Why this EA code does not work properly?

[Balint Rubovszky]

I have written an MQL4 Expert Advisor code: It should open a BUY position, if the EMA12 crosses above the EMA28, and then a SELL position, when the EMA12 crosses below the EMA28. It examines this condition at the close of every 1 minute candle. Only one BUY and one SELL should be traded, so I used a flag variable to achieve that. When EMA12 gets = EMA28, it is also considered a crossing. The EA should only operate from a begin time. This is only a test code, so instead of trade orders, only alert messages are sent. When I compile the code and run it on MT4, it does not work! It should give an alert message at the beginning of every minute "one minute has passed", but it does not do that. It should also give an alert message on BUY and SELL, but it does not do that! Why is that? Please, help!

Here is the code, which I have written:

//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//|                                           EMA_12_26_crossing.mq4 |
//|                                  Copyright 2023, MetaQuotes Ltd. |
//|                                             https://www.mql5.com |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
#property copyright "Copyright 2023, MetaQuotes Ltd."
#property link      "https://www.mql5.com"
#property version   "1.00"
#property strict
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Expert initialization function                                   |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
extern datetime BeginTime = D'2023.05.25 17:01:00'; // trading should begin at this time; only one cross up and one cross down of EMA12 and EMA28 should be traded afterwards
extern double BaseATRMultiplier = 3; // these are not used in current probe version
extern double StopATRMultiplier = 1.15; // there are not used in current probe version
extern double ProfitATRMultiplier = 2.05; // there are not used in current probe version

int OnInit()
  {  
   return(INIT_SUCCEEDED);
  }
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Expert deinitialization function                                 |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
void OnDeinit(const int reason)
  {
//---   
  }
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Expert tick function                                             |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+

// This expert advisor should only be started when the EMA12 is below the EMA28; an opposite expert advisor should be written and used for the other case

void OnTick()
  {

    static bool SignalForBuy = false; // this is a flag to track if there has already been and upward EMA crossing; we use this to make sure we only trade one such crossing
    static bool SignalForSell = false; // this is a flag to track if there has already been and downward EMA crossing; we use this to make sure we only trade one such crossing
    double ExponentialMovingAverage12[2];
    double ExponentialMovingAverage28[2];
    static datetime OneMinuteCandleTime = BeginTime;
 
       if (TimeCurrent() >= BeginTime)
   
          {

            if(OneMinuteCandleTime != iTime(Symbol(),PERIOD_M1,0)) // new candle on the 1 minute timeframe
            
               {
                                                       
                     Alert("One minute has passed.");
                     OneMinuteCandleTime = iTime(Symbol(),PERIOD_M1,0);
         
                     ExponentialMovingAverage12[1] = NormalizeDouble(iMA(NULL,0,12,0,MODE_EMA,PRICE_CLOSE,1),5);
                     ExponentialMovingAverage12[2] = NormalizeDouble(iMA(NULL,0,12,0,MODE_EMA,PRICE_CLOSE,2),5);
                     ExponentialMovingAverage28[1] = NormalizeDouble(iMA(NULL,0,28,0,MODE_EMA,PRICE_CLOSE,1),5);
                     ExponentialMovingAverage28[2] = NormalizeDouble(iMA(NULL,0,28,0,MODE_EMA,PRICE_CLOSE,2),5);
   
                     
                     if (SignalForBuy == false) // if there has't been an upward EMA crossing, we will trade; we only want to trade the first upward crossing
         
                         {

                              if (ExponentialMovingAverage12[2] - ExponentialMovingAverage28[2] < 0 && ExponentialMovingAverage12[1] - ExponentialMovingAverage28[1] >= 0 )
                  
                               {
              
                                     SignalForBuy = true;  // we set this to "true", so that only one upward EMA crossing is traded
                                     Alert("We will BUY at this time.");
                     
                               }
                  
                         }  
          
       
                     if (SignalForSell == false) // if there has't been a downward EMA crossing, we will trade; we only want to trade the first upward crossing
         
                         {

                              if ((ExponentialMovingAverage12[2] - ExponentialMovingAverage28[2] > 0 && ExponentialMovingAverage12[1] - ExponentialMovingAverage28[1] <= 0 ) || (ExponentialMovingAverage12[2] - ExponentialMovingAverage28[2] == 0 && ExponentialMovingAverage12[1] - ExponentialMovingAverage28[1] < 0 ))
                  
                               {
              
                                     SignalForSell = true; // we set this to "true", so that only one downward EMA crossing is traded
                                     Alert("We will SELL at this time");
                       
                               }
                  
                         }
             
    
    
               }

   
          }
      
      
  }

[Mage He]

mq4...oh sorry i can't help , I have forgotten all about mql4 ....

[William Roeder]

1. Balint Rubovszky: I have written an MQL4 Expert Advisor code:

   Why did you post your MT4 question in the 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? (2017)
   Next time, post in the correct place. The moderators will likely move this thread there soon.

   
   

2. Balint Rubovszky: When EMA12 gets = EMA28, i

   ExponentialMovingAverage12[2] - ExponentialMovingAverage28[2] == 0

   Doubles are rarely equal. Understand the links in:
             The == operand. - MQL4 programming forum #2 (2013)

[Balint Rubovszky]

William Roeder #:

1. Why did you post your MT4 question in the 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? (2017)
   Next time, post in the correct place. The moderators will likely move this thread there soon.

   
   

2. Doubles are rarely equal. Understand the links in:
             The == operand. - MQL4 programming forum #2 (2013)

Sorry for not posting at the right place. These doubles are rounded to 5 digits, and if you check the "GDAX EMA Cross[26,12] by stefano89" indicator on TradingView for GBPUSD, sometimes, the values are equal. I wish to mimic the operation of that indicator.

[Nino Guevara Ruwano]

Balint Rubovszky:
    double ExponentialMovingAverage12[2];     double ExponentialMovingAverage28[2];

You declared the wrong array number.

Instead of:

 double ExponentialMovingAverage12[2];
 double ExponentialMovingAverage28[2];

Use this array number to declare:

 double ExponentialMovingAverage12[3];
 double ExponentialMovingAverage28[3];

Then everythings gonna be OK 😊
Have a nice coding!