POTUSCalendar - White House Schedule Dashboard for MetaTrader 5

POTUSCalendar - White House Schedule Dashboard for MetaTrader 5

Version 1.10 | Complete Guide & Documentation

POTUSCalendar is a professional MetaTrader 5 indicator that displays the President of the United States' public schedule directly on your trading chart. This real-time dashboard helps traders stay informed about upcoming White House events that may impact financial markets, including press briefings, official statements, travel schedules, and public appearances.

The indicator automatically fetches data from the official White House public schedule, converts times to your local timezone and broker time, and displays everything in an elegant, easy-to-read panel. Whether you're trading forex, indices, or commodities, being aware of major political events can be crucial for your trading decisions.

Part 1: Getting Started

Installation

After downloading POTUSCalendar from the MQL5 Market, follow these simple steps:

1. Open MetaTrader 5
2. Navigate to: Insert → Indicators → Market (or Custom if installed manually)
3. Find "POTUSCalendar" in the list
4. Drag the indicator onto any chart
5. Configure your preferred settings in the input parameters window
6. Click OK to activate the dashboard

The panel will appear on your chart and immediately begin fetching the latest White House schedule data.

First Look: Understanding the Interface

The POTUSCalendar panel consists of several key components:

• Header Bar: Displays the current time in ET (Eastern Time), your local time, GMT, and broker time
• Status Line: Shows last update time and number of events loaded
• Event Cards: Each upcoming event is displayed with complete details including type, time, title, location, and countdown
• Control Buttons: Minimize/Maximize and Refresh buttons for panel control

Part 2: Panel Settings

Panel Position and Size

Customize where and how the panel appears on your chart:

InpPanelX: Controls horizontal position. Default is 20 pixels from the left edge of your chart. Increase this value to move the panel further right.

InpPanelY: Controls vertical position. Default is 50 pixels from the top. Increase to move the panel down.

InpPanelWidth: Sets the panel width. Default is 420 pixels, which comfortably displays all event information. You can reduce this if you have limited screen space, but values below 350 may cause text truncation.

Display Settings

InpMaxEvents: Maximum number of events to display simultaneously. Default is 8. You can increase this up to 15 if you want to see more upcoming events, or reduce it to save screen space. Each event takes approximately 75 pixels of vertical space.

InpShowPastEvents: When set to true, the panel will show events from earlier today that have already occurred. When false (default), only upcoming events are displayed. This is useful if you want to review what happened earlier in the day.

InpMinimizedStart: When true, the panel starts in minimized mode showing only the header. Click the minimize/maximize button to expand. This is useful if you want the panel available but not taking up chart space initially.

Part 3: Update Settings

InpUpdateMinutes: How often the indicator fetches new schedule data from the White House website. Default is 30 minutes. The White House typically updates their public schedule once or twice daily, so checking every 30 minutes ensures you have the latest information without excessive data requests.

Example configurations:

• For active trading days with potential announcements: 15 minutes
• For general monitoring: 30 minutes (recommended)
• For low-frequency checking: 60 minutes

InpTimeoutSeconds: Maximum time to wait for the web request to complete. Default is 15 seconds. If the White House website is slow to respond, the request will timeout after this duration to prevent the indicator from freezing. Values between 10-20 seconds are recommended.

Part 4: Timezone Settings

Understanding Timezone Conversion

POTUSCalendar automatically converts all event times to three different timezones for your convenience:

• ET (Eastern Time): The official White House schedule timezone
• Local Time: Your computer's timezone
• Broker Time: Your MetaTrader broker's server time

InpBrokerGMTOffset = 2      // Broker GMT Offset (hours)
InpAutoDetectDST = true     // Auto-detect US DST

InpBrokerGMTOffset: Your broker's server time offset from GMT. This is crucial for accurate time conversion. Common values:

How to find your broker's GMT offset: Open MetaTrader 5, go to View → Market Watch, right-click and select Symbols. Check the trading hours for any symbol - the timezone displayed is your broker's server time.

InpAutoDetectDST: Automatically adjusts for US Daylight Saving Time. When true (recommended), the indicator automatically switches between EST (GMT-5) and EDT (GMT-4) based on US DST rules (second Sunday in March to first Sunday in November). When false, ET is always treated as GMT-5.

Part 5: Event Types and Color Coding

POTUSCalendar categorizes White House events into different types, each with its own color badge for quick identification:

Event Type Descriptions

Part 6: Panel Colors and Customization

InpPanelBg: Main panel background color. Default is a dark blue-gray (RGB: 25,25,35) for easy reading. For bright themes, try C'240,240,245' (light gray).

InpHeaderBg: Header section background. Slightly lighter than the panel background by default to create visual separation.

InpTextColor: Color for all text labels. White (clrWhite) works best on dark backgrounds. Use clrBlack for light themes.

InpTimeColor: Color for time displays in the header. Gold (clrGold) provides good contrast and draws attention to the current time information.

Color Customization Tips

When customizing colors, ensure sufficient contrast for readability:

• Dark Theme (Default): Dark backgrounds with light text - easier on eyes during extended trading sessions
• Light Theme: Use InpPanelBg = C'245,245,250', InpTextColor = clrBlack, InpTimeColor = C'0,0,139'
• Professional Theme: Use InpPanelBg = C'30,30,40', InpHeaderBg = C'40,50,60', subdued event type colors

Part 7: Debug Mode

InpDebugMode: When enabled, the indicator prints detailed information to the MetaTrader Experts log, including:

• Data fetch attempts and results
• HTML parsing progress
• Event detection and parsing
• Timezone conversion calculations
• Error messages and troubleshooting information

When to use Debug Mode:

• During initial setup to verify everything is working correctly
• When troubleshooting data fetch issues
• If events are not displaying as expected
• To verify timezone conversions are accurate

To view debug output: Open MetaTrader 5 → View → Toolbox → Experts tab. Look for messages prefixed with "POTUSCalendar".

Performance Note: Debug mode generates log entries every minute and during each data fetch. For production use after initial setup, consider setting this to false to reduce log file size.

Part 8: Understanding Event Display

Event Card Layout

Each event is displayed in a card format with the following information:

• Type Badge: Color-coded event type (Official, Press, Pool, Travel, Other)
• ET Time: Event time in Eastern Time with date if not today
• Local Time: Event time converted to your computer's timezone (prefixed with "L:")
• Broker Time: Event time in your broker's server timezone (prefixed with "B:")
• Title: Event description (truncated to 55 characters if longer)
• Location: Event location, with [Transcript] indicator if available
• Countdown: Time remaining until event, color-coded by urgency

Countdown Color System

Part 9: Configuration Examples

Example 1: Active Day Trader Setup

For traders who monitor news throughout the day and need frequent updates:

InpPanelX = 10
InpPanelY = 30
InpPanelWidth = 450
InpMaxEvents = 10
InpShowPastEvents = true
InpUpdateMinutes = 15
InpBrokerGMTOffset = 2
InpAutoDetectDST = true
InpDebugMode = false

Why this works: Large panel with 10 events, shows past events for reference, updates every 15 minutes, and optimized for European brokers (GMT+2).

Example 2: Swing Trader Setup

For traders who check in periodically and want minimal screen space usage:

Why this works: Compact panel that starts minimized, shows only 5 upcoming events, updates hourly, suitable for UK/GMT brokers.

Example 3: Multi-Monitor Setup

For traders with dedicated news monitoring screens:

Why this works: Large panel showing up to 12 events with past events visible, professional dark theme, moderate update frequency.

Part 10: Using the Panel Effectively

Manual Refresh

While POTUSCalendar automatically updates based on your InpUpdateMinutes setting, you can manually refresh data at any time by clicking the "Refresh" button in the panel header. This is useful when:

• Breaking news suggests schedule changes
• You want to ensure you have the absolute latest data before a major event
• The automatic update hasn't occurred yet but you need current information

Minimize/Maximize

Click the "−/+" button to toggle between minimized and expanded views. In minimized mode, only the header with current times is visible, saving screen space while keeping time information accessible.

Interpreting Time Zones

The panel displays three times for each event to accommodate different trading scenarios:

ET (Eastern Time): This is the official time as published by the White House. All original schedule times are in ET. Use this as your reference time when reading White House press releases or news articles.

L: (Local Time): Converted to your computer's timezone. This is your personal reference - when you need to be at your desk or set an alarm. If you're in Tokyo and an event shows "L: 03:00", it means 3 AM your local time.

B: (Broker Time): Converted to your MT5 broker's server time. This is crucial for correlating events with your chart candles and trading decisions. If your broker uses GMT+2 and shows "B: 21:00", the event occurs at the 21:00 candle on your chart.

Event Priority Assessment

Not all White House events have equal market impact. Use these guidelines to prioritize your attention:

Highest Impact:

• Press Briefings (especially during crisis periods)
• Official Statements on economic policy
• Federal Reserve related events
• Trade policy announcements

Medium Impact:

• Speeches and public remarks
• Travel to economic forums or summits
• Meeting announcements with foreign leaders

Lower Impact:

• Pool call times (unless for significant events)
• Routine ceremonial events
• Internal White House meetings

Part 11: Troubleshooting

Panel Not Appearing

If the panel doesn't appear after installation:

1. Check that MetaTrader 5 → Tools → Options → Expert Advisors → "Allow WebRequest for listed URL" is enabled
2. Verify the indicator is attached to the chart (check Indicators list in Navigator)
3. Try adjusting InpPanelX and InpPanelY to ensure the panel isn't off-screen
4. Remove and re-add the indicator to reset

No Events Loading

If the panel shows "No events loaded":

1. Enable InpDebugMode = true and check the Experts log for error messages
2. Verify your internet connection is active
3. The White House website may be temporarily unavailable - wait 30 minutes and try manual refresh
4. Check that your firewall or antivirus isn't blocking MT5's web requests

Incorrect Times Displayed

If event times seem wrong:

1. Verify InpBrokerGMTOffset matches your broker's actual GMT offset
2. Check your computer's timezone settings are correct
3. Ensure InpAutoDetectDST = true if during US Daylight Saving Time period
4. Remember that ET switches between GMT-5 (winter) and GMT-4 (summer DST)

Panel Overlapping Charts

If the panel covers important chart areas:

1. Adjust InpPanelX and InpPanelY to reposition
2. Reduce InpPanelWidth if the panel is too wide
3. Decrease InpMaxEvents to reduce vertical space
4. Use InpMinimizedStart = true to start with a collapsed panel

Part 12: Advanced Tips

Multi-Chart Setup

You can attach POTUSCalendar to multiple charts with different configurations:

• Chart 1 (Main): Full panel with 10 events, normal position
• Chart 2 (Secondary): Minimized panel or positioned differently
• Chart 3 (Mobile view): Compact panel with fewer events

Each chart maintains its own panel position and settings independently.

Combining with Economic Calendar

For comprehensive fundamental analysis, use POTUSCalendar alongside an economic calendar indicator:

• POTUSCalendar for political events and policy announcements
• Economic calendar for data releases (NFP, CPI, GDP, etc.)
• Position panels side-by-side for complete news awareness

Alert Integration Strategy

While POTUSCalendar displays upcoming events, you can create your own alert system:

1. Monitor the countdown timers
2. Set alarms on your phone/computer for events showing "In 1h" (orange countdown)
3. Use the event times to set MT5 alerts or price levels in advance

Part 13: Best Practices for Trading Around Events

Pre-Event Preparation

When an important event appears on POTUSCalendar:

• 60 minutes before: Review your open positions and consider reducing leverage
• 30 minutes before: Tighten stop losses to protect against unexpected volatility
• 15 minutes before: Avoid opening new positions unless specifically trading the news
• During event: Monitor price action closely; spreads may widen
• After event: Wait for initial volatility to settle before re-entering

Event Trading vs Event Avoidance

Event Traders: Use POTUSCalendar to identify opportunities. Focus on Press Briefings and Official Schedule events marked with high impact potential. Be ready 15 minutes before event time.

Event Avoiders: Use the countdown timers to close positions before high-risk events. The color-coded system helps you plan exits - when you see red countdowns (under 1 hour), it's time to secure profits or minimize exposure.

Correlation with Market Hours

White House events often occur during specific market sessions:

Conclusion

POTUSCalendar provides professional traders with institutional-level awareness of White House events directly within MetaTrader 5. By displaying real-time schedule data with automatic timezone conversion and color-coded event categorization, the indicator helps you stay informed about political developments that can move markets.

Key advantages of using POTUSCalendar:

• Never miss important White House announcements that could impact your trades
• Accurate time conversion to your local time and broker time eliminates confusion
• Color-coded event types allow quick assessment of potential market impact
• Countdown timers provide at-a-glance awareness of upcoming events
• Customizable display adapts to any trading style or screen setup
• Automatic updates ensure you always have the latest schedule information

Whether you're a day trader who needs minute-by-minute awareness or a swing trader planning positions around major events, POTUSCalendar gives you the information edge needed for informed trading decisions in today's politically sensitive markets.

Need Help?

Join our MQL5 community group for support, updates, and discussions: POTUSCalendar Community Group

For direct support or feature requests, contact via MQL5 messaging: Kaan Çalışkan Profile

Disclaimer

POTUSCalendar is an informational tool that displays publicly available White House schedule data. Event information is sourced from official public schedules and may be subject to changes or cancellations without notice. This indicator does not provide trading signals or recommendations. Always conduct your own analysis and risk assessment before making trading decisions. Past political events are not indicative of future market reactions. Trading involves substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for all investors.