Error 5004 when trying to open file while backtesting and not in COMMONS

[Martin Bittencourt]

Hi!

I'm trying to open a .txt file using CFileTxt class while executing backtesting. The idea is that it gets a list of datetime values which the EA is supposed to skip.

When trying to open the file, I allways get error 5004, so apparently the FileOpen function is not finding my .txt file. The problem is that I've tried to put it everywhere and it doesn't matter where I put it, it doesn't find it:

• Inside the "Files" folder in the data directory (MQL5/Files)
• Inside the "Tester" folder (installation id/Tester)
• Inside a "Files" folder inside there (installation id/Tester/Files)
• Getting the info of TerminalInfoString(TERMINAL_DATA_PATH), where the backtest agent is located
• Inside a "MQL5" folder created there
• Inside a "MQL5/Files" folder created there
• Inside a "Files" folder created there
• Inside the "Tester" folder where there is the list of tester agents
• Inside a "Files" folder created there
  

I found this link where mr. Alain suggested using the 

#property tester_file

in the EA (and the helper files do indeed say files that are going to be used in backtesting must be informed with this property: "Input files to be tested, if needed, should always be specified."), but nothing changed.

So why exactly is this happening? I remember facing the exact same problem before and ended giving up and using the COMMONS file path. I'd like, though, to finally solve this issue. The only "appearence of solution" I found was this post , but using Windows functions to copy a file into a folder seems akward to say the least. 

Finally, the "nothing special code":

string path = TerminalInfoString(TERMINAL_DATA_PATH);
   Print("DEBUG: Data Folder: ", path);

   const int handle = m_file.Open(m_fileName,FILE_READ);
   
   if (handle == INVALID_HANDLE)
   {
      Print("MW DTF: No filter file named \"",m_fileName,"\" found (",GetLastError(),")");
      
      return false;
   }

[Alain Verleyen]

It should be in MQL5/Files folder with the #property tester_file set to the filename.

[Martin Bittencourt]

Alain Verleyen #:
It should be in MQL5/Files folder with the #property tester_file set to the filename.

Hi!

Thanks, but it didn't work; same 5004 error. Note: using version 5430.

[Alain Verleyen]

Martin Bittencourt #:

Hi!

Thanks, but it didn't work; same 5004 error. Note: using version 5430.

Fix your code or check that your file isn't open with an other application.

#property tester_file "access.log"
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Expert initialization function                                   |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
int OnInit()
 {
//--- create timer
  EventSetTimer(1);

//---
  return(INIT_SUCCEEDED);
 }
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Expert deinitialization function                                 |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
void OnDeinit(const int reason)
 {
//--- destroy timer
  EventKillTimer();

 }
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Expert tick function                                             |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
void OnTick()
 {
//---

 }
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Timer function                                                   |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
void OnTimer()
 {
//---
  int fhandle = FileOpen("access.log",FILE_READ,"");
  if(fhandle!=INVALID_HANDLE)
   {
    Print("File opened !");
    FileClose(fhandle);
   }
  else
   {
    printf("File open error #%i",_LastError);
   }
  EventKillTimer();
 }

[Martin Bittencourt]

Alain Verleyen #:
Fix your code or check that your file isn't open with an other application.

Thanks for the test code!

Result: the same :T

It only worked when I attached to a chart as trying to run it. But in backtesting, failure again.

[Peter Mueller]

Martin Bittencourt #:

Thanks for the test code!

Result: the same :T

It only worked when I attached to a chart as trying to run it. But in backtesting, failure again.

If you want to backtest an EA, that uses files, place them in the common folder and use the FILE_COMMON flag when opening. In the tester it is not possible to use the local files just the ones in the common folder for some reason. 

[Alain Verleyen]

Peter Mueller #:
If you want to backtest an EA, that uses files, place them in the common folder and use the FILE_COMMON flag when opening. In the tester it is not possible to use the local files just the ones in the common folder for some reason. 

That's plain wrong as I demonstrated in post #3

[Alain Verleyen]

Martin Bittencourt #:

Thanks for the test code!

Result: the same :T

It only worked when I attached to a chart as trying to run it. But in backtesting, failure again.

If you want to report something, you need to provide the full code and data to reproduce the issue.