Quick answer
A saved chart strategy can reload after NinjaTrader restarts with Enabled set to false. Check the exact account, contract and instance before enabling it. A strategy that is already running on Sim101, using another expiry or waiting until flat needs a different diagnosis.
Read the strategy state before changing it
Read Enabled and the waiting/running state together; color alone is not a complete diagnosis.
| Observed state | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Disabled; name shown black in the guide | The instance is not enabled. Check its account, parameters and startup behavior before starting it. |
| Enabled and waiting; orange/yellow | The strategy is waiting for its calculated position to become flat before submitting live orders. |
| Running; name shown green | The strategy is running. Its entry rules and current inputs still determine whether a new order should occur. |
Confirm the account and full instrument
In the Strategies grid, expose Account Name, Instrument, Data Series, Parameters and Workspace through Properties. Account Name can differ from Account Display Name; compare the actual identifier with the account you intend to use.
| Mismatch you find | What to verify |
|---|---|
| Template loaded, but Account is Sim101 | Saved strategy templates default Account to Sim101 and Enabled to false. Check the selected account before enabling; restoring parameters does not confirm the intended live account. |
| Futures symbol matches but expiry differs | Compare the full contract month on the strategy with the intended contract. Workspace batch rollover does not roll NinjaScript strategies forward; their rollover is a separate change. |
| Right account and symbol, different instance | Match the workspace, data-series interval and parameters. A row with the same strategy name is not sufficient to identify the saved setup. |
What a chart strategy saves across a restart
NinjaTrader documents two different outcomes for chart strategies. Closing the platform with the strategy applied to an open chart retains it when NinjaTrader reopens, but Enabled is false. Closing the chart containing the strategy disables and removes that instance.
These are chart-strategy rules. A familiar chart or saved parameter template does not show that an instance is actively running. Locate the original chart or Strategies-tab instance rather than treating a missing row as a connection problem.
Waiting until flat is different from being disabled
Wait until flat follows the calculated strategy position and assumes the account is flat. The strategy can therefore be enabled while it waits, without submitting live orders. Inspect the account’s actual positions and working orders before changing startup behavior.
A strategy position can come from historical calculations rather than an actual account fill. For example, a calculated long position and a flat account can coexist after startup; the strategy’s Position value alone does not establish what the account holds.
Immediately submit and synchronize-account options change order handling and can submit live orders. Do not switch modes just to remove a waiting state. Use the strategy developer’s intended Start Behavior; startup synchronization does not guarantee continued alignment.
Enabled but not trading: check the inputs next
For the correct running instance, inspect its Data Series, Calculate mode and Bars Required to Trade. A strategy calculated on bar close is evaluated differently from one calculated on every tick; its required historical bars must also be available. These properties can explain inactivity without an enable failure.
Compare current data for the same contract and session, then check the strategy’s entry conditions and any reported errors. If that contract is not updating in other windows either, follow the market-data diagnosis before changing strategy settings.
What Ninja Watchdog needs to restore the instance
Ninja Watchdog can attempt to restore eligible strategies that were previously running after an interruption when NinjaTrader and the intended account are available. It cannot recreate strategies removed from a workspace.
Watchdog waits for NinjaTrader to confirm an enable request succeeded. An enabled confirmation still does not prove that a new live order occurred: startup conditions and the strategy’s own rules apply.
Recovery email alerts are available today. Ninja Watchdog SMS and WhatsApp alerts are coming soon.
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