Bars Back Question

I have a chart loaded with 2000 bars back using 1 minute bars. There are plenty of trades shown on the chart. When I change the resolution to 60 minutes there aren't any trades generated - I have to load much more data for the trades to show up.

My question is, why should the resolution change the number of bars required to generate trades? If 2000 bars was enough data for 1 minute resolution, why shouldn't it be enough for 60 minute resolution?

Thanks in advance.

I have answered my own question, only to find another one.

The reason there weren't trades showing up when I was using 60 minutes bars is because although I have the instrument set up to load 2000 bars, it is actually only loading 441 bars. When I switch the resolution to 1 minute is loads 2000 bars.

Why would the chart only load 441 bars of a 60 minute chart when it is set to load 2000 bars?

Any idea why this is happening?

Why would the chart only load 441 bars of a 60 minute chart when it is set to load 2000 bars?

I have a similar problem with Version 7.4.

Hello TO_Trader,

Most likely you fon't have access to data prior than 441 bars of 60 minute data. What data source is used? If you go to File -> Preferences -> Data Server Mode -> Is "Online" mode selected and "Download Missing Historical Data" box checked?

Andrew,

I am using TS data and "online" mode and "download missing historical data" are selected.

Why would the chart only load 441 bars of a 60 minute chart when it is set to load 2000 bars?

BarsBack limitation for intraday data is 91 days back in order to avoid overloading the datafeed with excessive requests (necessary when the datafeed does not provide this much of historical data).
You need to use "From-To" data range to plot this chart properly.

Thank you for the explanation. Although, I don't like the answer. Isn't there some logic MC can add to avoid overloading the data feed, rather than just setting this arbirary limit? For example, "if there is insufficient historic data to meet the user's request do not send repetitive requests...".

Because of this limit, if one would like to avoid loading excessive intraday data it requires one to have a rolling "From" date in the "From- To" fields. The user would have to manually do this. For those of us that have 30 or more charts open regularly, it becomes quite onerous to do this.

You are welcome to leave us such feature request, Sir. We will discuss it with our development team.

I have left this feature request here:

https://www.multicharts.com/pm/viewissu ... no=MC-1178

If you would like to be able to minimize the amount of intraday data you load by using a consistent number of bars back, then please consider voting for this request.

Here's an example of why this is important:

If you are using 120 minute bars, MC will ONLY load 250 bars. If your strategy requires more bars back than that then you must use a "From-To" format.