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calling scripts from indicator

  • #21
  • Oct 10, 2019 8:09am Oct 10, 2019 8:09am
Quoting Kos2009
{quote} i have tried, but i have problem:here what i done: 1) put dll in C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Roaming\MetaQuotes\Terminal\287469DEA9630EA94D0715D755974F1B\MQL4\Libraries 2) try to attach script ( yet compiled) in generic chart, but unfortunately i wrong something and script not remain attached to chart 3) more seious problem: tried to cut and paste unicode mql in generic EA, but a lot of error happen when i try to compile mql4: main error is that "function start already exixts". i think the problem is that i don't understand where paste...
It seems you have a more general issue with understanding MQL program execution. Each program has its own start() or OnStart() function, you can't simply copy the OnStart() function of a script into an expert as the expert has its own start() or OnCalculate() function.

So, you need to learn about general MQL program structure and what functions do what. Then you need to decide what your actual use case is regarding "calling one MQL program from another". I don't see a good reason to call the PeriodConverter from an EA, instead you should just directly execute the PeriodConverter if you need it. You don't need an EA for that.

Typically you want to call another program if the currently running program can not do what you want to do. For example you may want to call a script from an indicator because the indicator cannot trade. Or you may want to run time-consuming calculations in a background task (as a script) because indicators run in the foreground (the UI thread) and block the application.
It takes blood, sweat and enough tears to wash away the blood.
  • #22
  • Jan 15, 2020 11:33am Jan 15, 2020 11:33am
thank you so much for kindly reply
  • #23
  • May 4, 2020 8:26am May 4, 2020 8:26am
Quoting emmzett
{quote} The library you mention makes it way too complicated to load a script. There has always been a much more simple and standard way to call any MQL program (script, expert or indicator). With "always" I mean at least since build 225 (July 2009) and with "standard" I mean a way which works for all builds the same. And with "more simple" I mean that you don't need to know script positions in the navigator tree etc. All you need to know is the file name, you can load any MQL program almost like a regular file. However the libary has one advantage:...


Hi emmzett
I devoloped an indicator that makes a call to a script and by using your rsfExpander.dll library it works like a charm, thank you very much. However this exact script and configuration does not work in my VPS that has a Windows Server 2019 (My local PC is Windows 7).
I tried everything and it doesn't do the call, and no error which I can use to trace the problem, it only show in the MT4 log "result: 0". Could you please help me with this? Is there an additional configuration I need to do in my Windows Server vps? I installed all the Visual C++ runtimes libraries also, with no luck.
Any help would be very much appreciated. Thanks in advance.
  • #24
  • May 4, 2020 9:16am May 4, 2020 9:16am
Quoting robzam05
{quote} Hi emmzett I devoloped an indicator that makes a call to a script and by using your rsfExpander.dll library it works like a charm, thank you very much. However this exact script and configuration does not work in my VPS that has a Windows Server 2019 (My local PC is Windows 7). I tried everything and it doesn't do the call, and no error which I can use to trace the problem, it only show in the MT4 log "result: 0". Could you please help me with this? Is there an additional configuration I need to do in my Windows Server vps? I installed all...
Let me guess: Your VPS has a single CPU? If yes, then I suspect a threading issue. I have seen similar symptoms when sending messages to a chart running on one CPU.

Quick shot: Copy the following snippet to your indicator, replace "<script-name>" with your actual script name and run it. It works without DLLs and is adapted from here: https://www.forexfactory.com/showthr...7#post12766497

Inserted Code
#property strict
 
#import "user32.dll"
   int  RegisterWindowMessageW(string lpString);
   bool PostMessageA(int hWnd, int msg, int wParam, uchar &lParam[]);
#import
 
#define MAX_PATH           260   // e.g. the max. path on drive D is "D:\some-256-chars-path-string<NUL>"
#define MT4_LOAD_SCRIPT     16
 
uchar buffer[MAX_PATH];

/**
 *
 */
int OnCalculate(...) {
   ...
   string name = "<script-name>";                     // copy this two lines into your existing OnCalculate() function
   StartScript(WindowHandle(Symbol(), NULL), name);
   ...
}

/**
 *
 */
void StartScript(int hWnd, string name) {
   StringToCharArray(name, buffer);
   int WM_MT4 = RegisterWindowMessageW("MetaTrader4_Internal_Message");
   PostMessageA(hWnd, WM_MT4, MT4_LOAD_SCRIPT, buffer);
}

Does that work?
It takes blood, sweat and enough tears to wash away the blood.
  • #25
  • May 4, 2020 10:19am May 4, 2020 10:19am
Quoting emmzett
{quote} Let me guess: Your VPS has a single CPU? If yes, then I suspect a threading issue. I have seen similar symptoms when sending messages to a chart running on one CPU. Quick shot: Copy the following snippet to your indicator, replace "<script-name>" with your actual script name and run it. It works without DLLs and is adapted from here: https://www.forexfactory.com/showthr...7#post12766497 #property strict #import "user32.dll" int RegisterWindowMessageW(string lpString); bool PostMessageA(int hWnd, int msg, int wParam,...

Wow!! Genius! That did the magic! Thank you very much. I lost 2 days trying with de "rsfExpander.dll" with no luck.

This method is working nicely! Thanks...
  • #26
  • May 4, 2020 10:50am May 4, 2020 10:50am
Quoting robzam05
{quote} Wow!! Genius! That did the magic! Thank you very much. I lost 2 days trying with de "rsfExpander.dll" with no luck. This method is working nicely! Thanks...
Great, I'm glad it helped.
I will test with the expander on another VPS and try to fix it. There are so many test cases with different environments, it's just too much for a single person. :-)
It takes blood, sweat and enough tears to wash away the blood.
  • #27
  • May 4, 2020 11:10am May 4, 2020 11:10am
Quoting emmzett
{quote} Great, I'm glad it helped. I will test with the expander on another VPS and try to fix it. There are so many test cases with different environments, it's just too much for a single person. :-)

Cool. Please repost here when you test it in a Single Core environment as you said could be the problem. I even tried your extended version from your GitHub and that didn't worked either.

Buecause I prefer using that method (rsfExpander.dll), is much more cleaner and easier to implement than this last solution.
  • #28
  • May 28, 2020 8:01am May 28, 2020 8:01am
Quoting emmzett
{quote} Great, I'm glad it helped. I will test with the expander on another VPS and try to fix it. There are so many test cases with different environments, it's just too much for a single person. :-)
Hi emmzett,

I have used your expander quite a bit and it works great so thanks for that. I am trying to organise files a bit better and created a subfolder to put a script in that I have been running using the expander code. It works fine if the script is in the root directory but if I put it in a subfolder and use the command :

int hChart = WindowHandle(Symbol(), NULL);
bool result = LoadMqlProgramW(hChart, PROGRAMTYPE_SCRIPT, "C:\\subfolder_path\\script_name");

It can't seem to find the script.

Do you have any suggestions please?

thanks
  • #29
  • May 28, 2020 12:15pm May 28, 2020 12:15pm
Quoting sd59
{quote} Hi emmzett, I have used your expander quite a bit and it works great so thanks for that. I am trying to organise files a bit better and created a subfolder to put a script in that I have been running using the expander code. It works fine if the script is in the root directory but if I put it in a subfolder and use the command : int hChart = WindowHandle(Symbol(), NULL); bool result = LoadMqlProgramW(hChart, PROGRAMTYPE_SCRIPT, "C:\\subfolder_path\\script_name"); It can't seem to find the script. Do you have any suggestions please? thanks...
Yes, it's a known issue. See the other thread Issues with PostMessage(). If I find some time I will release an updated Expander and notify here.
It takes blood, sweat and enough tears to wash away the blood.
  • #30
  • May 28, 2020 12:44pm May 28, 2020 12:44pm
Quoting emmzett
{quote} Yes, it's a known issue. See the other thread Issues with PostMessage(). If I find some time I will release an updated Expander and notify here.
Thanks for the heads up I'll keep a look out. Looks like your dll code is more elegant (another way of saying I understand how to use it!)
  • #31
  • Edited 11:14am May 30, 2020 6:52am | Edited 11:14am
Quoting emmzett
{quote} Yes, it's a known issue. See the other thread Issues with PostMessage(). If I find some time I will release an updated Expander and notify here.
Hi emmzett,

I have been searching high and low on how one ex4 could call another ex4. I am so glad I have found your post and your solution of using LoadMqlProgramW(). In my case, I am using your function as a "Script" calling another "Script". And I was excited it works like a charm

Then I stumble upon a problem which I cannot figure out what went wrong. Here is the scenario:

I have 3 scripts, "script-A", "script-B" & "script-C".

"script-A" is the calling function that calls LoadMqlProgramW(). So after compiling and running, when "script-A" calls LoadMqlProgramW(...., "script-B"), the function returns TRUE (as expected). Later I decided to rename "script-B" to "script-C" (or create a new "script-C" file) and change the parameter in the function call in "script-A" to LoadMqlProgramW(...., "script-C") instead, the function now return FALSE.

Then to troubleshoot the problem, I revert back to passing "script-B" instead of "script-C" and it is working again

Does this problem has something to do with what you have mentioned earlier about the tricky thing in the function GetStringAddress()? I even tried using LoadMqlProgramA() but this does not work at all when calling either "script-B" or "script-C".

Some info on what I am trying to achieve:
Now you might be wondering why I start a script with a script? In my case, I have 8 charts of different pairs opened in my MT4. Each chart has quite a number of indicators with multiple Moving Averages and a Bolinger Band. On top of that, I have a custom-made Fibo Retracement Levels on each chart which is necessary as part of my trading strategy. So each chart is quite cluttered having to many indicators or objects.

So in order to clean up my chart a little, instead of deleting and creating the custom fibo every time, what I have done is I have created "script-B" that hides the custom fibo on the chart (hide here means hiding the custom fibo using ObjectSet() & set OBJPROP_TIMEFRAMES with OBJ_NO_PERIODS). "script-C" on the other hand shows the custom fibo by setting OBJPROP_TIMEFRAMES with OBJ_ALL_PERIODS. So this way, I am able to hide or show the custom fibo when I need to. And the cool thing is I am able to do this by calling the main script "script-A" that calls LoadMqlProgramW() which parses through every single chart to hide or show the custom fibo.

Basically, it is almost complete and working using your Expander DLL. For some reason, the only thing that is not working now is when the naming of scripts are changed.

Hope you could shed some light on what I might have done wrong. Thanks emmzett!

p/s: In my case, all scripts reside in the main 'Scripts' folder in the MT4 data folder.
  • #32
  • May 30, 2020 12:28pm May 30, 2020 12:28pm
Quoting mrcassman
...Hope you could shed some light on what I might have done wrong...
Please download and start the attached debug viewer (from this post or directly from Microsoft). If you currently don't use an admin account the program needs to be started with admin rights (right click -> run as admin). Then restart your MetaTrader and try to reproduce the error. Finally show the output of the debug viewer.

Attached File(s)
File Type: zip DebugView v4.90.zip   461 KB | 286 downloads
It takes blood, sweat and enough tears to wash away the blood.
  • #33
  • May 30, 2020 2:21pm May 30, 2020 2:21pm
Quoting emmzett
{quote} Please download and start the attached debug viewer (from this post or directly from Microsoft). If you currently don't use an admin account the program needs to be started with admin rights (right click -> run as admin). Then restart your MetaTrader and try to reproduce the error. Finally show the output of the debug viewer. {file}
I am somewhat familiar with DebugView. When I tried calling my script from your example script "TestScript-Unicode.ex4", nothing seems to be showing. In the DebugView option, under 'Capture', at first only 'Capture Win32' and 'Capture Events' are checked. Then I tried checking 'Capture Global Win32' and 'Capture Kernel' as well. Still no debug output is showing.

Just to test further, I added '#property show_inputs' in your TestScript code to see the parameters in the Common and Dependencies tabs in the Script are in order (please see attached).

Could there be some settings that I have missed?
Attached Image(s) (click to enlarge)
Click to Enlarge Name: Script Dependencies.png Size: 49 KB
Click to Enlarge Name: Script Common.png Size: 46 KB
  • #34
  • May 31, 2020 12:22am May 31, 2020 12:22am
Quoting emmzett
{quote} Please download and start the attached debug viewer (from this post or directly from Microsoft). If you currently don't use an admin account the program needs to be started with admin rights (right click -> run as admin). Then restart your MetaTrader and try to reproduce the error. Finally show the output of the debug viewer. {file}
Hi emmzett, ignore Post #33 above. My bad, DebugView manages to print the file not found error from LoadMQLProgram (see attached). It seems that the function tries to search for my script in the installation directory where terminal.exe is located instead of in the MT4 Data folder. In my case, the data folder is in:
"C:\Users\xxxxxx\AppData\Roaming\MetaQuotes\Terminal\4BFFC54EB77FC8B360B1156956BAA387\"

Does this mean the LoadMQLProgram function is not able to identify the location of the data folder? FYI, all my indicators, scripts are located in the data folder, not in the installation directory.

Appreciate your feedback on this emmzett. Thanks.

p/s: I am using an old Win7 OS on a 32-bit machine
Attached Image (click to enlarge)
Click to Enlarge Name: debugview_output.png Size: 13 KB
  • #35
  • Edited 3:35am May 31, 2020 2:10am | Edited 3:35am
Quoting mrcassman
...It seems that the function tries to search for my script in the installation directory where terminal.exe is located instead of in the MT4 Data folder...
It should find the roaming data folder correctly. Once I experienced a related issue, will recheck.

A question that puzzles me: So the Expander fails to find the data folder when launching this specific script. But it successfully finds the data folder when your script is named "Script-C"? Is that description correct?

Please download the latest version from here (click the "Download" button) and check if the issue persists. If yes, post a screenshot of your "User Account Control Settings"? Thank you.
Attached Image


edit - more questions:
This issue occures with an admin account or with a regular user account? Do you start the terminal with the portable switch? Also please post the first log entries from terminal start.
Attached Image (click to enlarge)
Click to Enlarge Name: mt4-start.png Size: 15 KB


All of this the Expander should detect by itself but obviously something misbehaves.
It takes blood, sweat and enough tears to wash away the blood.
  • #36
  • May 31, 2020 4:17am May 31, 2020 4:17am
Quoting emmzett
{quote} It should find the roaming data folder correctly. Once I experienced a related issue, will recheck. A question that puzzles me: So the Expander fails to find the data folder when launching this specific script. But it successfully finds the data folder when your script is named "Script-C"? Is that description correct? Please download the latest version from here (click the "Download" button) and check if the issue persists. If yes, post a screenshot...

"A question that puzzles me: So the Expander fails to find the data folder when launching this specific script. But it successfully finds the data folder when your script is named "Script-C"? Is that description correct?"

About your question above, sorry that I confused you in my earlier post. It seems that the Expander did not manage to find the Data folder. It worked earlier when I named my script to a certain name because I had the same exact script (same file name) in my installation directory (who knew). But the funny thing is this, though the script with the same name exist in both the installation AND the MT4 data folder, their coding content is totally different. Meaning, once the Expander identified the script in the installation folder, the execution of the script is based on the ex4 which is located in the 'roaming' MT4 data folder. Weird isn't it?

I couldn't use the latest DLL as it was compiled for a 64-bit machine, sorry (see attached). Can you compile for a 32-bit environment?

I am also attaching the screenshots requested. Oh btw, I am using an admin account since this is a home PC

I am not sure what you mean by portable switch? But yeah, I did not properly install my MT4 using the broker's setup file since I sometimes hop between my home PC and laptop, copying all MT4 files over via USB. The drawback of this is, when I execute MT4 on each machine, the terminal will create the MT4 roaming data folder automatically, and thus would not point to the MT4 folder where the terminal is executed. I hope that make sense.
Attached Image(s) (click to enlarge)
Click to Enlarge Name: uac.png Size: 43 KB
Click to Enlarge Name: Journal_Log.png Size: 13 KB
Click to Enlarge Name: Error_Loading DLL.png Size: 27 KB
  • #37
  • May 31, 2020 5:03am May 31, 2020 5:03am
Quoting mrcassman
...It seems that the Expander did not manage to find the Data folder...
Thank you, that helps a lot. Will come back to you.
It takes blood, sweat and enough tears to wash away the blood.
  • #38
  • May 31, 2020 10:50am May 31, 2020 10:50am
Quoting mrcassman
...I am using your function as a "Script" calling another "Script"... and I was excited it works like a charm Then I stumble upon a problem...
One more question: I have an idea but do you remember what you changed on your system to get from a working to a non-working state?

Thanks
It takes blood, sweat and enough tears to wash away the blood.
  • #39
  • Edited Jun 1, 2020 5:37am May 31, 2020 11:20am | Edited Jun 1, 2020 5:37am
Quoting emmzett
{quote} One more question: I have an idea but do you remember what you changed on your system to get from a working to a non-working state? Thanks
It was a workaround. I copied my scripts from the 'roaming' MT4 data folder to the installation folder so that the Expander sees the scripts. The main script that calls the Expander and its library still resides in the 'roaming' MT4 data folder.

.....

Update:
Oh my, I misunderstood your question. The Expander will not work if I don't have my scripts in the installation folder where terminal.exe resides.

Also, maybe you can ignore the scenario I posted in Post #31 as I only found out later in Post #34 that the problem was caused by the Expander couldn't find the file. I only found this out after you suggested that I try to use DebugView to catch the error.

So I guess, the probable reason why the Expander couldn't find the script is because it doesn't have the information about the 'roaming' data folder. Maybe?

Hope that helps.
  • #40
  • Jun 2, 2020 6:29pm Jun 2, 2020 6:29pm
Quoting mrcassman
{quote} "... I am not sure what you mean by portable switch? ...
No doubt the MT4 documentation says something about the /portable switch, but here is:

How I enable the /portable switch for my purposes:

(Based on Win10, but similar on others).

  1. Run your MT4.
  2. Right-click over the now-visible icon for MT4, and click "Pin to taskbar".
  3. Quit MT4.
  4. You now have a permanent icon to start MT4.
    NOTE: This icon is the *only* way that I start up my MT4, because using the steps below, it will have the /portable option. I never use, for example, the Start menu. There's probably another (better?) way to enable the option regardless of how one starts up MT4, but I don't know or need it (though I welcome the info).
  5. Right-click over your MT4 icon in the taskbar.
  6. On the popup menu, right-click again over the line that would start MT4.
  7. Choose "Properties".
  8. Go to the "Shortcut" tab.
  9. Notice the "Target" value is a full path, similar to (with quotes): "C:\Users\...yourname...\MyBroker MT4\terminal.exe"
    (For my MT4 installations, I happen to use the "Users" folder instead of "Program Files (x86)" )
  10. Add the /portable switch as follows, after the 2nd quote closes, as follows:
    "C:\Users\...yourname...\MyBroker MT4\terminal.exe" /portable
  11. Restart MT4
  12. File->Open Data Folder
  13. Notice that the Data Folder location is the folder that contains your "terminal.exe", that is: "C:\Users\...yourname...\MyBroker MT4"
    The "MQL4" folder is also here, which is where your Indicators, Files, etc. folders exist.
    With the /portable option enabled, MT4 no longer uses the non-portable Data Folder, which in your case is:
    Data Folder: C:\Users\MiL\AppData\Roaming\MetaQuotes\Terminal\4BA2C84EB77FC8B360B1156956BAA353\

    However, if your programs make use of the Common Data Folder, that location is still at:
    C:\Users\...yourname...\AppData\Roaming\MetaQuotes\Terminal\Common
    (My Common folder contains a shared "Files" folder, and could contain some other stuff too, but that's all I use it for, at present).

The "/portable" option is/was intended so that you could install MT4 on a thumb drive, and it would be (apart from the Common Data Folder) self-contained, but I happen to like it for at least my main development MT4 installation because the MQL4\ folder is right there, easy to maintain and backup one main location.

TIP: A program can determine whatever the Common Data Folder path is using: string cdf = TerminalInfoString(TERMINAL_DATA_PATH);


Kent (pips4life)

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