Improved OrderHistory mq4 script to display trade history on charts

Thank you very much. This is a handy script!

I read some information here about the orderHistory script has the ability to read strategy tester data, but nothing definitive on how to actually take strategy backtester and get those trades to show up on a chart.

You can run the backtest in visual mode, and then use 'skip to' button to make the strategy run in non-visual mode which will make it faster. but the backtest can be slowed down considerably if there are a lot of objects created. Better to run it in a way that objects are not created, then and the end of backtest use a tool to just visualize the trade.

pips4life,

Thanks for this amazing, amazing script. I use Forex Strategy Builder and trade portfolio EAs. To be able to visually see open and closed trades overlayed on a price chart helps a lot and provides great insight into how strategies are performing.

I had a question. I've created an indicator version of your script and added 3 buttons -- (a) show open trades, (b) show closed trades, (c) hide trades. I would like to share this indicator both here and also on the forexsb forum. Are you comfortable with that? I am not interested in taking credit -- it's just such a useful tool I thought more people would find it useful. What do you suggest?

First, it must be said that most of the few public scripts or indicators I've posted are already variations of what someone else wrote first. I learned MT4 by reading programs by others, and I know of no better way than to start with something that "works" to some degree, and then expand it to do something better, eventually far better than the original. The new features are to my credit, but of course, the original authors also deserve credit.

If you start with my code, just keep some record of the facts in the "History" inside the code, that it is a derivation of mine (and earlier authors) work, and provide URL's back to the original thread. Add your name for what you do. Pick a major version number increase. If it's "v1_12" from me, make yours v3_1, or anything obviously different from "v1_13" (which would be my next release or beyond, when I get to it).

For these free tools, I've provided the source. If it stops working, or needs more features, I may or may not do it; and I might do it and not post it, because of my own personal investment of energy, and ultimately the seemingly never-ending requests for help to install or use the programs, usually by those who never even have the courtesy to read post#1, however long/boring/but detailed as it may be. It's too much work to service 10K noobies! I'm really done doing unlimited free how-to support. (When you find actual bugs, if certain it's not a user error, then report them). I'll implement features and requests that serve my own interests and need, and under no timetable. It may be months later that I read the list of requests in my threads, and if I'm already making some updates for myself, that's the most efficient time for me to consider and add other things.

Mainly, life is busy, and I have limited time for programming. I already have so many huge projects of my own, I've not much time for such updates or "free" support.

You, or anyone, can post code or provide links to alternative tools (within FF rules), so long as they are ethically developed, and absolutely NONE are links to decompiled (i.e. stolen!) code.

If I like them enough, I may (eventually) adapt the code into mine (and update post #1; and give you credit), or provide them side-by-side, or... ??

What I don't care for is anyone posting a *variation* -- here or elsewhere -- that uses the same original name! That adds confusion, and drags me into it, when it's no longer my post#1 version (or a previously posted official version). I don't know exactly the best new name to suggest, but some add a name or initials or "Mod" or something different, *possibly* the version number though that keeps changing, which is why I never do it.

Regarding P4L OrderHistory, the reason it is a script, and not an indicator, is...

#1. Because the original written by someone else was already a script, so I kept it that way.
#2. I was rather new to MT4 coding, and wouldn't have known much better anyway. (Now I know how, but have not much need for real-time history).
#3. An indicator -- if improperly written and organized -- could well be a big hinder on performance if the same information is retrieved over-and-over-and-over again, with almost no value, or done too frequently. Past trades are past. Hopefully one could download them just once but depends on MT4 functions. Open trades are of interest, but are at most risk of overloading the indicator. How often are the updates done? Every tick? (A waste). Every few seconds? (better, still maybe inefficient). Every new bar? Maybe triggered by deleting-or-creating a chart object? Or an "update" button? (best idea for minimum load). (Or some combination could work well, but you get the idea).

The newer MT4 (>b600) added a whole lot of new functionality that could well be helpful to improve this script, and even make it into an indicator. I've not really considered it yet.


Go ahead and post your "indicator" version. Let's see what you got.

Thanks for the quick response. By the way, this is my first post in this forum and I'm not sure if I messed up the formatting. I attached a screen shot below, but it doesn't appear in 'Preview' mode. Oh, well...

I've attached a couple of *.mq4 files. P4L_OrderHistoryLib.mq4 goes into the Libraries folder and is built as a library. This is essentially the code from the script with a few modifications. I've hard-coded a few input settings to suit my purposes -- these can readily be located by searching for __STEVE. The file P4L_OrderHistory_Indi.mq4 goes in the Indicators folder and basically converts the script to an indicator.

Though it runs as an indicator, the OnCalculate() function is empty -- so there is minimal impact on performance. On the other hand, OnTimer() does run every 60 seconds and this is used to update the display of open orders.

There are 3 buttons -- 'Open Trades', 'Closed Trades' and 'Hide Trades'. I often like to toggle between Open and Closed trades and the script format is a bit awkward. Using and indicator with buttons makes it more convenient and helps bring this amazing tool to life.

The screen shot below is an example of how I use the indicator version. I use Forex Strategy Builder (forexsb.com) to build portfolio EAs -- so I usually have dozens of strategies running in multiple MT4 terminal sessions. Now I have a visual display of BUYs and SELLs overlaid on a price chart, which gives tremendous insight into how well my strategies can detect patterns in the incoming data. The blue circles are BUYS and the magenta circles are SELLS. Here I can see immediately this portfolio EA works well because most of the BUYS occur when the market trends up and most of the SELLS occur when the market trends down. I have other portfolio EAs that don't perform as well and when I use this tool then it becomes obvious why.

There are many other files missing in order to be able to compile your indicator.

in the lib file

Hi robots4me,

I had not previously tried it, but I agree with Jagg; there are some missing files.

For the Lib file, can the missing "...\MQL4\Include\FSBPro\WinUser32.mqh" file be resolved by removing "FSBPro" ? MT4 already has Include\WinUser32.mqh, so... are the differences in versions critical? (What are the differences? Useful?)
That is, in the Lib code:
Problem: #include <FSBPro\WinUser32.mqh>
Fixed??: #include <WinUser32.mqh>

In the Indi file, the more serious missing Include files are these:
#include <Charting-TradeManager.mqh>
#include <TradeManager.mqh>

Can you upload them?

Jagg, pips4life -- I apologize. I was rushed and did a sloppy job checking for dependencies. Let's try again -- I've uploaded new versions that should not have any external dependencies other than the ones used by the original source files.

Again -- P4L_OrderHistoryLib.mq4 goes in the 'Libraries' folder and P4L_OrderHistory_Indi.mq4 goes in the 'Indicators' folder.

Just dropping by to say thank you Pips4life for your great job

Greetings all,

I would like export my trade history from MT4 to be analyzed in my website, through an EA developed exclusively for this. Can someone give me an indication of how can I do this ?

Thanks,

Is it possible to exclude pending orders to get printed on chart?
I only want to see market orders.

The MT5-conversion of this indicator can be found in the attached files.

Thanks to all prior contributors. When I remove the MT4 version of the indicator (latest one posted by robots4me at https://www.forexfactory.com/showthr...0#post11217800), it always leaves the buttons. They don't appear to get created as objects so when the indi gets removed, all of the related objects get removed except the buttons for "Open Trades" "Closed Trades" and "Hide Trades". Anyone else have this issue and if so, how do I fix it?

Thanks,
afh

Go to Object list, List All, Delete All.

why does all the lines etc get deleted once i change timeframe?

I have used the Order History script for some time, but have searched for an indicator for quite some time.

Hallelujah - I came across your post - Great.

Unfortunately, when I drag the indicator to a chart it opens up the dialog box but nothing else happens. No buttons.
The indicator does not appear in the chart's list of indicators.

I have compiled as well.
I have re- downloaded and used different MT4 platforms.

Any advice would be appreciated.

just register for reply this article, thx u a lot!

The analyze of taken trades is a really pain....hanover has also build a tool with many features....toooo much for me...so I build my own with ONY what I need...
I need to verify the trades...so the indicator I build shows the trades AND communicates with the signal engine to show wrong trades in a highlight color...and I have a line on chart where the EA was started...the rest is set optional not to have to many lines on chart...
Optional are entry exit prices, the time in hour:minutes on the x-axis and arrows for better vizualisation of the trades!
Hope gives you some ideas for you ...keep on going the good work!

And what I add to my EA is an event when strategytester is ready to change the trades that they look the same as in my TradeVisualizer:

Just wanted to say thanks! Love how it works, amazing work on coding and documenting it just