cBot not running or not appearing in cTrader

What is causing it

Automated trading is off, the cBot did not build, or it is in the wrong place.

Why this happens

cTrader gates automation the same way MetaTrader does, with more than one switch. There is a global automated trading control and a per-instance start, and a cBot that has been added but not started will sit in the list doing nothing at all. Because a cBot instance is bound to a specific symbol and timeframe, an instance can also be running perfectly while attached to something other than the chart you are watching, which looks like it is not working.

A cBot missing from the list altogether is a different problem. cTrader compiles cBots from source into runnable code, and a cBot that fails to build never becomes available to add, so it is absent rather than broken. Build errors are reported in the Automate area, which is why checking there is the first step when a cBot cannot be found at all.

The fix, step by step

1. Click the Automate tab and make sure the global Automated Trading toggle is on.
2. Open the cBot instance and press Start, and confirm it is attached to a symbol and timeframe.
3. In Automate, check the cBot built with no errors. Rebuild if needed.
4. Confirm the cBot file is in the correct cAlgo Robots folder.

How to confirm it is fixed

A running instance shows as started and its log records activity as it evaluates. Check the instance is attached to the symbol and timeframe you intend, and watch the log through at least one bar close on that timeframe, since many cBots only act at bar close and silence before then is normal rather than a fault.

Stopping it happening again

Check the global automation control after every restart, as with any platform that can place live orders automatically. Name cBot instances so you can tell which symbol each is running on. Test a new cBot on a demo account first and watch its log through several bars before letting it near live money.