Hi, I'm experimenting with a breakout signal that executes long entries correctly and closes these positions correctly with sell stops based on the previous 2 day's highs. When I put in the mirror situation for selling short, the entries are correct but the buy to cover stop orders exit every position on the next day's open. Very baffling... Makes no difference to this behavior whether the system tester is looking at short trades only or both long and short. So the system seems 75% correct in the just the buy to cover stop orders are goofy. Appreciate any suggestions. Other posts seem to suggest using latches, but nothing about why. I'm already using these functions for the long and short entry formulas, but am trying to use Metastock's stop orders with simple formulas in the respective sell and buy to cover order windows. I don't see why the buy to cover orders should behave differently.

Tried one further thing that was interesting -- if I choose Points Only Test rather than Portfolio-Both, the situation is corrected and the trading rules are implemented correctly on both the buy and sell sides. There must be something I don't understand in the set-up perhaps related to margins, as the default margin rate is higher (I'm just using default settings in the software). Having to lighten up on positions with adverse moves I can understand, but the software fully closes out every short trade on the next open. Everything else seems fine. What am I missing here?

Thanks. I will try this when I can get back to working on this early next week.