MQL4 and MQL5 Programming Articles

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Study the MQL5 language for programming trading strategies in numerous published articles mostly written by you - the community members. The articles are grouped into categories to help you quicker find answers to any questions related to programming: Integration, Tester, Trading Strategies, etc.

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MetaTrader 5 features hedging position accounting system
MetaTrader 5 features hedging position accounting system

MetaTrader 5 features hedging position accounting system

In order to expand possibilities of retail Forex traders, we have added the second accounting system — hedging. Now, it is possible to have multiple positions per symbol, including oppositely directed ones. This paves the way to implementing trading strategies based on the so-called "locking" — if the price moves against a trader, they can open a position in the opposite direction.
Mathematics in Trading: How to Estimate Trade Results
Mathematics in Trading: How to Estimate Trade Results

Mathematics in Trading: How to Estimate Trade Results

We all are aware of that "No profit obtained in the past will guarantee any success in future". However, it is still very actual to be able to estimate trading systems. This article deals with some simple and convenient methods that will help to estimate trade results.
MetaTrader 5 and Python integration: receiving and sending data
MetaTrader 5 and Python integration: receiving and sending data

MetaTrader 5 and Python integration: receiving and sending data

Comprehensive data processing requires extensive tools and is often beyond the sandbox of one single application. Specialized programming languages are used for processing and analyzing data, statistics and machine learning. One of the leading programming languages for data processing is Python. The article provides a description of how to connect MetaTrader 5 and Python using sockets, as well as how to receive quotes via the terminal API.
Angles in Trading. Further Study Required
Angles in Trading. Further Study Required

Angles in Trading. Further Study Required

In this article, we discuss the method of trading analysis by measuring angles in the MetaTrader 4 terminal. The article provides a general plan of using angles for trend movement analysis, as well as non-standard ways to the practical application of angle analysis in trading. The article also provides conclusions that can be useful for trading.
Analyzing Candlestick Patterns
Analyzing Candlestick Patterns

Analyzing Candlestick Patterns

Construction of Japanese candlestick chart and analysis of candlestick patterns constitute an amazing area of technical analysis. The advantage of candlesticks is that they represent data in such a manner that you can track the dynamics inside the data. In this article we analyze candlestick types, classification of candlestick patterns and present an indicator that can determine candlestick patterns.
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.
Securing MQL5 code: Password Protection, Key Generators, Time-limits, Remote Licenses and Advanced EA License Key Encryption Techniques
Securing MQL5 code: Password Protection, Key Generators, Time-limits, Remote Licenses and Advanced EA License Key Encryption Techniques

Securing MQL5 code: Password Protection, Key Generators, Time-limits, Remote Licenses and Advanced EA License Key Encryption Techniques

Most developers need to have their code secured. This article will present a few different ways to protect MQL5 software - it presents methods to provide licensing capabilities to MQL5 Scripts, Expert Advisors and Indicators. It covers password protection, key generators, account license, time-limit evaluation and remote protection using MQL5-RPC calls.
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The Fundamentals of Testing in MetaTrader 5

The Fundamentals of Testing in MetaTrader 5

What are the differences between the three modes of testing in MetaTrader 5, and what should be particularly looked for? How does the testing of an EA, trading simultaneously on multiple instruments, take place? When and how are the indicator values calculated during testing, and how are the events handled? How to synchronize the bars from different instruments during testing in an "open prices only" mode? This article aims to provide answers to these and many other questions.
Common Errors in MQL4 Programs and How to Avoid Them
Common Errors in MQL4 Programs and How to Avoid Them

Common Errors in MQL4 Programs and How to Avoid Them

To avoid critical completion of programs, the previous version compiler handled many errors in the runtime environment. For example, division by zero or array out of range are critical errors and usually lead to program crash. The new compiler can detect actual or potential sources of errors and improve code quality. In this article, we discuss possible errors that can be detected during compilation of old programs and see how to fix them.
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.
MQL5: Create Your Own Indicator
MQL5: Create Your Own Indicator

MQL5: Create Your Own Indicator

What is an indicator? It is a set of calculated values that we want to be displayed on the screen in a convenient way. Sets of values are represented in programs as arrays. Thus, creation of an indicator means writing an algorithm that handles some arrays (price arrays) and records results of handling to other arrays (indicator values). By describing creation of True Strength Index, the author shows how to write indicators in MQL5.
MQL5 Programming Basics: Time
MQL5 Programming Basics: Time

MQL5 Programming Basics: Time

The article focuses on standard MQL5 functions for working with time, as well as programming techniques and practically useful functions for working with time that are required when creating Expert Advisors and indicators. Particular attention is paid to the general theory of time measurement. This article should be of interest primarily to novice MQL5 programmers.
How to create bots for Telegram in MQL5
How to create bots for Telegram in MQL5

How to create bots for Telegram in MQL5

This article contains step-by-step instructions for creating bots for Telegram in MQL5. This information may prove useful for users who wish to synchronize their trading robot with a mobile device. There are samples of bots in the article that provide trading signals, search for information on websites, send information about the account balance, quotes and screenshots of charts to you smart phone.
Why Is MQL5 Market the Best Place for Selling Trading Strategies and Technical Indicators
Why Is MQL5 Market the Best Place for Selling Trading Strategies and Technical Indicators

Why Is MQL5 Market the Best Place for Selling Trading Strategies and Technical Indicators

MQL5.community Market provides Expert Advisors developers with the already formed market consisting of thousands of potential customers. This is the best place for selling trading robots and technical indicators!
MQL5 Programming Basics: Arrays
MQL5 Programming Basics: Arrays

MQL5 Programming Basics: Arrays

Arrays are an integral part of almost any programming language along with variables and functions. The article should be of interest primarily to novice MQL5 programmers, while experienced programmers will have a good opportunity to summarize and systematize their knowledge.
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.
How to Create Your Own Trailing Stop
How to Create Your Own Trailing Stop

How to Create Your Own Trailing Stop

The basic rule of trader - let profit to grow, cut off losses! This article considers one of the basic techniques, allowing to follow this rule - moving the protective stop level (Stop loss level) after increasing position profit, i.e. - Trailing Stop level. You'll find the step by step procedure to create a class for trailing stop on SAR and NRTR indicators. Everyone will be able to insert this trailing stop into their experts or use it independently to control positions in their accounts.
Forecasting market movements using the Bayesian classification and indicators based on Singular Spectrum Analysis
Forecasting market movements using the Bayesian classification and indicators based on Singular Spectrum Analysis

Forecasting market movements using the Bayesian classification and indicators based on Singular Spectrum Analysis

The article considers the ideology and methodology of building a recommendatory system for time-efficient trading by combining the capabilities of forecasting with the singular spectrum analysis (SSA) and important machine learning method on the basis of Bayes' Theorem.
Automata-Based Programming as a New Approach to Creating Automated Trading Systems
Automata-Based Programming as a New Approach to Creating Automated Trading Systems

Automata-Based Programming as a New Approach to Creating Automated Trading Systems

This article takes us to a whole new direction in developing EAs, indicators and scripts in MQL4 and MQL5. In the future, this programming paradigm will gradually become the base standard for all traders in implementation of EAs. Using the automata-based programming paradigm, the MQL5 and MetaTrader 5 developers will be anywhere near being able to create a new language - MQL6 - and a new platform - MetaTrader 6.
Quick Start: Short Guide for Beginners
Quick Start: Short Guide for Beginners

Quick Start: Short Guide for Beginners

Hello dear reader! In this article, I will try to explain and show you how you can easily and quickly get the hang of the principles of creating Expert Advisors, working with indicators, etc. It is beginner-oriented and will not feature any difficult or abstruse examples.
Automated Optimization of an EA for MetaTrader 5
Automated Optimization of an EA for MetaTrader 5

Automated Optimization of an EA for MetaTrader 5

This article describes the implementation of a self-optimization mechanism under MetaTrader 5.
Working with currency baskets in the Forex market
Working with currency baskets in the Forex market

Working with currency baskets in the Forex market

The article describes how currency pairs can be divided into groups (baskets), as well as how to obtain data about their status (for example, overbought and oversold) using certain indicators and how to apply this data in trading.
Step on New Rails: Custom Indicators in MQL5
Step on New Rails: Custom Indicators in MQL5

Step on New Rails: Custom Indicators in MQL5

I will not list all of the new possibilities and features of the new terminal and language. They are numerous, and some novelties are worth the discussion in a separate article. Also there is no code here, written with object-oriented programming, it is a too serous topic to be simply mentioned in a context as additional advantages for developers. In this article we will consider the indicators, their structure, drawing, types and their programming details, as compared to MQL4. I hope that this article will be useful both for beginners and experienced developers, maybe some of them will find something new.
How to Access the MySQL Database from MQL5 (MQL4)
How to Access the MySQL Database from MQL5 (MQL4)

How to Access the MySQL Database from MQL5 (MQL4)

The article describes the development of an interface between MQL and the MySQL database. It discusses existing practical solutions and offers a more convenient way to implement a library for working with databases. The article contains a detailed description of the functions, the interface structure, examples and some of specific features of working with MySQL. As for the software solutions, the article attachments include the files of dynamic libraries, documentation and script examples for the MQL4 and MQL5 languages.
ZUP - Universal ZigZag with Pesavento patterns. Search for patterns
ZUP - Universal ZigZag with Pesavento patterns. Search for patterns

ZUP - Universal ZigZag with Pesavento patterns. Search for patterns

The ZUP indicator platform allows searching for multiple known patterns, parameters for which have already been set. These parameters can be edited to suit your requirements. You can also create new patterns using the ZUP graphical interfaces and save their parameters to a file. After that you can quickly check, whether these new patterns can be found on charts.
Tips for an Effective Product Presentation on the Market
Tips for an Effective Product Presentation on the Market

Tips for an Effective Product Presentation on the Market

Selling programs to traders effectively does not only require writing an efficient and useful product and then publishing it on the Market. It is vital to provide a comprehensive, detailed description and good illustrations. A quality logo and correct screenshots are equally as important as the "true coding". Bear in mind a simple formula: no downloads = no sales.
Using MetaTrader 5 Indicators with ENCOG Machine Learning Framework for Timeseries Prediction
Using MetaTrader 5 Indicators with ENCOG Machine Learning Framework for Timeseries Prediction

Using MetaTrader 5 Indicators with ENCOG Machine Learning Framework for Timeseries Prediction

This article presents connecting MetaTrader 5 to ENCOG - Advanced Neural Network and Machine Learning Framework. It contains description and implementation of a simple neural network indicator based on a standard technical indicators and an Expert Advisor based on a neural indicator. All source code, compiled binaries, DLLs and an exemplary trained network are attached to the article.
Trading Ideas Based on Prices Direction and Movement Speed
Trading Ideas Based on Prices Direction and Movement Speed

Trading Ideas Based on Prices Direction and Movement Speed

The article provides a review of an idea based on the analysis of prices' movement direction and their speed. We have performed its formalization in the MQL4 language presented as an expert advisor to explore viability of the strategy being under consideration. We also determine the best parameters via check, examination and optimization of an example given in the article.
Automatic construction of support and resistance lines
Automatic construction of support and resistance lines

Automatic construction of support and resistance lines

The article deals with automatic construction of support/resistance lines using local tops and bottoms of price charts. The well-known ZigZag indicator is applied to define these extreme values.
MQL5 Wizard: Creating Expert Advisors without Programming
MQL5 Wizard: Creating Expert Advisors without Programming

MQL5 Wizard: Creating Expert Advisors without Programming

Do you want to try out a trading strategy while wasting no time for programming? In MQL5 Wizard you can simply select the type of trading signals, add modules of trailing positions and money management - and your work is done! Create your own implementations of modules or order them via the Jobs service - and combine your new modules with existing ones.
ZUP - universal ZigZag with Pesavento patterns. Graphical interface
ZUP - universal ZigZag with Pesavento patterns. Graphical interface

ZUP - universal ZigZag with Pesavento patterns. Graphical interface

Over the ten years since the release of the first version of the ZUP platform, it has undergone through multiple changes and improvements. As a result, now we have a unique graphical add-on for MetaTrader 4 allowing you to quickly and conveniently analyze market data. The article describes how to work with the graphical interface of the ZUP indicator platform.
Portfolio trading in MetaTrader 4
Portfolio trading in MetaTrader 4

Portfolio trading in MetaTrader 4

The article reveals the portfolio trading principles and their application to Forex market. A few simple mathematical portfolio arrangement models are considered. The article contains examples of practical implementation of the portfolio trading in MetaTrader 4: portfolio indicator and Expert Advisor for semi-automated trading. The elements of trading strategies, as well as their advantages and pitfalls are described.
Implementing indicator calculations into an Expert Advisor code
Implementing indicator calculations into an Expert Advisor code

Implementing indicator calculations into an Expert Advisor code

The reasons for moving an indicator code to an Expert Advisor may vary. How to assess the pros and cons of this approach? The article describes implementing an indicator code into an EA. Several experiments are conducted to assess the speed of the EA's operation.
Developing custom indicators using CCanvas class
Developing custom indicators using CCanvas class

Developing custom indicators using CCanvas class

The article deals with developing custom graphical indicators using graphical primitives of the CCanvas class.
How to Develop a Profitable Trading Strategy
How to Develop a Profitable Trading Strategy

How to Develop a Profitable Trading Strategy

This article provides an answer to the question: "Is it possible to formulate an automated trading strategy based on history data with neural networks?".
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How to create a graphical panel of any complexity level

How to create a graphical panel of any complexity level

The article features a detailed explanation of how to create a panel on the basis of the CAppDialog class and how to add controls to the panel. It provides the description of the panel structure and a scheme, which shows the inheritance of objects. From this article, you will also learn how events are handled and how they are delivered to dependent controls. Additional examples show how to edit panel parameters, such as the size and the background color.
An Example of a Trading System Based on a Heiken-Ashi Indicator
An Example of a Trading System Based on a Heiken-Ashi Indicator

An Example of a Trading System Based on a Heiken-Ashi Indicator

In this article we look into the question of using a Heiken-Ashi indicator in trading. Based on this indicator, a simple trading system is considered and an MQL5 Expert Advisor is written. Trading operations are implemented on the bases of classes of the Standard class library. The testing results of the reviewed trading strategy, are based on the history, and obtained using the built-in MetaTrader 5 strategy tester, are provided in the article.
Expert Advisor Sample
Expert Advisor Sample

Expert Advisor Sample

The principles of MQL4-programs development are shown on sample of creating a simple Expert Advisor system based on the standard MACD indicator.
Theoretical Basis of Building Cluster Indicators for FOREX
Theoretical Basis of Building Cluster Indicators for FOREX

Theoretical Basis of Building Cluster Indicators for FOREX

Cluster indicators are sets of indicators that divide currency pairs into separate currencies. Indicators allow to trace the relative currency fluctuation, determine the potential of formating new currency trends, receive trade signals and follow medium-term and long-term positons.
The Implementation of Automatic Analysis of the Elliott Waves in MQL5
The Implementation of Automatic Analysis of the Elliott Waves in MQL5

The Implementation of Automatic Analysis of the Elliott Waves in MQL5

One of the most popular methods of market analysis is the Elliott Wave Principle. However, this process is quite complicated, which leads us to the use of additional tools. One of such instruments is the automatic marker. This article describes the creation of an automatic analyzer of Elliott Waves in MQL5 language.