How-to-activate-the-Optimization-button

You need to set up Optimization Parameters first.

This video shows you how to do it for Building Block strategies: https://youtu.be/xaUJ9tZWUcY

yes - this is a video about optimizing a strategy built from blocks - I have strategies written in code - is there a video on how to optimize?

"How to" doesn't matter, the approach is the same. If you're asking rather how to create optimization paramters in code, click 'Open C# strategy code' in a Blocks-based strategy with parameters to see how they are defined.

QUOTE:
is there a video on how to optimize

Not yet, but the first step is to define your Optimization Parameters. When you do, the Optimize button will be enabled.

There's a pattern you can follow in the QuickRef. Select Class: UserStrategyBase; Properties/Methods: Parameters

And, if you're going to do Walk-Forward Optimization, you also need to add this method to your code (this is for the Parameters example) -

CODE:

           public override void NewWFOInterval(BarHistory bars)
      {
         smaShort = new SMA(bars.Close, Parameters[0].AsInt);
         smaLong = new SMA(bars.Close, Parameters[1].AsInt);
      }

Click "Compile". And why do define them as read-only??

You are right - thanks earned!