Good Advice?
On the IBFX installer the default is C:\. Never install in \program files* on Vista/Win7. You do want to install where you have space. My current install is taking 150 MB. A backtest will generate a large file (gigabyte) depending on how much history and how long. You don't want to optimize for the entire available history only a portion and then test on the other portion. Still you want a reasonable amount of free space. I only have one partition/drive but if you have multiple don't install in one with limited space.
If you run the visual tester (or live) and have lots of print statements executed every tick, it will take a lot of space. I've had a couple of log files go into the gigabyte range. Don't just print everything and let it run. Initially use visual tester and pause after each tick, verify the portions of the code working and comment out those prints, compile, restart. The tester only keeps a few days worth of logs but they can get big so after each test, just go in to the tester/log and delete them.
From the tone above, I think the writer just installed and dumped lots of stuff to disk without thinking. You do have to be aware of the consequences of your actions/decisions.
> I think the writer just installed and dumped lots of stuff to disk without thinking
and maybe, just a hint of the smell of SPAM...?
-BB-
This post alone could have a hint of SPAM, but his other posts overall says no. So the Q is probably genuine.
As for the advice, I agree with not installing into the default "program files", but the rest of the technical reasoning proffered is dubious, like "can fill up a 100GB partition" or "best cleanup software can not clean up after MT4".
On the IBFX installer the default is C:\. Never install in \program files* on Vista/Win7. You do want to install where you have space. My current install is taking 150 MB. A backtest will generate a large file (gigabyte) depending on how much history and how long. You don't want to optimize for the entire available history only a portion and then test on the other portion. Still you want a reasonable amount of free space. I only have one partition/drive but if you have multiple don't install in one with limited space.
If you run the visual tester (or live) and have lots of print statements executed every tick, it will take a lot of space. I've had a couple of log files go into the gigabyte range. Don't just print everything and let it run. Initially use visual tester and pause after each tick, verify the portions of the code working and comment out those prints, compile, restart. The tester only keeps a few days worth of logs but they can get big so after each test, just go in to the tester/log and delete them.
From the tone above, I think the writer just installed and dumped lots of stuff to disk without thinking. You do have to be aware of the consequences of your actions/decisions.
Thank you for your reply. This gives me some perspective concerning the advice and leads me to think that the problems I've been having with optimizing and backtesting have been a result of the default program files location I've been installing MT4 at.
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Is the following good advice for installing MT4?
Important Note: Never Install MT4 software into the default installation folder if you plan on doing strategy testing. DO NOT EVEN INSTALL ON YOUR C DRIVE, Instead change installation path to another partition on your computer. Let's suppose you have 4 partitions on your computer, assuming that the second partition is your documents, and the third is for back up, and you are into the use of MetaTrader terminals, It's best to USE partition F and name it Forex. Now every time you install another broker's MT4 terminal you simply install into the root of drive F and in the folder named after the broker name.
Do not be fooled by the small 4.4 MB size of MetaTrader, this software can fill up a 100GB partition with log files in just few back tests. In addition you will have to install multiple MT4 terminals on your computer to compare brokers data and demo trading behavior. So do it right from the start by following the above advice. If you do history testing you may have to reformat your drive and to clear space because even the best cleanup software can not clean up after MT4. So keep a note of your MT4 logins and passwords on a separate partition. That is why you should not install MT4 in your program files. Make sure you keep your computer clean and running smoothly. Otherwise you may notice a negative effect on the speed and other functions, whether you are using your computer for work or partybets. Take the advice offered here and you will save yourself time and IT problems.
http://www.forexbody.com/downloads-mt4.htm