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Bug report: Wrong TimeTradeServer() in indicators.

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Forum on trading, automated trading systems and testing trading strategies

Possible bug in TimeTradeServer

amrali, 2024.04.05 02:10

I am sorry for my previous responses. I re-checked and it seems to be a bug that affects TimeTraderServer() only inside indicators. Specifically, the bug occurs when the terminal is launched with an indicator ( that calls TimeTradeServer() ) is attached to the chart.

The returned value of TimeTradeServer() is wrong. It becomes equal to TimeGMT() inside OnInit() and also during the first 2 or 3 ticks until the terminal connects to the trade server (connected sound).

This is an obvoius bug in TimeTradeServer() in indicators.  I file this bug report for MT5 developers team.

NOTICE: I checked experts advisors, luckily the bug DOES NOT happen there.

//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//|                                         TimeTradeServer_indi.mq5 |
//|                                        Copyright © 2018, Amr Ali |
//|                             https://www.mql5.com/en/users/amrali |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
#property indicator_chart_window
#property indicator_buffers 0
#property indicator_plots   0

int msg=0;

int OnInit()
  {
   Print(__FUNCTION__+": is called.");
   ShowTimes();
   return (INIT_SUCCEEDED);
  }

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[])
  {
   if(++msg < 4)
     {
      Print(__FUNCTION__+": is called.");
      ShowTimes();
     }
   return(0);
  }

void ShowTimes()
  {
   datetime tts = TimeTradeServer();
   datetime gmt = TimeGMT();
   int BrokerOffset = (int)(tts - gmt);
   PrintFormat("  Server            = %s", AccountInfoString(ACCOUNT_SERVER));
   PrintFormat("  TimeTradeServer() = %s", string(tts));
   PrintFormat("  TimeGMT()         = %s", string(gmt));
   PrintFormat("  BrokerOffset      = %d (GMT%+g)", BrokerOffset, BrokerOffset/3600.0);
  }

output:

// 2024.04.05 02:04:58.685      TimeTradeServer_indi (EURUSD,M1)        OnInit: is called.
// 2024.04.05 02:04:58.685      TimeTradeServer_indi (EURUSD,M1)          Server            = ICMarketsSC-Demo
// 2024.04.05 02:04:58.685      TimeTradeServer_indi (EURUSD,M1)          TimeTradeServer() = 2024.04.05 00:04:58
// 2024.04.05 02:04:58.685      TimeTradeServer_indi (EURUSD,M1)          TimeGMT()         = 2024.04.05 00:04:58
// 2024.04.05 02:04:58.685      TimeTradeServer_indi (EURUSD,M1)          BrokerOffset      = 0 (GMT+0)
// 2024.04.05 02:04:58.685      TimeTradeServer_indi (EURUSD,M1)        OnCalculate: is called.
// 2024.04.05 02:04:58.685      TimeTradeServer_indi (EURUSD,M1)          Server            = ICMarketsSC-Demo
// 2024.04.05 02:04:58.685      TimeTradeServer_indi (EURUSD,M1)          TimeTradeServer() = 2024.04.05 00:04:58
// 2024.04.05 02:04:58.685      TimeTradeServer_indi (EURUSD,M1)          TimeGMT()         = 2024.04.05 00:04:58
// 2024.04.05 02:04:58.685      TimeTradeServer_indi (EURUSD,M1)          BrokerOffset      = 0 (GMT+0)
// 2024.04.05 02:05:00.282      TimeTradeServer_indi (EURUSD,M1)        OnCalculate: is called.
// 2024.04.05 02:05:00.282      TimeTradeServer_indi (EURUSD,M1)          Server            = ICMarketsSC-Demo
// 2024.04.05 02:05:00.282      TimeTradeServer_indi (EURUSD,M1)          TimeTradeServer() = 2024.04.05 03:05:00
// 2024.04.05 02:05:00.282      TimeTradeServer_indi (EURUSD,M1)          TimeGMT()         = 2024.04.05 00:05:00
// 2024.04.05 02:05:00.282      TimeTradeServer_indi (EURUSD,M1)          BrokerOffset      = 10800 (GMT+3)
// 2024.04.05 02:05:00.931      TimeTradeServer_indi (EURUSD,M1)        OnCalculate: is called.
// 2024.04.05 02:05:00.931      TimeTradeServer_indi (EURUSD,M1)          Server            = ICMarketsSC-Demo
// 2024.04.05 02:05:00.931      TimeTradeServer_indi (EURUSD,M1)          TimeTradeServer() = 2024.04.05 03:05:00
// 2024.04.05 02:05:00.931      TimeTradeServer_indi (EURUSD,M1)          TimeGMT()         = 2024.04.05 00:05:00
// 2024.04.05 02:05:00.931      TimeTradeServer_indi (EURUSD,M1)          BrokerOffset      = 10800 (GMT+3)

amrali:

Interesting bug....

A workaround for now maybe:

Get both, TimeCurrent and TimeTradeServer, return TimeCurrent if it's greater than TimeTradeServer, else return TimeTradeServer.


Dominik Egert #:
Get both, TimeCurrent and TimeTradeServer, return TimeCurrent if it's greater than TimeTradeServer, else return TimeTradeServer.

TimeTradeServerExact.

MQL5 Book: Common APIs / Functions for working with time / Local and server time
MQL5 Book: Common APIs / Functions for working with time / Local and server time
  • www.mql5.com
There are always two types of time on the MetaTrader 5 platform: local (client) and server (broker). Local time corresponds to the time of the...
fxsaber #:

TimeTradeServerExact.

Ok, but it does not work in the weekend on brokers that not provide crypto currency trading. There are many other ways to fix for example:
if(TerminalInfoInteger(TERMINAL_CONNECTED) { datetime t = TimeTradeServer(); }

I think either the docs should state this unexpected behavior or the function is fixed some way.
amrali #:
Ok, but it does not work in the weekend on brokers that not provide crypto currency trading. There are many other ways to fix for example:
if(TerminalInfoInteger(TERMINAL_CONNECTED) { datetime t = TimeTradeServer(); }

I think either the docs should state this unexpected behavior or the function is fixed some way.
Yes, I agree. That is not expected behavior.

Forum on trading, automated trading systems and testing trading strategies

Possible bug in TimeTradeServer

amrali, 2024.04.07 18:56

For a better approach: check the terminal is connected to the trade server before using TimeTradeServer in indicators/experts

if(!TerminalInfoInteger(TERMINAL_CONNECTED))
  {
   Print("Caution: Terminal is not connected, TimeTradeServer will be unreliable.");  
  }
  
//--- now it is safe to use the function
datetime t = TimeTradeServer();

I suggest that TimeTradeServer() should be fixed to return 0 instead of TimeGMT, if the connection to the trade server is not yet established.

This will warn users that something wrong happened. Also setting the _LastError variable would be a good idea.


The result was the following code:

datetime TimeServer()
{  datetime tts=0;
   datetime tc=TimeCurrent();
   if (TerminalInfoInteger(TERMINAL_CONNECTED)) tts = TimeTradeServer();
   if (tc>tts) return(tc);
   else return(tts);
 }

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