AccountFreeMarginCheck issue.

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MT4 build 1353.

AccountFreeMarginCheck() is not reliable, sometimes it returns strange value GREATER then the current freemargin (resulting in a negative margin). I have also seen positive margin but completely incorrect (0.12 instead of 217 for example).

For example on my broker (running on all 28 main Forex symbols).

2022.04.04 12:29:47.293    AccountFreeMarginCheckIssue GBPJPY,H1: Account leverage : 200 Free margin = 100328.42 USD
2022.04.04 12:29:47.293    AccountFreeMarginCheckIssue GBPJPY,H1: EURJPY: WRONG Account margin after BUY 1 lot(0) = 100441.15 GREATER than free margin, margin calc. = -112.73
2022.04.04 12:29:47.293    AccountFreeMarginCheckIssue GBPJPY,H1: GBPJPY: WRONG Account margin after BUY 1 lot(0) = 100334.40 GREATER than free margin, margin calc. = -5.98
2022.04.04 12:29:47.293    AccountFreeMarginCheckIssue GBPJPY,H1: AUDNZD: WRONG Account margin after BUY 1 lot(0) = 100384.25 GREATER than free margin, margin calc. = -55.83
2022.04.04 12:29:47.293    AccountFreeMarginCheckIssue GBPJPY,H1: GBPCAD: WRONG Account margin after SELL 1 lot(0) = 100463.90 GREATER than free margin, margin calc. = -135.48

Code (EA) attached to reproduce it. The symbols must be selected in the Market Watch, the code doesn't take care of it.

void CheckMargin(const string symbol,int cmd,double freeMargin)
  {
   ResetLastError();
   double newMargin         = AccountFreeMarginCheck(symbol,cmd,1.0);
   int err                  = _LastError;
   double marginCalculated  = freeMargin-newMargin;

   if(newMargin>freeMargin)
      printf("%s: WRONG Account margin after %s 1 lot(%i) = %.2f GREATER than free margin, margin calc. = %.2f",
             symbol,(cmd==OP_BUY ? "BUY" : "SELL"),err,newMargin,marginCalculated);

  }
EDIT: It doesn't always give such error, it also depends of the broker. And as you can see it also depends of OP_BUY or OP_SELL is used.
 
Alain Verleyen: MT4 build 1353. AccountFreeMarginCheck() is not reliable, sometimes it returns strange value GREATER then the current freemargin (resulting in a negative margin). I have also seen positive margin but completely incorrect (0.12 instead of 217 for example).For example on my broker (running on all 28 main Forex symbols).

Code (EA) attached to reproduce it. The symbols must be selected in the Market Watch, the code doesn't take care of it.

EDIT: It doesn't always give such error, it also depends of the broker. And as you can see it also depends of OP_BUY or OP_SELL is used.

In my own EAs, I calculate the margin myself and have never used this function, so do you know if this only happens on this build or if it was happening in previous builds too?

 
Fernando Carreiro #:

In my own EAs, I calculate the margin myself and have never used this function, so do you know if this only happens on this build or if it was happening in previous builds too?

I noticed it with this build. The underlying code is running in production for more than 6 months and no issue was reported (which doesn't mean it doesn't exist).

How are calculating the margin yourself ? You would need the margin percentage by mql4 but it's not available. Did I missed something ?

or


 
Alain Verleyen #: I noticed it with this build. The underlying code is running in production for more than 6 months and no issue was reported (which doesn't mean it doesn't exist).

How are calculating the margin yourself ? You would need the margin percentage by mql4 but it's not available. Did I missed something ?

In MQL4, I use these:

MODE_MARGINCALCMODE

28

Margin calculation mode. 0 - Forex; 1 - CFD; 2 - Futures; 3 - CFD for indices

MODE_MARGININIT

29

Initial margin requirements for 1 lot

MODE_MARGINMAINTENANCE

30

Margin to maintain open orders calculated for 1 lot

MODE_MARGINHEDGED

31

Hedged margin calculated for 1 lot

MODE_MARGINREQUIRED

32

Free margin required to open 1 lot for buying
 
Fernando Carreiro #:

In MQL4, I use these:

MODE_MARGINCALCMODE

28

Margin calculation mode. 0 - Forex; 1 - CFD; 2 - Futures; 3 - CFD for indices

MODE_MARGININIT

29

Initial margin requirements for 1 lot

MODE_MARGINMAINTENANCE

30

Margin to maintain open orders calculated for 1 lot

MODE_MARGINHEDGED

31

Hedged margin calculated for 1 lot

MODE_MARGINREQUIRED

32

Free margin required to open 1 lot for buying
That's not sufficient (I need it to work on any broker and some brokers are using the "Margin percentage" setting as I showed previously).
 
Alain Verleyen #: I noticed it with this build. The underlying code is running in production for more than 6 months and no issue was reported (which doesn't mean it doesn't exist). How are calculating the margin yourself ? You would need the margin percentage by mql4 but it's not available. Did I missed something ? or

Also, the Margin % and Leverage Ratio are the same thing expressed in a different way. So you can also use AccountLeverage() to get the Margin % and calculate the margin manually as well.

 
Alain Verleyen #: That's not sufficient (I need it to work on any broker and some brokers are using the "Margin percentage" setting as I showed previously).

Does the following help?

Forum on trading, automated trading systems and testing trading strategies

Margin requirements calculation

gordon, 2010.04.08 04:42

Margin requirement for 1 lot is given by MarketInfo(symbol,MODE_MARGINREQUIRED). Calculating this value seems to be different among some brokers (specifically ones that use a bridge).


The majority of brokers use this calculation (taken from the article 'Forex Trading ABC' -> https://www.mql5.com/en/articles/1453):

double MarginCalculate(string symbol, double volume)
  {
   string first    = StringSubstr(symbol,0,3); // the first symbol, for example,  EUR
   string second   = StringSubstr(symbol,3,3); // the second symbol, for example, USD
   string currency = AccountCurrency();        // deposit currency, for example,  USD
   double leverage = AccountLeverage();        // leverage, for example,          100
// contract size, for example, 100000
   double contract = MarketInfo(symbol, MODE_LOTSIZE);
   double bid      = MarketInfo(symbol, MODE_BID);      // Bid price
//---- allow only standard forex symbols like XXXYYY
   if(StringLen(symbol) != 6)
     {
      Print("MarginCalculate: '",symbol,"' must be standard forex symbol XXXYYY");
      return(0.0);
     }
//---- check for data availability
   if(bid <= 0 || contract <= 0) 
     {
      Print("MarginCalculate: no market information for '",symbol,"'");
      return(0.0);
     }
//---- check the simplest variations - without cross currencies
   if(first == currency)   
       return(contract*volume / leverage);           // USDxxx
   if(second == currency)  
       return(contract*bid*volume / leverage);       // xxxUSD
//---- check normal cross currencies, search for direct conversion through deposit currency
   string base = currency + first;                   // USDxxx
   if(MarketInfo(base, MODE_BID) > 0) 
       return(contract / MarketInfo(base, MODE_BID)*volume / leverage);
//---- try vice versa
   base = first + currency;                          // xxxUSD
   if(MarketInfo(base, MODE_BID) > 0) 
       return(contract*MarketInfo(base, MODE_BID)*volume / leverage);
//---- direct conversion is impossible
   Print("MarginCalculate: can not convert '",symbol,"'");
   return(0.0);
  }

But some brokers do not factor 'bid' price when calculating (regardless of symbol):

double MarginCalculate(string symbol, double volume)
  {
   double leverage = AccountLeverage(); 
   double contract = MarketInfo(symbol, MODE_LOTSIZE);
   return(contract*volume / leverage);
  }

Note that MODE_MARGINREQUIRED is 'static' in Tester and that both methods of calculation cannot be used in Tester (they rely on MarketInfo() of other symbols...).

 
Fernando Carreiro #:

Does the following help?


MODE_MARGINREQUIRED is what I need to workaround this issue. Being accustomed with mql5, I am used to rely on SymbolInfoDouble() functions but it seems to have no equivalent to MARGINREQUIRED, so I overlooked it.

Thank you Fernando.

 
I'm having this issue with BDSwiss(Viverno) and with Pepperstone. It works on IC Markets.

The problem is that AccountFreeMarginCheck returns 0, if there's a position open in the opposite direction.

Is anybody else having this problem? It's been going on for months, probably since this thread started. It only affects hedging EA's.

My only conclusion is that multiple brokers have problems giving correct information with this Function.

The workaround above in this tread give problems with special names on instruments, that a these brokers have.

So my temporary solution has been to remove the money check, and take the appropriate action depending on what error message comes back from the server.

Workarounds are good, but I think this needs to be fixed somehow.

What's confusing about this is that it must affect hundreds of customers/EA's out there, but it feels like nobody is addressing it.
 
Cristian Eriksson #:
I'm having this issue with BDSwiss(Viverno) and with Pepperstone. It works on IC Markets.

The problem is that AccountFreeMarginCheck returns 0, if there's a position open in the opposite direction.

Is anybody else having this problem? It's been going on for months, probably since this thread started. It only affects hedging EA's.

My only conclusion is that multiple brokers have problems giving correct information with this Function.

The workaround above in this tread give problems with special names on instruments, that a these brokers have.

So my temporary solution has been to remove the money check, and take the appropriate action depending on what error message comes back from the server.

Workarounds are good, but I think this needs to be fixed somehow.

What's confusing about this is that it must affect hundreds of customers/EA's out there, but it feels like nobody is addressing it.

What do you mean, what problems ?

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