Troubleshooting

Solutions to common issues you might encounter while using Lona.

Quick Diagnostics

If something isn’t working, check these first:

✅ Internet Connection: Is your connection stable? ✅ Browser: Using Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge (latest versions)? ✅ Page Refresh: Try refreshing the page (Cmd/Ctrl+R) ✅ Clear Cache: Clear browser cache and cookies ✅ Different Browser: Test in a different browser

If basic checks don’t help, find your specific issue below.

Interview and Chat Issues

”Lona doesn’t understand my strategy”

Symptoms:

• AI asks same questions repeatedly
• Responses don’t match your description
• Continues asking for clarification

Solutions:

1. Be More Specific

Instead of: "Use moving averages"
Try: "Use 10-period and 30-period simple moving averages"

2. Use Trading Terminology

Instead of: "When it goes up"
Try: "When price crosses above the moving average"

3. Break Down Complex Ideas

Instead of: One long paragraph with everything
Try: Explain one concept at a time
- First: indicator choice
- Then: entry conditions
- Finally: exit conditions

4. Provide Examples

"For example, if the 10 MA is at 100 and crosses above
the 30 MA at 105, that's a buy signal"

5. Start Fresh If too confusing, start a new chat with clearer description.

”Chat is frozen / not responding”

Symptoms:

• Messages don’t send
• Spinner spinning indefinitely
• No response from Lona

Solutions:

1. Check Processing Status

• Is there a status message showing processing?
• Some operations take 30-60 seconds

2. Wait and See

• Code generation can take up to 90 seconds
• Don’t refresh during processing

3. Refresh Page

• If truly frozen (>3 minutes), refresh
• Your chat history is saved
• You may need to re-send last message

4. Browser Console Errors

• Open browser developer console (F12)
• Look for red errors
• Screenshot and report if recurring

”Extract Requirements button is disabled”

Symptoms:

• Button appears but is grayed out
• Can’t click it

Likely Cause: Framework not available (rare)

Solution:

• Wait a moment and try again
• Refresh the page
• If persists, contact support

”Interview keeps asking about markets/timeframes”

Note: This shouldn’t happen - Lona shouldn’t ask about markets or timeframes.

If it does:

• Remind Lona: “The strategy should be market-agnostic”
• Focus on logic, not specific markets
• Report this behavior for improvement

Code Generation Issues

”Generate buttons don’t appear”

Symptoms:

• Extracted requirements successfully
• No Fast/Advanced generation buttons

Solutions:

1. Check Canvas

• Is Canvas visible?
• Are requirements displayed?
• Buttons appear below the chat, not in canvas

2. Scroll Down

• Buttons might be below current view
• Scroll in chat area

3. Refresh Page

• Requirements may be saved
• Buttons should appear after refresh

”Code generation is taking forever”

Expected Times:

• Fast: 10-30 seconds
• Advanced: 30-90 seconds

If > 2 minutes:

1. Check Status

• Look for status message
• “Generating code…” means it’s working

2. Be Patient

• Advanced model can take up to 90 seconds
• Don’t interrupt

3. If > 3 minutes:

• Refresh the page
• Try Fast generation instead
• If Advanced keeps failing, may be temporary issue

”Generated code has errors”

Symptoms:

• Validation shows errors
• Code won’t execute
• Syntax highlighted in red

Solutions:

1. Review Error Messages

• Read validation feedback carefully
• Errors indicate what’s wrong

2. Try Regenerating

• Click Generate button again
• Sometimes generates cleaner code second time

3. Simplify Requirements

• If code is too complex, simplify your strategy
• Extract requirements again with simpler description

4. Use Different Model

• If Fast fails, try Advanced
• If Advanced fails, try Fast
• Different models handle complexity differently

”Code doesn’t match my strategy”

Symptoms:

• Generated code does something different
• Logic doesn’t align with requirements

Solutions:

1. Review Requirements

• Check requirements list in Canvas
• Are requirements correct?
• If not, continue conversation and re-extract

2. Read Explanation

• Code explanation may clarify logic
• Might be correct but described differently

3. Clarify and Regenerate

• Continue chat with clarifications
• Extract requirements again
• Regenerate code with clearer requirements

Execution Issues

”Execution failed immediately”

Symptoms:

• Clicked Run
• Execution failed within seconds
• Error message shown

Common Causes & Solutions:

1. No Data Selected

Error: "No data source selected"
Solution: Select at least one data source from Data Source tab

2. Invalid Parameters

Error: "Invalid parameter value"
Solution: 
- Check all parameters are positive numbers
- Ensure no parameters are zero or negative (unless logically valid)
- Verify reasonable ranges (e.g., MA period < 10000)

3. Code Errors

Error: "Strategy execution failed"
Solution:
- Regenerate code without modifications
- If you edited code, verify syntax is correct
- Check validation messages

4. Data Issues

Error: "Data not available"
Solution:
- Select different data source
- Verify data source exists
- Check if data was recently deleted

”Execution stuck in ‘Processing’ state”

Expected Duration:

• Small datasets: 5-15 seconds
• Medium datasets: 15-45 seconds
• Large datasets: 45-180 seconds

If > 5 minutes:

1. Check Status

• “Processing” is normal
• May take time for large datasets

2. Be Patient First

• Wait at least 3-5 minutes
• Complex strategies take longer

3. If Truly Stuck (>10 minutes):

• Refresh the page
• Navigate to Reports page
• Check if execution completed despite status

4. If Failed:

• Try with smaller date range
• Try with single data source
• Simplify strategy if very complex

”Execution completed but no results”

Symptoms:

• Status shows “Completed”
• Canvas shows no results or empty state

Solutions:

1. Check Canvas Visibility

• Is Canvas panel hidden?
• Click Canvas Size button → set to Half or Full
• Ensure Canvas Mode is set to Report

2. Switch Canvas Mode

• You might be in Code mode
• Click Canvas Mode button → switch to Report

3. Refresh Page

• Results may not have loaded
• Refresh and navigate back to chat
• Results should appear

4. Check Reports Page

• Go to Reports in sidebar
• Find your execution
• Click View to see results

”Strategy made no trades”

Symptoms:

• Execution completed successfully
• Total trades: 0
• Flat equity curve

Common Causes:

1. Conditions Never Met

Cause: Entry conditions too restrictive
Solution:
- Relax thresholds
- Check parameter values make sense
- Try different data source
- Review strategy logic

2. Insufficient Data

Cause: Not enough bars for indicators
Solution:
- Check data has enough history
- Reduce indicator periods
- Select longer date range

3. Logic Error

Cause: Entry and exit logic conflict
Solution:
- Review strategy logic carefully
- Regenerate with clearer requirements

”Results don’t make sense”

Symptoms:

• Unrealistic returns (too high or too low)
• Strange trade patterns
• Illogical equity curve

Diagnostic Steps:

1. Check Parameters

• Are parameter values correct?
• Did you accidentally use extreme values?
• Verify INITIAL_CAPITAL makes sense

2. Review Data

• Is data source appropriate?
• Check data quality
• Verify timeframe matches expectations

3. Examine Strategy Code

• Read code explanation
• Does logic match your intent?
• Look for obvious errors

4. Compare with Baseline

• Run with different parameters
• Test on different data
• See if results consistent or anomaly

Data Upload Issues

”Upload failed”

Error: “Invalid file format”

Cause: File is not CSV or is corrupted
Solution:
- Verify file is .csv (not .xlsx, .xls, etc.)
- Open in text editor to verify comma-separated
- Re-export from source as CSV
- Ensure file isn't empty

Error: “File too large”

Cause: File exceeds size limit
Solution:
- Reduce date range
- Remove unnecessary columns
- Split into multiple files by date
- Compress repeated data

Error: “Invalid data format"

Cause: Data values not recognized
Solution:
- Check for non-numeric values in price columns
- Verify timestamps are valid dates
- Remove special characters
- Ensure consistent column format

"Column mapping issues”

Symptoms:

• Can’t map required columns
• Columns not appearing in dropdown
• Mapping doesn’t save

Solutions:

1. Verify CSV Structure

- First row should be headers
- Check "CSV file has headers" checkbox
- If no headers, uncheck box (auto-generated names)

2. Column Names

- Avoid special characters in column names
- Use simple names (date, open, high, low, close, volume)
- No spaces or special chars if possible

3. Required Fields

Minimum Required:
- Timestamp column (must exist)
- Close column (must exist)

Optional:
- Open, High, Low, Volume can be "__none__"

4. Preview Data

- Check preview shows correct data
- Verify columns aligned properly
- Look for parsing errors

”Dates not parsing correctly”

Symptoms:

• Date column not recognized
• Error: “Invalid timestamp”
• Dates showing as numbers or text

Solutions:

1. Use Standard Format

Recommended: YYYY-MM-DD or YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS
Examples:
✅ 2023-01-01
✅ 2023-01-01 09:30:00
❌ 1/1/2023 (ambiguous)
❌ Jan 1 2023 (inconsistent)

2. Check Consistency

- All dates in same format
- No mixed formats in same column
- Valid dates only (no Feb 30, etc.)

3. Timezone

- Select correct timezone from dropdown
- Match timezone to data source
- Use UTC if unsure

Interface Issues

”Canvas disappeared”

Solution: Click the Canvas Size button in left sidebar, select Half or Full.

”Can’t see chat history”

Solution: Click the → (expand) button at top of left sidebar.

”Buttons not visible”

Symptoms:

• Expected buttons don’t appear
• Interface elements missing

Solutions:

1. Scroll

• Action buttons may be below visible area
• Scroll down in chat area

2. Zoom Level

• Browser zoom might affect layout
• Try 100% zoom (Cmd/Ctrl+0)
• Adjust to 90-110% for comfort

3. Browser Width

• Interface needs minimum width
• Expand browser window
• Close sidebar to save space

4. Refresh

• Some interface elements load dynamically
• Refresh page

”Text too small / too large”

Solution: Adjust browser zoom:

• Zoom In: Cmd/Ctrl +
• Zoom Out: Cmd/Ctrl -
• Reset: Cmd/Ctrl + 0

”Interface is slow / laggy”

Solutions:

1. Close Other Tabs

• Too many browser tabs consume resources
• Close unnecessary tabs

2. Clear Cache

• Browser cache may be full
• Clear browsing data
• Restart browser

3. Update Browser

• Use latest browser version
• Older browsers may have performance issues

4. Check System Resources

• Close other applications
• Check CPU/memory usage
• Restart computer if needed

Account and Authentication Issues

”Can’t sign in”

Solutions:

1. Check Credentials

• Verify email/password correct
• Check caps lock
• Try password reset

2. Account Status

• Verify account is active
• Check email for account notifications
• Contact support if account issue

3. Browser Issues

• Clear cookies
• Try incognito/private mode
• Try different browser

”Session expired”

Symptoms:

• Logged out unexpectedly
• Need to sign in again

Solutions:

1. Re-authenticate

• Sign in again
• Session will resume
• Work is saved

2. Longer Sessions

• Some operations take time
• Session may timeout during long processing
• Stay active in browser

Performance Issues

”Platform is slow”

Check:

• ✅ Internet speed (run speed test)
• ✅ Browser performance (close tabs)
• ✅ System resources (check CPU/RAM)
• ✅ Server status (may be temporary)

Solutions:

• Refresh page
• Try at different time
• Check status page (if available)
• Contact support if persistent

”Results taking too long to load”

For large reports:

• Be patient (charts take time to render)
• Scroll slowly
• Allow page to fully load before interacting

Getting Additional Help

Before Contacting Support

Gather this information:

1. What were you trying to do?

   • Specific step in workflow
   • Expected outcome

2. What actually happened?

   • Error messages (exact text)
   • Unexpected behavior
   • Screenshots if possible

3. Steps to reproduce:

   • Can you make it happen again?
   • What specific actions cause the issue?

4. Your environment:

   • Browser and version
   • Operating system
   • Screen size / device

5. When did it start?

   • Recent changes on your end?
   • First time using feature or recurring issue?

How to Take Screenshots

Mac:

• Cmd + Shift + 4 (select area)
• Cmd + Shift + 3 (entire screen)

Windows:

• Windows + Shift + S (Snipping Tool)
• PrtScn (entire screen)

Include in screenshots:

• Error messages
• Relevant UI elements
• Entire browser window if layout issue

Reporting Bugs

Good Bug Report:

Issue: Execution fails immediately after clicking Run

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Generated strategy "MA Crossover 10-30"
2. Clicked Execute button
3. Selected SPY data source
4. Clicked Run
5. Error appears: "Strategy execution failed"

Expected: Backtest should run
Actual: Immediate failure with error

Environment: Chrome 120, macOS Sonoma
Screenshot: [attached]

Feature Requests

If you have ideas for improvements:

• Describe the problem you’re trying to solve
• Explain desired functionality
• Provide use cases
• Explain benefit

Known Limitations

Current limitations to be aware of:

• Date Range: Currently auto-set (custom ranges coming)
• Mobile: Best experience on desktop (mobile improving)
• Export: Limited export options (more coming)
• Folders: No folder organization yet
• Search: Limited search functionality
• Collaboration: No team features yet

These are actively being developed!

Emergency Procedures

”I lost my strategy!”

Don’t panic!

Check:

1. Chat History: Strategy may be in recent chat
2. Strategies Page: Look in saved strategies
3. Reports Page: May be saved with execution
4. Browser History: Use back button

Prevention:

• Strategies auto-save when executed
• Name strategies meaningfully
• Don’t clear browser data during work

”My backtest disappeared”

Check:

1. Reports Page: All executions saved there
2. Chat Canvas: May still be in canvas
3. Status: Check if still processing

”Accidentally deleted something”

Unfortunately:

• Deletions are permanent
• Cannot be undone
• No trash/recovery

Prevention:

• Double-check before deleting
• Export/backup important work
• Use clear naming to avoid mistakes

Quick Reference: Error Messages

Still Having Issues?

If you’ve tried these solutions and still have problems:

1. Document the issue using guidelines above
2. Check if others report similar issues (community forum if available)
3. Contact support with detailed information
4. Be patient - support will help resolve

Related Guides:

• Getting Started - Basics refresher
• Best Practices - Avoid common issues
• Glossary - Term definitions