Using extern variables to set MA method into an EA

[Fernando Jose Velasco Borea]

Hello, I'm trying to make the trader able to set MA type on an EA, I tried this coding:

enum MA_Method
 {
   Simple = 0,
   Exponential = 1,
   Smoothed = 2,
   LinearWeighted = 3
};

input MA_Method Mode = Simple;
double SlowMA = 200;


//...
//Some Coding
//...

double SlowMA = iMA(Symbol(),Period(),SlowMA,0,Mode,PRICE_CLOSE,1);

//...
//Rest of the EA
//...

But when I compile it it says "improper enumerator cannot be used" 

How can I fix this? I tried to add the mode id on "" (Simple = "0",...) but then it says "Constant expresion is not intergal" and "MA_Method declatation without type" and "Mode" undeclared identifier.

Any ideas?

[Christopher Fernandez Ledon]

FernandoBorea:

Hello, I'm trying to make the trader able to set MA type on an EA, I tried this coding:

But when I compile it it says "improper enumerator cannot be used" 

How can I fix this? I tried to add the mode id on "" (Simple = "0",...) but then it says "Constant expresion is not intergal" and "MA_Method declatation without type" and "Mode" undeclared identifier.

Any ideas?

input ENUM_MA_METHOD Mode = MODE_SMA;

[Victor Ian Torres]

FernandoBorea:

Hello, I'm trying to make the trader able to set MA type on an EA, I tried this coding:

But when I compile it it says "improper enumerator cannot be used" 

How can I fix this? I tried to add the mode id on "" (Simple = "0",...) but then it says "Constant expresion is not intergal" and "MA_Method declatation without type" and "Mode" undeclared identifier.

Any ideas?

Instead of putting the word "Simple", use the number you assign in the enum. Example: Mode = 0; (Simple),

[William Roeder]

FernandoBorea: Hello, I'm trying to make the trader able to set MA type on an EA, I tried this coding:

Why did you post your MT4 question in the Root / MT5 EA section instead of the MQL4 section, (bottom of the Root page?)
          General rules and best pratices of the Forum. - General - MQL5 programming forum
Next time post in the correct place. The moderators will likely move this thread there soon.

Victor Ian Torres: Instead of putting the word "Simple", use the number you assign in the enum. Example: Mode = 0; (Simple),

You missed the point. OP doesn't want numbers in the input, he want words in the properties box. Zero is meaningless to the code user, Simple is not. Write self-documenting code, don't hard code numbers.

But iMA takes a ENUM_MA_METHOD not a MA_Method. So

1. Either use the proper enumeration (ENUM_MA_METHOD) to support all methods
   
2. or if the values are the same cast the value to the proper type. It should be declared as

   enum MA_Method // Same as ENUM_MA_METHOD except no SMMA
    {
      Simple = MODE_SMA,
      Exponential = MODE_EMA,
      // Never any reason to use the SMMA(n) it's equivalent to the EMA(2n-1).
      // futures.io/ninjatrader-programming/8358-smoothed-moving-average-smma-how-avoid.html"
      // The Smoothed Moving Average or SMMA - How to Avoid It - NinjaTrader Programming | futures.io
      LinearWeighted = MODE_LWMA
   };
   input MA_Method Mode = Simple;
   :
   double SlowMA = iMA(Symbol(),Period(),SlowMA,0,ENUM_MA_METHOD(Mode),PRICE_CLOSE,1);