Troubleshooting
Common issues and how to resolve them.
Troubleshooting
"My strategy isn't doing what I expected"
This is the most common issue. Here's how to debug it:
Check your condition logic
Strategies use a syntax tree to evaluate conditions. The most common mistakes:
AND vs. OR confusion: If you have an AND condition, ALL sub-conditions must be true simultaneously. If you want the strategy to trigger when ANY condition is true, use OR.
"Crosses above" vs. "Greater than": SMA(50) > SMA(200) is true as long as the 50-day is above the 200-day. SMA(50) crosses above SMA(200) is only true at the exact moment of the crossover. If you want a one-time buy signal, use "crosses." If you want to stay in position while a condition holds, use "greater than."
Wrong indicator parameters: A 5-day SMA behaves very differently from a 200-day SMA. Double-check your lookback periods.
Review the backtest
Run a backtest and examine the trade log. Look at when trades were executed and verify they match your expectations. If no trades were executed, your conditions may be too restrictive.
Simplify
Start with a simple condition (e.g., just RSI < 30) and verify it works. Then add complexity one condition at a time.
"My backtest shows amazing returns but paper trading is different"
This is likely overfitting. Your strategy was too perfectly tuned to historical data. See the Backtesting guide for how to avoid this.
Other possible causes:
- Slippage: Backtests assume you get the exact price at execution. In reality, there may be a small difference (slippage).
- Market impact: If you're trading small-cap stocks with high volume, your orders may move the market.
"I can't connect my brokerage"
Alpaca
- Verify your API key and secret are correct (no extra spaces).
- Make sure you're using the right mode (paper vs. live).
- Check that your Alpaca account is approved and active.
TradeStation
- Ensure pop-ups are not blocked (the OAuth flow opens a new window).
- If the redirect fails, try clearing your browser cache and cookies.
- Make sure your TradeStation account is in good standing.
Tradier
- Verify your access token is current (tokens can expire).
- Generate a new token from your Tradier account if needed.
Public
- Ensure pop-ups are not blocked (the OAuth flow opens a new window).
- If the redirect fails, try clearing your browser cache and cookies.
- Check that your Public account is verified and active.
"Aurora isn't understanding my request"
Tips for better Aurora interactions:
- Be specific: "Create a portfolio with AAPL that buys when RSI(14) is below 30" works better than "make me a trading strategy."
- Use concrete numbers: Specify dollar amounts, time periods, and indicator values.
- One thing at a time: Don't ask Aurora to create 5 portfolios at once. Build one, test it, then move on.
"I'm getting rate limited"
Each plan has daily limits for research tokens, optimization runs, and stock reports. If you hit your limit:
- Wait until the next day (limits reset at midnight).
- Consider upgrading your plan for higher limits.
- Use the no-code UI for tasks that don't require Aurora tokens.
Still stuck?