Well It sure looks like that. The first sign that things where not running as they should was when GFT decided to delete the old forum. Remember that post http://ctltrading.blogspot.com/2010/12/ctl-chart-studio-forum-deleted.html. I remember that in the end their was hardly any activity on that forum left. But that was no surprise because GFT didn't really bother helping people with their coding. So many people with lots of questions but GFT didn't even tried to help out......
Another important factor in the failing of CTL as an adequate trading language was that their was no way to use and store global variables. A genius called ctlwriter saw the flaw and wrote CTLDLL. That dll was a major improvement for everybody who was serious about writing a profitable strategy. Feel free to visit his blog http://ctldll.blogspot.com/
I think around the end of december 2010 their was another entrepreneur called JM who reacted on the disappearance of the old forum and decided to make a new one. Together with some CTL enthusiastic's he managed to build a new and alive forum. Good job JM.
Thinks where looking great again. Still their was no support from GFT to be found. Out of nowhere a new version of CTL chart studio and dealbook was released. And it had a MAJOR improvement. What everybody had been waiting for for ages. It supported global variables. See http://ctltrading.blogspot.com/2011/01/new-dealbook-ver-22173-beta.html
This opened a lot of possibilities for lots of new strategies. You could finally store variables that aren't lost when the strategy runs from one candle to another. This made everybody think that GFT was still working on the language.
Then a user on JM forum told us that a new version of dealbook had no support any more for CTL and chart studio. First everybody thought that It was just him not installing it correctly. But soon later It was clear that it is absolutely true. There is no chart studio any more in the new release of dealbook. Even worse you can't even run your strategies or indicators in the new versions. Without any information and explanation given GFT had made CTL absolete. That's a slap in the face of everybody who was been writing an working to program a profitable strategy. It isn't really what you expect from big player like GFT. Their sure would have been better ways to make the transition.
Anyway it is like it is and you or I are not able to do anything about it. Live goes on. Have you been wasting your time writing strategies? No don't say that. In the process of writing those strategies I sure hope you have learned some things that will help you to become a great trader. Will the blog disappear?
No this blog will stay where it is. Not everybody is going to switch right away. You can still contact me or members of the forum if you have any questions.
I am still considering what the best scenario would be. Personally I am thinking of switching to MT4, Futurestation Nano or even trandency. I don't know what the best thing is to do. Convert this blog or start something brand new......the future will tell.
It'll be interesting to know if they might open up MT4 to other instruments than FX then.
ReplyDelete"Without any information and explanation given GFT had made CTL obsolete. That's a slap in the face of everybody who was been writing and working to program a profitable strategy. It isn't really what you expect from big player like GFT. Their sure would have been better ways to make the transition."
ReplyDeleteThis is very well said. GFT's approach to CTL users/customers is very poor they do not seem to
understand the word "communication".
But life goes on, with or without GFT.
Recently GFT has pushed a MT4 demo my way, i asked them if CTL was coming to a end, which was totally denied, at which point i did tell them, about my development of learning CTL for auto trading.....
ReplyDeleteWhich they encouraged!
Yes i am still learning a great deal, all the rest is syntax and structure.
Kes.
Well it isn't easy. My broker doesn't offer MT4 yet. And its hard to focus on a language that will disappear. I phoned them and they haven't decided yet what they will do.....So where does that leave me?
ReplyDeleteIn a recent communication with GFT (UK) they agreed that ChartStudio is no longer available on the latest version of DB360 released in the USA but
ReplyDeleteinsisted Chartstudio is still supported on the current version available for download on their UK site. On pressing what will happen in the future
to Chartstudio as it was important to me (and other customers) they were very vague and could not or would not give a definitive answer.
Yes it would be nice to know their(GFT) true intentions so you can plan and act accordingly.
Looks like they have pulled the plug for good on CTL as they are now forcing upgrade to the latest Dealbook version, which of course, has no CTL or Chartstudio support.
ReplyDeleteMy concern: the standard indicators in MT4 (e.g., CCI) produce quite different results from the standard indicators in CTL. Is anyone out there working on porting CTL indicators like CCI over to MQL? Maybe we can band together to try and port the CTL indicators over to MT4.
I don't 100% agree with your statement. I don't find the difference between the implementation of indicators in the different platforms to be so different from each other.
ReplyDeleteIts hard to invest further into CTL. Any suggestion on another language/platform to learn (still a beginner)? I really like using Dealbook's charts (easy) and I don't care very much for MT4's charting package but it seems that MT4/MQL4 has a strong base. I also don't want to spend a ton of money on other software... Any suggestions would be appreciated.
ReplyDeleteWell i tested tradency. But it was pretty bad. I also tested futurestation nano. They claim that you don't need programming skill. But that is not true at all. The programming is more visual and not with code. But futurestation nano is not free. :-( There is a monthly fee.
ReplyDeleteDon't think MT4/MQL is a no worry bug free platform. It isn't i can tell you that. And don't think the backtesting in MT4 gives the same result as real trading.
Well, i think the only logical thing to do is to program in MT4 that is what I am getting done right now, that way you are not tied to GFT, so if they decide to do something else stupid and peeve you off you can easily plug into another broker pronto... no downtime... no reprogramming etc... but yes very frustrating, as I lost all my custom indicators and back to the drawing board - again!! With MT4 it will be easier to move to another broker as their are lots of MT4 brokers out there and GFT is not the be all end all...
ReplyDeleteI love what you have done here though, nice work.. hope you can continue it into the future maybe with an MT4 section added??
ReplyDeleteHi Guys, I spoke with them. NinjaTrader support is coming too. No mention on the GFT site yet, but there is a mention of a beta connecor on NinjaTrader.
ReplyDeleteWhselfinvest will probably continue to use Dealbook with Chartstudio for a long time. They haven't communicated anything yet that suggests that chart studio will not be used any more in the future. Of course one day or another i am expecting that they will stop using it.
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeletein the latest DB360 Chartstudio and the support for strategies is gone. :(
So do not update !
I have the comfirmation that Nnjatrader will be supported soon. The programming language there is also pretty simple and its quite comfortable to start ones own strategies. Not as good and supported as in metatrader but also quite good. When it comes to manual trading i think Ninjatrader is the best trading software available on the market. Ctlprogrammer thanks for the good work on this blog !