So simple... Why doesn't it work

Hi All,

I am trying to code an EA (aren't we all), that contains the following 2 lines...

OrderSend("EURUSD",OP_BUY,0.1,MarketInfo("EURUSD", MODE_ASK),3,0,0,"BOUGHT",1,0,Green);
OrderSend("USDCHF",OP_SELL,0.1,MarketInfo("USDCHF", MODE_BID),3,0,0,"SOLD",2,0,Green);


When I run this on the EURUSD chart, I get an error saying "unknown symbol name USDCHF for OrderSend function"

When I run the same EA on the USDCHF chart, I get an error saying "unknown symbol name EURUSD for OrderSend function".

Please help. This should be so simple, it is driving me nuts!

I'm not sure exactly what your intention is, but I just put "Ask" in for buy price, or "bid" for sell.

Why the "MarketInfo.." etc? I'd start by changing that and see what happens.

Then I'd comment out the OrderSend for the CHF and see if I get the error on the E/U chart, and vice-versa. That will give you a hint as to the problem.

Have you placed orders for a pair other than for the chart the EA is attached to before?

Hi,

The reason I put in the "MarketInfo" instead of bid and ask, is because I was under the impression that the bid/ask was pertaining to the current chart. For example, if I am running this on the EURUSD chart, I don't want to buy USDCHF at the EURUSD ask. I did originally use bid/ask, and this had the same question.

As for commenting out the code, I have done this, and found that the one that is on the chart works fine, and the one that is not produces the error.

Thanks for having a crack, I'd love to hear more suggestions if you have any.

Are you trying to run the EA on a mini account? because if you are the symbols look like "EURUSDm" etc.

Hi Craig,

Thanks for the input. To be honest, I am not sure if it is a mini account or not, it is just a demo. Having said that, I think it is beside the point (I am open to being corrected) because like I said, it works on one pair, and not the other. More specifically, it works on the pair that the EA is being run on.

I have searched forums, and the web... this thing will be the death of me!!! It should be so simple.

replace EURUSD with Symbol(). that will fill that point with the symbol of the pair the EA is on.

Nick

Hi,

If anyone could please run this really simple EA on their system, I would really appreciate it. I just want to see if it does the same thing for you as me.... ie. Please let me know if this opens 2 trades for you, or just the one.

//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Hedge.mq4 |
//| Dan |
//| http://www.metaquotes.net |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
#property copyright "Dan"
#property link "http://www.metaquotes.net"
#include <stdlib.mqh>


//---- input parameters
extern int nPipsProfit=5;
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| expert initialization function |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
int init()
{
return(0);
}

int deinit()
{
return(0);
}

int start()
{

if (OrdersTotal()<1)
{
OrderSend("EURUSD",OP_BUY,0.1,MarketInfo("EURUSD", MODE_ASK),3,0,0,"BOUGHT",12344,0,Green);
OrderSend("USDCHF",OP_SELL,0.1,MarketInfo("USDCHF", MODE_BID),3,0,0,"SOLD",12344,0,Green);
return(0);
}


return(0);
}

Thanks Flareup, but the pair the EA is on works anyway.

Make an EA with this in the init() function

Print(Symbol());


This will tell you what MT4 thinks the symbol string is.

Flareup, done... on the EURUSD, the symbol is "EURUSD". I am well aware this whole thing does not make sense. I would love you to try it on your machine and tell me what you get. Just cut and paste the code above.

Well, I guess your computer just hates you. It works fine for me when I put it on a standard account (not mini).

I tried it on a mini account also. Didn't work without this modification.


Sorry can't help

Thanks for trying. Perhaps there is a setting in MT4 of something? Or perhaps your right, my computer hates me... at the moment the feelings are mutual.

Incase anyone is interested, I tried it with the m anyway, and this time neither pair was recognized, instead of just 1.

Hi All,

At some point, someone else might have this problem, so I thought I'd keep everyone updated with my progress. I have found something that might explain the problem. If you have a look at the link http://www.metaquotes.net/experts/ar...tester_limits/
it says the following...

1. Trading is permitted for the symbol under test only, no portfolio testing
   Attempts to trade using another symbol will return error

Having said this, Flareup said it worked on his computer (sorry, assuming Flareup is a he?). Are you sure it opened 2 trades? Has anyone else tried it?

Can anyone think of a work around to this problem. I can think of one, but I don't know if it can be done. Can you change the symbol in the EA. So it would be something like this...

OrderSend(Symbol(),...) //Where Symbol() is EURUSD
Do something to change the current Symbol?
OrderSend(Symbol()...) /Where Symbol() is now USDCHF.

Is this possible? If so, how do you do it?

Yea, I put it on a pair, then at the next tick (calling the start() function) it put in a trade for one pair and the next pair.

And yes, i'm a guy

I didn't quite follow that. Could you expand please. Are we talking backtesting here of forward testing? I have discovered the forward testing works fine, only a prob with the back testing.

Ah. I know what your problem is then. The strategy tester has limitations , one of which is that only the pair being simulated can be traded. There's your problem.

Yeah, I realise that now, what a pain... and I can't find a work around.

might be that symbols is EURUSDm or USDCHFm if you are using InterbankFX mini.