ArtQuant Gold
User Manual and Input Reference
Version 3.0 - Build 31 May 2026
For XAUUSD / Gold
Scope of this manual
This document describes end-user operation of ArtQuant Gold v3.0 for MetaTrader 5. It focuses on installation, visible inputs, risk and closure scope, panel interpretation, testing, troubleshooting, and support information.
Important risk note
This Expert Advisor can open and close real market positions. No setting, broker profile, backtest, or preset is a performance guarantee. Users are responsible for testing, broker selection, sizing, VPS reliability, and monitoring.
Scope clarification added
All closure and risk-control sections explicitly distinguish between account-level metrics and EA-managed trades. This is important when the account also runs manual trades or other Expert Advisors.
- 1. Product scope and core definitions
- 2. Account-level vs EA-level control scope
- 3. What can close trades and what only blocks new cycles
- 4. Requirements before installation
- 5. Installation and first launch
- 6. How the EA identifies and manages trades
- 7. Visible input reference
- 8. Panel reference and metric scope
- 9. Backtesting and optimization guidelines
- 10. Operational procedures
- 11. Troubleshooting
- 12. FAQ
- Appendix A. Input summary
- Appendix B. Practical formulas and limits
1. Product scope and core definitions
ArtQuant Gold is an Expert Advisor for MetaTrader 5 focused on XAUUSD / Gold. The product is designed to be attached to a compatible Gold chart. The chart timeframe does not drive the strategy logic; the EA manages its own internal timing and timeframes.
The EA is module-based. A module can start a cycle, and a cycle can contain one or more positions managed together by that module. Several filters block only new cycles. They do not necessarily stop the EA from managing positions that are already open.
Definition: cycle
A cycle is the group of one or more EA positions opened and managed by one module. When a filter says it blocks new cycles, it means the EA will not start a fresh module cycle while that filter is active. Existing EA cycles remain under management.
- The EA manages only positions matching its product symbol and Magic Number structure.
- The main protection model is virtual-only: broker-side SL/TP levels may not be visible on positions.
- The terminal or VPS must remain running and connected for virtual exits and management actions to execute.
- New-cycle filters do not automatically close existing cycles.
- Most visible risk limits are EA-scope controls: they act on this EA's own positions, not the whole trading account.
2. Account-level vs EA-level control scope
This distinction is essential when the same account also runs manual trades or other Expert Advisors. Some values displayed by the panel come from the whole account, while most trade-management decisions are based only on positions identified as ArtQuant Gold positions.
| Item | Scope | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Balance | Whole account | The MT5 account balance reported by the broker. It includes all realized activity on the account, not only this EA. |
| Equity | Whole account | The MT5 account equity reported by the broker. It includes floating P/L from all open positions on the account. |
| Margin / margin level | Whole account | Broker account-level margin information. Other EAs or manual trades can affect it. |
| DD Now in panel | Whole account | Calculated from account Balance and Equity. It can be affected by manual trades and other EAs. |
| Floating / Open P/L in panel | This EA only | Open floating result of positions identified by this EA's symbols and Magic Numbers. Other EAs and manual trades are excluded. |
| Daily P/L in panel | This EA only | Closed deals from today identified by this EA's Magic Numbers and symbols. Other EAs and manual trades are excluded. |
| Max Total Lots | This EA only | Counts only this EA's managed lots. It does not count manual trades or other EAs. |
| Max Active Modules | This EA only | Counts only this EA's modules with open cycles. It does not count other systems. |
| Drawdown Protection trigger | EA P/L with account-balance reference | The threshold is calculated from account balance in % mode, but the comparison is against this EA's floating P/L. |
| Drawdown Protection action | This EA only | Alert/closure actions affect this EA's trades only. Other EAs and manual positions are not intentionally closed. |
| Close EA Trades button | This EA only | Closes only positions managed by this EA Magic Number set. It is not a whole-account emergency close button. |
Practical implication
If another EA causes a large account drawdown, ArtQuant Gold's Drawdown Protection may not trigger unless ArtQuant Gold's own floating P/L reaches its configured limit. Conversely, if ArtQuant Gold reaches its EA-level limit while another system is profitable, the EA-level drawdown control can still trigger.
3. What can close trades and what only blocks new cycles
3.1 Functions that can close EA trades| Function / event | Can close trades? | Scope and particularities |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Take Profit | Yes | Closes the relevant EA module cycle when the internal virtual TP condition is reached. Only EA-managed positions for that module are affected. |
| Virtual Stop Loss | Yes | Closes the relevant EA module cycle when the internal virtual SL condition is reached, subject to the product's internal management rules. Only EA-managed positions for that module are affected. |
| Virtual Trailing Stop | Yes | Moves and applies internally. It can close the relevant EA module cycle when the virtual trailing level is reached. |
| Drawdown Protection - Close and continue | Yes | When the selected EA-level floating DD limit is reached, closes EA trades and leaves the EA loaded. It does not close manual trades or other EAs. |
| Drawdown Protection - Close and remove EA | Yes | Same closure scope as above, then removes this EA instance from the chart. Other EAs remain loaded. |
| Drawdown Protection - Alert | No | Sends/prints an alert when the EA-level limit is reached. It does not close trades. |
| Friday Close Mode - close all | Yes | After the configured Friday server hour, closes open EA trades regardless of P/L. Other EAs/manual trades are not closed. |
| Friday Close Mode - profit only | Yes, conditionally | After the configured Friday server hour, closes a module cycle only when that module's floating result is not negative. |
| CLOSE EA TRADES panel button | Yes | After user confirmation, closes all currently detected EA-managed positions. It is intentionally not named Close All Account Trades. |
| Internal product risk lock | Yes, if active | If an internal product-level risk lock is active, it closes EA trades and pauses new cycles. This is not a user input in this build. |
| Manual user action in MT5 | Yes | The user can manually close any position from MT5. This is outside the EA's automated logic. |
No whole-account close function
The visible interface does not intentionally close manual trades or positions belonging to other Magic Numbers. Closure functions are based on the EA's own symbol/Magic identification.
3.2 Functions that block new cycles but do not close existing cycles
| Function / filter | Blocks new cycles? | Closes existing EA trades? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start Paused / Pause button | Yes | No | Existing EA cycles remain managed. |
| Block new cycles on Fridays | Yes, on Fridays | No | Separate from Friday Close Mode. |
| Block first Friday of month | Yes, first Friday | No | Date-based NFP-style filter. |
| USD MT5 Calendar Filter | Yes, around matching live USD events | No | Ignored in Strategy Tester and optimization. |
| Holiday Break Filter | Yes, inside configured date range | No | Uses the configured December/January dates. |
| Max Active Modules | Yes, if open module limit is reached | No | Does not close existing modules. |
| Max Total Lots | Blocks entries at/above cap | No | Soft pre-entry exposure guard for this EA only. |
| Max Spread for Entries | Yes, while spread is above limit | No | Virtual management remains active. |
4. Requirements before installation
| Requirement | Explanation |
|---|---|
| MetaTrader 5 | Install and run the EA only in MetaTrader 5. This manual does not apply to MetaTrader 4. |
| Hedging account | The EA requires an MT5 hedging account. It will fail initialization on incompatible margin modes such as netting accounts. |
| Compatible symbol | Use a Gold symbol compatible with XAUUSD / Gold, such as XAUUSD, XAUUSDm, XAUUSD.pro, GOLD, or similar broker variants. |
| Automated trading enabled | Algo Trading must be enabled in the terminal and in the EA settings. Trading must also be allowed by the account and broker server. |
| Stable connection or VPS | Because exits and protection are virtual/internal, the terminal should remain connected while positions are open. A reliable VPS is strongly recommended. |
| Sufficient margin | The user must choose deposit, leverage, lot mode, and risk level according to the broker and account conditions. Other EAs on the same account also consume margin. |
5. Installation and first launch
1. Install the EA from the MQL5 Market in MetaTrader 5.
2. Open Market Watch and make sure your broker Gold symbol is visible and receiving quotes.
3. Open a chart for the Gold symbol. The chart timeframe can be any timeframe.
4. Attach the EA to the chart from the Navigator or Market section.
5. Enable Algo Trading and allow automated trading in the EA properties.
6. Review the visible inputs before starting live operation.
7. Start with demo testing or small risk until you understand behavior under your broker conditions.
Chart timeframe
The chart timeframe does not affect the internal logic. Use a compatible Gold symbol chart; timeframe selection is not important for the EA logic.
6. How the EA identifies and manages trades
6.1 Symbol handling
This product build is configured for XAUUSD / Gold. The EA accepts common broker variants and suffixes/prefixes around the product symbol. If the EA is attached to a non-compatible chart such as EURUSD, it can load but remains inactive and does not open trades.
| Chart symbol example | Expected behavior |
|---|---|
| XAUUSD | Compatible. The EA can operate if all other conditions allow it. |
| XAUUSDm / XAUUSD.pro / #XAUUSD / XAUUSD-ECN | Compatible broker variants. The EA can operate if trading conditions allow it. |
| GOLD / GOLDm / GOLD.cash | Compatible Gold aliases when available at the broker. |
| EURUSD / GBPUSD / BTCUSD / US30 / XAGUSD | Unsupported for this Gold product build. The EA remains inactive and should not open trades. |
6.2 Magic Number and continuity
The EA uses the visible Magic Number as the base identity for its modules. It scans open positions by symbol and Magic Number, so it can continue managing existing EA positions after a terminal restart, PC change, or VPS migration, provided the same account, product, symbol, and Magic Number are used.
Do not change Magic Number with open cycles
Changing the Magic Number while EA positions are open can make the new instance unable to identify the old positions as its own. When migrating to a VPS or another computer, keep the same Magic Number and attach the same product to the compatible symbol.
- Use a unique Magic Number if running multiple EAs on the same account.
- Do not run two terminals managing the same account, symbol, and Magic Number at the same time.
- If using multiple copies intentionally, assign a different Magic Number to each copy and understand that total exposure is cumulative.
6.3 Virtual-only protection
The EA manages take-profit, stop-loss, grid, trailing, and related protection internally. Broker-side SL/TP levels may not appear on open positions. This is intentional and should not be interpreted as missing protection.
Operational consequence
Virtual protection requires the terminal or VPS to remain running and connected. If MT5 is closed, disconnected, or blocked from trading, virtual exits cannot be executed until the EA is running again.
7. Visible input reference
This section documents visible inputs intended for end users. Hidden internal parameters are not part of the user configuration surface.
7.1 Product Information
| Input | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | ArtQuant Gold v3.0 (31 May 2026) |
| Overview | EA for XAUUSD (Gold). |
| Website | MQL5 Market product page |
7.2 Initial State and Panel
| Input | Default | Scope / Description |
|---|---|---|
| Start Paused; blocks new cycles | Off | EA scope. When On, the EA starts in paused mode and does not start new cycles. Existing EA cycles can still be managed. |
| Show Information Panel | Off | Chart/UI scope. Shows or hides the information panel and its operational buttons. |
| Input | Default | Scope / Formula / Particularities |
|---|---|---|
| Lot Mode | Automatic Risk | EA entries only. Automatic Risk uses an internal divisor from Setup Profile + Auto Risk Level. Fixed Lot uses Fixed Lot Value. Fixed by Balance uses the formula below. |
| Auto Risk Level | Medium | Used only when Lot Mode is Automatic Risk. Higher risk levels generally increase calculated volume; lower levels reduce it. |
| Fixed Lot Value | 0.01 | Used directly in Fixed Lot mode. In Fixed by Balance mode, it is the base unit. Minimum accepted value is 0.01. |
| Balance Step for Fixed/Balance | 500.0 | Formula: volume = (account balance / balance step) * fixed lot value. Final volume is normalized to broker volume step. |
| Max Total Lots; 0=Off | 0.0 | EA-only soft exposure cap. Counts this EA's open lots only. It blocks entries when total EA lots are at the cap or when the next EA entry would exceed it. It does not close existing positions and does not count other EAs/manual trades. |
| Drawdown Protection | OFF | EA-level floating P/L control. Threshold may be derived from account balance, but the trigger comparison uses this EA's floating P/L. Actions affect this EA's trades only. |
| Drawdown Limit (% or money) | 0 | Percent mode: threshold = account balance * value / 100, then compared to this EA's floating loss. Money mode: threshold = value in account currency, compared to this EA's floating loss. |
| Friday Close Mode | OFF | EA-trade closure control. Can close this EA's open trades after the selected Friday server hour. It does not close manual trades or other EAs. |
| Friday Close Hour | 22:00 | Broker/server hour used by Friday Close Mode. Profit-only mode closes a module only if that module's floating result is not negative. |
7.4 Drawdown Protection modes in detail
| Mode | Trigger source | Action |
|---|---|---|
| OFF | No DD trigger. | No DD action. |
| Close at DD % and continue | This EA's floating P/L <= -(account balance * DD Limit / 100). | Closes EA-managed trades only. The EA remains loaded and can continue after conditions allow new cycles. |
| Close at DD % and remove EA | Same percent trigger as above. | Closes EA-managed trades only, then removes this EA instance from the chart. |
| Alert at DD % | Same percent trigger as above. | Alerts only. Does not close trades. |
| Close at money DD and continue | This EA's floating P/L <= -DD Limit in account currency. | Closes EA-managed trades only. The EA remains loaded. |
| Close at money DD and remove EA | Same money trigger as above. | Closes EA-managed trades only, then removes this EA instance from the chart. |
| Alert at money DD | Same money trigger as above. | Alerts only. Does not close trades. |
Drawdown Protection is not account-wide liquidation
This feature does not monitor or close every position on the account. It uses this EA's own floating P/L for the trigger and closes only this EA's detected positions in closure modes.
7.5 Execution Filters
| Input | Default | Scope / Description |
|---|---|---|
| Magic Number; keep with open cycles | 1234 | EA identity. Must be greater than 0. Keep unchanged while EA cycles are open. Use different Magic Numbers for independent copies. |
| Max Spread for Entries | 100 | Entry filter. High spread blocks entries but does not intentionally stop virtual management or forced closure functions. |
| Max Slippage in Points | 100 | Trade-request setting used when sending orders/closures to the broker. |
| Push Notifications for Closures | Off | Notification setting. Sends mobile push notifications for supported closure/risk events if MT5 notifications are configured. |
7.6 Broker Profile
| Input | Default | Scope / Description |
|---|---|---|
| Setup Profile | IC Markets / Vantage RAW | Selects a setup template. Broker profiles are templates, not performance guarantees. |
| Trade Direction | Buy only | Global entry direction filter for this EA. Buy only blocks sell entries; Sell only blocks buy entries; Buy and Sell allows both when module logic allows it. |
| Max Active Modules; 0=No limit | 0 | EA-only module cap. Limits how many modules may have open cycles at the same time. It is not a total-position limit and does not count other EAs. |
| Module 01 ... Module 12 | Off by default in inputs | Used in Advanced Setup. Enables/disables modules for new cycles. Existing cycles can still be managed even if a module setting changes later. |
Advanced Setup
Advanced Setup requires at least one active module. If all modules are Off in Advanced Setup, initialization fails. Preset profiles define their own active modules automatically.
7.7 New Cycle Filters
| Input | Default | Scope / Description |
|---|---|---|
| Calendar note | News filter uses MT5/MQL5 Calendar data. | Informational. The USD news filter uses the MetaTrader 5 / MQL5 economic calendar. It does not use external files. |
| Scope note | News filter live only; tester ignored. | The MT5 Calendar news filter is ignored in Strategy Tester and optimization. Other date filters can still act in tester. |
| Files note | No Excel/external history files used. | No CSV, Excel, or third-party news history file is read by the EA. |
| Block new cycles on Fridays | Off | Blocks new EA cycles on Fridays according to broker/server time. Does not close existing EA trades. |
| Block first Friday of month | Off | Date-based NFP-style filter. Blocks new EA cycles on the first Friday of each month. Does not read the actual NFP event name. |
| USD MT5 Calendar Filter | Off | Live/demo only. Blocks new EA cycles around matching USD calendar events returned by MT5/MQL5 Calendar. If calendar data is unavailable, the filter cannot block. |
| USD Event Impact | High impact only | High impact only blocks high-impact USD events. Medium + high impact blocks moderate and high-impact USD events. |
| Minutes Before News | 60 | Start blocking this many minutes before a matching USD calendar event. Negative values are rejected. |
| Minutes After News | 60 | Continue blocking this many minutes after a matching USD calendar event. Negative values are rejected. |
| Holiday Break Filter | Off | Blocks new EA cycles during the configured December/January holiday window. Does not close existing EA trades. |
| Holiday Start Day in December | 20 | Start day for the holiday break. Must be from 1 to 31. |
| Holiday End Day in January | 10 | End day for the holiday break. Must be from 1 to 31. |
8. Panel reference and metric scope
The information panel mixes account-wide metrics with EA-only exposure metrics. The table below identifies the scope of each important line.
| Panel line | Scope | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| EA | EA instance | Runtime state: active, paused, managing, blocked, filtered, spread high, or unsupported. |
| Symbol | EA product/symbol | Current symbol status and compatibility. |
| New Cycles | EA new-cycle permission | Whether this EA is currently allowed to start fresh cycles. Existing cycles may still be managed. |
| Trading | Spread | Terminal/symbol + entry spread | Trading permission and current spread versus Max Spread for Entries. |
| Balance | Whole account | Account balance from the broker. Includes all realized activity on the account. |
| Equity | Whole account | Account equity from the broker. Includes all floating positions on the account. |
| Floating | This EA only | Floating P/L of EA-managed open positions. Other EAs/manual positions are excluded. |
| Daily P/L | This EA only | Today's closed EA deals identified by EA Magic Numbers and symbols. Other activity is excluded. |
| DD Now | Whole account | Account-level equity drawdown from Balance to Equity. This is not the same as the DD Guard trigger. |
| Margin | Whole account | Account-level margin level. Other systems affect it. |
| Max Lots | This EA only | Visible setting for EA-only lot exposure cap. |
| Risk Lock | EA product safeguard | Normally OK. If an internal risk lock is active, the EA pauses new cycles and can close EA trades. |
| DD Guard | This EA only for trigger/action | Shows Drawdown Protection mode/limit. Closure modes close only EA-managed trades. |
| News | EA new-cycle filter | Shows USD MT5 Calendar filter state when enabled. |
| Magic | EA identity | Base Magic Number used by this EA instance. |
| Open Cycles | This EA only | Number of EA modules currently holding open cycles. |
| Positions / Lots | This EA only | Open positions and lots managed by this EA. |
| Buy/Sell | This EA only | Count of EA-managed buy and sell positions. |
| Open P/L | This EA only | Same EA floating exposure concept: open P/L of this EA. |
| Protection | EA execution model | Virtual-only means protection is handled internally by the EA. |
| Module Status | This EA only | Module state symbols: + positive P/L, - negative P/L, . idle, x disabled. |
| Best Open / Weakest Open | This EA only | Best and weakest open EA module cycle by floating result. |
Why DD Now and DD Guard can differ
DD Now is account-level because it uses account Balance and Equity. DD Guard is EA-level because it compares this EA's floating P/L against the selected DD limit. This distinction matters on accounts running other systems.
8.1 Panel buttons| Button | Action | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| PAUSE EA / RESUME EA | Toggles pause mode. | Blocks/resumes new cycles for this EA. Existing EA cycles remain managed. |
| CLOSE EA TRADES | Asks for confirmation and then closes detected EA-managed positions. | This EA only. It is not intended to close manual trades or positions from other EAs. |
| INFORMATION / STATUS | Expands/collapses the panel. | Visual only. Does not change trading logic. |
9. Backtesting and optimization guidelines
- Use a compatible Gold symbol and realistic broker conditions whenever possible.
- Prefer real ticks for serious validation. Avoid relying on a single short period.
- The MT5/MQL5 Calendar news filter is ignored in Strategy Tester and optimization. It does not use external historical news files.
- Broker symbol digits, spread, commission, swaps, execution, and data quality can materially change results.
- Use the same deposit, leverage, and lot mode assumptions that match the intended live account.
- Do not treat a setup profile as a performance guarantee. It is a starting template.
Calendar filter in tester
Backtests will not reproduce the live MT5 economic calendar filter. If news avoidance is critical to the user, they must understand that live filtering depends on the terminal calendar data available at runtime.
10. Operational procedures
10.1 Migrating to another PC or VPS
1. Do not change the Magic Number while EA cycles are open.
2. Install the same product version on the destination terminal.
3. Open the same trading account and compatible Gold symbol.
4. Attach the EA with the same Magic Number and compatible settings.
5. Do not keep two terminals simultaneously managing the same account/symbol/Magic Number combination.
6. Check the panel: EA-managed positions, lots, and open cycles should be detected.
10.2 Running other EAs on the same account- Use a different Magic Number for every independent EA instance.
- Remember that account Balance, Equity, Margin, and DD Now include activity from all systems.
- ArtQuant Gold risk controls close only ArtQuant Gold trades, not the entire account.
- Total account exposure can still become high when several systems operate simultaneously.
- Avoid changing the Magic Number with open cycles.
- Understand that disabling a module should not be used as a manual close function; existing EA cycles are still managed by identity scanning.
- Use CLOSE EA TRADES if the intention is to close the EA's open positions from the panel.
- Keep the terminal running until all virtual protection and closure actions are complete.
11. Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | Action |
|---|---|---|
| EA loads but does not trade | Paused mode, unsupported symbol, spread too high, no active module, terminal trading disabled, or filter active. | Check panel lines: EA, Symbol, New Cycles, Trading, Spread, News, Max Modules. |
| Drawdown Protection did not close other EA/manual trades | Expected behavior. | Drawdown Protection closes only this EA's managed positions in closure modes. Use account-level broker/platform controls for whole-account risk. |
| Account DD is high but DD Guard did not trigger | DD Now is account-level; DD Guard trigger is based on this EA's floating P/L. | Check whether the loss is from ArtQuant Gold or from another system/manual position. |
| DD Guard triggered while other trades were profitable | EA-level floating loss reached the configured limit even if other account activity offset equity. | This is expected because the trigger uses this EA's floating P/L. |
| CLOSE EA TRADES did not close manual positions | Expected behavior. | The button closes EA-managed trades only. Close manual positions manually in MT5. |
| No broker-side SL/TP visible | Virtual-only protection model. | Keep MT5/VPS running. Do not assume missing broker SL/TP means the EA is not managing. |
| News filter appears inactive in tester | The MT5/MQL5 Calendar filter is ignored in Strategy Tester and optimization. | Test live/demo behavior separately if calendar filtering matters. |
| Fixed/Balance lots seem larger than expected | Formula scales with balance and broker minimum/volume step. | Review balance step, fixed lot, broker minimum lot, and volume step. |
| EA fails initialization | Invalid input, non-hedging account, no active module in Advanced Setup, or trading permission issue. | Read the Experts and Journal tabs for the exact message. |
| Spread filter blocks entries often | Broker spread is above Max Spread for Entries. | Adjust only if the user understands execution risk, or use a broker/session with lower spread. |
| Push notifications not received | MT5 notifications are not configured or input is Off. | Configure MetaQuotes ID in MT5 Options > Notifications and enable Push Notifications for Closures. |
12. FAQ
- Does Drawdown Protection control the whole account?
No. The visible Drawdown Protection feature is based on this EA's floating P/L. In percent mode, the money threshold is calculated from account balance, but the trigger comparison is against this EA's own floating result. Closure modes close only this EA's trades.
- Does Drawdown Protection close trades from other EAs or manual trades?
No. Closure modes close detected ArtQuant Gold positions only. Other EAs and manual trades are not intentionally closed.
- Why does the panel show account Balance and Equity if DD Guard is EA-only?
Balance and Equity are useful account context, but they are account-level metrics. The panel also shows EA-only Floating/Open P/L. DD Guard uses the EA-level floating result, not the whole account floating P/L.
- Why can DD Now be high while DD Guard is OK?
DD Now uses account Balance and Equity, so other EAs/manual positions can affect it. DD Guard can remain OK if ArtQuant Gold itself has not reached the selected DD limit.
- What exactly does CLOSE EA TRADES close?
It closes positions detected as managed by this EA Magic Number set and symbol configuration. It is not a full account close button.
- Which timeframe should I use?
Use any timeframe on the compatible Gold chart. The EA manages internal timing and timeframes itself.
- Can I use this EA on EURUSD, US30, NAS100, or BTCUSD?
This product build is for XAUUSD / Gold. Unsupported symbols remain inactive. Other products would require their own product-specific build.
- Why does the EA not show broker-side stop loss or take profit?
The EA uses virtual/internal protection. Broker-side SL/TP levels are not the main protection model. Keep MT5 running.
- Does Start Paused stop all trading activity?
It blocks new cycles. Existing EA cycles can still be managed.
- What is the difference between Friday Close Mode and Block new cycles on Fridays?
Friday Close Mode can close existing EA trades after the selected Friday hour. Block new cycles on Fridays only prevents fresh cycles from starting on Fridays.
- Does the NFP filter read the real NFP event?
No. It blocks the first Friday of the month by date. The USD MT5 Calendar Filter is the separate live calendar-based news filter.
- Why does the news filter not work in Strategy Tester?
The EA intentionally ignores the MT5/MQL5 Calendar news filter in tester and optimization. It does not use external historical news files.
- Can I change the Magic Number?
Only when no EA cycles are open. Keep the same Magic Number during open cycles and when migrating to a VPS.
- Can I run another EA on the same account?
Yes, but use different Magic Numbers. Also consider total margin and exposure across all systems.
- Can I run two copies of ArtQuant Gold?
Only if each copy has a different Magic Number and the user understands that exposure is independent and cumulative. Do not duplicate the same Magic Number.
- What does Max Active Modules control?
It limits how many ArtQuant Gold modules may have open cycles at the same time. It is not the same as total account positions, total lots, or other EAs.
- What does Max Total Lots control?
It caps total open lots managed by this EA. It does not count other EAs or manual trades and does not close existing exposure.
- Why did the EA use broker minimum lot?
If the calculated volume is below the broker minimum, the EA may use the broker minimum volume. This can increase exposure compared with the intended risk level.
- What should I send to support?
Send screenshots of inputs and panel, Experts/Journal logs, and if relevant the backtest report/settings.
Appendix A - Visible input summary
| Group | Input | Practical purpose / scope |
|---|---|---|
| Initial State & Panel | Start Paused; blocks new cycles | Blocks new EA cycles, not existing-cycle management. |
| Initial State & Panel | Show Information Panel | Show/hide the chart panel. |
| Risk Management | Lot Mode | Select Automatic Risk, Fixed Lot, or Fixed by Balance. |
| Risk Management | Auto Risk Level | Risk label used by Automatic Risk mode. |
| Risk Management | Fixed Lot Value | Fixed volume base. |
| Risk Management | Balance Step for Fixed/Balance | Balance scaling step for Fixed by Balance mode. |
| Risk Management | Max Total Lots; 0=Off | EA-only lot cap; blocks entries, does not close positions. |
| Risk Management | Drawdown Protection | EA-level floating DD alert/closure behavior. |
| Risk Management | Drawdown Limit (% or money) | DD trigger value. Percent mode uses account balance to calculate the money threshold. |
| Risk Management | Friday Close Mode | Optional Friday closure of existing EA trades only. |
| Risk Management | Friday Close Hour | Server hour for Friday closure. |
| Execution Filters | Magic Number; keep with open cycles | EA identity and trade continuity. |
| Execution Filters | Max Spread for Entries | Entry spread limit only. |
| Execution Filters | Max Slippage in Points | Trade request deviation. |
| Execution Filters | Push Notifications for Closures | Mobile notifications for supported EA events. |
| Broker Profile | Setup Profile | Select preset template or Advanced Setup. |
| Broker Profile | Trade Direction | Global buy/sell direction restriction for this EA. |
| Broker Profile | Max Active Modules; 0=No limit | Limit simultaneous open EA module cycles. |
| Broker Profile | Module 01 ... Module 12 | Enable modules in Advanced Setup. |
| New Cycle Filters | Block new cycles on Fridays | Friday new-cycle filter. |
| New Cycle Filters | Block first Friday of month | Date-based first-Friday filter. |
| New Cycle Filters | USD MT5 Calendar Filter | Live USD economic calendar filter for new cycles. |
| New Cycle Filters | USD Event Impact | Calendar impact level to block. |
| New Cycle Filters | Minutes Before News | Calendar block window before event. |
| New Cycle Filters | Minutes After News | Calendar block window after event. |
| New Cycle Filters | Holiday Break Filter | December/January new-cycle filter. |
| New Cycle Filters | Holiday Start Day in December | Start day for holiday filter. |
| New Cycle Filters | Holiday End Day in January | End day for holiday filter. |
Appendix B - Practical formulas and limits
| Area | Formula / rule |
|---|---|
| Fixed Lot | Final volume starts from Fixed Lot Value and is normalized to broker volume step. |
| Fixed by Balance | volume = (account balance / Balance Step for Fixed/Balance) * Fixed Lot Value. |
| Automatic Risk | Uses selected Setup Profile and Auto Risk Level to derive an internal risk divisor. Final volume is normalized to broker volume step. |
| Broker minimum volume | If calculated volume is below broker minimum, the broker minimum volume may be used. This can increase actual exposure. |
| Max Total Lots | Blocks EA entries when total EA lots are already at the cap or when the new EA entry would exceed the cap. Does not count other systems. |
| Drawdown % mode | Money threshold = account balance * Drawdown Limit / 100; trigger comparison uses this EA's floating P/L. |
| Drawdown money mode | Money threshold = Drawdown Limit in account currency; trigger comparison uses this EA's floating P/L. |
| DD closure scope | Closure modes close EA-managed positions only. They do not liquidate the whole account. |
| Daily P/L panel | Closed today's deals identified by this EA's Magic Numbers and symbols. Other EAs/manual trades are excluded. |
| DD Now panel | Account-level Balance vs Equity drawdown. Other EAs/manual trades can affect it. |
| News window | Blocks new cycles from event time minus Minutes Before News to event time plus Minutes After News. Live MT5/MQL5 Calendar only. |
| Holiday window | Blocks new cycles from the selected December day through the selected January day. |
| Magic Number continuity | Keep the same base Magic Number while cycles are open. Use unique Magic Numbers for independent instances. |
