This is the full user manual for SmartEA Local Copier, an ultra-fast local trade copier for MetaTrader 5. Product page: https://www.mql5.com/en/market/product/189305
SmartEA Local Copier copies trades between MT5 terminals running on the same computer or VPS through direct file communication - no external server, no API, no monthly fees. Typical copier reaction time is under 50 ms; end-to-end (including your broker's execution) usually 100-300 ms. One EA, two modes: Transmitter on the source account, Receiver on the destination.
1. HOW IT WORKS
The TRANSMITTER watches all open positions on its account (reacting instantly to trade events, not on a slow timer) and writes them to a small shared file in the MT5 Common folder - a folder every MT5 terminal on the same Windows machine can read.
Each RECEIVER polls that file every 50 ms (configurable) and mirrors the positions: opens what appeared, closes what disappeared, modifies SL/TP that changed, and optionally partially closes when the transmitter's volume decreases.
Key properties:
- Works terminal-to-terminal on one machine or VPS. Different brokers, different account types - fine. Different computers - not supported (that would need a network copier).
- One Transmitter -> unlimited Receivers, each with its own lot sizing and filters.
- Every copied trade carries the master ticket in its comment, so mappings survive terminal restarts and recompiles.
- Manual close protection: close a copy yourself and it will NOT be re-copied.
2. REQUIREMENTS AND INSTALLATION
1. Two or more MetaTrader 5 terminals on the same Windows computer or VPS. Any brokers, hedging or netting.
2. Install the EA in both terminals.
3. Enable Algo Trading in both terminals (the toolbar button must be green).
4. No WebRequest permissions, no DLLs, no external services needed.
Strategy Tester note: a copier needs two live terminals - it cannot be demonstrated in the Strategy Tester. Test it on demo accounts instead (takes 5 minutes, see below).
3. QUICK START (5 MINUTES)
Terminal A - the source account (where trades happen):
1. Attach SmartEA Local Copier to any chart.
2. Account Mode = Transmitter (Source).
3. Copier ID = e.g. GOLD (any name - it links the two sides).
4. OK. The dashboard shows mode TRANSMITTER and Status: ACTIVE.
Terminal B - the destination account:
1. Attach the same EA to any chart.
2. Account Mode = Receiver (Destination).
3. Copier ID = the same GOLD.
4. Pick a lot sizing mode (default: copy 1:1) and OK.
The receiver dashboard shows "TX Status: Active" the moment it sees the transmitter's file. Open a trade on terminal A - within a fraction of a second it appears on terminal B with comment LC_<master ticket>. Close it on A - it closes on B.
Same-account demo test: you can even try it inside ONE terminal - attach the Transmitter to one chart and the Receiver to another, and put the receiver's magic number (default 345678) into the transmitter's "Magic numbers NOT to copy" field so the copy doesn't get re-copied in a loop.
4. INPUT REFERENCE
ACCOUNT MODE
- Account Mode: Transmitter (Source) broadcasts this account's positions; Receiver (Destination) copies them.
CONNECTION
- Copier ID (LOCAL1) - free-form channel name; must match on both sides. Run several independent copy channels by using different IDs.
- Sync/Poll interval (50 ms) - how often the transmitter re-checks / the receiver polls. Raising it lowers CPU use at the cost of latency.
TRANSMITTER FILTERS (which trades get broadcast)
- Copy manual trades (true) - trades with magic = 0
- Copy EA trades (true) - trades with magic != 0
- Magic numbers to copy / NOT to copy - CSV allow/block lists
- Symbols to copy / NOT to copy - CSV, substring match (XAU matches XAUUSD and XAUUSD+)
- Comments to copy / NOT to copy - CSV, substring match on the trade comment
RECEIVER: LOT SIZING (8 MODES)
1. Fixed Lot Size - same lot for every copy
2. Copy Transmitter Lot 1:1 (default)
3. Balance per 0.01 Lot - e.g. 1000 gives 0.03 lot on a $3000 account
4. Transmitter Lot / Divisor - scale down a big master
5. Transmitter Lot x Multiplier - scale up a small master
6. Equity per 0.01 Lot - like balance ratio but on equity
7. Risk % of Balance - lot computed from the master's SL distance so the copy risks exactly X% (needs the master trade to have an SL)
8. % of Balance as Lot - e.g. 0.001 gives 0.1 lot per $100 balance
Minimum/Maximum lot inputs clamp the result of any mode; the broker's own min/step/max are always respected.
RECEIVER: SYMBOL MAPPING
- Symbol suffix / prefix - added to the master's symbol: master XAUUSD + suffix "+" trades XAUUSD+
- Custom map - explicit pairs, comma-separated: XAUUSD.=XAUUSD-ECN,GOLD=XAUUSD (checked before prefix/suffix)
RECEIVER: SL/TP
- SL/TP mode: Copy Exact Prices / Copy as Points Distance (recomputed from the receiver's own entry - better across brokers) / Custom SL/TP / Don't Copy
- Custom SL / TP in points for the Custom mode
RECEIVER: TRADING
- Magic number (345678) - magic of the copies; also the recovery key, don't change while positions are open
- Max slippage (30 points)
- Reverse trade direction (false) - master BUY -> copy SELL
- Trade comment prefix (LC) - copies get comment LC_<master ticket>; this is how positions are matched
- Close mode: Full Close, or Partial Close (mirrors the master's volume reductions)
- Max spread to open (0 = off) - skip opening while spread is too high, retries next poll
- Copy delay (0 ms) - optional artificial delay
RECEIVER: TIME FILTER
- Enable time filter (false) - only copy during given hours (receiver's server time); overnight windows supported (22:00-06:00)
- Close positions outside hours (false) - force-close open copies when the window ends
RECEIVER: RISK MANAGEMENT
- Max simultaneous positions (20)
- Max drawdown % (0 = off) - on equity drawdown from its peak: close all copies and stop copying (latched until you re-initialize the EA)
- Daily profit target $ / Daily loss limit $ (0 = off) - reaching either closes all copies and stops copying until midnight
- Transmitter offline timeout (30 s) - after this long without a fresh file the dashboard shows TX Offline and alerts; existing positions are KEPT (the master may just be restarting)
NOTIFICATIONS AND DASHBOARD
Popup and push notifications on trade events and errors; dashboard position and colors.
5. THE DASHBOARDS
Transmitter panel: account info (name, number, server, Demo/Live, leverage, balance), Copier ID, open positions being broadcast, file sync counter, last sync time, status and error counter.
Receiver panel: account info incl. equity; connection block (Copier ID, TX Status: Waiting / Active / TX Offline / DD LIMIT / LOSS LIMIT / PROFIT TARGET / Outside Hours); positions block (TX positions, my positions, total copied, total closed); P/L block (total and daily P/L of copied trades); risk block (max drawdown seen, current spread); errors and last trade.
Status colors: green = working, yellow = waiting, red = stopped by a protection or transmitter offline, orange = outside trading hours.
6. SAFETY AND RECOVERY BEHAVIOR
1. Restart-proof: copies carry LC_<master ticket> in their comment. On start the receiver rebuilds its master-copy map from open positions - nothing is duplicated or orphaned after a terminal restart, recompile or input change.
2. Manual close protection: close a copy by hand and it stays closed - the receiver remembers the master ticket (also across restarts) and will not re-copy it.
3. Transmitter shutdown is graceful: on deliberate shutdown the transmitter marks the file OFFLINE; the receiver shows TX Offline and keeps positions (they still have their SL/TP). It does NOT panic-close.
4. Risk latches: drawdown/daily limits close all copies and stop the receiver until you re-initialize it - deliberate, a tripped limit deserves a human look.
5. The receiver never touches positions it did not open (only trades with its magic number and comment prefix).
7. TYPICAL SETUPS
- Signal to personal account (same VPS): Transmitter on the signal terminal, Receiver on yours, lot mode Balance per 0.01 Lot, SL/TP Copy as Points Distance.
- Broker A to Broker B: different symbol names? Use suffix/prefix or the custom map. Copy as Points Distance recommended because absolute prices differ between brokers.
- One master, several accounts with different risk: one Transmitter, N Receivers with different lot multipliers.
- Prop-firm style protection: Receiver with Max drawdown % = 4 and Daily loss limit = 500 - copying stops before the account breaches its rules.
- Contrarian copy: Reverse trade direction = true (consider SL/TP mode Custom - reversed trades usually shouldn't inherit the master's stops).
8. TROUBLESHOOTING
- Receiver shows "Waiting" forever -> Copier IDs don't match exactly, or the transmitter isn't running / Algo Trading is off on the source terminal.
- "TX Offline" -> the source terminal is closed or frozen; positions are kept. Restart the source terminal.
- "Symbol not found: XYZ" in the log -> the receiver's broker names the symbol differently; set suffix/prefix or a custom map entry.
- Copies open with wrong lot -> check the lot sizing mode and its parameter; remember min/max clamps and the broker's own limits.
- Log says "Spread too high" -> the max-spread filter is doing its job; it retries on the next poll while the master position exists.
- Nothing copies although master trades have magic != 0 -> "Copy EA trades" is off, or a magic/symbol/comment filter excludes them.
- Same-account test loops (copies of copies) -> add the receiver's magic number to the transmitter's "Magic numbers NOT to copy".
Limits: one transmitter per Copier ID; receivers per ID - unlimited; positions per receiver - the Max simultaneous positions input.
9. MEASURED PERFORMANCE
On a live test (Vantage demo): master deal executed at 11:28:11.071, the copy's deal at 11:28:11.310 - 239 ms end-to-end, of which the copier's own detection and order submission took under 50 ms; the rest is the broker's execution time. Your numbers will vary with broker and symbol, but the copier is never the bottleneck.
QUESTIONS?
Ask in the Comments section of the product page or send me a private message - I answer and support the product: https://www.mql5.com/en/market/product/189305
