# How do I test signal entry? **URL:** \ **Category:** C2 Software Development\ **Created:** [January 16, 2011, 10:43pm UTC](https://forums.collective2.com/t/how-do-i-test-signal-entry/1316 "2011-01-16T22:43:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WARRENSMITH](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/forums.collective2.com/warrensmith/32/1400_2.png) [@WARRENSMITH](https://forums.collective2.com/u/WARRENSMITH)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2011, 10:43pm UTC](https://forums.collective2.com/t/how-do-i-test-signal-entry/1316/1 "2011-01-16T22:43:45Z")
Newbie question: How do I test my programming to send signals to C2? It looks like I am only allowed to try an order 5 times for free and then I must pay $98 for a test system to allow me further testing without publicly displaying all my errors. My programs are never perfect first time around. I program on a ‘try and see’ basis. 5 free tries will not be enough for me to write a program to generate the HTTP strings, read the return XML responses, and modify the HTTP strings as necessary. Surly there must be a free way to allow developers to develop and test their systems. ---
**Author:** ![WARRENSMITH](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/forums.collective2.com/warrensmith/32/1400_2.png) [@WARRENSMITH](https://forums.collective2.com/u/WARRENSMITH)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2011, 7:02pm UTC](https://forums.collective2.com/t/how-do-i-test-signal-entry/1316/2 "2011-01-17T19:02:25Z")
I think I found the answer myself: there is a test system called 1234 that I can use for testing. It would be nice if this was mentioned in the C2 Signal Entry API help page. ---
**Author:** ![WARRENSMITH](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/forums.collective2.com/warrensmith/32/1400_2.png) [@WARRENSMITH](https://forums.collective2.com/u/WARRENSMITH)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2011, 8:16pm UTC](https://forums.collective2.com/t/how-do-i-test-signal-entry/1316/3 "2011-01-17T20:16:58Z")
When I send: [http://www.collective2.com/cgi-perl/signal.mpl?cmd=signal&systemid=1234&pw=MYPASSWORD&instrument=future&action=BTO&quant=5&symbol=@ESM4&duration=GTC](http://www.collective2.com/cgi-perl/signal.mpl?cmd=signal&systemid=1234&pw=MYPASSWORD&instrument=future&action=BTO&quant=5&symbol=@ESM4&duration=GTC) I get the error: "error invalid password for email" What is wrong? ---
**Author:** ![MatthewKlein](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/forums.collective2.com/matthewklein/32/21382_2.png) [@MatthewKlein](https://forums.collective2.com/u/MatthewKlein)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2011, 9:20pm UTC](https://forums.collective2.com/t/how-do-i-test-signal-entry/1316/4 "2011-01-17T21:20:17Z")
Warren: You don’t own system 1234, and so you can’t send signals to it. You need to start your own system, pay the listing fee, and (before you issue any trades) declare it a test system. You can convert a test system into a live system at any time. Test systems are good because you can erase them as often as you like, and use them for testing. ---
**Author:** ![FuturesTraderDaily](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/forums.collective2.com/futurestraderdaily/32/10795_2.png) [@FuturesTraderDaily](https://forums.collective2.com/u/FuturesTraderDaily)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2011, 12:09am UTC](https://forums.collective2.com/t/how-do-i-test-signal-entry/1316/5 "2011-01-18T00:09:42Z")
Warren, In terms of the signal entry API all you get back is quasi-XML like this: (from this URL call): [http://www.collective2.com/cgi-perl/signal.mpl?cmd=signal&systemid=](http://www.collective2.com/cgi-perl/signal.mpl?cmd=signal&systemid=)\&pw=password&action=BTO&quant=1&instrument=future&symbol=QCLH1&stop=100.23&duration=DAY (you get back): \ \Signal Received\ \OK\ \123456789\ \Signal 123456789 accepted for immediate processing.\ \\ \\ \ 123456789 is just a random number, you’d get back an actual signal ID for an actual trade. You need to store it to modify the order or cancel it. Regards, Dave ---
**Author:** ![WARRENSMITH](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/forums.collective2.com/warrensmith/32/1400_2.png) [@WARRENSMITH](https://forums.collective2.com/u/WARRENSMITH)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2011, 12:21pm UTC](https://forums.collective2.com/t/how-do-i-test-signal-entry/1316/6 "2011-01-18T12:21:03Z")
Warning to others: if you subscribe to the test system 1234 then you will get thousands of emails each day. I have unsubscribed to it. I’m not sure what the test system 1234 is for since you can’t use it to test your programming. If you want a test system you must create and pay for it. ---
**Author:** ![WARRENSMITH](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/forums.collective2.com/warrensmith/32/1400_2.png) [@WARRENSMITH](https://forums.collective2.com/u/WARRENSMITH)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2011, 1:02pm UTC](https://forums.collective2.com/t/how-do-i-test-signal-entry/1316/7 "2011-01-18T13:02:54Z")
I’m a newbie (obviously). I tried to make my system a test system. C2 said that I must first subscribe, so I did. Then I tried to make my system a test system again and it said: "You have already entered a trading signal Once you have entered a trading signal, you cannot designate a system as a “test” system. (We allow a small exception for signals that were entered extremely recently.)" Now I can’t use my system for program testing. What a rip off!! This ain’t fun. It is stupid that C2 does not provide a free developer’s test system (like a paper trading account). ---
**Author:** ![MatthewKlein](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/forums.collective2.com/matthewklein/32/21382_2.png) [@MatthewKlein](https://forums.collective2.com/u/MatthewKlein)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2011, 1:38pm UTC](https://forums.collective2.com/t/how-do-i-test-signal-entry/1316/8 "2011-01-18T13:38:55Z")
Hi, Warren: In a few places in the site, we do try to explain why you need to declare your test system before you start entering trades (see FAQ; see section on system page where you can declare test system). Indeed, when you posted your message asking about how to start a test system, I did mention in my reply as well that you should declare your system test before entering trades. But it is no matter; I’ll be happy to erase your system and make it a test for you. Matthew ---
**Author:** ![WARRENSMITH](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/forums.collective2.com/warrensmith/32/1400_2.png) [@WARRENSMITH](https://forums.collective2.com/u/WARRENSMITH)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2011, 2:26pm UTC](https://forums.collective2.com/t/how-do-i-test-signal-entry/1316/9 "2011-01-18T14:26:31Z")
Yes please, thanks Matthew. systemid=38125396 ---
**Author:** ![ForexZombie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@ForexZombie](https://forums.collective2.com/u/ForexZombie)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 6:12pm UTC](https://forums.collective2.com/t/how-do-i-test-signal-entry/1316/10 "2014-01-16T18:12:50Z")
I created my first system. I keep getting "invalid email password" when making a trade via NinjaTrader. Is there a different password than the login password to C2? I have triple checked my Account Group setup and my symbol map enabling. ---
**Author:** ![JinWonChoi](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/forums.collective2.com/jinwonchoi/32/89_2.png) [@JinWonChoi](https://forums.collective2.com/u/JinWonChoi)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2014, 1:36pm UTC](https://forums.collective2.com/t/how-do-i-test-signal-entry/1316/11 "2014-01-25T13:36:23Z")
I have the same problem as well. I’m using the same password that I use to login to Collective2, but I keep getting ‘invalid password for email’ messages.