Big changes for MT4, in a few weeks - page 10

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And one more thing that should worry us : it is told that the new compiler will compile to native code. That is incompatible with old ex4 files. If the succeed to run native code (new) along with the old (P-code) ex4 files that will be a small wonder for itself

After all, it seems that we have reasons enough to worry what is going to happen with metatrader 4 (just reading between the lines of their announcements this time)

 
mladen:
And one more thing that should worry us : it is told that the new compiler will compile to native code. That is incompatible with old ex4 files. If the succeed to run native code (new) along with the old (P-code) ex4 files that will be a small wonder for itself After all, it seems that we have reasons enough to worry what is going to happen with metatrader 4 (just reading between the lines of their announcements this time)

Well, being a kind of pessimist, I started looking into JForex Wiki last weekend...

 
mladen:
And one more thing that should worry us : it is told that the new compiler will compile to native code. That is incompatible with old ex4 files. If the succeed to run native code (new) along with the old (P-code) ex4 files that will be a small wonder for itself After all, it seems that we have reasons enough to worry what is going to happen with metatrader 4 (just reading between the lines of their announcements this time)

I just loaded the new MT45 compiler onto my system to see what would happen to a large existing indicator I have developed. And surprise of surprises, the first entry in the Journal tab indicates that it found the C++ compiler from my Visual Studio installation.

2013.09.06 09:54:21 C++ compiler Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 found

I might wonder if it is using C++ as a pre-editor and then using it again to compile the MT4 P-Code into native code. Perhaps, they are not running the ex4 files at all but using them as input into the C++ compiler to produce the native executable that runs in Terminal.

My large indicator generated 221 errors on the first pass. Most of the errors were generated from my use of a dot in variable names, i.e. "int some.name=0;" There were also many "illegal reference", type checking, errors where incorrect variable types were used in function calls.

What all of this seems to me is it will not be easy and quick to translate larger indicators from MT4 into MT45 in spite of what MetaQuotes says and many logic errors may be introduced during your translation process. I would recommend making an initial pass using MT45 to determine the errors, then using MT4 to correct as many as you can so you can continue to execute the code to insure no logic errors have been introduced. Go slow, don't use generic global replacements like changing "." to "_" as you may introduce new logic errors and BACKUP BACKUP BACKUP while translating and TEST TEST TEST.

I also feel that the translation process will significantly challenge many casual MT4 developers as they will be forced to learn how to correct the many new error message types that are not identified in MT4. Remember, Google is your friend; type the message into the Google Bar and see the results.

I share all the worries and concerns that MLaden and others have. I am also extremely concerned that sometime after MT45 is released that MetaQuotes may pull the plug on MT4 as they have done in the past and we will be left without an environment to run our trading systems and not enough time to convert all of our personal indicators and EAs. So I plan to start early and make pre-conversion compatibility a high priority.

I would also like to see a separate thread devoted exclusively on Tips, Techniques and References for the conversion of MT4 into MT45.

 
Tzuman:
I would also like to see a separate thread devoted exclusively on Tips, Techniques and References for the conversion of MT4 into MT45.

That is a very good idea

Opened it here : https://www.mql5.com/en/forum/183472

 
Tzuman:
I just loaded the new MT45 compiler onto my system to see what would happen to a large existing indicator I have developed. And surprise of surprises, the first entry in the Journal tab indicates that it found the C++ compiler from my Visual Studio installation.

2013.09.06 09:54:21 C++ compiler Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 found

I might wonder if it is using C++ as a pre-editor and then using it again to compile the MT4 P-Code into native code. Perhaps, they are not running the ex4 files at all but using them as input into the C++ compiler to produce the native executable that runs in Terminal.

My large indicator generated 221 errors on the first pass. Most of the errors were generated from my use of a dot in variable names, i.e. "int some.name=0;" There were also many "illegal reference", type checking, errors where incorrect variable types were used in function calls.

What all of this seems to me is it will not be easy and quick to translate larger indicators from MT4 into MT45 in spite of what MetaQuotes says and many logic errors may be introduced during your translation process. I would recommend making an initial pass using MT45 to determine the errors, then using MT4 to correct as many as you can so you can continue to execute the code to insure no logic errors have been introduced. Go slow, don't use generic global replacements like changing "." to "_" as you may introduce new logic errors and BACKUP BACKUP BACKUP while translating and TEST TEST TEST.

I also feel that the translation process will significantly challenge many casual MT4 developers as they will be forced to learn how to correct the many new error message types that are not identified in MT4. Remember, Google is your friend; type the message into the Google Bar and see the results.

I share all the worries and concerns that MLaden and others have. I am also extremely concerned that sometime after MT45 is released that MetaQuotes may pull the plug on MT4 as they have done in the past and we will be left without an environment to run our trading systems and not enough time to convert all of our personal indicators and EAs. So I plan to start early and make pre-conversion compatibility a high priority.

I would also like to see a separate thread devoted exclusively on Tips, Techniques and References for the conversion of MT4 into MT45.

I have tried the same thing as you and compiled a trade mangement EA that I use for all my trading and got 105 errors and 93 warnings, so much for something that was going to be totally compatible? This whole thing has a really bad feel to it, So when do the MT5 type of trading restrictions start to apply? I guess its just a wait and see but somehow I suspect MetaQuotes will just do whatever they want and basically ignore the impact their changes will have. One can only hope that they are prepared to run MT4 as well as the new setup.

 

Hi Mladen ,

Any experience with NinjaTrader?

If anyone's got an experience please could you inform that thread?

Thanks a lot.

Sincerely.

Have a good WE.

Tomcat98

mladen:
chrisstoff

I am using tradestation (along with metatrader, obviously)

Never used J-Trader nor cTrader so I can not talk about those platforms

Used metastock for some time but from a coding point of view, in my opinion, it is lagging a bit behind tradestation

______________________

PS: conditions to use tradestation might be strange to metatrader users, since you have to have a tradestation account (live account - they do not have demo accounts) for that
 
Tomcat98:
Hi Mladen ,

Any experience with NinjaTrader?

If anyone's got an experience please could you inform that thread?

Thanks a lot.

Sincerely.

Have a good WE.

Tomcat98

Had some very superficial experience with it (mostly was checking the coding ways)

Never traded with it so someone else should tell you about it

 

Thanks Mladen,

Simply trying to search efficient escape routes to new MT4.5 coding ways in case...

If anyone's got experience and feedback. Thanks a lot.

Have a good trading week.

Sincerely.

Tomcat98

mladen:
Had some very superficial experience with it (mostly was checking the coding ways) Never traded with it so someone else should tell you about it
 
Tomcat98:
Thanks Mladen,

Simply trying to search efficient escape routes to new MT4.5 coding ways in case...

If anyone's got experience and feedback. Thanks a lot.

Have a good trading week.

Sincerely.

Tomcat98

Tomcat98

If you depend on an EA specific for metatrader than I agree : that might be a problem

But in all other cases almost all that you can find on one platform can be found on another platform (or similar things) so a trading system composed of some indicator should not be too big a problem to replicate on any platform

 

whats the old saying "if it ain't broke - don't fix it"

and don't **** off your customers

we could just all boycott the new(ish) platform and not use it

if Metaquotes really want people to change to MT5, then all they have to do is to add back a few of features the old platform has

(or at least that's the impression i read on the net)

And make a compiler that automatically changes our MQ4 files into MQ5

this is what Microsoft would do

how hard can this be to do?

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