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Indicator almost ready to go to MQL5 Community. Just 1 bug that is driving me nuts!

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Just finishing another indicator to share with you on Codebase, but I lost the whole day experimenting, digging, searching, trying to figure out why this behavior is happening.

The indicator is a simple one, based on the famous Didi Needles, but I added a threshold to look for the correct "padding" between 2 of the MAs, so we can filter out supposedly "bad trades". There a re a couple of user inputs, and one of them is the Smoothing of the MAs.

All is working perfectly with ONE bizarre exception. When I select the smoothing "Exponential" the indicator goes crazy! Mixing all data buffers. I checedk every line of code and cannot say why just on the Exponential mode things goes bonkers...

Video:



Could someone take a look and tell me what am I missing?

Thanks a lot in advance!

;)


//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Indicator Settings                                               |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
#property indicator_chart_window
#property indicator_buffers 6
#property indicator_plots   6

#property indicator_label1  "Buy"
#property indicator_type1   DRAW_ARROW
#property indicator_color1  clrDodgerBlue
#property indicator_style1  STYLE_SOLID
#property indicator_width1  1

#property indicator_label2  "Sell"
#property indicator_type2   DRAW_ARROW
#property indicator_color2  clrRed
#property indicator_style2  STYLE_SOLID
#property indicator_width2  1

#property indicator_label3  "Fast MA"
#property indicator_type3   DRAW_LINE
#property indicator_color3  clrRed
#property indicator_style3  STYLE_SOLID
#property indicator_width3  2

#property indicator_label4  "Medium MA"
#property indicator_type4   DRAW_LINE
#property indicator_color4  clrYellow
#property indicator_style4  STYLE_SOLID
#property indicator_width4  2

#property indicator_label5  "Slow MA"
#property indicator_type5   DRAW_LINE
#property indicator_color5  clrBlue
#property indicator_style5  STYLE_SOLID
#property indicator_width5  2

#property indicator_label6  "Diff Fast/Slow (%)"
#property indicator_type6   DRAW_NONE


//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Inputs from User Interface                                       |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
input int                inpFastPeriod   = 3;              // Fast MA Period
input int                inpMediumPeriod = 8;              // Medium MA Period
input int                inpSlowPeriod   = 20;             // Slow MA Period
input ENUM_MA_METHOD     inpMethod       = MODE_EMA;       // Smoothing Method
input ENUM_APPLIED_PRICE inpAppliedPrice = PRICE_CLOSE;    // MA Price used
input double             inpThreshold    = 0.00;           // Threshold to Filter Entries


//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Global Variables                                                 |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
int    bufferBuy_ID=0;    // put names on buffers!
int    bufferSell_ID=1;   //
int    bufferFast_ID=2;   //
int    bufferMedium_ID=3; //
int    bufferSlow_ID=4;   //
int    bufferDiff_ID=5;   //

double bufferBuy[];       // Data/Plot buffers
double bufferSell[];      //
double bufferFast[];      //
double bufferMedium[];    //
double bufferSlow[];      //
double bufferDiff[];      //

int hFast;                // MAs indicators handles
int hMedium;              //
int hSlow;                //

int barsCalculated=0;     // we will keep the number of values in the Moving Average indicator


//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Custom indicator initialization function                         |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
int OnInit()   {
   int plotStart;

   // setting the buffers for indicators and BUY/SELL signals...
   SetIndexBuffer( bufferBuy_ID,    bufferBuy,    INDICATOR_DATA );
   SetIndexBuffer( bufferSell_ID,   bufferSell,   INDICATOR_DATA );
   SetIndexBuffer( bufferFast_ID,   bufferFast,   INDICATOR_DATA );
   SetIndexBuffer( bufferMedium_ID, bufferMedium, INDICATOR_DATA );
   SetIndexBuffer( bufferSlow_ID,   bufferSlow,   INDICATOR_DATA );
   SetIndexBuffer( bufferDiff_ID,   bufferDiff,   INDICATOR_DATA );


   // prepare the arrows for the entry signals...
   PlotIndexSetInteger(bufferSell_ID,PLOT_ARROW,234);
   PlotIndexSetInteger(bufferBuy_ID,PLOT_ARROW,233);

   PlotIndexSetInteger(bufferSell_ID,PLOT_ARROW_SHIFT,-10);
   PlotIndexSetInteger(bufferBuy_ID,PLOT_ARROW_SHIFT,10);

   // sets the starting point for all 3 MAs plotting buffers...
   plotStart = MathMax( inpFastPeriod, MathMax(inpMediumPeriod, inpSlowPeriod) );
   PlotIndexSetInteger( bufferFast_ID, PLOT_DRAW_BEGIN, plotStart );
   PlotIndexSetInteger( bufferMedium_ID, PLOT_DRAW_BEGIN, plotStart );
   PlotIndexSetInteger( bufferSlow_ID, PLOT_DRAW_BEGIN, plotStart );

   // opens the indicators...
   hFast   = iMA(Symbol(), Period(), inpFastPeriod,   0, inpMethod, inpAppliedPrice);
   hMedium = iMA(Symbol(), Period(), inpMediumPeriod, 0, inpMethod, inpAppliedPrice);
   hSlow   = iMA(Symbol(), Period(), inpSlowPeriod,   0, inpMethod, inpAppliedPrice);

   if(hFast==INVALID_HANDLE || hMedium==INVALID_HANDLE || hSlow==INVALID_HANDLE) { // is there anything wrong?
      Print("Error starting MA indicators!");
      return(INIT_FAILED);
   }

   return(INIT_SUCCEEDED);
}



//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Custom indicator iteration function                              |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
int OnCalculate(const int rates_total,
                const int prev_calculated,
                const datetime &time[],
                const double &open[],
                const double &high[],
                const double &low[],
                const double &close[],
                const long &tick_volume[],
                const long &volume[],
                const int &spread[])   {

   int  values_to_copy;                  //number of values copied from the indicator
   int  i;

   // determine the number of values already calculated in the indicator
   int calculated=BarsCalculated(hFast);
   if (calculated<=0) {
      PrintFormat("BarsCalculated() returned %d, error code %d",calculated,GetLastError());
      return(0);
   }

   // if it is the first start of calculation of the indicator or if the number of values in the indicator changed
   // or if it is necessary to calculated the indicator for two or more bars (it means something has changed in the price history)
   if (prev_calculated == 0 || calculated != barsCalculated || rates_total > prev_calculated+1) {
      // if the iMABuffer array is greater than the number of values in the indicator for symbol/period, then we don't copy everything
      // otherwise, we copy less than the size of indicator buffers
      if (calculated>rates_total) {
         values_to_copy = rates_total;
      } else {
         values_to_copy = calculated;
      }
   } else {
      // it means that it's not the first time of the indicator calculation, and since the last call of OnCalculate()
      // for calculation not more than one bar is added
      values_to_copy = (rates_total-prev_calculated) + 1;
   }


   // fill the MA buffers arrays with values of the Moving Average indicators...
   // if FillArrayFromBuffer returns false, it means the information is nor ready yet, quit operation
   if (!FillArrayFromBuffer( hFast,   0, values_to_copy, bufferFast ) )    {  return(0);  }
   if (!FillArrayFromBuffer( hMedium, 0, values_to_copy, bufferMedium ) )  {  return(0);  }
   if (!FillArrayFromBuffer( hSlow,   0, values_to_copy, bufferSlow ) )    {  return(0);  }

   // memorize the number of values in the Moving Average indicator
   barsCalculated=calculated;


   // processes the BUY and SELL signals
   for (i=MathMax(1,values_to_copy-1); i<rates_total; i++)  {

      bufferDiff[i] = MathAbs( (bufferFast[i]/bufferSlow[i]-1)*100 );    // calculates the diff % between the Fast and Slow MAs

      // BUY signal
      if ( (bufferFast[i]>bufferFast[i-1] && bufferMedium[i]>bufferMedium[i-1] && bufferSlow[i]>bufferSlow[i-1]) &&   // upward aligned MAs
           (bufferFast[i]>bufferMedium[i] && bufferFast[i]>bufferSlow[i] && bufferMedium[i]>bufferSlow[i]) &&         // MAs aligned for a BUY
           (bufferFast[i]>=open[i] && bufferFast[i]<=close[i] && bufferMedium[i]>=open[i] && bufferMedium[i]<=close[i] && bufferSlow[i]>=open[i] && bufferSlow[i]<=close[i]) &&  // All MAs inside the candle body
           (bufferDiff[i] >= inpThreshold)   // and only if the diff between MAs Fast/Slow is greater than the threshold
          )  {
          bufferBuy[i]  = low[i];
          bufferSell[i] = EMPTY_VALUE;  //do not print an arrow


      // SELL Signal
      } else if ( (bufferFast[i]<bufferFast[i-1] && bufferMedium[i]<bufferMedium[i-1] && bufferSlow[i]<bufferSlow[i-1]) &&   // downward aligned MAs
                  (bufferFast[i]<bufferMedium[i] && bufferFast[i]<bufferSlow[i] && bufferMedium[i]<bufferSlow[i]) &&         // MAs aligned for a SELL
                  (bufferFast[i]<=open[i] && bufferFast[i]>=close[i] && bufferMedium[i]<=open[i] && bufferMedium[i]>=close[i] && bufferSlow[i]<=open[i] && bufferSlow[i]>=close[i]) &&  // All MAs inside the candle body
                  (bufferDiff[i] >= inpThreshold)   // and only if the diff between MAs Fast/Slow is greater than the threshold
                 ) {
                 bufferSell[i] = high[i];
                 bufferBuy[i]  = EMPTY_VALUE;  //do not print an arrow

      } else {
            bufferBuy[i] = bufferSell[i] = EMPTY_VALUE;  //do not print an arrow
      }


   }


   // return the prev_calculated value for the next call
   return(rates_total);
}




//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Filling indicator buffers from the MA indicator                  |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
bool FillArrayFromBuffer( int indicatorHandle,          // handle of the instantiated Indicator
                          int indicatorInternalBuffer,  // internal buffer # of the Indicator (iMAs == 0, just one!)
                          int itemsQty,                 // number of values to copy to buffer
                          double &bufferToCopyInto[],   // buffer to hold a copy of indicator's data
                         ) {

   ResetLastError();   // reset last error code

   // fill a part of the requested buffer array with values from the indicator buffer that has a 0 index
   if (CopyBuffer(indicatorHandle, indicatorInternalBuffer, 0, itemsQty, bufferToCopyInto) < 0) {  // if the copying fails, tell the error code
      Print( "Failed to copy data from the Indicator. Error Code:", GetLastError());
      return(false);  // quit with zero result - it means that the indicator is considered as not calculated
   }
   return(true);  // everything is fine
}




//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Custom indicator deinitialization function                       |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
void OnDeinit(const int reason) {
   IndicatorRelease(hFast);
   IndicatorRelease(hMedium);
   IndicatorRelease(hSlow);
}
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
Files:
Minions.DidiIndex.mq5  24 kb
Minions Labs:
 

Could someone take a look and tell me what am I missing?

Thanks a lot in advance!

;)

Apparently you try division by zero.

bufferDiff[i] = MathAbs( (bufferFast[i]/bufferSlow[i]-1)*100 );
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