Syntalium Wiki

Stale Data and Safe Mode

TL;DR

Freshness reflects how old the underlying evaluation data is. FRESH means within the expected threshold; STALE means older than expected; NO_DATA means no record is available. When data is stale beyond the safe threshold, setup publication is withheld automatically.

Freshness states

Every evaluation record published by Syntalium includes a freshness status. This tells you how old the underlying data is relative to the expected update interval.

FRESH: The underlying data is within the expected freshness threshold. The evaluation metrics and any published setup state reflect a recent, within-window record.
STALE: The underlying data is older than the expected threshold. The evaluation was produced from data that is beyond its expected validity window. Platform outputs in this state should be read with caution and not acted upon for new setup decisions.
NO_DATA: No evaluation record is available. The data source has not produced a recent record and nothing can be displayed. The platform shows an honest unavailable state.

Freshness is always displayed alongside the market condition and setup state. Check it before reading any plan field. FRESH + active setup is the only combination that supports normal reading and review.

age_seconds and threshold

The freshness status is calculated from two values returned in the API response: age_seconds and a freshness threshold.

age_seconds: The number of seconds elapsed since the evaluation record was produced. This is calculated relative to the server clock at the time of the API response.
Threshold: The expected maximum age, in seconds, for the record to be considered FRESH. The threshold is set based on the evaluation interval for the asset and timeframe.
FRESH condition: age_seconds ≤ threshold → FRESH. The record is within the expected window.
STALE condition: age_seconds > threshold → STALE. The record has exceeded its expected window. The platform has not received a newer record within the expected interval.

Both values are available in the public API response for BTC. The Live page displays them as part of the freshness indicator panel.

How stale data blocks publication

When data is stale, the platform automatically withholds setup publication. A setup that was recorded under fresh conditions may remain visible in the interface, but the freshness label changes to STALE — indicating that the underlying data is no longer current.

Active setup + STALE label: If a LONG SETUP or SHORT SETUP is displayed alongside a STALE freshness label, the setup state was produced from data that has since exceeded its threshold. The setup conditions may have changed. Do not act on this setup.
New publications withheld: When the freshness threshold is exceeded, the engine does not publish new setup states based on the stale data. It waits for fresh data to be available before producing new evaluation outputs.
Transition to WAIT or UNAVAILABLE: Once a stale state is detected and no fresh data has arrived, the platform transitions to a withholding state — WAIT or UNAVAILABLE — rather than continuing to display a setup that was valid under older conditions.

Do not act on a setup state accompanied by a STALE freshness label. The conditions that produced the setup were recorded when data was within threshold — but the market may have moved materially since then.

Safe mode

Safe mode is a protective state entered when data quality or freshness conditions fall below a minimum acceptable level. In safe mode, the platform withholds all setup publication.

When safe mode activates: Safe mode activates when the data is stale beyond a secondary (more severe) threshold, or when the data quality indicators fall below the level required for reliable evaluation.
What safe mode does: Setup states are withheld. No LONG SETUP or SHORT SETUP is published. The platform displays UNAVAILABLE or an equivalent withholding state.
What safe mode does not do: Safe mode does not alter historical records. Previously verified SNAP IDs remain intact. Only new publications are withheld.
Exiting safe mode: Safe mode exits automatically when fresh, quality-passing data is received and the evaluation engine can produce a reliable output within the normal window.

Safe mode is not a failure of the platform — it is a deliberate protection. Withholding an unreliable output is better than publishing one that does not reflect current conditions.

What to do when data is stale

Do not act on stale setups: If the freshness label is STALE, treat any visible setup state as potentially outdated. Do not use entry zones, stop loss, or targets from a stale record to make a new decision.
Check the age_seconds value: If the API or Live page shows age_seconds significantly above the threshold, the data gap is material. The longer the gap, the more conditions may have changed.
Wait for the feed to recover: Freshness will return to FRESH when the data pipeline delivers a new record within threshold. This is usually an automatic process — no user action is required.
Do not assume direction: Stale data does not tell you which direction the market moved during the gap. It simply indicates the platform has not received a fresh record. The next fresh record may show any market condition.