Trying to import rates data into MT4

I am trying to import rates data into MT4 and running through few challenges. Would appreciate any help on the following:

1) Can I create my own Pair call "XYZABC" and import my data in its "Daily" and see price candles for that pair in the charts?
2) Do I have to import data for every TF to be able to see it in the charts? I mean i I just import "Hourly" Time-frame, should it not be able to derive "H4" "Daily" "Weekly" "Monthly" from it?

MT4 doesn't support user-defined symbols out of the box but they can be implemented.

A first option are offline charts (this would be the official MetaQuotes recommendation) but imho offline charts are of limited use. For example you cannot switch timeframes as you are used to. Many free indicators have issues with offline charts (the charts are not to blame, it's the free indicators). There are numerous sources how to approach creation of offline charts here in the forum and elsewhere, I will not go further into that.

A second option is to create real user-defined symbols without the shortcomings of offline charts. Such symbols give you all the UI comfort you are used to and this is what my post will focus on. However you will need to be or have an experienced developer on your side. If that's not the case you'll have to go with option one.

Yes.

In the following screenshots I will show the creation of user-defined symbols for the equity curve of tests run in the Strategy Tester (the tester generated graphs are nearly useless). Your new symbols may be anything, a custom index, a spread, the equity curve of your account or the local weather forecast. The only limitation is that you cannot chart negative values.

1. Disconnect the terminal and make sure that it cannot reconnect by coincidence (you will find solutions elsewhere in this forum). Close the terminal.
2. Pick an existing symbol group or create a new group for your symbol in [code]{terminal-data-directory}\history\{server-name}\symgroups.raw[/code] In my example I have a group for each strategy I'm testing.
   
   Attached Image

   
   Follow the data structure in the header file SymbolGroup.h for a new group. Developers use a template like MT4 Symbol Groups.tpl for this (requires the hex editor WinHex).
   
   Attached Image (click to enlarge)

   
   
3. Create a new symbol of your choice in the new or picked group in [code]{terminal-data-directory}\history\{server-name}\symbols.raw[/code] Follow the data structure in the header file Symbol.h for a new symbol. Again there is a template MT4 Symbol.tpl for editing (requires the hex editor WinHex).
   
   Attached Image (click to enlarge)

   
   
4. After symbol creation write-protect the file "symbols.raw", i.e. set the file attributes to "read-only". See also the library function CreateSymbol() to understand the programatic workflow of creating new groups and symbols.
5. Restart the terminal and check in the "Symbols" window that your new symbol appears correctly. Another screenshot with custom symbols parallel to regular Forex symbols:
   
   Attached Image (click to enlarge)

   
   
6. Close the "Symbols" window and open the "History Center". Your new symbol should appear here too, but at the moment all your data will still be empty.
   
   Attached Image (click to enlarge)

   
   

Yes.

For the new symbols you can import data into the "History Center" as you usually would do with CSV files. That's one import per single timeframe, the terminal will not automatically convert timeframes. Another option is to use binary data and write your history files directly. This is much quicker and more exact but again requires an expericenced developer. After the import your symbol is filled with data and you can chart it as every other symbol. Be aware that this is not an offline chart, you can switch timeframes as with any other symbol.


Caution: If for any reason the terminal reconnects to your broker the terminal will figure out that your broker doesn't offer your custom symbol and it will delete it. It's for that reason important to first disconnect the terminal and to write-protect the "symbols.raw" file after modification. I strongly recommended to run two terminals in parallel. One connected terminal for regular trading, one disconnected terminal for charting of custom symbols.


PS: Attached a ZIP file with an example for a custom groups file for indexes (a group file always holds 32 groups with possibly empty entries) and an example for a custom symbol (the AUD-Index).

edit: Translated the linked files to broken English.

Thank you very much for all the time and effort you put into explaining all details. I really appreciate it.
I will try your steps and get back to you if I have more questions.

Some notes and recommendations:

1. Group creation/edition is easy as the format is fully known.
2. Symbol creation is tricky. The format is not fully known (intentionally I don't use the term "documented"). Here the best approach is to use templates of existing symbols. You find more symbol templates here and here.
   
   Only modify the few fields you need (that's symbol, description, digits, id, arrayKey) and insert or append the new symbol to the existing ones. If you have only a handful custom symbols you may do it manually. Otherwise you should automate it as in CreateSymbol(). Pay special attention to SYMBOL.id and SYMBOL.arrayKey, both must be unique. The id identifies the symbol. From a DB point of view imagine it as a primary key. The array key is the array index used by the terminal's internal array implementation (most probably a vector). From a DB point of view imagine it as the row number. The "primary key" is always fix, the "row" may be anything as long as it doesn't conflict wth other "rows".
   
   Symbols in symbols.raw must be sorted by name. Sorting a binary file manually is possible but again screams for automation. See SortSymbol() where you also can see that I keep the id (primary key) and reassign new array keys (row numbers). If you want to do this manually I recommend a Linux console (I use Cygwin on Windows) where you have all the tools to cut and concatenate binary files on the command line. You cut symbols.raw per symbol and name each piece after the symbol name. Now the file system sorts automatically for you and you can add/edit/remove what you want. Finally you concatenate all symbol pieces back to the full symbols.raw file which now is perfectly ordered.

Finally, after all that work the best is still to come. Having custom symbols is nice but how to update them? How to automate that? You can connect two terminals and let one terminal which is connected to a broker update the other terminal which is disconnected and used for custom symbols. This way you can create a realtime pseudo-datafeed for custom symbols. I'll leave that for another day.

The first terminal doesn't have to be MetaTrader. It can be any application, e.g. ESignal or whatever data provider is available to you.

If you have time and are a hacker you can directly hook into the server protocol of an old terminal build (which is not so insanely protected) and create a real datafeed for custom symbols. Fook MetaQuotes. For me the pseudo-feed is fast enough.

emmzett how can i use winHax and where can i get it. i searched in google and download but it is not full version can you please suggest a tutorial to learn how to use winhax.

For using templates you don't need to buy a license. The feature is available in all editions (also in the free one). Copy the templates from Github (see the updated link below) and place them into the application folder. There are already a few others. Load/edit a template via Main menu -> View -> Template Manager (ALT-F12).

WinHex Download: http://www.x-ways.net/
Template editing: https://www.x-ways.net/winhex/templates.html
Template tutorial:
MT4 templates: https://github.com/rosasurfer/mt4-tools/tree/master/etc/winhex

Otherwise use the included help file:

Thank you for you valuable replay i am searching from 5 days and my search end at this page you said that in your replay

Finally, after all that work the best is still to come. Having custom symbols is nice but how to update them? How to automate that? You can connect two terminals and let one terminal which is connected to a broker update the other terminal which is disconnected and used for custom symbols. This way you can create a realtime pseudo-datafeed for custom symbols. I'll leave that for another day.

so i want to know that if any article you have about this this i mean for datafeed please share it. and make this topic complete. I appreciate you for the great knowledge

Hi Peter,

I'm new here, your posts and your work with mt4 are helping me a lot.

I worked with mt4 and coded MQL over 10 years ago (but I just lost money and gave up) (is it really possible to make money with this? lol).

Now I decided to try using it for cryptocurrencies. I'm trying to add the custom symbol following your instructions in the thread "Is it possible to create a new symbol in MT4", but I'm not able to use the templates in WinHex.

When I try to apply the template to WinHex, I get the following message: "Only the full version of WinHex can interpret templates other than the supplied samples."

Am I doing something wrong or have they changed the license?

Thanks.

hi，Is there way to trade the new custom symbol？

thank you

Usually, a self-generated symbol is always a synthetic one. You will only ever be able to trade the symbols offered by your broker, not self-generated ones.

Since the calculation of a synthetic symbol is always based on a formula, you may construct a basket that represents your synthetic symbol in the market. For example, see the multiple threads about the LFX indexes here on ForexFactory. Such an index is a synthetic symbol and you can trade the symbol by trading the corresponding basket.

I am not aware of any retail broker that automates the trading of such a basket. However, there are a few professional/institutional platforms that can trade custom/synthetic baskets. But as far as I know there is no such thing in the retail sector.