MetaTrader Australia » Automated Trading

MetaTrader 5 – Migrating from MQL4 to MQL5

admin — Mon, 17 May 2010 23:13:16 +0000

This article is a quick guide to MQL4 language functions, it will help you to migrate your programs from MQL4 to MQL5. For each MQL4 function (except trading functions) the description and MQL5 implementation are presented, it allows you to reduce the conversion time significantly. For convenience, the MQL4 functions are divided into groups, similar to MQL4 Reference.

Introduction

Many developers have accumulated a lot of indicators and trading strategies written in MQL4. To use them in Metatrader 5, they should be converted to MQL5. It’s not so easy to rewrite all programs in MQL5. It would be much easier to convert them, if there were a translation-reference, and better with examples.

In this article I would like to suggest my version of a guide to migrate from MQL4 to MQL5.

Topics Covered

Chart Periods
Declaring Contants
Predefined Variables
Account Information
Array Functions
Checkup
Client Terminal
Common Functions
Conversion Functions
Custom Indicators
Date and Time Functions
File Functions
Global Variables
Mathematical Functions
Object Functions
String Functions
Technical Indicators
Timeseries Access
Chart Operations

Read the full article at http://www.mql5.com/en/articles/81

MQL4 for Dummies

admin — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 22:59:45 +0000

Development of applications for the MetaTrader 4 Client Terminal requires the knowledge of MQL4. This programming language MetaQuotes Language 4 is a fourth-generation language that has also been developed by MetaQuotes Software Corp. from their own many years experience. MQL4 is the first programming language to consider all niceties of trading on financial markets.

This present textbook will help you create your own Expert Advisors, scripts and indicators and incarnate in them your ideas – your trading algorithms. The textbook is intended for a large number of readers without experience in programming that want to learn how to develop automated trading applications for MetaTrader 4 Client Terminal. The textbook is designed in such a method that to make learning MQL4 as convenient and consequent as possible.

Download the MQL4 for Dummies textbook

Using Neural Networks In MetaTrader

admin — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:19:38 +0000

Many of you probably have considered the possibility of using neural networks in your EA. This subject was very hot specially after 2007 Automated Trading Championship and the spectacular winning by Better with his system based on neural networks. Many internet forums were flooded with topics related to neural networks and Forex trading. Unfortunately writing native MQL4 implementation of NN is not easy. It requires some programming skills and the result would not be very efficient specially if you’d like to test your final result in tester on large number of data.

In this article I’ll show you how you can use the freely available (under LGPL), renowned Fast Artificial Neural Network Library (FANN) in your MQL4 code while avoiding certain obstacles and limitations. Further I assume that reader is familiar with Artificial Neural Networks (ann) and terminology related to this subject so I’ll concentrate on practical aspects of using particular implementation of ann in MQL4 language.

To read the full article, please visit: http://articles.mql4.com/777

MetaTrader Tips – Expert Advisor Back Testing

admin — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:36:59 +0000

To back test an expert advisor (EA) follow the steps below.

Open the Strategy Tester window by pressing Ctrl+R
Select the expert advisor you wish to back test
Select the symbol you wish to back test
Select a testing model (every tick model recommended)
Set a testing period
Press Start

Reasons To Consider MetaTrader Expert Advisors

admin — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 04:10:19 +0000

The Foreign Exchange (or Forex) trading uses currency markets from a variety of countries to create a trading market where billions and billions are traded and exchanged daily. If you aim to profit from Forex trading, then you would need to own every single pip that you can get. But this is easier said than done, specially if you are new to the Forex market. 90% of traders lose their money on the Forex market because they let the rest 10% of traders to earn this money. It occurs because traders-beginners, keen by passion, rush to trade without having a Forex trading strategy. Even if they have a Forex trading strategy this strategy is usually not tested and also there is a human factor. That is why it is necessary to use MetaTrader Expert Advisors.

MetaTrader Expert Advisors or MetaTrader EAs are mechanical trading systems which completely automate the trading process on the Forex market by using unique Forex trading strategies. These trading robots trade under the control of the MetaTrader 4 trading platform. The robots operate 24 hours, non-stop. Because of this, you never miss an opportunity to get the trades.

MetaTrader EAs are very easy to acquire and use. As soon as you purchase one, all you need to do is download it, install it into MetaTrader 4, set your preferences and run the program. The important thing to note is that you will need to have an account with a forex broker that supports MetaTrader 4. The MetaTrader 4 platform has the built-in MetaTrader Expert Advisorsbased on the technical analysis, such as MetaTrader indicator. There are hundreds of forex brokers who use MetaTrader around the globe, and a couple of them should fit your trading requirements perfectly.

Recipes for Neuronets

admin — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:06:47 +0000

Not so long ago – at the dawn of technical analysis when by far not all traders had computers – people appeared that tried to predict future prices using formulas and regularities invented by them. They were often called charlatans. Time went on, methods of information processing became more complicated, and now there can hardly be traders indifferent to technical analysis. Any beginning trader can easily utilize charts, various indicators, search for regularities.

The number of forex-traders grows daily. Together with that their requirements for market analyzing methods grow. One of such “relatively” new methods is the use of theoretically fuzzy logics and neural networks. We see that topics devoted to these questions are being actively discussed on various thematic forums. They do exist, and will go on existing. A human that entered the market will hardly ever leave it. While it is the challenge to one’s intelligence, brain and strength of will. That is why a trader never ceases to study something new and to use various approaches in practice.

In this article we will analyze basics of neuronet creation, will learn about the notion of Kohonen neural net and will talk a little about methods of trading optimization. This article is first of all intended for traders who are only at their beginning in studying neuronets and principles of information processing.

To read the full article, please visit: http://articles.mql4.com/783

MetaTrader Tips – Expert Advisor Optimization

admin — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:03:30 +0000

Let’s look at how to optimize an expert advisor. In the example below we will look to optimize the size of stop loss and take profit.

Expert Optimization Steps

1. Open the Strategy Tester window by pressing Ctrl+R.

2. In the Strategy Tester window, select Expert Properties

3. Select the Optimized parameters ( in our example stop-loss and stop-profit)

4. Enter the initial values of the optimized parameters, step and stop

5. Close the window

6. Select Optimization

7. Choose a model for optimization ( a model “ Open prices only (fastest method to analyze the bar just completed)” corresponds to the most advisors, although for greater accuracy it is possible to test on Every tick (based on all available least timeframes) but then time of optimization substantially will be increased.

8. Press start

9. After completion of optimization, open Optimization result and choose parameters considering a highest income and minimum drawdown. (obviously income should be high and drawdown should be less)

Source: http://www.metatraderglobal.com/612/metatrader-tips-expert-advisor-optimization/

Working with Doubles in MQL4

admin — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:58:12 +0000

The MQL programming opens new opportunities for the automated trading, many people all over the world already have appreciated it.

When we are writing an Expert Advisor for trading, we must be sure that it will work correctly.

Many newbies often have some questions when the results of some mathematical calculations differ from those expected. The program is compiled and can work, but not as it should. They are checking the code again and again, finding the new “mistakes” in language, in implementation, in functions, etc.

In the most of cases, the careful analysis shows that the language and compiler work correctly, but code has a small error, and it can take a long time to find and correct it.

In this note we will consider a typical programming errors, that occurs while working with double numbers in MQL4 programs.

To read the full article, please visit: http://articles.mql4.com/866

What Is Automated Trading

admin — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 04:41:12 +0000

Modern technologies allow us not only to trade in financial markets using personal computers, but we can fully automate a trading system now. Using a computer program you can relieve yourself from the routine of analyzing financial markets and performing trades.

Our client terminal has all functions that allow you to develop, test and use your trading system. The development environment named MQL4 is integrated into the terminal. MQL4 consists of MetaEditor, Strategy Tester and Compiler.

To view the full article, please visit: http://www.metatraderglobal.com/384/what-is-automated-trading/

Tips for choosing a MetaTrader Expert Advisor

admin — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:11:44 +0000

It is important to choose a forex trading platform that meets your requirements. There are different types of platforms that provide different facilities. The platform that you choose depends on your approach. Some platforms provide high level of details. They provide highly complex charts and indicators and complete information about the markets. If you are an expert in the FX market, this is what you would expect and this is what will help you to make trading better decisions. On the other hand, if you are new to this market, complex indicators and charts can only confuse you and make you edgy. So, you might require a forex platform that provides a simplified data and gives away tips that are understandable to even a layman.

To view the full article, please visit: http://www.metatraderglobal.com/66/tips-for-choosing-a-metatrader-expert-advisor/