Why do I have a delay in my code? Can somebody provide a possible improvement?

New comment
  
#property version   "1.00"
#property strict

// Required: MQL-ZMQ from https://github.com/dingmaotu/mql-zmq
#include <Zmq/Zmq.mqh>

extern string PROJECT_NAME = "DWX_ZeroMQ_Example";
extern string ZEROMQ_PROTOCOL = "tcp";
extern string HOSTNAME = "*";
extern int REP_PORT = 5555;
extern int PUSH_PORT = 5556;
extern int MILLISECOND_TIMER = 1;  // 1 millisecond

extern string t0 = "--- Trading Parameters ---";
extern int MagicNumber = 123456;
extern int MaximumOrders = 1;
extern double MaximumLotSize = 0.01;

// CREATE ZeroMQ Context
Context context(PROJECT_NAME);

// CREATE ZMQ_REP SOCKET
Socket repSocket(context,ZMQ_REP);

// CREATE ZMQ_PUSH SOCKET
Socket pushSocket(context,ZMQ_PUSH);

// VARIABLES FOR LATER
uchar data[];
ZmqMsg request;

//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Expert initialization function                                   |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
int OnInit()
  {
//---

   EventSetMillisecondTimer(MILLISECOND_TIMER);     // Set Millisecond Timer to get client socket input
   
   Print("[REP] Binding MT4 Server to Socket on Port " + REP_PORT + "..");   
   Print("[PUSH] Binding MT4 Server to Socket on Port " + PUSH_PORT + "..");
   
   repSocket.bind(StringFormat("%s://%s:%d", ZEROMQ_PROTOCOL, HOSTNAME, REP_PORT));
   pushSocket.bind(StringFormat("%s://%s:%d", ZEROMQ_PROTOCOL, HOSTNAME, PUSH_PORT));
   
   /*
       Maximum amount of time in milliseconds that the thread will try to send messages 
       after its socket has been closed (the default value of -1 means to linger forever):
   */
   
   repSocket.setLinger(1000);  // 1000 milliseconds
   
   /* 
      If we initiate socket.send() without having a corresponding socket draining the queue, 
      we'll eat up memory as the socket just keeps enqueueing messages.
      
      So how many messages do we want ZeroMQ to buffer in RAM before blocking the socket?
   */
   
   repSocket.setSendHighWaterMark(5);     // 5 messages only.
   
//---
   return(INIT_SUCCEEDED);
  }
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Expert deinitialization function                                 |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
void OnDeinit(const int reason)
{
//---
   Print("[REP] Unbinding MT4 Server from Socket on Port " + REP_PORT + "..");
   repSocket.unbind(StringFormat("%s://%s:%d", ZEROMQ_PROTOCOL, HOSTNAME, REP_PORT));
   
   Print("[PUSH] Unbinding MT4 Server from Socket on Port " + PUSH_PORT + "..");
   pushSocket.unbind(StringFormat("%s://%s:%d", ZEROMQ_PROTOCOL, HOSTNAME, PUSH_PORT));
   
}
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Expert timer function                                            |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
void OnTimer()
{
//---

   /*
      For this example, we need:
      1) socket.recv(request,true)
      2) MessageHandler() to process the request
      3) socket.send(reply)
   */
   
   // Get client's response, but don't wait.
   repSocket.recv(request,true);
   
   // MessageHandler() should go here.   
   ZmqMsg reply = MessageHandler(request);
   
   // socket.send(reply) should go here.
   repSocket.send(reply);
}
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+

ZmqMsg MessageHandler(ZmqMsg &request) {
   
   // Output object
   ZmqMsg reply;
   
   // Message components for later.
   string components[];
   
   if(request.size() > 0) {
   
      // Get data from request   
      ArrayResize(data, request.size());
      request.getData(data);
      string dataStr = CharArrayToString(data);
      
      // Process data
      ParseZmqMessage(dataStr, components);
      
      // Interpret data
      InterpretZmqMessage(&pushSocket, components);
      
      // Construct response
      ZmqMsg ret(StringFormat("[SERVER] Processing: %s", dataStr));
      reply = ret;
      
   }
   else {
      // NO DATA RECEIVED
   }
   
   return(reply);
}

// Interpret Zmq Message and perform actions
void InterpretZmqMessage(Socket &pSocket, string& compArray[]) {

   Print("ZMQ: Interpreting Message..");
   
   // Message Structures:
   
   // 1) Trading
   // TRADE|ACTION|TYPE|SYMBOL|PRICE|SL|TP|COMMENT|TICKET
   // e.g. TRADE|OPEN|1|EURUSD|0|50|50|R-to-MetaTrader4|12345678
   
   // The 12345678 at the end is the ticket ID, for MODIFY and CLOSE.
   
   // 2) Data Requests
   
   // 2.1) RATES|SYMBOL   -> Returns Current Bid/Ask
   
   // 2.2) DATA|SYMBOL|TIMEFRAME|START_DATETIME|END_DATETIME
   
   // NOTE: datetime has format: D'2015.01.01 00:00'
   
   /*
      compArray[0] = TRADE or RATES
      If RATES -> compArray[1] = Symbol
      
      If TRADE ->
         compArray[0] = TRADE
         compArray[1] = ACTION (e.g. OPEN, MODIFY, CLOSE)
         compArray[2] = TYPE (e.g. OP_BUY, OP_SELL, etc - only used when ACTION=OPEN)
         
         // ORDER TYPES: 
         // https://docs.mql4.com/constants/tradingconstants/orderproperties
         
         // OP_BUY = 0
         // OP_SELL = 1
         // OP_BUYLIMIT = 2
         // OP_SELLLIMIT = 3
         // OP_BUYSTOP = 4
         // OP_SELLSTOP = 5
         
         compArray[3] = Symbol (e.g. EURUSD, etc.)
         compArray[4] = Open/Close Price (ignored if ACTION = MODIFY)
         compArray[5] = SL
         compArray[6] = TP
         compArray[7] = Trade Comment
   */
   
   int switch_action = 0;
   
   if(compArray[0] == "buy"
      switch_action = 1;
   if(compArray[0] == "sell")
      switch_action = 2;
   if(compArray[0] == "TRADE" && compArray[1] == "CLOSE")
      switch_action = 3;
   if(compArray[0] == "DATA")
      switch_action = 4;
   
   string ret = "";
   int ticket = -1;
   bool ans = FALSE;
   double price_array[];
   ArraySetAsSeries(price_array, true);
   
   int price_count = 0;
   
   switch(switch_action) 
   {
      case 1: 
         InformPullClient(pSocket, "buy TRADE Instruction Received");
         GlobalVariableSet("buyvar",1);
         break;
      case 2: 
         ret = "sell";   
         InformPullClient(pSocket, ret);
	 GlobalVariableSet("sellvar",1);
         break;
      case 3:
         InformPullClient(pSocket, "CLOSE TRADE Instruction Received");
         
         // IMPLEMENT CLOSE TRADE LOGIC HERE
         
         ret = StringFormat("Trade Closed (Ticket: %d)", ticket);
         InformPullClient(pSocket, ret);
         
         break;
      
      case 4:
         InformPullClient(pSocket, "HISTORICAL DATA Instruction Received");
         
         // Format: DATA|SYMBOL|TIMEFRAME|START_DATETIME|END_DATETIME
         price_count = CopyClose(compArray[1], StrToInteger(compArray[2]), 
                        StrToTime(compArray[3]), StrToTime(compArray[4]), 
                        price_array);
         
         if (price_count > 0) {
            
            ret = "";
            
            // Construct string of price|price|price|.. etc and send to PULL client.
            for(int i = 0; i < price_count; i++ ) {
               
               if(i == 0)
                  ret = compArray[1] + "|" + DoubleToStr(price_array[i], 5);
               else if(i > 0) {
                  ret = ret + "|" + DoubleToStr(price_array[i], 5);
               }   
            }
            
            Print("Sending: " + ret);
            
            // Send data to PULL client.
            InformPullClient(pSocket, StringFormat("%s", ret));
            // ret = "";
         }
            
         break;
         
      default: 
         break;
   }
}

// Parse Zmq Message
void ParseZmqMessage(string& message, string& retArray[]) {
   
   Print("Parsing: " + message);
   
   string sep = "|";
   ushort u_sep = StringGetCharacter(sep,0);
   
   int splits = StringSplit(message, u_sep, retArray);
   
   for(int i = 0; i < splits; i++) {
      Print(i + ") " + retArray[i]);
   }
}

//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
// Generate string for Bid/Ask by symbol
string GetBidAsk(string symbol) {
   
   double bid = MarketInfo(symbol, MODE_BID);
   double ask = MarketInfo(symbol, MODE_ASK);
   
   return(StringFormat("%f|%f", bid, ask));
}

// Inform Client
void InformPullClient(Socket& pushSocket, string message) {

   ZmqMsg pushReply(StringFormat("%s", message));
   // pushSocket.send(pushReply,true,false);
   
   pushSocket.send(pushReply,true); // NON-BLOCKING
   // pushSocket.send(pushReply,false); // BLOCKING
   
}

So first I assign the global variable buy/sellvar in the code above, then I try to use that same global variable in another function below:

int start()
{secondfunction();
}

int secondfunction() 
  {
   if(DayOfWeek()<1) 
     {
         if(GlobalVariableGet("sellvar")==2)
            checktrade=TRUE && GlobalVariableDel("sellvar");

         else
            checktrade=FALSE;

         }
   return (checktrade);
  }

However, I get a 1-3 minute delay from when the variable is assigned in my first function and used in my second function. Why?

 
QuantCoder:

So first I assign the global variable buy/sellvar in the code above, then I try to use that same global variable in another function below:

However, I get a 1-3 minute delay from when the variable is assigned in my first function and used in my second function. Why?

is it because I have my second function in the int start() function? but doesnt start() run after every new tick that comes in?

 

My suggestion, since 95% of the code is referring/using a third party product, change the Post Title to something that refers to ZMQ and maybe you can attract other users of this library...

;)

New comment
Reason: