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Auto Symbol Switcher is a utility for MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) that automatically changes the chart symbol based on a list you choose. It helps you scan your watchlist quickly without opening dozens of charts.
Public channel: CLICK HERE
1) Understand the Basic Terms
- Symbol: the instrument you open on a chart (for example: EURUSD, XAUUSD, US500). Some brokers add a suffix like EURUSD.m.
- Market Watch: the list of symbols on the left side of MetaTrader. If a symbol is visible there, the platform can easily subscribe to its prices.
- Visible symbol: a symbol that is actually shown in Market Watch (not hidden).
- Tick: a fresh price update. “Has ticks” means the symbol has recent quotes. If the market is closed or the symbol is not subscribed, you may have no ticks.
- Trade Allowed: your broker allows trading for that symbol (some instruments are disabled on some accounts; you can still view charts if you don’t require “Trade Allowed”).
2) How to Install and Attach to a Chart (MT4 & MT5)
- Open the product page and install:
- In MetaTrader, find it in the Navigator (Market/Experts).
- Attach it to any single chart. The utility changes the symbol of that chart; your timeframe stays the same.
- Make sure AutoTrading (the green button) is enabled so the timer can run.
3) First Run: See It Work in 60 Seconds
- Open Market Watch. Right-click > Show All (optional) or keep your usual list.
- Attach the utility to one chart.
- In the panel (Full Interface):
- Source Mode = MARKETWATCH
- MW Visible Only = ON
- Auto Add MW = ON
- Req Visible = ON, Req Ticks = ON
- Delay (sec) = 5–10
- Mode = FWD, Loop = ON
- Press START. The chart symbol will rotate through your Market Watch list automatically.
3.1 Optional: Simple Interface (compact panel)
- Set Simple_Interface = true in Inputs to show a tiny panel with four buttons:
- START/STOP – start or pause auto rotation
- FIRST – jump to the first symbol in the active list
- « PREV – step one symbol backward
- NEXT » – step one symbol forward
- All advanced options are controlled from the Inputs tab (the panel stays clean and small).
4) Source Modes: Market Watch, Inline List, File
A) MARKET WATCH (zero typing)
- Uses the symbols from your current Market Watch.
- MW Visible Only = ON: only symbols that are visible will be used.
- Auto Add MW = ON: if a symbol needs to be visible (because of your filters), the utility will try to add it to Market Watch for you.
Tip: If your broker uses suffixes (like EURUSD.m), make sure the symbol in your list matches your broker’s symbol exactly.
B) INLINE LIST (fast custom list)
- Select Source Mode = INLINE.
- Paste a comma-separated list, for example:
EURUSD, GBPUSD, USDJPY, XAUUSD, US500 - Spaces/case don’t matter; the utility trims and can DeDup duplicates.
- If a symbol isn’t visible and you require visibility/ticks, turn Auto Add MW ON so the tool can subscribe first.
C) FILE (long lists, team lists)
- Select Source Mode = FILE and set the file name (default: symbols.txt ).
- Where to place the file:
- MT4: MQL4/Files/symbols.txt
- MT5: MQL5/Files/symbols.txt
- Use Common Files = ON: put it in Terminal/Common/Files/symbols.txt to share across platforms/terminals.
- File content can be comma- or line-separated, e.g.:
EURUSD, GBPUSD, USDJPY, XAUUSD, US500, DE40, BTCUSD
5) Filters — Clean, Consistent Rules for Your List
Filters help you decide which symbols are eligible before the rotation starts. They are checked in a clear order and work the same in MT4 and MT5.
5.1 Require Visible
- Meaning: the symbol must be visible in Market Watch (not hidden).
- Good for: keeping the list limited to instruments you actually monitor.
- Tip: With Auto Add MW = ON, the tool will try to add missing symbols to Market Watch before deciding to skip them.
- Turn OFF when: your list (INLINE/FILE) includes hidden symbols that you still want to allow after auto-add.
5.2 Require Trade Allowed
- Meaning: the broker must allow trading that symbol on your account (not disabled/close-only).
- Good for: skipping indices/CFDs/forex pairs that your account cannot trade.
- Turn OFF when: you only need to view charts and don’t plan to place orders.
5.3 Require Has Ticks
- Meaning: the symbol must have recent price quotes (a “tick”).
- Why: without ticks, indicators may not update and charts may look stale.
- Tip: Keep Auto Add MW = ON so the platform can subscribe first, then check ticks again.
- Common reasons for no ticks: market closed, wrong symbol name/suffix, or the broker doesn’t stream that instrument on your account.
5.4 Exclude Patterns
- Meaning: remove symbols whose names contain certain fragments (case-insensitive).
- Example list: micro,_old,crypto
- Examples of matches: EURUSDmicro, XAUUSD_old, BTCUSD (if your broker labels it “crypto”).
- Tip: separate items by commas; spaces are ignored.
5.5 DeDup
- Meaning: remove duplicate symbols (ignores case).
- Good for: mixed sources (Market Watch + Inline + File) that might repeat the same instrument.
6) How the Filters Work Together (Order of Checks)
- Visible? If Require Visible = ON:
- If not visible and Auto Add MW = ON → try to add to Market Watch, then check again.
- If still not visible → skip the symbol.
- Trade Allowed? If Require Trade Allowed = ON and broker disables the symbol → skip.
- Has Ticks? If Require Has Ticks = ON:
- The tool checks for fresh quotes. With Auto Add MW = ON, it may subscribe before checking.
- No quotes → skip.
- Exclude Patterns are applied.
- DeDup removes duplicates (if ON).
7) Switching Settings: Delay, Modes, Loop, Manual Control
- Delay (sec): time to wait before switching to the next symbol.
- Modes:
- FWD – go forward through the list.
- BWD – go backward.
- PINGPONG – go forward to the end, then backward to the start, and repeat.
- Loop: wrap at the ends (recommended ON).
- Manual control (both interfaces):
- PREV / NEXT – step one symbol at any time.
- FIRST – jump to the first symbol in the list instantly.
- Note: Manual stepping does not change your START/STOP state; the timer continues or remains paused as it was.
Note: The utility changes only the symbol. Your current timeframe remains unchanged.
8) Persistence (Save/Restore): Instance Tag, Profiles, Reset
- Persist = ON saves your index and settings into a file named like AutoSymbolSwitcher_{login}_{tag}.bin .
- Instance Tag lets you keep separate profiles per chart. Use different tags for different watchlists.
- Reset fast: turn Persist OFF to delete the saved file; turn it ON again to start fresh. You can also change the Instance Tag to create a new profile.
- Internals: Full Interface stores a complete signature; Simple Interface stores run/pause + index only (settings come from Inputs).
9) Ready-to-Use Recipes (Step by Step)
Recipe A – Rotate my current Market Watch
- Source Mode = MARKETWATCH
- MW Visible Only = ON, Auto Add MW = ON
- Req Visible = ON, Req Ticks = ON, Req Trade = OFF
- Delay = 10–20 seconds
- Mode = PINGPONG, Loop = ON
- Press START
Recipe B – Quick custom list (session scan)
- Source Mode = INLINE
- Inline Symbols = EURUSD, GBPUSD, USDJPY, XAUUSD, US500
- Auto Add MW = ON, Req Visible = ON, Req Ticks = ON
- Delay = 5–10 seconds, Mode = FWD, Loop = ON
- START
Recipe C – Team/shared long list (file)
- Source Mode = FILE
- Use Common Files = ON, put symbols.txt in Terminal/Common/Files/
- Req Ticks = ON, Req Trade = ON (skip disabled instruments)
- Delay = 20–60 seconds, Mode = FWD, Loop = ON
- START
10) Troubleshooting (Simple Checks First)
- “Nothing happens” / empty list: open Market Watch and make sure you actually have symbols; or in INLINE/FILE modes confirm your list is not empty after filters. Turn OFF some filters temporarily to see which one blocks.
- “FAILED to add” or “ChartSetSymbolPeriod FAILED” in Experts tab: the instrument may not exist for your account or the name is wrong (check suffixes). Open it manually in Market Watch once to confirm the correct symbol name.
- No ticks: market may be closed. Turn OFF Req Ticks to test, or keep it ON but enable Auto Add MW so the tool can subscribe before checking.
- Panel is too big: set Simple_Interface = true to use the compact panel.
- Charts “flash” when switching: can happen if many heavy indicators are synchronized and recalculate on every symbol change. Run the EA on a clean chart (only your sync indicator if needed), increase Delay_Seconds, and keep Req Has Ticks enabled to avoid “cold” symbols.
- Cannot change settings: press STOP first, change the settings, then press START again.
- Want a clean reset: toggle Persist OFF (removes saved state), then ON; or change Instance Tag.
11) FAQ (Very Short Answers)
Q: Does the utility place trades?
A: No. It only changes the chart’s symbol to speed up manual analysis.
Q: Will my timeframe change?
A: No. Only the symbol changes; timeframe stays the same.
Q: Can I run multiple instances?
A: Yes. Use different Instance Tag values on different charts.
Q: Where do I put symbols.txt?
A: MT4 → MQL4/Files/ , MT5 → MQL5/Files/ . With Use Common Files ON, use Terminal/Common/Files/ .
Q: Can it add missing symbols to Market Watch?
A: Yes, if Auto Add MW = ON.
12) Glossary: Quick Definitions
- Symbol: instrument name used by your broker (e.g., EURUSD.m).
- Market Watch: the instrument list panel in MetaTrader.
- Visible: shown inside Market Watch (not hidden).
- Tick: a single price update (new quote).
- Trade Allowed: broker permission for placing orders on that symbol.
- Suffix: extra letters added to the symbol by your broker (like .m, .pro).
- Persist: save and restore your settings automatically next time.
If this tool saves you time, please leave a rating on the product page. Thank you!
