troubleshooting.

As stated, I modified the code, it didn't change the way the strategy worked at all (it was changing the time when an order should be placed, nothing complicated at all). I ran the strategy. Nothing changed. I re-started the computer and ran wealth lab pro again, ran the strategy again, and this time it did change the strategy performance. I'm a professional programmer with 15 years of experience. That my code is "wrong" is a possibility, but I've already eliminated that possibility through testing that I've done.

You are not even attempting to address the actual question, which has to do with how traders go about using it on a daily basis in terms of logging in/out, shutting the computer down, etc. Future posters should help with that question.

QUOTE:
I'm a professional programmer with 15 years of experience. That my code is "wrong" is a possibility, but I've already eliminated that possibility through testing that I've done.

Wish it was a silver bullet but have you got similar Wealth-Lab experience? Because this testing logic doesn't apply here without considering all the peculiarities like...

QUOTE:
and this time it did change the strategy performance.

...Wealth-Lab is preconfigured to update data on demand, you reopened the chart, a new intraday bar or series of bars came in, naturally changing the backtested performance and your strategy's set of trades. In this (default) scenario, what you've "eliminated" is alive and kicking.

As a professional programmer you might know the importance of having a step by step procedure to reproduce an error. For me, a description of some steps without any factual evidence (what exactly has changed, error message, strategy code, data loading range, symbols, bar scale etc.) is not enough to justify claims about the platform not working reliably. Be it user error or live bug, it's especially important to see all data mentioned to avoid creating a false impression of the product.

QUOTE:
You are not even attempting to address the actual question,

Right. I don't use WLP so yes, I deliberately do not attempt to address WLP specific questions and leave them to future posters.

This is what I do. In strategy monitor, I have strategies that I have optimized for around 20 symbols. In settings, make sure automatically stage orders from strategy alerts is checked, and you have the correct position size, paper account, etc. filled in. Close settings, then click activate strategy. You should see a red right arrow next to the strategy. Then go into orders and make sure auto trading is set to paper accounts. At this point, it should place "live" orders from your paper account. If you have the accounts screen open, you will see them there as well as in the order screen. I let the program run all day, then restart the computer in the evening. Unfortunately paper trading is all I can do, since all of my live orders get "stuck submitted" through Fidelity, so I may not be using it much longer. But that should get your started.

After making code changes, clicking "Go" in the Data Panel will not recompile (see documentation) so results will not change. Use "Run the Strategy" in the Editor to both recompile and run. Type

CODE:
Please log in to see this code.

near the top of a strategy and click Go to see no effect.

My process is to restart WLP before the market opens and leave it open all day and night. Although it logs out and requests to re-login to Fidelity after about 12 hours it is not necessary to do so to get the scheduled morning data download. Re-login and perhaps re-open the workspace for testing. Computer shutdowns are typically done just to complete Microsoft Updates.

@jdrobinson81
Looking forward to helping you with your paper trading issue after your provide something to work with:

1. what about performance has changed exactly,
2. error message if any,
3. strategy code sufficient to demonstrate the anomaly,
4. symbol / DataSet,
5. settings that include: positions sizing, data loading range, bar scale
6. anything else related to reproducing the issue.

Thanks.