Hi guys,

Symbol mapping is a life-saver for normal charts: analysis can be done on any time-series available, but orders are pushed to the current contract.
This is a long waited feature for Portfolio Trader, where the same applies: analysis needs be decoupled from the order execution instrument.
MC.NET might present us with "unmanaged orders" but that's really a more or less risky proposition as there is no intelligence available on whether order has been executed or not, and there is no order synchronization with the Broker. Which means a lot of issues can happen, such as:
1) keeping track of expiring contracts
2) issues with bars where end of bar = end of session => order will not get executed @ end of bar
3) selling into an already short position, or buying into an already long position
4) sky is the limit

I see symbol mapping to be a good compromise for all these issues for Portfolio Trader.