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Change Date format on MT4 .csv files?

  • #1
  • First Post: Jun 27, 2007 1:19am Jun 27, 2007 1:19am
Is there anyway to set or change the format of date in .csv files saved using MT4? As I am trying to import them into another program and it does not work since it doesnt support the default MT4 format. Any help appreciated.
  • #2
  • Jun 27, 2007 5:59pm Jun 27, 2007 5:59pm
Hi Creztor

Sorry, I don't know of any way to get MT4 to do this.

Here's a possible workaround:

1. Download FREEWARE text editor "EmEditor" from http://shareme.com/download/emeditor-free.html
and run the .MSI file to install (into \Program Files\EmEditor)
Then run EmEditor

2. Open the file (press Ctrl-O) whose dates you wish to modify.

3. Press Ctrl-H for search/replace, and check "Use Regular Expressions" ON.
Type exactly
^(....)\.(..)\.(..)
into the "Find" field, and
\2-\3-\1
into the "Replace with" field
[NOTE: this assumes you want to change to format MM-DD-YYYY; change the hyphens to whatever separator you need; also switch 1,2,3 around however you wish: 1=YYYY, 2=MM, 3=DD, e.g. to obtain DD/MM/YYYY, type
\3/\2/\1
Make sure the backslashes \ stay where they are]
Click on Replace All, and then press Esc to close search/replace, and Ctrl-S to save the file.

4. Repeat steps 2 & 3 for each file, as needed. Note that your entries in the "Find" and "Replace with" remain sticky: you only ever need to type them once. EmEditor also remembers the folder from which you opened the last CSV file.

You could alternatively load the files into Excel and manipulate using formulae, but - once the "Find" and "Replace with" entries are set up in EmEditor - it is significantly quicker. It's very fast and easy once you've done it a couple of times.

Hope this helps.

David
  • #3
  • Jun 27, 2007 9:32pm Jun 27, 2007 9:32pm
  •  tesla
  • | Joined Oct 2006 | Status: Friendly Neighborhood Programmer | 533 Posts
If you know what you're doing, it's pretty easy. Create a script that iterates over data and creates your own custom .csv file. You'll make heavy use of the file functions, so here's a reference.
  • #4
  • Jun 27, 2007 10:13pm Jun 27, 2007 10:13pm
Quoting tesla
If you know what you're doing, it's pretty easy. Create a script that iterates over data and creates your own custom .csv file. You'll make heavy use of the file functions, so here's a reference.
If I knew what I was doing I wouldn't post here

Thanks hanover I will give that a try.
  • #5
  • Jun 27, 2007 10:45pm Jun 27, 2007 10:45pm
hanover this is exactly what I need, thank you VERY much.
  • #6
  • Jun 27, 2007 11:22pm Jun 27, 2007 11:22pm
  •  tesla
  • | Joined Oct 2006 | Status: Friendly Neighborhood Programmer | 533 Posts
Quoting creztor
If I knew what I was doing I wouldn't post here

Thanks hanover I will give that a try.
Sorry man, in my haste I guess I put together a reply that was too curt to be useful.
  • #7
  • Edited 5:28am Jun 28, 2007 4:50am | Edited 5:28am
Hi Creztor

Tesla is absolutely right, it’s very easy to write a script to do this, hence I’ve done so (see below).
When I said “I don’t know how to get MT4 to do this” in my prior post, I was referring to its File Save function.

The script below assumes you require the following format:
mm–dd–yyyy,hh:mm,Open,High,Low,Close,Volume

If not, let me know and I will alter accordingly.

Simply download the file below into your
C:\Program Files\<meta trader folder>\experts\scripts
folder.

Then run MT4 and press Ctrl-N to open Navigator
Open up the “Scripts” tree, then drag “output_history” onto the desired chart.
Message “History output complete” appears in top left corner of chart.

Look in folder
C:\Program Files\<meta trader folder>\experts\files
and you should see your history file (e.g. “AUDUSD,60.CSV” file is H1 for AUDUSD).

Now you have an alternative method.

David

[Edit: experienced MQL4 programmers, please don't laugh too hard at my kindergarten coding ]
Attached File(s)
File Type: mq4 output_history.mq4   1 KB | 1,756 downloads
  • #8
  • Edited 4:47pm Sep 28, 2007 4:33pm | Edited 4:47pm
Hi,

I downloaded the attached script, and this is close to what i need. Since i do not know the script language, i would really appreciate some help.

I need to automate the process of creating the CSV file, when i start metatrader, for a list of pairings. I already modified the script for the date format that i need. Just write one line for one pair and i will copy and paste for the others. I also need the header in the first line "DATE", "TIME", etc...
Would it be possible to modify the current script to automate the process ?

Also, is it possible to revert the process. IMPORT csv files directly into the database. (graph stocks for example)

Your help would be well appreciated.

Thanks.
  • #9
  • Sep 29, 2007 4:07am Sep 29, 2007 4:07am
Serhito, I have replied to your e-mail.

In case anybody else wants the updated version of output_history.MQ4 script, it's attached. It can now be easily modified to output any number of currency pair/timeframes data history in a single run. Instructions in the script's comments area.

David
Attached File(s)
File Type: mq4 output_history.mq4   2 KB | 1,631 downloads
  • #10
  • Sep 30, 2007 12:43pm Sep 30, 2007 12:43pm
Thanks a lot for the script. It works perfectly !!!
  • #11
  • Sep 30, 2007 2:29pm Sep 30, 2007 2:29pm
Hello Hanover and many thnx for that script but this will collect all time frames data in one folder So is that possible to make the price data downloaded in different folders i mean a folder for daily data and other folder for 4hr data and so on is that possible ?

Regards
  • #12
  • Sep 30, 2007 3:24pm Sep 30, 2007 3:24pm
It seems the exported .csv is not sorted from old dated to new dates but rather fro new dates to old dates so there is a diffrent from the manual exported .csv and the exported files by this script can the script be modified to be similar to the normal exported .csv file
Thanks in advance
  • #13
  • Oct 1, 2007 6:03am Oct 1, 2007 6:03am
Quoting efmelp
It seems the exported .csv is not sorted from old dated to new dates but rather fro new dates to old dates so there is a diffrent from the manual exported .csv and the exported files by this script can the script be modified to be similar to the normal exported .csv file
Thanks in advance
Efmelp, to reverse the date sequence, change the line of code that reads:

for(int i=0; i<iBars(ccy,tf); i++)
to
for(int i=iBars(ccy,tf)-1; i>=0; i--)

Then press F5 to recompile the script.

____________________________________________________________

Quoting ahmedalhosenyy
Hello Hanover and many thnx for that script but this will collect all time frames data in one folder So is that possible to make the price data downloaded in different folders i mean a folder for daily data and other folder for 4hr data and so on is that possible ?

Regards
Ahmed, change the line of code that reads:

string fname = ccy + "," + tf + ".csv";
to
string fname = "TF-" + tf + "\\" + ccy + "," + tf + ".csv";

Then press F5 to recompile the script.

This will automatically create subfolders under ...\experts\files\ named TF-1 for 1 min charts, TF-5 for 5 min charts, TF-60 for hourly charts, TF-1440 for daily charts, etc; and create the relevant charts inside each subfolder.

David
  • #14
  • Oct 1, 2007 2:04pm Oct 1, 2007 2:04pm
Hello and many thnx for your help David i changed the Code and it allready give me separate folders but i am facing a new problem the CSV files didnot uppdate even if i close the station an open again it still on the old data

how can i solve this problem

Thnx again for your works
Regards
  • #15
  • Oct 1, 2007 2:43pm Oct 1, 2007 2:43pm
hello David
i have another idea :
i have an indicator which is Agetdata indicator it uppdates the data once the MT4 is online but it hase some limits
1/ it print prices in PRN not CSV
2/its adjusted just to print dates but not time so its ok when reading daily and weekly charts but when use it with intraday data it uppdate tell the last bars but the time reading on the other software is 2004 not 2007 ( for last bars)

3/ print limit No. of bars not all the data shown on MT4
4/ print all data in one folder ( not Multiple folders as you made with your expirt)
So may you work on that indicator tosolve these problems

Regards
Attached File(s)
File Type: mq4 AgetData.mq4   2 KB | 1,100 downloads
  • #16
  • Oct 1, 2007 4:12pm Oct 1, 2007 4:12pm
Quoting ahmedalhosenyy
Hello and many thnx for your help David i changed the Code and it allready give me separate folders but i am facing a new problem the CSV files didnot uppdate even if i close the station an open again it still on the old data

how can i solve this problem

Thnx again for your works
Regards
Ahmed, this is a script, not an indicator. Hence every time you open MT4 (or want to refresh the CSV files with the latest data) you must open the Navigator (press Ctrl-N) and drag the script back onto the chart. That will re-run the script and hence completely re-build the CSV files with whatever data is in MT4's history files at that time.

David
  • #17
  • Oct 1, 2007 6:58pm Oct 1, 2007 6:58pm
Hello David and excuse me because i am still new with MQL iam still study my 1st course about this language,
and i think the script will not be handy to use as a tool to export data

another thing what about the Agetdata indicator is there is any chance to modify it !!!

Regards
  • #18
  • Nov 14, 2007 9:24pm Nov 14, 2007 9:24pm
This is great hanover, just found out about the script now. Many thanks.
  • #19
  • Jan 2, 2008 8:04pm Jan 2, 2008 8:04pm
Hanover your knowledge is greatly appreciated.
I'm working on similar tasks to create a 3D chart in Excel. I've read the tutorial here: http://articles.mql4.com/493
I'm unable to identify how to import volume data as my "arraySizeZ". The tutorial is only partial apparently and certainly not enough for a non-coder such as myself. If you have the time to alter the code to show time compression and volume I would appreciate it.

TRADE WELL!
Attached File(s)
File Type: zip generateCsv.zip   2 KB | 936 downloads
It really is that easy.
  • #20
  • Jun 11, 2009 11:49am Jun 11, 2009 11:49am
hello,

i know there are several program that save ascii data file, e.g. .csv .txt .prn.

how do i change year format, for example, year 2009 to 1999?

year is only thing i concern. i want date and time not changed at all.

THANK YOU.
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