Articles on the MQL5 programming and use of trading robots

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Expert Advisors created for the MetaTrader platform perform a variety of functions implemented by their developers. Trading robots can track financial symbols 24 hours a day, copy deals, create and send reports, analyze news and even provide specific custom graphical interface.

The articles describe programming techniques, mathematical ideas for data processing, tips on creating and ordering of trading robots.

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The checks a trading robot must pass before publication in the Market
The checks a trading robot must pass before publication in the Market

The checks a trading robot must pass before publication in the Market

Before any product is published in the Market, it must undergo compulsory preliminary checks in order to ensure a uniform quality standard. This article considers the most frequent errors made by developers in their technical indicators and trading robots. An also shows how to self-test a product before sending it to the Market.
Using text files for storing input parameters of Expert Advisors, indicators and scripts
Using text files for storing input parameters of Expert Advisors, indicators and scripts

Using text files for storing input parameters of Expert Advisors, indicators and scripts

The article describes the application of text files for storing dynamic objects, arrays and other variables used as properties of Expert Advisors, indicators and scripts. The files serve as a convenient addition to the functionality of standard tools offered by MQL languages.
Creating a trading robot for Moscow Exchange. Where to start?
Creating a trading robot for Moscow Exchange. Where to start?

Creating a trading robot for Moscow Exchange. Where to start?

Many traders on Moscow Exchange would like to automate their trading algorithms, but they do not know where to start. The MQL5 language offers a huge range of trading functions, and it additionally provides ready classes that help users to make their first steps in algo trading.
Creating an assistant in manual trading
Creating an assistant in manual trading

Creating an assistant in manual trading

The number of trading robots used on the currency markets has significantly increased recently. They employ various concepts and strategies, however, none of them has yet succeeded to create a win-win sample of artificial intelligence. Therefore, many traders remain committed to manual trading. But even for such specialists, robotic assistants or, so called, trading panels, are created. This article is yet another example of creating a trading panel from scratch.
Self-optimization of EA: Evolutionary and genetic algorithms
Self-optimization of EA: Evolutionary and genetic algorithms

Self-optimization of EA: Evolutionary and genetic algorithms

This article covers the main principles set fourth in evolutionary algorithms, their variety and features. We will conduct an experiment with a simple Expert Advisor used as an example to show how our trading system benefits from optimization. We will consider software programs that implement genetic, evolutionary and other types of optimization, and provide examples of application when optimizing a predictor set and parameters of the trading system.
Deep neural network with Stacked RBM. Self-training, self-control
Deep neural network with Stacked RBM. Self-training, self-control

Deep neural network with Stacked RBM. Self-training, self-control

This article is a continuation of previous articles on deep neural network and predictor selection. Here we will cover features of a neural network initiated by Stacked RBM, and its implementation in the "darch" package.
Enhancing the StrategyTester to Optimize Indicators Solely on the Example of Flat and Trend Markets
Enhancing the StrategyTester to Optimize Indicators Solely on the Example of Flat and Trend Markets

Enhancing the StrategyTester to Optimize Indicators Solely on the Example of Flat and Trend Markets

It is essential to detect whether a market is flat or not for many strategies. Using the well known ADX we demonstrate how we can use the Strategy Tester not only to optimize this indicator for our specific purpose, but as well we can decide whether this indicator will meet our needs and get to know the average range of the flat and trend markets which might be quite important to determine stops and targets of the markets.
MQL5 Cookbook - Programming moving channels
MQL5 Cookbook - Programming moving channels

MQL5 Cookbook - Programming moving channels

This article presents a method of programming the equidistant channel system. Certain details of building such channels are being considered here. Channel typification is provided, and a universal type of moving channels' method is suggested. Object-oriented programming (OOP) is used for code implementation.
Thomas DeMark's contribution to technical analysis
Thomas DeMark's contribution to technical analysis

Thomas DeMark's contribution to technical analysis

The article details TD points and TD lines discovered by Thomas DeMark. Their practical implementation is revealed. In addition to that, a process of writing three indicators and two Expert Advisors using the concepts of Thomas DeMark is demonstrated.
Trading signals module using the system by Bill Williams
Trading signals module using the system by Bill Williams

Trading signals module using the system by Bill Williams

The article describes the rules of the trading system by Bill Williams, the procedure of application for a developed MQL5 module to search and mark patterns of this system on the chart, automated trading with found patterns, and also presents the results of testing on various trading instruments.
Market Theory
Market Theory

Market Theory

A logically complete market theory that would cover all types and varieties of markets for goods and services, micro and macro markets like Forex, hasn't been available until now. This article covers the essence of a new market theory based on the profit analysis, reveals patterns of the current price change and the principle of the mechanism operation that allows the price to find its most optimal value by forming a chain of virtual prices that can develop the controlling influence on the actual price. Mechanisms of formation and change of market trends are also identified here.
MQL5 for beginners: Anti-vandal protection of graphic objects
MQL5 for beginners: Anti-vandal protection of graphic objects

MQL5 for beginners: Anti-vandal protection of graphic objects

What should your program do, if graphic control panels have been removed or modified by someone else? In this article we will show you how not to have "ownerless" objects on the chart, and how not to lose control over them in cases of renaming or deleting programmatically created objects after the application is deleted.
Evaluation and selection of variables for machine learning models
Evaluation and selection of variables for machine learning models

Evaluation and selection of variables for machine learning models

This article focuses on specifics of choice, preconditioning and evaluation of the input variables (predictors) for use in machine learning models. New approaches and opportunities of deep predictor analysis and their influence on possible overfitting of models will be considered. The overall result of using models largely depends on the result of this stage. We will analyze two packages offering new and original approaches to the selection of predictors.
Price Action. Automating the Engulfing Pattern Trading Strategy
Price Action. Automating the Engulfing Pattern Trading Strategy

Price Action. Automating the Engulfing Pattern Trading Strategy

This article describes a process of creating an Expert Advisor for MetaTrader 4 based on the Engulfing pattern, as well as the pattern recognition principle, rules of setting pending orders and stop orders. The results of testing and optimization are provided for your information.
Using Layouts and Containers for GUI Controls: The CGrid Class
Using Layouts and Containers for GUI Controls: The CGrid Class

Using Layouts and Containers for GUI Controls: The CGrid Class

This article presents an alternative method of GUI creation based on layouts and containers, using one layout manager — the CGrid class. The CGrid class is an auxiliary control that acts as a container for other containers and controls using a grid layout.
Price Action. Automating the Inside Bar Trading Strategy
Price Action. Automating the Inside Bar Trading Strategy

Price Action. Automating the Inside Bar Trading Strategy

The article describes the development of a MetaTrader 4 Expert Advisor based on the Inside Bar strategy, including Inside Bar detection principles, as well as pending and stop order setting rules. Test and optimization results are provided as well.
Identifying Trade Setups by Support, Resistance and Price Action
Identifying Trade Setups by Support, Resistance and Price Action

Identifying Trade Setups by Support, Resistance and Price Action

This article shows how price action and the monitoring of support and resistance levels can be used for well-timed market entry. It discusses a trading system that effectively combines the two for the determination of trade setups. Corresponding MQL4 code is explained that can be utilized in the EAs based on these trading concepts.
Tips for Purchasing a Product on the Market. Step-By-Step Guide
Tips for Purchasing a Product on the Market. Step-By-Step Guide

Tips for Purchasing a Product on the Market. Step-By-Step Guide

This step-by-step guide provides tips and tricks for better understanding and searching for a required product. The article makes an attempt to puzzle out different methods of searching for an appropriate product, sorting out unwanted products, determining product efficiency and essentiality for you.
Bi-Directional Trading and Hedging of Positions in MetaTrader 5 Using the HedgeTerminal API, Part 2
Bi-Directional Trading and Hedging of Positions in MetaTrader 5 Using the HedgeTerminal API, Part 2

Bi-Directional Trading and Hedging of Positions in MetaTrader 5 Using the HedgeTerminal API, Part 2

This article describes a new approach to hedging of positions and draws the line in the debates between users of MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 about this matter. It is a continuation of the first part: "Bi-Directional Trading and Hedging of Positions in MetaTrader 5 Using the HedgeTerminal Panel, Part 1". In the second part, we discuss integration of custom Expert Advisors with HedgeTerminalAPI, which is a special visualization library designed for bi-directional trading in a comfortable software environment providing tools for convenient position management.
Optimization. A Few Simple Ideas
Optimization. A Few Simple Ideas

Optimization. A Few Simple Ideas

The optimization process can require significant resources of your computer or even of the MQL5 Cloud Network test agents. This article comprises some simple ideas that I use for work facilitation and improvement of the MetaTrader 5 Strategy Tester. I got these ideas from the documentation, forum and articles.
Building an Interactive Application to Display RSS Feeds in MetaTrader 5
Building an Interactive Application to Display RSS Feeds in MetaTrader 5

Building an Interactive Application to Display RSS Feeds in MetaTrader 5

In this article we look at the possibility of creating an application for the display of RSS feeds. The article will show how aspects of the Standard Library can be used to create interactive programs for MetaTrader 5.
Third Generation Neural Networks: Deep Networks
Third Generation Neural Networks: Deep Networks

Third Generation Neural Networks: Deep Networks

This article is dedicated to a new and perspective direction in machine learning - deep learning or, to be precise, deep neural networks. This is a brief review of second generation neural networks, the architecture of their connections and main types, methods and rules of learning and their main disadvantages followed by the history of the third generation neural network development, their main types, peculiarities and training methods. Conducted are practical experiments on building and training a deep neural network initiated by the weights of a stacked autoencoder with real data. All the stages from selecting input data to metric derivation are discussed in detail. The last part of the article contains a software implementation of a deep neural network in an Expert Advisor with a built-in indicator based on MQL4/R.
Neural Networks Cheap and Cheerful - Link NeuroPro with MetaTrader 5
Neural Networks Cheap and Cheerful - Link NeuroPro with MetaTrader 5

Neural Networks Cheap and Cheerful - Link NeuroPro with MetaTrader 5

If specific neural network programs for trading seem expensive and complex or, on the contrary, too simple, try NeuroPro. It is free and contains the optimal set of functionalities for amateurs. This article will tell you how to use it in conjunction with MetaTrader 5.
MQL5 Wizard: Placing Orders, Stop-Losses and Take Profits on Calculated Prices. Standard Library Extension
MQL5 Wizard: Placing Orders, Stop-Losses and Take Profits on Calculated Prices. Standard Library Extension

MQL5 Wizard: Placing Orders, Stop-Losses and Take Profits on Calculated Prices. Standard Library Extension

This article describes the MQL5 Standard Library extension, which allows to create Expert Advisors, place orders, Stop Losses and Take Profits using the MQL5 Wizard by the prices received from included modules. This approach does not apply any additional restrictions on the number of modules and does not cause conflicts in their joint work.
MQL5 Cookbook - Multi-Currency Expert Advisor and Working with Pending Orders in MQL5
MQL5 Cookbook - Multi-Currency Expert Advisor and Working with Pending Orders in MQL5

MQL5 Cookbook - Multi-Currency Expert Advisor and Working with Pending Orders in MQL5

This time we are going to create a multi-currency Expert Advisor with a trading algorithm based on work with the pending orders Buy Stop and Sell Stop. This article considers the following matters: trading in a specified time range, placing/modifying/deleting pending orders, checking if the last position was closed at Take Profit or Stop Loss and control of the deals history for each symbol.
Freelance Jobs on MQL5.com - Developer's Favorite Place
Freelance Jobs on MQL5.com - Developer's Favorite Place

Freelance Jobs on MQL5.com - Developer's Favorite Place

Developers of trading robots no longer need to market their services to traders that require Expert Advisors - as now they will find you. Already, thousands of traders place orders to MQL5 freelance developers, and pay for work in on MQL5.com. For 4 years, this service facilitated three thousand traders to pay for more than 10 000 jobs performed. And the activity of traders and developers is constantly growing!
Building a Social Technology Startup, Part II: Programming an MQL5 REST Client
Building a Social Technology Startup, Part II: Programming an MQL5 REST Client

Building a Social Technology Startup, Part II: Programming an MQL5 REST Client

Let's now shape the PHP-based Twitter idea which was introduced in the first part of this article. We are assembling the different parts of the SDSS. Regarding the client side of the system architecture, we are relying on the new MQL5 WebRequest() function for sending trading signals via HTTP.
Outline of MetaTrader Market (Infographics)
Outline of MetaTrader Market (Infographics)

Outline of MetaTrader Market (Infographics)

A few weeks ago we published the infographic on Freelance service. We also promised to reveal some statistics of the MetaTrader Market. Now, we invite you to examine the data we have gathered.
MQL5.com Freelance: Developers' Source of Income (Infographic)
MQL5.com Freelance: Developers' Source of Income (Infographic)

MQL5.com Freelance: Developers' Source of Income (Infographic)

On the occasion of the MQL5 Freelance Service fourth birthday, we have prepared an info-graphic demonstrating the service results for the entire time of its existence. The figures speak for themselves: more than 10 000 orders worth about $600,000 in total have been executed to date, while 3 000 customers and 300 developers have already used the service.
How to implement traders' orders and make a profit in the MQL5 Freelance service
How to implement traders' orders and make a profit in the MQL5 Freelance service

How to implement traders' orders and make a profit in the MQL5 Freelance service

MQL5 Freelance is an online service where developers get paid for creating trading applications ordered by traders. Now, traders understand the difference between all the services on MQL5.com: a ready-made Trading Robot can be bought from the MetaTrader Market, while a unique Expert Advisor that trades based on a specific user-defined strategy can be ordered in the Freelance service. Experienced developers compete for traders' order implementation, so that a trader can select the one who offers the best time and cost conditions. Since the launch of the service, traders have paid a total of $600,000 for 10,000 jobs performed
Do Traders Need Services From Developers?
Do Traders Need Services From Developers?

Do Traders Need Services From Developers?

Algorithmic trading becomes more popular and needed, which naturally led to a demand for exotic algorithms and unusual tasks. To some extent, such complex applications are available in the Code Base or in the Market. Although traders have simple access to those apps in a couple of clicks, these apps may not satisfy all needs in full. In this case, traders look for developers who can write a desired application in the MQL5 Freelance section and assign an order.
Building a Social Technology Startup, Part I: Tweet Your MetaTrader 5 Signals
Building a Social Technology Startup, Part I: Tweet Your MetaTrader 5 Signals

Building a Social Technology Startup, Part I: Tweet Your MetaTrader 5 Signals

Today we will learn how to link an MetaTrader 5 terminal with Twitter so that you can tweet your EAs' trading signals. We are developing a Social Decision Support System in PHP based on a RESTful web service. This idea comes from a particular conception of automatic trading called computer-assisted trading. We want the cognitive abilities of human traders to filter those trading signals which otherwise would be automatically placed on the market by the Expert Advisors.
Working with GSM Modem from an MQL5 Expert Advisor
Working with GSM Modem from an MQL5 Expert Advisor

Working with GSM Modem from an MQL5 Expert Advisor

There is currently a fair number of means for a comfortable remote monitoring of a trading account: mobile terminals, push notifications, working with ICQ. But it all requires Internet connection. This article describes the process of creating an Expert Advisor that will allow you to stay in touch with your trading terminal even when mobile Internet is not available, through calls and text messaging.
Raise Your Linear Trading Systems to the Power
Raise Your Linear Trading Systems to the Power

Raise Your Linear Trading Systems to the Power

Today's article shows intermediate MQL5 programmers how they can get more profit from their linear trading systems (Fixed Lot) by easily implementing the so-called technique of exponentiation. This is because the resulting equity curve growth is then geometric, or exponential, taking the form of a parabola. Specifically, we will implement a practical MQL5 variant of the Fixed Fractional position sizing developed by Ralph Vince.
MQL5 Cookbook: Saving Optimization Results of an Expert Advisor Based on Specified Criteria
MQL5 Cookbook: Saving Optimization Results of an Expert Advisor Based on Specified Criteria

MQL5 Cookbook: Saving Optimization Results of an Expert Advisor Based on Specified Criteria

We continue the series of articles on MQL5 programming. This time we will see how to get results of each optimization pass right during the Expert Advisor parameter optimization. The implementation will be done so as to ensure that if the conditions specified in the external parameters are met, the corresponding pass values will be written to a file. In addition to test values, we will also save the parameters that brought about such results.
Creating Neural Network EAs Using MQL5 Wizard and Hlaiman EA Generator
Creating Neural Network EAs Using MQL5 Wizard and Hlaiman EA Generator

Creating Neural Network EAs Using MQL5 Wizard and Hlaiman EA Generator

The article describes a method of automated creation of neural network EAs using MQL5 Wizard and Hlaiman EA Generator. It shows you how you can easily start working with neural networks, without having to learn the entire body of theoretical information and writing your own code.
Building an Automatic News Trader
Building an Automatic News Trader

Building an Automatic News Trader

This is the continuation of Another MQL5 OOP class article which showed you how to build a simple OO EA from scratch and gave you some tips on object-oriented programming. Today I am showing you the technical basics needed to develop an EA able to trade the news. My goal is to keep on giving you ideas about OOP and also cover a new topic in this series of articles, working with the file system.
Another MQL5 OOP Class
Another MQL5 OOP Class

Another MQL5 OOP Class

This article shows you how to build an Object-Oriented Expert Advisor from scratch, from conceiving a theoretical trading idea to programming a MQL5 EA that makes that idea real in the empirical world. Learning by doing is IMHO a solid approach to succeed, so I am showing a practical example in order for you to see how you can order your ideas to finally code your Forex robots. My goal is also to invite you to adhere the OO principles.
Social Trading with the MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 Trading Platforms
Social Trading with the MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 Trading Platforms

Social Trading with the MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 Trading Platforms

What is social trading? It is a mutually beneficial cooperation of traders and investors whereby successful traders allow monitoring of their trading and potential investors take the opportunity to monitor their performance and copy trades of those who look more promising.
Mechanical Trading System "Chuvashov's Triangle"
Mechanical Trading System "Chuvashov's Triangle"

Mechanical Trading System "Chuvashov's Triangle"

Let me offer you an overview and the program code of the mechanical trading system based on ideas of Stanislav Chuvashov. Triangle's construction is based on the intersection of two trend lines built by the upper and lower fractals.