Articles on manual and algorithmic trading in MetaTrader 5

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This category features articles on all aspects of trading - from manual to fully automatic trading, from Expert Advisor ideas to trading robot creation using the MQL5 Wizard. Position management, processing of trade events and money management - these integral parts of trading are covered in theses articles.

Learn how to copy trading signals and how to provide around-the-clock operation of Expert Advisors, how to create a trading robot and how to run MetaTrader on Linux and MacOS, what social trading is and how to order a trading robot.

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Custom symbols: Practical basics

Custom symbols: Practical basics

The article is devoted to the programmatic generation of custom symbols which are used to demonstrate some popular methods for displaying quotes. It describes a suggested variant of minimally invasive adaptation of Expert Advisors for trading a real symbol from a derived custom symbol chart. MQL source codes are attached to this article.
Learn how to design a trading system by CCI
Learn how to design a trading system by CCI

Learn how to design a trading system by CCI

In this new article from our series for learning how to design trading systems, I will present the Commodities Channel Index (CCI), explain its specifics, and share with you how to create a trading system based on this indicator.
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Understanding order placement in MQL5

Understanding order placement in MQL5

When creating any trading system, there is a task we need to deal with effectively. This task is order placement or to let the created trading system deal with orders automatically because it is crucial in any trading system. So, you will find in this article most of the topics that you need to understand about this task to create your trading system in terms of order placement effectively.
Self-adapting algorithm (Part III): Abandoning optimization
Self-adapting algorithm (Part III): Abandoning optimization

Self-adapting algorithm (Part III): Abandoning optimization

It is impossible to get a truly stable algorithm if we use optimization based on historical data to select parameters. A stable algorithm should be aware of what parameters are needed when working on any trading instrument at any time. It should not forecast or guess, it should know for sure.
Grokking market "memory" through differentiation and entropy analysis
Grokking market "memory" through differentiation and entropy analysis

Grokking market "memory" through differentiation and entropy analysis

The scope of use of fractional differentiation is wide enough. For example, a differentiated series is usually input into machine learning algorithms. The problem is that it is necessary to display new data in accordance with the available history, which the machine learning model can recognize. In this article we will consider an original approach to time series differentiation. The article additionally contains an example of a self optimizing trading system based on a received differentiated series.
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OpenAI's ChatGPT features within the framework of MQL4 and MQL5 development

OpenAI's ChatGPT features within the framework of MQL4 and MQL5 development

In this article, we will fiddle around ChatGPT from OpenAI in order to understand its capabilities in terms of reducing the time and labor intensity of developing Expert Advisors, indicators and scripts. I will quickly navigate you through this technology and try to show you how to use it correctly for programming in MQL4 and MQL5.
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Learn how to design a trading system by Ichimoku

Learn how to design a trading system by Ichimoku

Here is a new article in our series about how to design a trading system b the most popular indicators, we will talk about the Ichimoku indicator in detail and how to design a trading system by this indicator.
Multicurrency monitoring of trading signals (Part 4): Enhancing functionality and improving the signal search system
Multicurrency monitoring of trading signals (Part 4): Enhancing functionality and improving the signal search system

Multicurrency monitoring of trading signals (Part 4): Enhancing functionality and improving the signal search system

In this part, we expand the trading signal searching and editing system, as well as introduce the possibility to use custom indicators and add program localization. We have previously created a basic system for searching signals, but it was based on a small set of indicators and a simple set of search rules.
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.
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A Step-by-Step Guide on Trading the Break of Structure (BoS) Strategy

A Step-by-Step Guide on Trading the Break of Structure (BoS) Strategy

A comprehensive guide to developing an automated trading algorithm based on the Break of Structure (BoS) strategy. Detailed information on all aspects of creating an advisor in MQL5 and testing it in MetaTrader 5 — from analyzing price support and resistance to risk management
Learn how to design a trading system by Stochastic
Learn how to design a trading system by Stochastic

Learn how to design a trading system by Stochastic

In this article, we continue our learning series — this time we will learn how to design a trading system using one of the most popular and useful indicators, which is the Stochastic Oscillator indicator, to build a new block in our knowledge of basics.
Reversing: Formalizing the entry point and developing a manual trading algorithm
Reversing: Formalizing the entry point and developing a manual trading algorithm

Reversing: Formalizing the entry point and developing a manual trading algorithm

This is the last article within the series devoted to the Reversing trading strategy. Here we will try to solve the problem, which caused the testing results instability in previous articles. We will also develop and test our own algorithm for manual trading in any market using the reversing strategy.
Patterns available when trading currency baskets. Part III
Patterns available when trading currency baskets. Part III

Patterns available when trading currency baskets. Part III

This is the final article devoted to the patterns that occur when trading currency pair baskets. It considers combined trend-following indicators and application of standard graphical constructions.
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Practical application of neural networks in trading (Part 2). Computer vision

Practical application of neural networks in trading (Part 2). Computer vision

The use of computer vision allows training neural networks on the visual representation of the price chart and indicators. This method enables wider operations with the whole complex of technical indicators, since there is no need to feed them digitally into the neural network.
Learn how to design a trading system by Momentum
Learn how to design a trading system by Momentum

Learn how to design a trading system by Momentum

In my previous article, I mentioned the importance of identifying the trend which is the direction of prices. In this article I will share one of the most important concepts and indicators which is the Momentum indicator. I will share how to design a trading system based on this Momentum indicator.
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Learn how to design a trading system by Fractals

Learn how to design a trading system by Fractals

This article is a new one from our series about how to design a trading system based on the most popular technical indicators. We will learn a new indicator which Fractals indicator and we will learn how to design a trading system based on it to be executed in the MetaTrader 5 terminal.
Self-adapting algorithm (Part IV): Additional functionality and tests
Self-adapting algorithm (Part IV): Additional functionality and tests

Self-adapting algorithm (Part IV): Additional functionality and tests

I continue filling the algorithm with the minimum necessary functionality and testing the results. The profitability is quite low but the articles demonstrate the model of the fully automated profitable trading on completely different instruments traded on fundamentally different markets.
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Dealing with Time (Part 2): The Functions

Dealing with Time (Part 2): The Functions

Determing the broker offset and GMT automatically. Instead of asking the support of your broker, from whom you will probably receive an insufficient answer (who would be willing to explain a missing hour), we simply look ourselves how they time their prices in the weeks of the time changes — but not cumbersome by hand, we let a program do it — why do we have a PC after all.
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Money management in trading

Money management in trading

We will look at several new ways of building money management systems and define their main features. Today, there are quite a few money management strategies to fit every taste. We will try to consider several ways to manage money based on different mathematical growth models.
Multicurrency monitoring of trading signals (Part 5): Composite signals
Multicurrency monitoring of trading signals (Part 5): Composite signals

Multicurrency monitoring of trading signals (Part 5): Composite signals

In the fifth article related to the creation of a trading signal monitor, we will consider composite signals and will implement the necessary functionality. In earlier versions, we used simple signals, such as RSI, WPR and CCI, and we also introduced the possibility to use custom indicators.
MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 Trading Signals Widgets
MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 Trading Signals Widgets

MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 Trading Signals Widgets

Recently MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 user received an opportunity to become a Signals Provider and earn additional profit. Now, you can display your trading success on your web site, blog or social network page using the new widgets. The benefits of using widgets are obvious: they increase the Signals Providers' popularity, establish their reputation as successful traders, as well as attract new Subscribers. All traders placing widgets on other web sites can enjoy these benefits.
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Learn how to design a trading system by Volumes

Learn how to design a trading system by Volumes

Here is a new article from our series about learning how to design a trading system based on the most popular technical indicators. The current article will be devoted to the Volumes indicator. Volume as a concept is one of the very important factors in financial markets trading and we have to pay attention to it. Through this article, we will learn how to design a simple trading system by Volumes indicator.
A Few Tips for First-Time Customers
A Few Tips for First-Time Customers

A Few Tips for First-Time Customers

A proverbial wisdom often attributed to various famous people says: "He who makes no mistakes never makes anything." Unless you consider idleness itself a mistake, this statement is hard to argue with. But you can always analyze the past mistakes (your own and of others) to minimize the number of your future mistakes. We are going to attempt to review possible situations arising when executing jobs in the same-name service.
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Learn how to design a trading system by Bear's Power

Learn how to design a trading system by Bear's Power

Welcome to a new article in our series about learning how to design a trading system by the most popular technical indicator here is a new article about learning how to design a trading system by Bear's Power technical indicator.
Tips for Selecting a Trading Signal to Subscribe. Step-By-Step Guide
Tips for Selecting a Trading Signal to Subscribe. Step-By-Step Guide

Tips for Selecting a Trading Signal to Subscribe. Step-By-Step Guide

This step-by-step guide is dedicated to the Signals service, examination of trading signals, a system approach to the search of a required signal which would satisfy criteria of profitability, risk, trading ambitions, working on various types of accounts and financial instruments.
Combination scalping: analyzing trades from the past to increase the performance of future trades
Combination scalping: analyzing trades from the past to increase the performance of future trades

Combination scalping: analyzing trades from the past to increase the performance of future trades

The article provides the description of the technology aimed at increasing the effectiveness of any automated trading system. It provides a brief explanation of the idea, as well as its underlying basics, possibilities and disadvantages.
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Finding seasonal patterns in the forex market using the CatBoost algorithm

Finding seasonal patterns in the forex market using the CatBoost algorithm

The article considers the creation of machine learning models with time filters and discusses the effectiveness of this approach. The human factor can be eliminated now by simply instructing the model to trade at a certain hour of a certain day of the week. Pattern search can be provided by a separate algorithm.
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Learn how to design a trading system by Alligator

Learn how to design a trading system by Alligator

In this article, we'll complete our series about how to design a trading system based on the most popular technical indicator. We'll learn how to create a trading system based on the Alligator indicator.
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Design Patterns in software development and MQL5 (Part 4): Behavioral Patterns 2

Design Patterns in software development and MQL5 (Part 4): Behavioral Patterns 2

In this article, we will complete our series about the Design Patterns topic, we mentioned that there are three types of design patterns creational, structural, and behavioral. We will complete the remaining patterns of the behavioral type which can help set the method of interaction between objects in a way that makes our code clean.
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Matrices and vectors in MQL5

Matrices and vectors in MQL5

By using special data types 'matrix' and 'vector', it is possible to create code which is very close to mathematical notation. With these methods, you can avoid the need to create nested loops or to mind correct indexing of arrays in calculations. Therefore, the use of matrix and vector methods increases the reliability and speed in developing complex programs.
What is a trend and is the market structure based on trend or flat?
What is a trend and is the market structure based on trend or flat?

What is a trend and is the market structure based on trend or flat?

Traders often talk about trends and flats but very few of them really understand what a trend/flat really is and even fewer are able to clearly explain these concepts. Discussing these basic terms is often beset by a solid set of prejudices and misconceptions. However, if we want to make profit, we need to understand the mathematical and logical meaning of these concepts. In this article, I will take a closer look at the essence of trend and flat, as well as try to define whether the market structure is based on trend, flat or something else. I will also consider the most optimal strategies for making profit on trend and flat markets.
Analyzing charts using DeMark Sequential and Murray-Gann levels
Analyzing charts using DeMark Sequential and Murray-Gann levels

Analyzing charts using DeMark Sequential and Murray-Gann levels

Thomas DeMark Sequential is good at showing balance changes in the price movement. This is especially evident if we combine its signals with a level indicator, for example, Murray levels. The article is intended mostly for beginners and those who still cannot find their "Grail". I will also display some features of building levels that I have not seen on other forums. So, the article will probably be useful for advanced traders as well... Suggestions and reasonable criticism are welcome...
Using MetaTrader 5 as a Signal Provider for MetaTrader 4
Using MetaTrader 5 as a Signal Provider for MetaTrader 4

Using MetaTrader 5 as a Signal Provider for MetaTrader 4

Analyse and examples of techniques how trading analysis can be performed on MetaTrader 5 platform, but executed by MetaTrader 4. Article will show you how to create simple signal provider in your MetaTrader 5, and connect to it with multiple clients, even running MetaTrader 4. Also you will find out how you can follow participants of Automated Trading Championship in your real MetaTrader 4 account.
Testing patterns that arise when trading currency pair baskets. Part I
Testing patterns that arise when trading currency pair baskets. Part I

Testing patterns that arise when trading currency pair baskets. Part I

We begin testing the patterns and trying the methods described in the articles about trading currency pair baskets. Let's see how oversold/overbought level breakthrough patterns are applied in practice.
Liquid Chart
Liquid Chart

Liquid Chart

Would you like to see an hourly chart with bars opening from the second and the fifth minute of the hour? What does a redrawn chart look like when the opening time of bars is changing every minute? What advantages does trading on such charts have? You will find answers to these questions in this article.
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Creating an EA that works automatically (Part 02): Getting started with the code

Creating an EA that works automatically (Part 02): Getting started with the code

Today we'll see how to create an Expert Advisor that simply and safely works in automatic mode. In the previous article, we discussed the first steps that anyone needs to understand before proceeding to creating an Expert Advisor that trades automatically. We considered the concepts and the structure.
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Trade Events in MetaTrader 5

Trade Events in MetaTrader 5

A monitoring of the current state of a trade account implies controlling open positions and orders. Before a trade signal becomes a deal, it should be sent from the client terminal as a request to the trade server, where it will be placed in the order queue awaiting to be processed. Accepting of a request by the trade server, deleting it as it expires or conducting a deal on its basis - all those actions are followed by trade events; and the trade server informs the terminal about them.
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Risk and capital management using Expert Advisors

Risk and capital management using Expert Advisors

This article is about what you can not see in a backtest report, what you should expect using automated trading software, how to manage your money if you are using expert advisors, and how to cover a significant loss to remain in the trading activity when you are using automated procedures.
Developing a cross-platform grider EA (part II): Range-based grid in trend direction
Developing a cross-platform grider EA (part II): Range-based grid in trend direction

Developing a cross-platform grider EA (part II): Range-based grid in trend direction

In this article, we will develop a grider EA for trading in a trend direction within a range. Thus, the EA is to be suited mostly for Forex and commodity markets. According to the tests, our grider showed profit since 2018. Unfortunately, this is not true for the period of 2014-2018.
The Player of Trading Based on Deal History
The Player of Trading Based on Deal History

The Player of Trading Based on Deal History

The player of trading. Only four words, no explanation is needed. Thoughts about a small box with buttons come to your mind. Press one button - it plays, move the lever - the playback speed changes. In reality, it is pretty similar. In this article, I want to show my development that plays trade history almost like it is in real time. The article covers some nuances of OOP, working with indicators and managing charts.