Features of Custom Indicators Creation
Creation of Custom Indicators in the MetaTrader trading system has a number of features.
Scraping bond yield data from the web
Automate the collection of interest rate data to improve the performance of an Expert Advisor.
Testing Features and Limits in MetaTrader 4
This article allows to find out more about features and limits of Strategy Tester in MetaTrader 4.
OpenCL: The Bridge to Parallel Worlds
In late January 2012, the software development company that stands behind the development of MetaTrader 5 announced native support for OpenCL in MQL5. Using an illustrative example, the article sets forth the programming basics in OpenCL in the MQL5 environment and provides a few examples of the naive optimization of the program for the increase of operating speed.
Learn how to design a trading system by ATR
In this article, we will learn a new technical tool that can be used in trading, as a continuation within the series in which we learn how to design simple trading systems. This time we will work with another popular technical indicator: Average True Range (ATR).
Library for easy and quick development of MetaTrader programs (part XXVI): Working with pending trading requests - first implementation (opening positions)
In this article, we are going to store some data in the value of the orders and positions magic number and start the implementation of pending requests. To check the concept, let's create the first test pending request for opening market positions when receiving a server error requiring waiting and sending a repeated request.
Deep Neural Networks (Part VII). Ensemble of neural networks: stacking
We continue to build ensembles. This time, the bagging ensemble created earlier will be supplemented with a trainable combiner — a deep neural network. One neural network combines the 7 best ensemble outputs after pruning. The second one takes all 500 outputs of the ensemble as input, prunes and combines them. The neural networks will be built using the keras/TensorFlow package for Python. The features of the package will be briefly considered. Testing will be performed and the classification quality of bagging and stacking ensembles will be compared.
Cross-Platform Expert Advisor: Money Management
This article discusses the implementation of money management method for a cross-platform expert advisor. The money management classes are responsible for the calculation of the lot size to be used for the next trade to be entered by the expert advisor.
Order Strategies. Multi-Purpose Expert Advisor
This article centers around strategies that actively use pending orders, a metalanguage that can be created to formally describe such strategies and the use of a multi-purpose Expert Advisor whose operation is based on those descriptions
Practical application of correlations in trading
In this article, we will analyze the concept of correlation between variables, as well as methods for the calculation of correlation coefficients and their practical use in trading. Correlation is a statistical relationship between two or more random variables (or quantities which can be considered random with some acceptable degree of accuracy). Changes in one ore more variables lead to systematic changes of other related variables.
950 websites broadcast the Economic Calendar from MetaQuotes
The widget provides websites with a detailed release schedule of 500 indicators and indices, of the world's largest economies. Thus, traders quickly receive up-to-date information on all important events with explanations and graphs in addition to the main website content.
Automatic Selection of Promising Signals
The article is devoted to the analysis of trading signals for the MetaTrader 5 platform, which enable the automated execution of trading operations on subscribers' accounts. Also, the article considers the development of tools, which help search for potentially promising trading signals straight from the terminal.
Optimizing a strategy using balance graph and comparing results with "Balance + max Sharpe Ratio" criterion
In this article, we consider yet another custom trading strategy optimization criterion based on the balance graph analysis. The linear regression is calculated using the function from the ALGLIB library.
Studying the CCanvas Class. How to Draw Transparent Objects
Do you need more than awkward graphics of moving averages? Do you want to draw something more beautiful than a simple filled rectangle in your terminal? Attractive graphics can be drawn in the terminal. This can be implemented through the CСanvas class, which is used for creating custom graphics. With this class you can implement transparency, blend colors and produce the illusion of transparency by means of overlapping and blending colors.
Developing a self-adapting algorithm (Part I): Finding a basic pattern
In the upcoming series of articles, I will demonstrate the development of self-adapting algorithms considering most market factors, as well as show how to systematize these situations, describe them in logic and take them into account in your trading activity. I will start with a very simple algorithm that will gradually acquire theory and evolve into a very complex project.
MQL5 Cookbook - Trading signals of moving channels
The article describes the process of developing and implementing a class for sending signals based on the moving channels. Each of the signal version is followed by a trading strategy with testing results. Classes of the Standard Library are used for creating derived classes.
MQL5 Cookbook: Multi-Currency Expert Advisor - Simple, Neat and Quick Approach
This article will describe an implementation of a simple approach suitable for a multi-currency Expert Advisor. This means that you will be able to set up the Expert Advisor for testing/trading under identical conditions but with different parameters for each symbol. As an example, we will create a pattern for two symbols but in such a way so as to be able to add additional symbols, if necessary, by making small changes to the code.
Events in МetaТrader 4
The article deals with programmed tracking of events in the МetaТrader 4 Client Terminal, such as opening/closing/modifying orders, and is targeted at a user who has basic skills in working with the terminal and in programming in MQL 4.
Automating Trading Strategies in MQL5 (Part 47): Nick Rypock Trailing Reverse (NRTR) with Hedging Features
In this article, we develop a Nick Rypock Trailing Reverse (NRTR) trading system in MQL5 that uses channel indicators for reversal signals, enabling trend-following entries with hedging support for buys and sells. We incorporate risk management features like auto lot sizing based on equity or balance, fixed or dynamic stop-loss and take-profit levels using ATR multipliers, and position limits.
Expert Advisors Based on Popular Trading Systems and Alchemy of Trading Robot Optimization
This article dwells on implementation algorithm of simplest trading systems. The article will be useful for beginning traders and EA writers.
Automating Trading Strategies in MQL5 (Part 47): Nick Rypock Trailing Reverse (NRTR) with Hedging Features
In this article, we develop a Nick Rypock Trailing Reverse (NRTR) trading system in MQL5 that uses channel indicators for reversal signals, enabling trend-following entries with hedging support for buys and sells. We incorporate risk management features like auto lot sizing based on equity or balance, fixed or dynamic stop-loss and take-profit levels using ATR multipliers, and position limits.
Optimization management (Part II): Creating key objects and add-on logic
This article is a continuation of the previous publication related to the creation of a graphical interface for optimization management. The article considers the logic of the add-on. A wrapper for the MetaTrader 5 terminal will be created: it will enable the running of the add-on as a managed process via C#. In addition, operation with configuration files and setup files is considered in this article. The application logic is divided into two parts: the first one describes the methods called after pressing a particular key, while the second part covers optimization launch and management.
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.
Continuous Walk-Forward Optimization (Part 4): Optimization Manager (Auto Optimizer)
The main purpose of the article is to describe the mechanism of working with our application and its capabilities. Thus the article can be treated as an instruction on how to use the application. It covers all possible pitfalls and specifics of the application usage.
To Sleep, or Not to Sleep?
An alternative use of the Sleep() function in the realization of pauses between EA's actions is proposed. The approach under consideration allows a smart use of machine time.
Mathematics in trading: Sharpe and Sortino ratios
Return on investments is the most obvious indicator which investors and novice traders use for the analysis of trading efficiency. Professional traders use more reliable tools to analyze strategies, such as Sharpe and Sortino ratios, among others.
MQL5 Cookbook: Sound Notifications for MetaTrader 5 Trade Events
In this article, we will consider such issues as including sound files in the file of the Expert Advisor, and thus adding sound notifications to trade events. The fact that the files will be included means that the sound files will be located inside the Expert Advisor. So when giving the compiled version of the Expert Advisor (*.ex5) to another user, you will not have to also provide the sound files and explain where they need to be saved.
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.
Interview with Rogério Figurelli (ATC 2012)
Today we are going to talk with Rogério Figurelli (figurelli), a regular participant from Brazil that has not missed any Automated Trading Championship since 2007. This year, he also began to sell his Championship's Expert Advisor in the Market along with his other products. Rogério believes that MetaTrader 5 platform certification on the largest Brazilian exchange BM&FBOVESPA will reveal new professional developers and traders, who do not yet know the full potential of robot investors.
Developing a cross-platform grider EA
In this article, we will learn how to create Expert Advisors (EAs) working both in MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. To do this, we are going to develop an EA constructing order grids. Griders are EAs that place several limit orders above the current price and the same number of limit orders below it simultaneously.
Testing currency pair patterns: Practical application and real trading perspectives. Part IV
This article concludes the series devoted to trading currency pair baskets. Here we test the remaining pattern and discuss applying the entire method in real trading. Market entries and exits, searching for patterns and analyzing them, complex use of combined indicators are considered.
MQL5 Programming Basics: Lists
The new version of the programming language for trading strategy development, MQL [MQL5], provides more powerful and effective features as compared with the previous version [MQL4]. The advantage essentially lies in the object-oriented programming features. This article looks into the possibility of using complex custom data types, such as nodes and lists. It also provides an example of using lists in practical programming in MQL5.
Visualize this! MQL5 graphics library similar to 'plot' of R language
When studying trading logic, visual representation in the form of graphs is of great importance. A number of programming languages popular among the scientific community (such as R and Python) feature the special 'plot' function used for visualization. It allows drawing lines, point distributions and histograms to visualize patterns. In MQL5, you can do the same using the CGraphics class.
Dealing with Time (Part 1): The Basics
Functions and code snippets that simplify and clarify the handling of time, broker offset, and the changes to summer or winter time. Accurate timing may be a crucial element in trading. At the current hour, is the stock exchange in London or New York already open or not yet open, when does the trading time for Forex trading start and end? For a trader who trades manually and live, this is not a big problem.
Upgrade to MetaTrader 4 Build 600 and Higher
The new version of the MetaTrader 4 terminal features the updated structure of user data storage. In earlier versions all programs, templates, profiles etc. were stored directly in terminal installation folder. Now all necessary data required for a particular user are stored in a separate directory called data folder. Read the article to find answers to frequently asked questions.
Using spreadsheets to build trading strategies
The article describes the basic principles and methods that allow you to analyze any strategy using spreadsheets (Excel, Calc, Google). The obtained results are compared with MetaTrader 5 tester.
MQL5 vs QLUA - Why trading operations in MQL5 are up to 28 times faster?
Have you ever wondered how quickly your order is delivered to the exchange, how fast it is executed, and how much time your terminal needs in order to receive the operation result? We have prepared a comparison of trading operation execution speed, because no one has ever measured these values using applications in MQL5 and QLUA.
A DLL for MQL5 in 10 Minutes (Part II): Creating with Visual Studio 2017
The original basic article has not lost its relevance and thus if you are interested in this topic, be sure to read the first article. However much time has passed since then, so the current Visual Studio 2017 features an updated interface. The MetaTrader 5 platform has also acquired new features. The article provides a description of dll project development stages, as well as DLL setup and interaction with MetaTrader 5 tools.
Custom Walk Forward optimization in MetaTrader 5
The article deals with the approaches enabling accurate simulation of walk forward optimization using the built-in tester and auxiliary libraries implemented in MQL.
EA remote control methods
The main advantage of trading robots lies in the ability to work 24 hours a day on a remote VPS server. But sometimes it is necessary to intervene in their work, while there may be no direct access to the server. Is it possible to manage EAs remotely? The article proposes one of the options for controlling EAs via external commands.