FOUNDATION: Complete Installation, Portfolio Setup and Module Guide

FOUNDATION: Complete Installation, Portfolio Setup and Module Guide

FOUNDATION is a multi-symbol, multi-timeframe Forex portfolio Expert Advisor for MetaTrader 5. One EA instance monitors and manages all enabled strategy modules from a single chart. This guide explains installation, preset loading, lot sizing, module selection, DCA, basket exits, portfolio limits, correlation control, prop-firm protection and troubleshooting.

Product page: FOUNDATION on the MQL5 Market

1. Before you start

• Use MetaTrader 5 and a broker account that provides the required Forex symbols.
• A hedging account is recommended because the portfolio can manage several positions independently.
• The verified reference tests used 1:200 leverage. Lower leverage can change margin availability and trade execution.
• Right-click inside Market Watch and select Show All.
• Use a stable, low-latency VPS running 24/5.

FOUNDATION does not require DLL imports or WebRequest permissions.

2. Install FOUNDATION from the MQL5 Market

1. Open MetaTrader 5 and sign in with the MQL5 account used for the purchase.
2. Open Navigator > Market > My Purchases.
3. Find FOUNDATION 2.0 and click Install.
4. After installation, find the EA under Navigator > Expert Advisors > Market.
5. If the EA is not visible, refresh Navigator or restart MetaTrader 5.

3. Enable automated trading

1. Open Tools > Options > Expert Advisors.
2. Enable Allow algorithmic trading.
3. Turn on the main Algo Trading button. It must be green.

4. Attach the EA to one chart

1. Open one liquid Forex chart. EURUSD H1 is recommended as the host chart.
2. Drag FOUNDATION 2.0 from Navigator onto the chart.
3. In the Common tab, enable Allow Algo Trading.
4. Open Inputs and load the preset designed for your account size.
5. Click OK.

Only one chart is required. The host chart does not determine the strategy timeframes. Each module uses its own internally configured symbol and timeframe. Do not attach the same FOUNDATION configuration to several charts on the same account.

5. Loading a preset

1. Open the EA Inputs window.
2. Click Load and select the required .set file.
3. Confirm that EA Enabled = true.
4. Check Starting Lot, Maximum Lot per Order, Maximum Lots per Strategy, Maximum Active Baskets and Maximum Total Lots.
5. Click OK and verify the values on the chart panel.

A preset defines much more than lot size. It can also select modules, DCA counts, TP/SL values, portfolio capacity and account guards. Loading the wrong preset can materially change risk. Older FOUNDATION 1.161 presets are technically compatible, but they overwrite the current FOUNDATION 2.0 portfolio settings. Use a supplied FOUNDATION 2.0 preset for the published configuration.

6. Lot-size configuration

The effective initial order volume starts with:

Starting Lot × Risk Multiplier

Example: 0.50 Starting Lot × 2.00 Risk Multiplier requests a 1.00-lot base order. The result is then normalized to the broker's permitted minimum, maximum and lot step, and it remains subject to all order, strategy and portfolio caps.

• Starting Lot: base volume used by the strategy modules.
• Risk Multiplier: global multiplier for base and additional basket lots.
• Maximum Lot per Order: hard ceiling for one entry or DCA order.
• Maximum Lots per Strategy: combined open volume allowed for one module.
• Maximum Active Baskets: maximum number of simultaneous strategy baskets. Zero means unlimited.
• Orders per Basket Override: global order-count override. Zero preserves each module's tested value.
• Maximum Total Lots: combined FOUNDATION exposure. Zero means unlimited.
• Maximum Total Positions: global position-count ceiling.
• Maximum Lots/Positions per Symbol: optional symbol-level limits.

All limits must be internally consistent. Raising Starting Lot without raising Maximum Lot per Order may have no effect because the lower hard cap wins. Increasing lot size increases both profit potential and monetary drawdown. Results do not always scale perfectly because margin, spread, commission, slippage and capacity limits can change which orders are executed.

7. Reserved portfolio capacity for DCA

When Enable Reserved Portfolio Lot Manager is enabled, FOUNDATION separates new-basket capacity from the absolute portfolio ceiling:

• Portfolio Hard Maximum Lots is the absolute lot ceiling.
• New Basket Entry Maximum Lots stops new baskets earlier.
• The difference remains available for managing baskets already open.

Example: a 12-lot hard ceiling with a 9-lot new-entry ceiling reserves up to 3 lots for DCA. This prevents new signals from consuming every available lot while older baskets may still require their planned management capacity.

8. Selecting strategy modules

FOUNDATION contains 35 module slots. Each has its own symbol, timeframe, signal logic and basket-management profile.

• Module Enabled = true: the module may open new baskets.
• Module Enabled = false: no new basket is opened by that module.
• Disabling a module does not abandon an already-open basket; FOUNDATION continues managing recognized open positions.
• Enabling all modules is not automatically better. It can increase currency overlap, capacity competition and drawdown.

9. Understanding module correlation

Portfolio diversification is not simply the number of enabled modules. Two modules can use different logic and still become correlated when they share a currency, react to the same macro event or compete for portfolio capacity.

Important exposure clusters inside the available module universe include:

• CAD cluster: EURCAD, AUDCAD, NZDCAD, USDCAD, GBPCAD, CADJPY and CADCHF.
• JPY cluster: EURJPY, AUDJPY, CADJPY and CHFJPY.
• GBP cluster: GBPNZD, EURGBP, GBPUSD, GBPCAD, GBPCHF and GBPAUD.
• Repeated-symbol cluster: multiple modules can trade AUDCAD, NZDUSD, CADJPY, EURCAD, EURGBP, GBPUSD, EURCHF, GBPNZD, CHFJPY or NZDCHF using different logic or timeframe.

Correlation is not constant. A pair relationship that is weak in a quiet period can become strongly linked during a central-bank decision, geopolitical shock or broad USD/JPY/CAD move. For this reason, a single fixed historical correlation percentage should not be treated as permanent.

FOUNDATION addresses concentration through several layers:

1. Preset-level selection of complementary modules.
2. Maximum Active Baskets and total-lot limits.
3. Optional per-symbol lot and position limits.
4. Optional long/short currency-exposure limits for USD, EUR, GBP, JPY, CHF, CAD, AUD and NZD.
5. An optional rolling Portfolio Correlation Guard with configurable lookback and maximum accepted correlation.

This is also why a module with modest standalone profit can still improve the full portfolio: its trading schedule and losing periods may complement stronger modules. Conversely, several excellent standalone systems can perform worse together if they demand capacity or draw down at the same time.

10. Individual module controls

Modules M01–M23 use pip-based basket targets and provide:

• Basket Profit Target in first-order pips
• Basket SL in pips
• Maximum DCA Adds
• DCA Distance in ATR
• DCA Lot Multiplier
• Signal Exit Minimum Profit
• Native Basket Age Limit
• Hard Close at Native Age Limit

Modules M24–M35 use a net basket-profit target in account currency together with their module-specific DCA and age controls. These are strategy parameters, not cosmetic options. Changing them invalidates direct comparison with the published preset test.

11. Global DCA controls

• Global Maximum DCA Adds: overrides module counts when greater than zero. Zero keeps native values.
• Minimum Hours Between Basket Orders: adds a time gap between entry and DCA orders.
• Global DCA Distance Multiplier: scales all native distances. 1.20 makes them 20% wider.
• DCA Distance ATR Override: replaces native ATR distances globally when greater than zero.
• Minimum DCA Distance: hard minimum distance in pips from the latest basket order.

A DCA order is placed only when the module condition, adverse-distance rule, spread/session checks, order count and every applicable exposure limit permit it.

12. Basket take profit, stop loss and age management

• Global Basket TP Multiplier: scales native pip-based targets. 1.40 means 40% above the native target.
• Global Basket Profit Target: replaces module pip targets when greater than zero.
• Include Charged Costs in Basket TP: adds charged commission and negative swap to the target.
• Estimate Exit Commission: estimates closing-side commission.
• Place Basket TP/SL on Positions: synchronizes protective levels to broker-side position fields when possible.
• Global Basket SL Multiplier: scales native basket stop distances.
• Swap-Cost Break-Even Exit: allows an old basket to close around swap-net break-even or better.
• Strategy-Specific Basket Age Limits: enables the modules' native time-management rules.

After DCA, FOUNDATION manages the combined basket volume and average entry. The calculated basket TP is therefore not simply the original first-order target measured from the latest order.

13. Prop Firm Mode and optional account guards

Prop Firm Mode applies a separate maximum-total-lot value, daily-equity-loss percentage and floating-equity-loss percentage. It can also close baskets when the floating limit is reached. If normal and prop-firm limits overlap, the stricter effective protection is used.

Always configure these limits according to the exact rules, server-time reset and calculation method of the selected firm. No EA can guarantee passing or continued compliance with every prop-firm program.

The normal Optional Account Guards group also includes a Daily Equity Loss Stop, Portfolio Floating Loss Stop and Close All Baskets at Portfolio Stop. Zero disables the percentage stops. Remember that close-at-limit protection realizes the current basket drawdown.

14. Broker and execution inputs

• Signal Scan Interval: frequency of multi-symbol scans.
• Maximum Slippage: permitted order deviation in broker points.
• Magic Number Base: identifies FOUNDATION modules and positions. Never change it while trades are open.
• Maximum Spread Override: global replacement for module spread limits. Zero keeps the tested values.
• Emergency ATR Stop: optional disaster stop with configurable ATR distance.
• Strategy Session Filters: retains the modules' tested trading hours.
• Friday Entry Cutoff: blocks new entries after the selected Friday broker-server hour; existing baskets continue to be managed.

15. Broker symbol suffixes

Keep Automatic Symbol Suffix Detection = true. FOUNDATION can detect common suffixes such as .pro, .r or .i.

If a symbol cannot be found:

1. Select Show All in Market Watch.
2. Confirm that the broker offers the pair.
3. Keep automatic detection enabled.
4. If necessary, enter only the suffix in Manual Symbol Suffix. Example: for EURUSD.pro enter .pro.

16. Optional hedge, correlation and execution variation

• Allow Hedge Positions activates FOUNDATION's optional internal hedge logic. This is different from the broker account being a hedging account.
• Hedge Trigger, Minimum Adverse Grid and Hedge Lot Multiplier control the optional hedge.
• Portfolio Correlation Guard can reject highly correlated new exposure using its configurable lookback and threshold.
• Execution Variation can apply a controlled entry delay and TP/SL variation.
• Variation Seed controls repeatability; zero derives a stable seed from the trading account.

Optional features change trade timing and portfolio composition. Leave them at the supplied preset values unless the new configuration has been tested separately.

17. Information panel

The panel shows account balance, equity, floating result, open lots, portfolio limits, active baskets, positions, symbols, enabled modules and open-basket details. Its corner, offset and colors can be edited. Virtual basket TP/SL lines can also be shown on the matching symbol chart. Hiding the panel does not stop trading.

18. VPS operation

• Keep MT5 connected and running continuously during the trading week.
• When using MQL5 Virtual Hosting, migrate the chart, EA and selected inputs to the VPS.
• Check the VPS journal after migration.
• Do not run the same trading account from two VPS installations using the same Magic Number Base.

19. Confirm correct operation

• The information panel is visible.
• Enabled modules show READY when they have no open basket.
• Algo Trading is active.
• The Experts and Journal tabs show no repeated symbol, permission or trade error.
• The displayed lot, basket and exposure caps match the selected preset.

READY does not mean that a trade must open immediately. A module waits for a valid signal and all portfolio, spread, session and exposure checks.

20. Updating FOUNDATION safely

1. Allow existing baskets to close before changing version or preset whenever possible.
2. Save custom inputs if required.
3. Install the new MQL5 Market version.
4. Reattach the EA and load the matching current preset.
5. Verify module selection, lot limits, the panel and Experts log.

Quick checklist

• MetaTrader 5 installed and connected
• All symbols visible in Market Watch
• Algo Trading enabled
• FOUNDATION attached to one chart only
• Correct preset loaded
• Starting lot and all exposure caps checked
• Active modules verified
• Panel running and no repeated errors in the logs
• VPS operating continuously

Risk notice: FOUNDATION uses basket management and selected modules may use DCA. Keep sufficient free margin and do not manually modify individual positions unless you intend to interfere with basket logic. Historical backtests do not guarantee future performance. Broker spread, commission, swap, slippage, execution, leverage and future market conditions can materially change live results.