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Moving Average indicator programming

  • #1
  • First Post: Jun 16, 2008 7:25pm Jun 16, 2008 7:25pm
Hello,

I need a very very simple .mq4 indicator file that shows a simple moving average on a chart with nothing else on it.

A short file like this will help me better understand the metaeditor language because all the MA's indicator files I can find is always contain more stuff than just the MA drawing to a chat.

Kind Regards,

Johny-Raa.
  • #2
  • Jun 16, 2008 9:12pm Jun 16, 2008 9:12pm
This already exists in metatrader, just click on your indicators button and look for the trend indicators.
  • #3
  • Jun 17, 2008 2:35am Jun 17, 2008 2:35am
Hi endroute,

The only MA indicator I can find is this:

Inserted Code
#property copyright "Copyright © 2004, MetaQuotes Software Corp."
#property link      "[url]http://www.metaquotes.net/[/url]"
#property indicator_chart_window
#property indicator_buffers 1
#property indicator_color1 Red
//---- indicator parameters
extern int MA_Period=13;
extern int MA_Shift=0;
extern int MA_Method=0;
//---- indicator buffers
double ExtMapBuffer[];
//----
int ExtCountedBars=0;
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Custom indicator initialization function                         |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
int init()
  {
   int    draw_begin;
   string short_name;
//---- drawing settings
   SetIndexStyle(0,DRAW_LINE);
   SetIndexShift(0,MA_Shift);
   IndicatorDigits(MarketInfo(Symbol(),MODE_DIGITS));
   if(MA_Period<2) MA_Period=13;
   draw_begin=MA_Period-1;
//---- indicator short name
   switch(MA_Method)
     {
      case 1 : short_name="EMA(";  draw_begin=0; break;
      case 2 : short_name="SMMA("; break;
      case 3 : short_name="LWMA("; break;
      default :
         MA_Method=0;
         short_name="SMA(";
     }
   IndicatorShortName(short_name+MA_Period+")");
   SetIndexDrawBegin(0,draw_begin);
//---- indicator buffers mapping
   SetIndexBuffer(0,ExtMapBuffer);
//---- initialization done
   return(0);
  }
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//|                                                                  |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
int start()
  {
   if(Bars<=MA_Period) return(0);
   ExtCountedBars=IndicatorCounted();
//---- check for possible errors
   if (ExtCountedBars<0) return(-1);
//---- last counted bar will be recounted
   if (ExtCountedBars>0) ExtCountedBars--;
//----
   switch(MA_Method)
     {
      case 0 : sma();  break;
      case 1 : ema();  break;
      case 2 : smma(); break;
      case 3 : lwma();
     }
//---- done
   return(0);
  }
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Simple Moving Average                                            |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
void sma()
  {
   double sum=0;
   int    i,pos=Bars-ExtCountedBars-1;
//---- initial accumulation
   if(pos<MA_Period) pos=MA_Period;
   for(i=1;i<MA_Period;i++,pos--)
      sum+=Close[pos];
//---- main calculation loop
   while(pos>=0)
     {
      sum+=Close[pos];
      ExtMapBuffer[pos]=sum/MA_Period;
    sum-=Close[pos+MA_Period-1];
     pos--;
     }
//---- zero initial bars
   if(ExtCountedBars<1)
      for(i=1;i<MA_Period;i++) ExtMapBuffer[Bars-i]=0;
  }
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Exponential Moving Average                                       |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
void ema()
  {
   double pr=2.0/(MA_Period+1);
   int    pos=Bars-2;
   if(ExtCountedBars>2) pos=Bars-ExtCountedBars-1;
//---- main calculation loop
   while(pos>=0)
     {
      if(pos==Bars-2) ExtMapBuffer[pos+1]=Close[pos+1];
      ExtMapBuffer[pos]=Close[pos]*pr+ExtMapBuffer[pos+1]*(1-pr);
     pos--;
     }
  }
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Smoothed Moving Average                                          |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
void smma()
  {
   double sum=0;
   int    i,k,pos=Bars-ExtCountedBars+1;
//---- main calculation loop
   pos=Bars-MA_Period;
   if(pos>Bars-ExtCountedBars) pos=Bars-ExtCountedBars;
   while(pos>=0)
     {
      if(pos==Bars-MA_Period)
        {
         //---- initial accumulation
         for(i=0,k=pos;i<MA_Period;i++,k++)
           {
            sum+=Close[k];
            //---- zero initial bars
            ExtMapBuffer[k]=0;
           }
        }
      else sum=ExtMapBuffer[pos+1]*(MA_Period-1)+Close[pos];
      ExtMapBuffer[pos]=sum/MA_Period;
     pos--;
     }
  }
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Linear Weighted Moving Average                                   |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
void lwma()
  {
   double sum=0.0,lsum=0.0;
   double price;
   int    i,weight=0,pos=Bars-ExtCountedBars-1;
//---- initial accumulation
   if(pos<MA_Period) pos=MA_Period;
   for(i=1;i<=MA_Period;i++,pos--)
     {
      price=Close[pos];
      sum+=price*i;
      lsum+=price;
      weight+=i;
     }
//---- main calculation loop
   pos++;
   i=pos+MA_Period;
   while(pos>=0)
     {
      ExtMapBuffer[pos]=sum/weight;
      if(pos==0) break;
      pos--;
      i--;
      price=Close[pos];
      sum=sum-lsum+price*MA_Period;
      lsum-=Close[i];
      lsum+=price;
     }
//---- zero initial bars
   if(ExtCountedBars<1)
      for(i=1;i<MA_Period;i++) ExtMapBuffer[Bars-i]=0;
  }
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+

I think that it's too much programming for ONLY drawing a simple moving average on a chart. Can you maybe delete all the useless line from it ?

Kind Regards,

Johny-Raa.
  • #4
  • Jun 17, 2008 3:15am Jun 17, 2008 3:15am
Inserted Code
#property indicator_chart_window
#property indicator_buffers 1
#property indicator_color1 Green

extern int period=5;

double SMA[];

double sum=0;
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Custom indicator initialization function                         |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
int init()
  {
//---- indicators
   SetIndexBuffer(0, SMA);
   SetIndexLabel(0,"Sma");
   SetIndexStyle(0,DRAW_LINE);
//----
   return(0);
  }
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Custom indicator deinitialization function                       |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
int deinit()
  {
//----
 
//----
   return(0);
  }
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Custom indicator iteration function                              |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
int start()
  {
   int    counted_bars=IndicatorCounted();
//----
   int limit;
   if(counted_bars < 0) 
        return(-1);
   if(counted_bars > 0) 
        counted_bars--;
   limit=Bars-counted_bars-1;
   for(int i=limit; i >=0; i--) 
   {
      sum=0;
      for(int j=i+period-1;j>=i; j--)
      {
          sum+=Close[j];
      }
      SMA[i]=sum/period;
   }
return(0);
}
this is the simplest code to calculate an SMA.
  • #5
  • Jun 17, 2008 10:28am Jun 17, 2008 10:28am
Thank you very much Siro, I appreciate your help.

I'm coming to MetaTrader from eSignal programming where I know how to build complex indicators.

In eSignal if I want to do the same thing, This is how I'm writing it:

Inserted Code
var MA;
function main()
{ 
MA = sma(5);
return(MA);
}

You can see that it looks way more simple.

Does the
Inserted Code
double SMA[];
in your code is like the
Inserted Code
var MA;
in my code ?
  • #6
  • Jun 17, 2008 10:57am Jun 17, 2008 10:57am
i don't know much about eSignal programming but as far as i see it's a simple variable in your code.
in my code the double SMA[] was a buffer (array).
if you don't know much amout mql programming i suggest to download and read this tutorial for beginners.
http://www.forexfactory.com/showpost...32&postcount=2
it's very good and informative.

Siro
  • #7
  • Last Post: Jun 17, 2008 12:34pm Jun 17, 2008 12:34pm
Thanks again, I will read it deeply.
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