Backtesting Indicator

Introduction to the Manual Backtesting Indicator on MQL5

The MetaTrader platform provides an excellent backtesting tool for evaluating Expert Advisors (EAs). However, when it comes to manually backtesting a strategy to assess its effectiveness, this tool has some limitations:

• You cannot manually draw zones or trend lines while in backtesting mode.
• You cannot switch timeframes to check time alignment. For example, if my strategy requires additional confirmation from a higher timeframe (HTF), this cannot be done within MT's backtesting mode.

Another way to test a strategy is to manually review it on a standard MT chart. However, this approach has a major drawback: I can always SEE the future candles in advance, which affects my predictions. For example, on the daily chart, my strategy may suggest that the next day's candle will be bullish, but I can already see that it is actually bearish. 😅

Due to these limitations, I developed this indicator to provide a more effective and FAIR method for manually backtesting strategies.

How It Works

My indicator operates using MT5’s draw_candle feature. Specifically, it only displays candles up to the selected backtesting point, while future candles are hidden by coloring them the same as the background. Users can then reveal candles one by one using the provided buttons. This approach allows me to conduct manual backtesting more accurately.

Key Features

• Jump to any point in time for backtesting: The indicator provides a vertical bar that you can drag to any position. Then, simply click the "Set History" button to start testing.
• Multi-timeframe backtesting: When you set the history on the 1D chart, all other timeframes will automatically sync accordingly.
• Save your testing position: If you close MT5 and reopen it the next day, the indicator will retain the last tested position so you can continue where you left off.
• Log the backtesting process (this feature is currently in development).

Important Notes Before Purchasing

• You cannot use MT’s built-in backtest tool to test this indicator. If you're interested, feel free to message me—I can provide a demo version with a time limit.
• This tool is designed for manual strategy testing and does not replace MT’s automated backtest tool.
• Since the indicator uses draw_candle to redraw candles, it cannot be used alongside other indicators that draw or color candles.
• This indicator only hides candles, meaning it does not hide objects drawn by other indicators (e.g., moving averages).

I hope this indicator helps you conduct manual strategy backtesting more effectively! 🚀