where to learn the scripting language?

hi there, I've got a few quite successful system I've made up, so I was wondering if it's possible to code it, where can i learn the language? I used to have quite good programming experiences, but it was years ago, so i should be able to pick it up if there's a website of information or some sort, thanks in advance!

You mean C++, java, etc? Be prepared to spend more than 4 years to fully master the language. If that's what you want to do, go ahead!

The best information you can get from object-oriented language is from a book. Learning from a website would only teach you the basics.

For MetaQuotes look at the 'similar threads' section at the bottom of the page.

Hi DragonCat :-)

I learned from CodersGuru over at www.metatrader.info and just from reading code you can find in the metatrader forum here.

CodersGuru's course is free, but it does start out fairly simple if you alreday have some programming experience. There's also the documents over at docs.mql4.com

Also, you can get off to a quick start my using the expert advisor builder. The address is slipping my mind right now, but you should be able to google for it.

Good luck :-)


Seavo

thanks everybody

Seavo: i'm reading the link to the docs now, very helpful, hope i'll be able to pick it up quicker than 4 years.. i gave up programming years ago before the C language started to get popular... used to be doing things like machine coding for 80286/80386 etc. and used BASIC, Pascal, then stopped, and started programming again using Visual Basic because of writing databases & spreadsheets with MS Office, then used SQL somewhere, but never got around to learning C or java.. haha... but i've got pretty good ideas about object oriented programming, just i need time to absorb the syntax & all the build in functions etc.etc. but thanks for the link... It's very helpful! Cheers...

metatrader.info is down right now, so just going thru the docs first, something to do in my spare time this weekend! Thanks again..

Hi DragonCat,

looks like I'll have to update my bookmarks lol.

This is the original development course that I read through: http://www.forex-tsd.com/3746-post20.html, after it became popular CodersGuru put up the metatrader.info site. Each lesson is available in pdfs at the bottom of the posts. Also CodersGuru and a lot of other excellent programmers hang out over there in a thread called "Ask!". They're most helpful when you get stuck :-) also, Google has worked well for me once I had an idea of what I was looking for the EA to do. Googling thinks like "Place order mql" usually point you to the docs page first, but also sometimes you'll find snippets of code you can read over to really understand how it works in action :-)

Hope this helps :-)


Seavo

thanks Seavo! the docs.mql4.com have been great help!!
I can't express my excitment now, I've just finished coding two of my custom indicators and finally ironed out all the bugs, I couldn't believe I could pick it up as quick as I did after more than 10 years of not programming! Can't wait till I can work on the EA next weekend, I won't have time in the weekdays while trading, but this indicator stuff is going to help me heaps looking out for me now, it's like a second helper!
But when I start on the EA, I'm sure I'll start running into a brick walls and will need to go through these tutorials or ask this CodersGuru for more help! Thanks a million!

I'm excited for you too DragonCat

I'm no guru, but feel free to PM me if I can do any thing else to help!


Seavo

Seavo: thanks for the kind offer! At the moment I'm still ok, most of the answers i can find in the mql4 website, I've been watching very carefully how the code was performing this week and it looks very promising right now! I'm not sure if I'll have time this weekend to start writing the EA, as I may be busy with other things, but right now with my current codes, it's already helping me do 80% of the usual workload and I can afford to keep my eye on 4 currencies at a time! Of coz the EA would save me probably 100% of the time if sucessful, but at least I feel I don't need to rush to finish the job, I can relax on the weekends... Thanks again for your offer! Have a great weekend!

here's the direct link to the MT4 development documentation.
http://www.metatrader.info/node/34
have fun!

thanks, had a look through that tutorial, too much text.. i think it's easier if i just self learn it from the documentation function by function, easier for me this way.. and just looking at example codes gave me pretty good ideas already..

DC, here is a link to the book written by the lead programmer that developed MQL4: http://book.mql4.com/

The other links near the top of the page (Documentation, Codebase, Articles, Forum) provide good info also.

The link provided by ckowyong (http://www.metatrader.info/node/34) is likewise very good. Thanks ckowyong!

If you're looking for an EA-building template, perhaps try here: http://sufx.core.t3-ism.net/ExpertAdvisorBuilder/

BTW, MQL4 is not object oriented. Apparently we have to wait for MQL5 to get OO.

David
(elderly COBOL/BASIC/RPG programmer from the 1980s - LOL)