loosing hotkeys and favorites

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Hi,

I wonder why my hotkeys and favorites, which I set in the navigator disappear every now and then.

Pretty annoying.

I’m not talking about a live update.

How can I get them back?

Where are they stored?

I couldn’t find them in the terminal config file in the config directory.

Thanx.

Forexfan

 
It may be a UAC issue if you are running on Vista or Windows 7, best advice is not to install MT4 to the Program Files directories, use something like C:\MT4Installs\
 
RaptorUK:
It may be a UAC issue if you are running on Vista or Windows 7, best advice is not to install MT4 to the Program Files directories, use something like C:\MT4Installs\


Thank you RaptorUK.

Yes, I'm on Windows 7.

Could deactivating UAC solve the problem?

 

Go to your MetaTrader folder, open profiles folder, look for hotkeys.ini, and open it using text document notepad. Save this hotkeys.ini if you want to.

I'm using Vista, I don't know what the other guys use. Never disable UAC .

Yes sometime this config is no loaded :(

 
mt4forum:


Thank you RaptorUK.

Yes, I'm on Windows 7.

Could deactivating UAC solve the problem?

Yes it might, you might need Admin privilegedes also . . .
 
mt4forum:
Could deactivating UAC solve the problem?
It might, but many people have reported still having problems after. Why fight it, reinstall and be done.
 
Can't believe no one knows where favorites are stored in the MT4 platform.  They have to be under another folders name.
 
bigfoot1954:
Can't believe no one knows where favorites are stored in the MT4 platform.  They have to be under another folders name.
Where did you see "no one knows where favorites are stored..." ? What is the problem you are facing ?
 
Art Baker #:
Can't believe no one knows where favorites are stored in the MT4 platform.  They have to be under another folders name.

Go to your MT4, click File -- Open Data Folder -- profiles and try to locate a file name 'favourites.dat'.

It should be there or your MT4 has a privilege restriction in creating such file, however it's deemed useless because it's in binary format.


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For those whose hotkeys aren't being saved every time you close the MT4, do follow such step to create a hotkeys.ini file + assign hotkeys manually:


Step 1 - Identify the name of the indicator you want to assign the hotkey

1. Open MT4

2. Press CTRL + N to bring up the navigator pane

3. Right click on any indicator you would like to assign the hotkey, eg. Ichimoku

4. Click 'Attach to a chart'

5. Note down the title of the pop-up window, eg. Custom indicator - Ichimoku


Step 2 - To create a hotkeys.ini file which autoruns every time MT4 starts

1. Open MT4 -- Click 'File' -- Open Data Folder

2. You should be here C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Roaming\MetaQuotes\Terminal\<Random MT4 ID>\, go to 'profiles' folder

3. Make sure you have uncheck "Hide extensions for known file types" under View -- Options of your file explorer, if you don't know how please refer to this link: https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/global/show-hidden-files-folders-extensions.html#:~:text=Click%20the%20Options%20icon%20on,file%20types%20and%20click%20OK.

4. Right click anywhere in the 'profiles' folder, click New -- Text Document, rename it to "hotkeys.ini" without the double quotes

5. Open it with any text editor eg. Notepad


Step 3 - Assign hotkeys to the indicators/expert advisor

1. For custom indicators, insert the following codes:

<custom indicators>

Ichimoku=Alt+1

</custom indicators>

The title "custom indicators" and indicator name "Ichimoku" is what we obtained from step 1, this will assign Alt + 1 hotkey to the Ichimoku indicator


2. For Expert Advisors (EA), insert the following codes:

<experts>

MACD Sample=Alt+2

</experts>

The header "experts" and EA name "MACD Sample" is what we obtained from step 1, this will assign Alt + 2 hotkey to the MACD Sample EA


3. You can combine everything you like under the same file such as:

<custom indicators>

Ichimoku=Alt+1

</custom indicators>

<experts>

MACD Sample=Alt+2

</experts>


Reminders:

1. Keywords are case-sensitive, Ichimoku is not same as ichimoku and Alt is not same as ALT

2. There's no spacing between <indicator name>=Alt+1

3. Make sure you follow my keywords such as: 

Alt

Ctrl

experts 

custom indicators

indicators


I hope this tutorial helps and wish you guys all the best in trading.

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