Import or Include?

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I have a custom indicator which I will be using in an EA to establish trade levels etc;

I also want to be able to draw the indicator on the chart using the EA and without having to load it manually all the time. can this be easily done using either Import or Include in the EA?

So i'm testing it using a script first:

//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Script program start function                                    |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
#import "custom.ex4"
#import
 
void OnStart()
  {
 for(int i =0;i<WindowBarsPerChart();i++)
 {double t = iCustom(NULL,0,"custom",0,i);
 Print(t);}
 }

 What command is needed to draw the indicator on the chart?

It defeats the object if i have to set index buffers etc; as all of this is already in the custom indicator.

any ideas please? 

 

Read the docs what import and include mean!!

Either attach the indi on the chart - that paints s.th. if it paints

and within your scrip just use iCustom(..) - no need to import or include it!!

 
gooly:

Read the docs what import and include mean!!

Either attach the indi on the chart - that paints s.th. if it paints

and within your scrip just use iCustom(..) - no need to import or include it!!

I have read the docs and cannot find the answer that is why i have asked the forum!!"

You haven't understood my question!

I know how to attach a custom indicator MANUALLY - how do I do it automatically within a script or EA? 

//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//|                                       Custom Moving Averages.mq4 |
//|                   Copyright 2005-2014, MetaQuotes Software Corp. |
//|                                              https://www.mql4.com |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
#property copyright   "2005-2014, MetaQuotes Software Corp."
#property link        "https://www.mql4.com"
#property description "Moving Average"
#property strict

#property indicator_chart_window
#property indicator_buffers 1
#property indicator_color1 Red
//--- indicator parameters
input int            InpMAPeriod=13;        // Period
input int            InpMAShift=0;          // Shift
input ENUM_MA_METHOD InpMAMethod=MODE_SMA;  // Method
//--- indicator buffer
double ExtLineBuffer[];
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Custom indicator initialization function                         |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
int OnInit(void)
  {
   string short_name;
   int    draw_begin=InpMAPeriod-1;
//--- indicator short name
   switch(InpMAMethod)
     {
      case MODE_SMA  : short_name="SMA(";                break;
      case MODE_EMA  : short_name="EMA(";  draw_begin=0; break;
      case MODE_SMMA : short_name="SMMA(";               break;
      case MODE_LWMA : short_name="LWMA(";               break;
      default :        return(INIT_FAILED);
     }
   IndicatorShortName(short_name+string(InpMAPeriod)+")");
   IndicatorDigits(Digits);
//--- check for input
   if(InpMAPeriod<2)
      return(INIT_FAILED);
//--- drawing settings
   SetIndexStyle(0,DRAW_LINE);
   SetIndexShift(0,InpMAShift);
   SetIndexDrawBegin(0,draw_begin);
//--- indicator buffers mapping
   SetIndexBuffer(0,ExtLineBuffer);
//--- initialization done
   return(INIT_SUCCEEDED);
  }

 so I can put all the this type of code in the script or EA again but it is already in my custom indicator I need to know how to 'call' it and draw it!

Just using iCustom(...........) gets me the data points but it doesn't draw the indicator. 

 

That's right iCustom does not paint it only provides the values. You would have to create Objects to put the values on the chart.

To attach an indi by an EA or script use ChartApplyTemplate().

 
sd59: 

I also want to be able to draw the indicator on the chart using the EA and without having to load it manually all the time. can this be easily done using either Import or Include in the EA?

What command is needed to draw the indicator on the chart? I have read the docs and cannot find the answer that is why i have asked the forum!!"
  1. Put the indicator on the chart. Create the default template default.tpl
  2. No.
  3. learn to code it, or pay someone. We're not going to code it FOR you. We are willing to HELP you when you post your attempt (using SRC) and the nature of your problem.
  4. If you read the docs, you would know that you can't draw continuous curved lines. See also my (pre 600) polyline code
 
WHRoeder:
  1. Put the indicator on the chart. Create the default template default.tpl
  2. No.
  3. learn to code it, or pay someone. We're not going to code it FOR you. We are willing to HELP you when you post your attempt (using SRC) and the nature of your problem.
  4. If you read the docs, you would know that you can't draw continuous curved lines. See also my (pre 600) polyline code

1. I already know this & it has nothing to do with my question!

2. If this is true then thank you it has answered my question.

3. I can code and I don't want your code!! I want sensible answers in understandable English so that I can code it myself!! I do not know every single function in MQL!

4. If the docs were written by a normal human then I could understand - the examples shown are ridiculously complicated for the code being shown - show easy examples first!! 

 

If you cannot answer in a sensible fashion please don't answer at all - you clearly have not fully understood my question and you obviously do not have an answer! 

 
gooly:

That's right iCustom does not paint it only provides the values. You would have to create Objects to put the values on the chart.

To attach an indi by an EA or script use ChartApplyTemplate().

thanks Gooly - I didn't know about this - it's still not quite what I am looking to do.
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