How To

Exploring the CrossTrade Test Sandbox: A Guide to Optimizing Your NinjaTrader Connection

The Test Sandbox is the perfect place to test sample payloads and verify that your orders flow correctly from TradingView to NinjaTrader.

CrossTrade Team

• 2 min read
Graphic of a playground sandbox and text Test Sandbox

Whether you’re new to CrossTrade or simply want to ensure everything is running smoothly with NinjaTrader, the Test Sandbox is the perfect place to test sample payloads and verify that your orders flow correctly.

Image illustrating the CrossTrade Basic Command and Test Sandbox relationship

What is the CrossTrade Test Sandbox?

The Test Sandbox is a dedicated space where users can simulate and test how their trade commands interact with NinjaTrader. It allows you to check if your orders are flowing from CrossTrade to NinjaTrader as expected. Essentially, the sandbox serves as a quality check to ensure your integration works exactly as it should, saving you from unwanted surprises when it’s time to go live.

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The Test Sandbox's purpose is strictly for testing predefined commands between CrossTrade and NinjaTrader.

How Does the Sandbox Work?

When using the Test Sandbox, users have access to basic and advanced commands tabs, which provide the specific commands that can be tested within the sandbox. Here’s how it works:

  • Predefined Commands Only: The sandbox accepts only the commands provided within the basic and advanced tabs in your dashboard. These commands include the Basic commands supported by NinjaTrader and Advanced commands which include specific CrossTrade enhancements.
  • No API Functionality: It’s important to remember that the sandbox does not support dynamic variables or API testing. This means that while you can test the flow of orders using the provided commands, the sandbox isn’t designed to interact with platforms like TradingView or to process dynamic data from external sources.
  • No Dynamic Variables: The Sandbox does not support dynamic variables from your TradingView strategies or indicators. You will need to test those from TradingView directly.

By limiting the sandbox to static commands, we ensure that the testing process remains straightforward and reliable.

How to Get Started

Getting started with the Test Sandbox is easy. Once logged into your CrossTrade account, follow these simple steps:

  1. Navigate to the Test Sandbox: Find it within the user dashboard, under the testing section.
  2. Select Basic or Advanced Commands: Depending on what you want to test, you can choose from the available command sets to simulate different scenarios.
  3. Submit a Sample Payload: Use the predefined commands to test the flow of orders to NinjaTrader.
  4. Verify the Results: Confirm that the orders are flowing through as expected, ensuring that everything is functioning correctly.

Final Thoughts

The CrossTrade Test Sandbox is your go-to tool for testing and troubleshooting your NinjaTrader integration. By offering a safe and reliable environment for testing predefined commands, it ensures that your orders are flowing correctly before establishing webhook alerts on TradingView.

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Remember, the sandbox is not designed for API testing or dynamic data, but it serves as an invaluable tool for verifying and navigating the process of sending orders through the NinjaTrader ATI system.

Happy testing, and as always, thank you for choosing CrossTrade!

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