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  • #1
  • First Post: Sep 17, 2007 8:04am Sep 17, 2007 8:04am
I need to program something and I just don't know how to do it... at the moment my system allows me to open only 1 trade at a time. I just have

total = OrdersTotal();

if(total < 1)
{
etc

What I want to do is to enable my program to open as many trades as it wishes but only let it open 1 trade per bar. I'm not certain as to what timeframe I want to use to determine whether a trade was opened during the current one (in which case no new ones can be opened)

this way I dont have to worry about having the fluctuations in the market open a heap of trades. I guess what is actually happeniening is theres a window where all the conditions are met and the system keeps opening positions whilst that window is open. I have the indicators shifted 1 time period but the system still opens a heap of transactions per bar as a result of that window. Any suggestions?

I've thought about timing lets say 900 seconds (15 mins) after the trade is entered but I'm not quite sure as to how to do even that, but I would really prefer to just say something along the lines of the following logic:

if(newtradesincurrentbar = 0)
{
tradeallowed = true
}
else
{
tradeallowed = false
}

and then something along the lines of

... conditions ....
and part of those conditions
if(...)
&& (tradeallowed == true)
{
Ordersend blah blah blah
}
  • #2
  • Sep 17, 2007 2:18pm Sep 17, 2007 2:18pm
  •  tesla
  • Joined Oct 2006 | Status: Friendly Neighborhood Programmer | 533 Posts
Here's something to get you started. Note that I created a function called doOrderEntry.

One of the issues I see people dealing with is that they cram all of their logic into the start function. It's much easier to read and manage if you break it out into manageable bits.

PHP Code
int start() {

    // static variable to track bar of last entry
    static datetime tLastEntry = 0;

    // if there wasn't an entry this bar, perform entry check
    if(tLastEntry < Time[0])
        if(doOrderEntry())
            tLastEntry = Time[0];
}

// place your logic checks for order entry here
// if order is placed, return true
// if order isn't placed, return false
bool doOrderEntry() {    
    return(true);
}
  • #3
  • Sep 17, 2007 5:49pm Sep 17, 2007 5:49pm
I'm not very good at reading other peoples code but I'm pretty sure I understood what you suggested. Thank you very much.

Coincidentally, I am one of those people who crams everything into the start function , I just don't understand coding to a level that would enable me to do otherwise... I've seen programs that have a start function thats like 5 lines long and the rest of the code was huge... I was impressed to say the least... perhaps not for what was written in the remainder of the program but by the sheer fact that I am unable to write such neat start functions : .
  • #4
  • Sep 17, 2007 9:23pm Sep 17, 2007 9:23pm
  •  tesla
  • Joined Oct 2006 | Status: Friendly Neighborhood Programmer | 533 Posts
Here's a template of sorts to get you started. You don't have to do everything exactly the same way, but I consider this (or something very similar) to be standard practice.

PHP Code
// indicators used in multiple "bits" of code declared at the module level
double    dLongMA;
double    dShortMA;

int start() {
    calcIndicators();
    manageExits();
    manageEntries();
}

// calculate all your module level indicators here
void calcIndicators() {

}

// iterate your open orders and manage exits here
void manageExits() {

}

// manage your order entry here
void manageEntries() {

}
  • #5
  • Edited 10:27pm Sep 23, 2007 10:14pm | Edited 10:27pm
// manage your order entry here
void manageEntries() {

}

assuming you said

double manageStopLoss() (probably should be int manageStopLoss() but you get the idea)
{

return(stopLoss)
}

would you use manageStopLoss() in the remainder of the code? i.e. is that where the figures are stored?

so for example when you are doing an OrderSend... and then get to the stop loss would you put in manageStopLoss() (assuming what you calculated under that is the stop loss of course) or would you put stopLoss seeing I said return (stopLoss)
  • #6
  • Sep 24, 2007 12:03am Sep 24, 2007 12:03am
  •  tesla
  • Joined Oct 2006 | Status: Friendly Neighborhood Programmer | 533 Posts
Assuming I were to define a function to calculate the initial stoploss for an order, it would probably look like this...
PHP Code
double getStopLoss(int iOrderType, double dEntryPrice) {
    // declare a function variable
    double dStopLoss;
    
    // set my variable to 20 pips from entry price
    if(iOrderType == OP_BUY)
        dStopLoss = dEntryPrice - 20*Point;
    else if(iOrderType == OP_SELL)
        dStopLoss = dEntryPrice + 20*Point;
    
    // return the value of my variable
    return(dStopLoss);
}
To "call" the function and get its return value, you could do this.
PHP Code
double dMyStop = getStopLoss(OP_BUY,2.0100);
or... you could use it inline like so...
PHP Code
OrderSend(Symbol(),OP_BUY,1.4,Ask,0,getStopLoss(OP_BUY,Ask),0,"",0,0);
  • #7
  • Sep 24, 2007 3:50am Sep 24, 2007 3:50am
Thanks man I'm pretty sure I get it now. It should take some time to get my head around how to program this way the same way that you have to get your head around thinking like a computer when you first start programming but yer this is great... now I can reuse various bits of my programs.
  • #8
  • Sep 28, 2007 9:47pm Sep 28, 2007 9:47pm
Another question... what is "Point"? I know that if we say something like:

extern int slippage = 3;

then in OrderSend we would need to write slippage * Point but what exactly is it? I'm pretty sure it changes from currency pair to currency pair... am I right? How is it calculated?
  • #9
  • Sep 28, 2007 10:06pm Sep 28, 2007 10:06pm
  •  tesla
  • Joined Oct 2006 | Status: Friendly Neighborhood Programmer | 533 Posts
Quoting Atomic_Sheep
Another question... what is "Point"? I know that if we say something like:

extern int slippage = 3;

then in OrderSend we would need to write slippage * Point but what exactly is it? I'm pretty sure it changes from currency pair to currency pair... am I right? How is it calculated?
You're right, it's a different value for different pairs. MetaEditor help describes it as: "The current symbol point value in the quote currency."

Not too helpful, eh? It's really a way of converting an integer to a pip value.

Point for EURUSD = 0.0001. Take 23 and multiply it by Point and you get 0.0023.
Point for USDJPY = 0.01. Take 23 and multiply it by Point and you get 0.23.

Point is super useful for doing things like calculating stoploss. Need a 30 point stoploss for a long order?
PHP Code
double dStopLoss = Ask - 30*Point;
See where I'm going with this?
  • #10
  • Sep 28, 2007 11:22pm Sep 28, 2007 11:22pm
Yer the standard definition is quite vague... so Point knows what currency pair the expert is working on and uses the appropriate quantity? So you don't need to specify anything more for it to be calculated correctly?
  • #11
  • Sep 29, 2007 9:43am Sep 29, 2007 9:43am
  •  tesla
  • Joined Oct 2006 | Status: Friendly Neighborhood Programmer | 533 Posts
Quoting Atomic_Sheep
Yer the standard definition is quite vague... so Point knows what currency pair the expert is working on and uses the appropriate quantity? So you don't need to specify anything more for it to be calculated correctly?
Point is based on whatever chart the EA/script/indicator is currently running on. There's a way to get Point for other pairs via MarketInfo() function.
  • #12
  • Sep 29, 2007 9:21pm Sep 29, 2007 9:21pm
Yep cool, thanks
  • #13
  • Oct 3, 2007 2:59pm Oct 3, 2007 2:59pm
It seems not. Could anyone confirm it? Thanks a lot!
  • #14
  • Oct 3, 2007 10:54pm Oct 3, 2007 10:54pm
  •  tesla
  • Joined Oct 2006 | Status: Friendly Neighborhood Programmer | 533 Posts
Quoting dogberry
It seems not. Could anyone confirm it? Thanks a lot!
That's an odd question, but I'll confirm. Since your EA runs on your computer, it won't work when your computer is off.
  • #15
  • Oct 4, 2007 4:54am Oct 4, 2007 4:54am
Your open trades will continue trading when the computer is off and the take profit levels and stop loss levels will be hit as the price reaches them (assuming you have them in... hence a good idea to put them in in case theres a power out or something)... but this is because they are orders... they are sent away and processed. Quite obviously you cant open new trades when the tool you are using (the computer) is switched off .
  • #16
  • Last Post: Oct 6, 2007 8:03am Oct 6, 2007 8:03am
Hi, your code is really helpful. But I couldn't manage to write some code to close untouched positions at sometime after opening, say 24 hours. The following is my code. I want to long or short at 20:00pm, and close at the second day, 20:00pm.
Thank you very much in advance!

int start()
{
// static variable to track bar of last entry
static datetime tLastEntry = 0;
// if there wasn't an entry this bar, perform entry check
if(tLastEntry < Time[0])
if(doOrderEntry())
tLastEntry = Time[0];
if(CurTime()-OrderOpenTime()>24*60*60) // I meant 24 hours
OrderClose(OrderTicket(),OrderLots(),0,3,Violet);
}

// place your logic checks for order entry here
// if order is placed, return true
// if order isn't placed, return false
bool doOrderEntry()
{
int cnt, ticket;
double dDiffp;
dDiffp = iClose(NULL,PERIOD_H4,1) - iOpen(NULL,PERIOD_H4,1);
if(((dDiffp > 4.5*Point && dDiffp < 12.5*Point) || dDiffp > 35.5*Point) && TimeHour(CurTime())==20)
{
ticket=OrderSend(Symbol(),OP_BUY,Lots,Ask,3,0,0,
"My EA",12345,0);
return(true);
}
else if(((dDiffp < -4.5*Point && dDiffp > -12.5*Point) || dDiffp < -35.5*Point) && TimeHour(CurTime())==20)
{
ticket=OrderSend(Symbol(),OP_SELL,Lots,Bid,3,0,0,
"My EA",12345,0);
return(true);
}
return(false);
}





Quoting tesla
Here's something to get you started. Note that I created a function called doOrderEntry.

One of the issues I see people dealing with is that they cram all of their logic into the start function. It's much easier to read and manage if you break it out into manageable bits.

PHP Code
int start() {
 
    // static variable to track bar of last entry
    static datetime tLastEntry = 0;
 
    // if there wasn't an entry this bar, perform entry check
    if(tLastEntry < Time[0])
        if(doOrderEntry())
            tLastEntry = Time[0];
}
 
// place your logic checks for order entry here
// if order is placed, return true
// if order isn't placed, return false
bool doOrderEntry() {    
    return(true);
}
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