How to deal with ChartSetSymbolPeriod? | Forex Factory

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How to deal with ChartSetSymbolPeriod?

  • #1
  • First Post: Edited 3:42pm Mar 2, 2024 1:16pm | Edited 3:42pm
Hi coder, please help.

I have a "Multi-symbols EA" trading both forex currency (running 24/5) and crypto (running 24/7) pairs. I normally load the EA onto EURUSD D1 chart as the EURUSD is normally the highest volume and most ticks pair. All the entry and exit instructions are written in the OnTick() function.

Inserted Code
   int dd=TimeDayOfWeek(TimeCurrent()); // 0(Sun),1,2, ... 6(Sat)

When comes to weekend (dd==0 || dd==6), the EA loaded chart (EURUSD) does not have any tick, leading to the EA does not function at all.

Knowing that there is a command ChartSetSymbolPeriod (https://docs.mql4.com/chart_operatio...etsymbolperiod) where the user can change Symbol and/or Period.

How to write an instruction in my EA so that :-

if(dd>=1 & dd<=5), the chart symbol will always stick to EURUSD D1 chart during the weekdays :-

Inserted Code
bool ChartSetSymbolPeriod(0,"EURUSD",1440);

if(dd==0 || dd==6), the chart symbol will always stick to BTCUSD D1 chart during the weekends :-

Inserted Code
bool ChartSetSymbolPeriod(0,"BTCUSD",1440);

I mean, I need kind coder to provide me a set of instruction codes so that the ChartSymbol (where my EA is loaded on a ChartSymbol) will switch to EURUSD D1 chart during the weekdays automatically, whereas ChartSymbol will switch to BTCUSD D1 chart during the weekends automatically. Thanks

FYI, I need the "instruction / command codes" on Friday before 23:30 (server time) to switch the EA loaded chart to BTCUSD so that there are tick activity during the day 0 or 6.
  • #2
  • Mar 3, 2024 8:40am Mar 3, 2024 8:40am
Hi Chimoong,

What a fascinating problem. I didn't think that you could change charts with an EA still attached and sure enough I tried it myself and the EA just re-initializes on the chart.

Not quite sure whether this would work, but maybe try something like:

if(DayOfWeek()>0 && DayOfWeek()<6 && Symbol() != "EURUSD") ChartSetSymbolPeriod(0,"EURUSD",0);
else if( (DayOfWeek()==0 || DayOfWeek()==6) && Symbol() == "EURUSD") ChartSetSymbolPeriod(0,"BTCUSD",0);

Does your EA do scalping? If not, maybe better to try using EventSetTimer() or EventSetMillisecondTimer(). This way you can run your EA 24/7 a lot easier.

For Example

int OnInit()
{
EventSetTimer(2); // 2 second period
return(INIT_SUCCEEDED);
}

void OnDeinit(const int reason)
{
EventKillTimer(); // destroy the timer after completing the work
}

void OnTick()
{
// Do nothing.
}

void OnTimer()
{
// Put all you OnTick() code here.
}

I actually prefer OnTimer() to OnTick() because it uses much less cpu resources. Especially on VPS, but this is speaking from experience coding in MT5, maybe MT4 could be a little buggy!
(Green Diamond) Pip Impact Member (top 1%)
  • #3
  • Edited 6:17pm Mar 3, 2024 10:48am | Edited 6:17pm
Quoting codemaster75
Hi Chimoong, What a fascinating problem. I didn't think that you could change charts with an EA still attached and sure enough I tried it myself and the EA just re-initializes on the chart. Not quite sure whether this would work, but maybe try something like: if(DayOfWeek()>0 && DayOfWeek()<6 && Symbol() != "EURUSD") ChartSetSymbolPeriod(0,"EURUSD",0); else if( (DayOfWeek()==0 || DayOfWeek()==6) && Symbol() == "EURUSD") ChartSetSymbolPeriod(0,"BTCUSD",0); Does your EA do scalping? If not, maybe better to try using EventSetTimer() or EventSetMillisecondTimer()....
Hi codemaster75, thanks for your input. A coder had given me some codes and I modified them a little bit. Originally, I thought I need to create a flag to deal with ChartSetSymbolPeriod, but in fact no need.

Yes, I agree that OnTimer "may" be better but we must preset EventSetTimer and EventKillTimer. However, if we set some pre-execution conditions in the OnTick, I think it won't utilise much CPU resources.

The following are my working codes (change ChartSymbol with an EA still attached) that I wrote in my EA's OnTick function block. You may test it in your EA's OnTimer / OnTick. Today is Sunday, you have no choice to use crypto for your testing (changing ChartSymbol() on every 5 minutes) :-

Inserted Code
   int mm=TimeMinute(TimeCurrent()); // 0,1,2, ... 58,59
 
   static datetime lastSymTm;
   datetime nowSymTm=iTime(ChartSymbol(),5,0);
 
   if(lastSymTm!=nowSymTm && MathMod(mm,5)==0) {
   if(ChartSymbol()!="BTCUSD")
   if(ChartSetSymbolPeriod(ChartID(),"BTCUSD",5)) {
   lastSymTm=nowSymTm; Alert("ChartSymbol has been Changed to BTCUSD");}// you may use Print
 
   if(ChartSymbol()!="ETHUSD")
   if(ChartSetSymbolPeriod(ChartID(),"ETHUSD",5)) {
   lastSymTm=nowSymTm; Alert("ChartSymbol has been Changed to ETHUSD");}}// you may use Print

From my interpretation and understanding about OnInit() function (re-initialization), it works like "restarting the EA / MT4 terminal again", if I'm right, is okay for me as all my EA codes have been properly written. My intention is to switch symbol but NOT to switch TF, in order to get a symbol with continuous tick activities during weekdays and weekends (as I said, my "Multi-symbols EA" is trading both forex currency (running 24/5) and crypto (running 24/7) pairs. If my EA trades 20 pairs, I won't open 20 different charts, but I only need to open 1 single chart to load my EA, that's all. Furthermore, all the trading decisions can run 9 different TFs in the EA and they are not affected by the EA loaded ChartSymbol's TF at all).

FYI, if there are no switching command codes and my EA is loaded onto a EURUSD chart during the weekdays, when comes to weekend are there is no tick at all for EURUSD chart, it means that my EA does not function at all (in sleep mode condition), the risk would be very much higher if there are crypto open trades carried down from weekdays to weekend, my EA will definitely ignore the crypto open trades totally.

Thanks.
  • #4
  • Last Post: Mar 24, 2025 2:29pm Mar 24, 2025 2:29pm
Quoting chimoong
{quote} Hi codemaster75, thanks for your input. A coder had given me some codes and I modified them a little bit. Originally, I thought I need to create a flag to deal with ChartSetSymbolPeriod, but in fact no need. Yes, I agree that OnTimer "may" be better but we must preset EventSetTimer and EventKillTimer. However, if we set some pre-execution conditions in the OnTick, I think it won't utilise much CPU resources. The following are my working codes (change ChartSymbol with an EA still attached) that I wrote in my EA's OnTick function block. You...
Think you can set EventSetTimer() and change EventSetTimer() at any time within the program. For instance, say you want to use OnTimer() every 1 second for part of the week, and use OnTimer() every hour another part of the week. Just call EventSetTimer() with the new value when you want to switch to the new timer.

Plus, think you can use both OnTick() and OnTimer() in the same program. Say use mainly OnTick() during the weekdays and use mainly OnTimer() on the weekends.

Regards
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