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Free source-safe diagnosis guide

cTrader Custom Indicator Update Compatibility Checklist

A controlled evidence checklist for custom cTrader indicators that stop building, loading or plotting after a desktop or Algo API update.

The checklist

  1. 1

    Separate built-in from custom

    Confirm whether the failing item is a built-in indicator or a custom C# or Python project. Custom indicators run only in supported desktop applications, not cTrader Web or Mobile.

  2. 2

    Preserve the authorized source

    Back up the editable project and exact installed .algo package before changing it. Protected Store code is not decompiled or reconstructed from a compiled file.

  3. 3

    Freeze the working baseline

    Record the last known working cTrader version, operating system, indicator version, symbol, timeframe and parameters.

  4. 4

    Capture the current environment

    Record the current cTrader and Algo API versions, application type, account and workspace context, plus whether cloud synchronization is enabled.

  5. 5

    Rebuild and keep every diagnostic

    Copy the complete build-result errors and warnings. The first compiler diagnostic is usually more useful than a screenshot showing only an empty chart.

  6. 6

    Test one clean instance

    Attach one rebuilt indicator to one liquid symbol and timeframe with defaults. Do not mix templates, multiple copies and parameter experiments into the first reproduction.

  7. 7

    Inspect dependency boundaries

    List custom indicator references, NuGet packages, files, internet calls and access rights. Verify each dependency against the current runtime separately.

  8. 8

    Distinguish loading from plotting

    Log initialization and calculation checkpoints and inspect output values. An instance can load correctly while returning NaN, drawing off-scale or writing to an unexpected panel.

  9. 9

    Compare a minimal fixture

    Create or retain a smallest authorized-source case that exercises the suspected API member without the trading logic. This isolates platform compatibility from strategy behavior.

  10. 10

    Define the repair acceptance

    Require a clean rebuild and one before/after chart case on the captured environment. Treat broader redesign, new features and trading logic as separate scope.

Common questions

Does a cTrader update automatically mean the indicator source is broken?

No. First separate application support, installation state, build diagnostics, dependencies and output behavior. A platform update is a time correlation, not a proven source-code cause.

Can a purchased indicator be repaired without editable source?

Not by modifying protected code. The seller or cTrader support should handle the original product. A clean reimplementation requires explicit behavioral requirements and authorization, and is a separate project.

Do you need my live trading login to diagnose an indicator?

No. Use authorized source, build output, redacted configuration and a demo or no-transaction reproduction. Credentials and autonomous live-account operation are outside scope.

Free diagnostic resource

Run the cTrader compatibility triage locally

Mark Build, Load, Calculate and Plot in order, then copy a source-safe evidence brief without uploading code or credentials.

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cTrader Indicator Compatibility — Written decision after contact

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Trading risk disclosure

Futures and forex trading contains substantial risk and is not for every investor. An investor could potentially lose all or more than the initial investment. Risk capital is money that can be lost without jeopardizing one's financial security or lifestyle. Only risk capital should be used for trading, and only those with sufficient risk capital should consider trading. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results.

Hypothetical performance disclosure

Hypothetical performance results have many inherent limitations. No representation is being made that any account will or is likely to achieve profits or losses similar to those shown. There are frequently sharp differences between hypothetical performance results and the actual results subsequently achieved by any particular trading program. Hypothetical results are generally prepared with the benefit of hindsight, do not involve financial risk, and cannot completely account for the impact of financial risk in actual trading. Market conditions, the ability to withstand losses, and adherence to a trading program can all materially affect actual results.

NinjaTrader trademark disclosure

NinjaTrader® is a registered trademark of NinjaTrader Group, LLC. No NinjaTrader company has any affiliation with the owner, developer, or provider of the products or services described herein, or any interest, ownership or otherwise, in any such product or service, or endorses, recommends or approves any such product or service.

Testimonials, when shown, may not represent the experience of other clients and are not a guarantee of future performance or success. Virtual-currency trading carries additional risks. See the CFTC customer advisories. Read the full financial risk disclaimer.