Backtest Multiple Symbols and Timeframes

This tutorial will guide you through the essential steps to backtest multiple symbols and timeframes to find the best results.

1. Sign In to Launch BotiTrader

1. Open the software after installation.
2. Enter your registered email and password, then click "Sign In".
3. Once signed in, you will see the main interface.

2. Select a Strategy and Set the Historical Data in the Backtest Window

1. In the Main window, at the top of the charting window, click "Create Trading Bot".
2. The Backtest window will appear.
3. On the left side of the Backtest window, click to select a strategy from the Strategy List.
4. Below the strategy list, you will see a "Historical Data" section:
   a. An existing historical dataset should have been loaded automatically.
   b. If you have already connected your broker account, you can change the symbol or timeframe to download the latest data.
   c. You can always adjust the slider to modify the date range for the backtest.

3. Set Up the Strategy Parameters

1. At the top center of the Backtest window, click on the Strategy Parameters tab. A table will appear, listing all the strategy parameters.
2. In the third column of the parameter table, you can set the value of each parameter.
3. In the fourth column of the parameter table, you can enable the parameters that you want to sweep. This feature supports all numerical parameters. Once you enable a parameter, input values in the fifth, sixth, and seventh columns to set the minimum value, maximum value and step size. For example, if you set min_value=10, max_value=30, and step_size=5, the backtest will run 5 different values for this parameter: 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30.

4. Run Batch Backtest and Review the Results

1. In the Backtest window, click the "Batch Backtest" button below the "Historical Data" section. The Batch Backtest window will appear.
2. In the Batch Backtest window, you will see all the previously downloaded datasets listed in a table. Each dataset will be displayed in a row, including the symbol, timeframe, start date, and end date information. You can select multiple datasets for the backtest.
3. First, use the Filter Historical Data section at the top to filter the datasets that will appear in the table.
4. Next, check the first column in the table to select the datasets you want to include in the backtest.
5. Optionally, use the Global Date Range Settings to define a date range that will be applied to all selected datasets for the backtest.
6. Click the "Start Batch Backtest" button to begin the batch backtest. You can monitor the progress in the Batch Backtest Logs section at the bottom right.
7. Once the batch backtest is complete, the table will display the best performance values for each row. Select a row and right-click to run the backtest for a specific metric. Then, close the Batch Backtest window and continue reviewing the results in the Backtest window.