Setting Start Time for EA?

Is there a simple way of coding a time for an EA to start? Say I want the EA to start at 2:00 am everyday and stop 12 hours later. I can use the Sleep function to stop it, but I can't figure out how to start it. From what I've read it seems that all the date and time functions reference a base time of Jan 1, 1970. How do I tell my EA it's 2:30 am?

bool CanTrade = False;

if(TimeCurrent() > StrToTime("02:30")) CanTrade = True;

This code tells the EA that if the time is greater than 2:30 broker time, it can place a trade.

Thanks for the reply, Ronald. Would this code go under the expert initialization function or the expert start function?

I've modified as per below to give me the time frame window. Will this work?

if (TimeCurrent() >= StrToTime("08:30") && <= StrToTime("19:30") CanTrade = True

You can also use:

There's also TimeDayOf Week to activate on certain day too. TimeLocal grabs time from your local computer. This routine starts off in 'OFF' position. NOTE: 3600 seconds (60*60) in 1 Hour.

if (TimeCurrent() >= StrToTime("08:30") && TimeCurrent()<= StrToTime("19:30") CanTrade = True

This area goes under the Start() but before your entry logic.

Ronald,

I'm a programming neophyte so please be patient. I tried this but it didn't seem to work when I compiled it. I got the following errors:

'bool' - semicolon expected Crogram FilesMetaTrader - Alpari UKexpertsLag3.mq4 (81, 1)
'CanTrade' - expression on global scope not allowed Crogram FilesMetaTrader - Alpari UKexpertsLag3.mq4 (82, 80)


This is how I set it up:


//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| expert start function |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
int start()
bool CanTrade = False;
if (TimeCurrent() >= StrToTime ("08:30") && TimeCurrent() <= StrToTime ("19:30") CanTrade = True; {
int Order = SIGNAL_NONE;
int Total, Ticket;
double StopLossLevel, TakeProfitLevel;
datetime Current_Bar = Time[0];

if (EachTickMode && Bars != BarCount) TickCheck = False;
Total = OrdersTotal();
Order = SIGNAL_NONE;

it needs to be

start()

{
//The bracket above is important

bool CanTrade = False;
if (TimeCurrent() >= StrToTime ("08:30") && TimeCurrent() <= StrToTime ("19:30") CanTrade = True; {
int Order = SIGNAL_NONE;
int Total, Ticket;
double StopLossLevel, TakeProfitLevel;
datetime Current_Bar = Time[0];

if (EachTickMode && Bars != BarCount) TickCheck = False;
Total = OrdersTotal();
Order = SIGNAL_NONE;


rest of code.....


return(0);
}

Thanks for the reply. This is probably simple for a programmer, but I'm now getting an "end of program - unbalanced left parenthesis" error and I'm struggling as to where the parenthesis needs to go to remove the unbalance. It's directing me to a line that I wouldn't think would be where the unbalance would occur. It's directing me to the bold underline of the code below, which is the final part of the EA. Is there an easy way of determining the proper location or should I use the trial and error method until I find it?

//Sell
if (Order == SIGNAL_SELL && ((EachTickMode && !TickCheck) || (!EachTickMode && (Bars != BarCount)))) {
if(!IsTrade) {
//Check free margin
if (AccountFreeMargin() < (1000 * Lots)) {
Print("We have no money. Free Margin = ", AccountFreeMargin());
return(0);}
}

if (Use_Stop_Loss) StopLossLevel = Bid + StopLoss * Point; else StopLossLevel = 0.0;
if (Use_Take_Profit) TakeProfitLevel = Bid - TakeProfit * Point; else TakeProfitLevel = 0.0;
if(OrderOpenTime() != Current_Bar) {
Ticket = OrderSend(Symbol(), OP_SELL, LotsOptimized(), Bid, Slippage, StopLossLevel, TakeProfitLevel, "Sell(#" + MagicNumber + ")", MagicNumber, 0, DeepPink);
Alert("Short", Red);
if(OpenBar != Bars) OpenBar = Bars;
}
if(Ticket > 0) {
if (OrderSelect(Ticket, SELECT_BY_TICKET, MODE_TRADES)) {
Print("SELL order opened : ", OrderOpenPrice());
if (SignalMail) SendMail("[Signal Alert]", "[" + Symbol() + "] " + DoubleToStr(Bid, Digits) + " Open Sell");
} else {
Print("Error opening SELL order : ", GetLastError());
}
}
if (EachTickMode) TickCheck = True;
if (!EachTickMode) BarCount = Bars;
return(0); }
}

if (!EachTickMode) BarCount = Bars;
return(0);

slow down and do better error checking. look at some working examples to get ideas of program structure. nobody will TEACH you programming here. Note: End of Parenth lines rarely point to the correct line. - You were missing one that closed loop #1 - Always make sure the {} and () match up. Write cleaner code with enough spacing to easily catch errors like this. Actually this code looks a loooong way from working but thats the process. You'll first learn every way to NOT make a program work then you'll stop making those mistakes.

Fair enough and I'm not going to challenge a programmer, but before I added the start time code, there was no error occuring here indicating the loops aren't closed as you've suggested. Actually the program compiled without errors and did work until I put the time coding in. I just need to solve the issue of getting the time start coding in the correct place with the proper parenthesis.

maybe. I just closed off the first section (this whole routine may be 1 segment and needed closing further down the chain) but if it says 'unbalanced' you can believe it is. - could be off anywhere though.

The first thing I noticed in Ronald's code was that there seemed to be a ")" missing:

if (TimeCurrent() >= StrToTime ("08:30") && TimeCurrent() <= StrToTime ("19:30") CanTrade = True;

It seems to be missing a ) to close the very first one in the code in front of TimeCurrent. Correct?

yep.

Bingo! 0 errors, 0 warnings.

Thanks!

Oops

Thanks for the fix guys.

Okay, so I got the EA to compile without errors using Ronald's suggestion and putting it under the Start section. I set it last night on my demo account and it hit multiple entries stacked on on top of each other and did so until my account went to zero, or there abouts. (Had it been going in the TP direction, I'd probably have a healthy demo account balance right now.)

I'm wondering if it's in the correct location. For some reason it is triggering multiple entries. Any suggestions anyone?

total=OrdersTotal(); //Returns market and pending orders count

if (total<1) {... Your Routine ...}

// Put this check in your checking and it will only place a order if there are Zero existing orders.

Thanks for the suggestion, Full. I had something similar already and it used to work. I'm not sure why adding the time start code would change it, but I'll give your recommendation a try.


int start()
{
bool CanTrade = False;
if (TimeCurrent() >= StrToTime ("08:30") && TimeCurrent() <= StrToTime ("19:30")) CanTrade = True; {
int Order = SIGNAL_NONE;
int Total, Ticket;
double StopLossLevel, TakeProfitLevel;
datetime Current_Bar = Time[0];

if (EachTickMode && Bars != BarCount) TickCheck = False;
Total = OrdersTotal();
Order = SIGNAL_NONE;

This was defined early on as:
#define SIGNAL_NONE 0

Actually I think I added a parenthesis somewhere while I was trying to find the previous unbalance which negated my OrdersTotal code. Now I have to go back and see if I can find it.

Found it! I'll try it again tonight and hopefully this will have solved my problem.