0 returned for the iTime function
Hello,
Below are the first lines in my first EA.
I get 0 returned for the iTime function.
Is there something else I need to do to allow a single EA on a single chart to
work with multiple symbols on multiple time frames? For example, do I need
to have at least one chart open for each currency pair and timeframe that I
wish to access (20 pairs at 4 timeframes per = 80 charts).
EA attached to a 4 hour EUR/USD chart
Statement Returns Error
bar15 = iTime("EURUSD",PERIOD_M15,0); 0 invalid function parameter value
bar60 = iTime("EURUSD",PERIOD_H1,0); 0 invalid function parameter value
bar4h = iTime("EURUSD",PERIOD_H4,0); A good value
barDay = iTime("EURUSD",PERIOD_D1,0); 0 invalid function parameter value
Always check documentation firstly :
If local history is empty (not loaded), function returns 0. To check errors, one has to call the GetLastError() function.
Which error number did you get ?
I did use GetLastError, and this returned the error description "invalid function parameter". I thought that local history applied to offline backtesting. Should I first check for history and then load? I did google around but didn't see this as a recommendation. I don't think this is a eurusd / eurusd. Problem as I am able to retrieve data from the 4 hour time frame.
GetLastError() return an int, an error number. It should be 4066.
"invalid function parameter" is error 4051 and it seems weird in your case. Can you copy and paste (using SRC button) the exact code you are running ?
Hello,
Thanks for taking your time to respond to this! Please find attached my
code which tries to detect the opening of candles on 15, 1H, 4H, and daily
time frames. I am looking to write my first EA, but have been unable run
my first lines of code. My goal is to have one EA attached to one
chart, that allows for trading multiple currency pairs in multiple time
frames. I don't want to have to load a separate EA for each currency
pair / time frame combination. Do you have to load history for each
currency pair / time frame combination when the EA loads every time? If
the answer is yes, can you tell me what the MQL command is. (CopyRates,
RefreshRates, ArrayCopyRates, ??) For some reason I haven't yet been able
to find it. I expected it to be more readily available as everybody must
need to do this. Thank you very much in advance.
//+-------------------------------------------------------------+ //| Structure to perform actions when a new bar begins for the | //| following time frames: | //| 15 minute, 1 hour, 4 hour, Daily | //| of info outside the current chart and time frame | //+-------------------------------------------------------------+ #include <stderror.mqh> #include <stdlib.mqh> // External variables extern bool DisplayAlert = true; extern int maxMessages = 0; // Global variables double barOpen, barClose, barHigh, barLow; string pairs[4] = {"EURUSD", "USDJPY", "USDCAD", "AUDUSD"}; string emailSubject, emailContent; datetime bar15; datetime bar60; datetime bar4h; datetime barDay; int retValue, check; int init() { debPrint(StringConcatenate("Init kicks off at ",TimeToStr(TimeCurrent(),TIME_SECONDS))); check=GetLastError(); if(check!=ERR_NO_ERROR) Print("*** #A Error: ",ErrorDescription(check)); debPrint("TimeGMT() - TimeGMTOffset() = " + TimeToStr((TimeGMT() - TimeGMTOffset()),TIME_MINUTES)); check=GetLastError(); if(check!=ERR_NO_ERROR) Print("*** #B Error: ",ErrorDescription(check)); return(0); } // Start function int start() { check=GetLastError(); if(check!=ERR_NO_ERROR) Print("*** #1 Error: ",ErrorDescription(check)); maxMessages = maxMessages + 1; if (maxMessages == 1) { bar15 = iTime("EURUSD",PERIOD_M15,0); check=GetLastError(); if(check!=ERR_NO_ERROR) Print("*** #x set M15, Error: ",ErrorDescription(check)); bar60 = iTime("EURUSD",PERIOD_H1,0); check=GetLastError(); if(check!=ERR_NO_ERROR) Print("*** #y set H1, Error: ",ErrorDescription(check)); bar4h = iTime("EURUSD",PERIOD_H4,0); check=GetLastError(); if(check!=ERR_NO_ERROR) Print("*** #z set H4, Error: ",ErrorDescription(check)); barDay = iTime("EURUSD",PERIOD_D1,0); check=GetLastError(); if(check!=ERR_NO_ERROR) Print("*** #F set D1, Error: ",ErrorDescription(check)); } debPrint(StringConcatenate("Begin Start for EUR/USD, ",TimeToStr(TimeCurrent(),TIME_SECONDS), " Top of function")); debPrint(StringConcatenate("Begin Start, previous barDay opening =",TimeToStr(barDay,TIME_SECONDS), ", current open " ,TimeToStr(iTime("EURUSD",PERIOD_D1,0),TIME_SECONDS))); debPrint(StringConcatenate("Begin Start, previous bar4h opening =",TimeToStr(bar4h,TIME_SECONDS), ", current open " ,TimeToStr(iTime("EURUSD",PERIOD_H4,0),TIME_SECONDS))); debPrint(StringConcatenate("Begin Start, previous bar60 opening =",TimeToStr(bar60,TIME_SECONDS), ", current open " ,TimeToStr(iTime("EURUSD",PERIOD_H1,0),TIME_SECONDS))); debPrint(StringConcatenate("Begin Start, previous bar15 opening =",TimeToStr(bar15,TIME_SECONDS), ", current open " ,TimeToStr(iTime("EURUSD",PERIOD_M15,0),TIME_SECONDS))); check=GetLastError(); if(check!=ERR_NO_ERROR) Print("*** #2 Error: ",ErrorDescription(check)); if (barDay == iTime("EURUSD",PERIOD_D1,0)) { debPrint("in If barday"); if (bar4h == iTime("EURUSD",PERIOD_H4,0)) { debPrint("in If bar4h"); if (bar60 == iTime("EURUSD",PERIOD_H1,0)) { debPrint("in If bar60"); if (bar15 == iTime("EURUSD",PERIOD_M15,0)) { debPrint("in If bar15"); // do new tick routine } else { debPrint("in else bar15"); retValue = newbar15(); } } else { debPrint("in else bar60"); retValue = newbar15(); retValue = newbar60(); } } else { debPrint("in else bar4h"); retValue = newbar15(); retValue = newbar60(); retValue = newbar4h(); } } else { debPrint(StringConcatenate("in else bard1, barDay = ",TimeToStr(barDay,TIME_SECONDS), ", iTime=",TimeToStr(iTime("EURUSD",PERIOD_D1,0),TIME_SECONDS))); retValue = newbar15(); retValue = newbar60(); retValue = newbar4h(); retValue = newbard1(); } check=GetLastError(); if(check!=ERR_NO_ERROR) Print("*** #3 Error: ",ErrorDescription(check)); debPrint("Leaving Start Func"); return(0); } int newbar15() { // EURUSD 15 minute bar15 = iTime("EURUSD",PERIOD_M15,0); check=GetLastError(); if(check!=ERR_NO_ERROR) Print("*** #15a bar15, Error: ",ErrorDescription(check)); barOpen = iOpen(pairs[0],PERIOD_M15,1); check=GetLastError(); if(check!=ERR_NO_ERROR) Print("*** #15b barOpen, Error: ",ErrorDescription(check)); barClose = iClose(pairs[0],PERIOD_M15,1); check=GetLastError(); if(check!=ERR_NO_ERROR) Print("*** #15c barClose, Error: ",ErrorDescription(check)); barHigh = iHigh(pairs[0],PERIOD_M15,1); check=GetLastError(); if(check!=ERR_NO_ERROR) Print("*** #15d barHigh, Error: ",ErrorDescription(check)); barLow = iLow(pairs[0],PERIOD_M15,1); check=GetLastError(); if(check!=ERR_NO_ERROR) Print("*** #15e, barLow, Error: ",ErrorDescription(check)); emailSubject = StringConcatenate(TimeToStr(TimeCurrent(),TIME_MINUTES), " " , StringSubstr(pairs[0],0,3), "/", StringSubstr(pairs[0],3,3), " 15 minute"); check=GetLastError(); if(check!=ERR_NO_ERROR) Print("*** #15f, Error: ",ErrorDescription(check)); emailContent = StringConcatenate("The last 15 minute candle opened at " ,TimeToStr(iTime(pairs[0],PERIOD_M15,1) - (7 * (PERIOD_H1 * 60)),TIME_MINUTES),"\r\n High: ", barOpen,"\r\n Low: ", barClose); check=GetLastError(); if(check!=ERR_NO_ERROR) Print("*** #15g, Error: ",ErrorDescription(check)); emailContent = StringConcatenate(emailContent,"\r\n Open: ", barOpen,"\r\n Close: ", barClose); check=GetLastError(); if(check!=ERR_NO_ERROR) Print("*** #15h, Error: ",ErrorDescription(check)); Print(StringConcatenate("In EURUSD 15 minute func, ",emailSubject,emailContent)); check=GetLastError(); if(check!=ERR_NO_ERROR) Print("*** #15i, Print, Error: ",ErrorDescription(check)); return(0); } int newbar60() { // USDJPY 1 hour bar60 = iTime("EURUSD",PERIOD_H1,0); barOpen = iOpen(pairs[1],PERIOD_H1,1); check=GetLastError(); if(check!=ERR_NO_ERROR) Print("*** #60aError: ",ErrorDescription(check)); barClose = iClose(pairs[1],PERIOD_H1,1); barHigh = iHigh(pairs[1],PERIOD_H1,1); barLow = iLow(pairs[1],PERIOD_H1,1); check=GetLastError(); if(check!=ERR_NO_ERROR) Print("*** #60bError: ",ErrorDescription(check)); emailSubject = StringConcatenate(TimeToStr(TimeCurrent(),TIME_MINUTES), " " , StringSubstr(pairs[1],0,3), "/", StringSubstr(pairs[1],3,3), " 1 hour"); emailContent = StringConcatenate("The last 1 hour candle opened at " ,TimeToStr(iTime(pairs[1],PERIOD_H1,1) - (7 * (PERIOD_H1 * 60)),TIME_MINUTES),"\r\n High: ", barOpen,"\r\n Low: ", barClose); emailContent = StringConcatenate(emailContent,"\r\n Open: ", barOpen,"\r\n Close: ", barClose); Print(StringConcatenate("In USDJPY 1 hour func, ",emailSubject,emailContent)); return(0); } int newbar4h() { // USDCAD 4 hour bar4h = iTime("EURUSD",PERIOD_H4,0); barOpen = iOpen(pairs[2],PERIOD_H4,1); check=GetLastError(); if(check!=ERR_NO_ERROR) Print("*** #240aError: ",ErrorDescription(check)); barClose = iClose(pairs[2],PERIOD_H4,1); barHigh = iHigh(pairs[2],PERIOD_H4,1); barLow = iLow(pairs[2],PERIOD_H4,1); check=GetLastError(); if(check!=ERR_NO_ERROR) Print("*** #240bError: ",ErrorDescription(check)); emailSubject = StringConcatenate(TimeToStr(TimeCurrent(),TIME_MINUTES), " " , StringSubstr(pairs[2],0,3), "/", StringSubstr(pairs[2],3,3), " 4 hour"); emailContent = StringConcatenate("The last 4 hour candle opened at " ,TimeToStr(iTime(pairs[2],PERIOD_H4,1) - (7 * (PERIOD_H1 * 60)),TIME_MINUTES),"\r\n High: ", barOpen,"\r\n Low: ", barClose); emailContent = StringConcatenate(emailContent,"\r\n Open: ", barOpen,"\r\n Close: ", barClose); Print(StringConcatenate("In USDCAD 4 hour func, ",emailSubject,emailContent)); return(0); } int newbard1() { // AUDUSD 1 day barDay = iTime("EURUSD",PERIOD_D1,0); barOpen = iOpen(pairs[3],PERIOD_D1,1); check=GetLastError(); if(check!=ERR_NO_ERROR) Print("*** #D1aError: ",ErrorDescription(check)); barClose = iClose(pairs[3],PERIOD_D1,1); barHigh = iHigh(pairs[3],PERIOD_D1,1); barLow = iLow(pairs[3],PERIOD_D1,1); check=GetLastError(); if(check!=ERR_NO_ERROR) Print("*** #D1bError: ",ErrorDescription(check)); emailSubject = StringConcatenate(TimeToStr(TimeCurrent(),TIME_MINUTES), " " , StringSubstr(pairs[3],0,3), "/", StringSubstr(pairs[3],3,3), " daily"); emailContent = StringConcatenate("The last daily candle opened at " ,TimeToStr(iTime(pairs[3],PERIOD_D1,1) - (7 * (PERIOD_H1 * 60)),TIME_MINUTES),"\r\n High: ", barHigh,"\r\n Low: ", barLow); emailContent = StringConcatenate(emailContent,"\r\n Open: ", barOpen,"\r\n Close: ", barClose); Print(StringConcatenate("In AUDUSD func, ",emailSubject,emailContent)); return(0); } void debPrint (string msg) { if (maxMessages < 50) { Print(StringConcatenate("Tic ", maxMessages, " ,", msg)); } }
* Thanks for the info about ResetLastError. I now that I should use this
after every non-zero return for getLastError(). I can test this when the
market opens up.
* I now see that iTime needs history data stored as shown below.
\history\FXCM-USDReal05\AUDUSD60.hst
I think we are down to two questions.
- What is recommended the technique to update this for different time
frames and currency pairs in an EA attached to a single chart? The
function "ChartSymbolPeriod" looks promising.
- How do I make sure that all my currency pairs and time frames can
be access with iTime, iClose, etc. while my EA is running? For example,
should I use "RefreshRates"? It looks like RefreshRates can be used
to return True or false, and it can be used to Refresh predefined
variables. I can't believe that I need to loop through
each currency pair and time frame on every tick with the code:
if (RefreshRates() == false) { RefreshRates();}
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Hello,
Below are the first lines in my first EA.
I get 0 returned for the iTime function.
Is there something else I need to do to allow a single EA on a single chart to
work with multiple symbols on multiple time frames? For example, do I need
to have at least one chart open for each currency pair and timeframe that I
wish to access (20 pairs at 4 timeframes per = 80 charts).
EA attached to a 4 hour EUR/USD chart
Statement Returns Error
bar15 = iTime("EURUSD",PERIOD_M15,0); 0 invalid function parameter value
bar60 = iTime("EURUSD",PERIOD_H1,0); 0 invalid function parameter value
bar4h = iTime("EURUSD",PERIOD_H4,0); A good value
barDay = iTime("EURUSD",PERIOD_D1,0); 0 invalid function parameter value