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Attachments: NFP System - Backtest data provided
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NFP System - Backtest data provided

  • #341
  • Oct 20, 2008 3:44pm Oct 20, 2008 3:44pm
piperomia,

You're welcome.

Don

Quoting piperomia
disbellj,

Thank you for your response.
  • #342
  • Oct 20, 2008 6:51pm Oct 20, 2008 6:51pm
Hello Disbellj,

I can try get this done for you, Please post the exact instructions you want done. Be as specific as possible. Also, include all indicators and other items in the one post you make.
I know you have indicated that the items are in other posts but please put everything in one post. It will make it a lot easier.
Regards,
Jeff

Quoting disbellj
There was an indicator made (Sentinal_index). It did not keep updated correctly on the charts. After the thread died, I asked if that could be fixed. I doubt anyone would be successful in using the original indicator unless they manually switched timeframes back and forth to have to manually refresh the indicator. The fixed indiactor Kevin provided did update correctly (Sentinal_Revised), but the line on the indicator appearance was wrong. I fixed the problem and posted a new indicator (Sentinel_Revised2), as well as a couple in-progress stuff - an indicator to show NFP \"colling down period\" start and stop, highest high and lowest low. It would be put on each individual chart for all 6 pairs. The highest high and lowest low are not correct, and would have to be fixed to be reliable. The EA has the basic rules in buy and sell, but closebuy and closesell are not finished. As I've said before, unless someone can fix the NFP_Sentinel_Don indicator, then the only thing we can reliably use is the Sentinel_Revised2 indicator, and the system must be traded manually.

Don
  • #343
  • Oct 21, 2008 10:54am Oct 21, 2008 10:54am
Jeff,

That sounds great. I will explain as best I can.

First, I read Kevin's post (post#1 in this thread). The Sentinel_Revised2 indicator is set up correctly and working correctly to this strategy. The indicator Sentinel_Revised2 assumes BuyingUSD. So inside the indicator, for usd-based pairs, the last close price for the pair/timeframe is subtracted from this close price (since we would expect these pairs to go up if USD is strengthening). For non-usd-based pairs, we subtract this close price from last close price (since we would expect these pairs to go down if USD is strengthening). Gains for each pair are added together to form a composite number - the Sentinel number. This is represented by the blue line in the Sentinel_Revised2 indicator.

Originally, we "BuyUSD" when the line is going up, and "SellUSD" when the line is going down. BUT, because I wanted to make the indicator to be traded via an EA, I made the Sentinel switch direction (upside down) on non-usd-based pairs (so it looks the opposite on these pairs than it does on usd-based pairs). This is so that when the Sentinel is above 336 Simple Moving Average on Sentinel_Revised2 indicator, no matter what pair of the 6 pairs, you buy. When Sentinel is below 336 Simple Moving Average on Sentinel_Revised2 indicator, no matter what pair of the 6 pairs, you sell. This is the way it is set up to be used in the attached EA 'NFP_Sentinel_EA'.

Now, Kevin (the originator of the thread) also gave additional requirements for the strategy that I had not done/used. It seems to me that Kevin (in post#1) mentioned also a 336 Simple Moving Average for each pair's chart also (so this is a 336 SMA on EACH pair's M30 chart, IN ADDITION TO the 336 SMA in the indicator window on EACH pair's chart).

Also, Kevin referred to the NFP, and said that he waited after NFP was released on a Friday and waited until the following Monday 00:00, and named this period of time the NFP cooling off period. He then took the highest high and lowest low during that cooling off period, for each pair. This is what the indicator 'NFP_Sentinel_Don' was trying to automate. I was able to set the vertical lines correctly at the time NFP is released, to the next Monday at 00:00 (which I believe to be 11:00 PM Central time Sunday night). These lines are correct in that indicator. Then I tried to set horizontal lines to represent the highest high and lowest low during that time, to be automatically calculated and put the horizontal line on the chart automatically for each pair. I have not done this correctly, and it is NOT working. I then made the indicator draw a rectangle encompassing the start to end, lowest low to highest high, of the NFP cooling off period. You can refer to posts on this page (post#331, right after I posted the same indicators and EA I am posting again that I posted in post#330), to see screen shots I made and attached, to show this indicator on some pairs. See how the red rectangle is not correctly encompassing the highest high to lowest low on each pair? The red rectangle should encompass the highest high to lowest low of the NFP cooling off period. This is what needs corrected. If corrected to be able to calculate this correctly, then the red and orange rectangles should automatically be corrected.

When/if that gets corrected, the EA should be able to be changed to completely follow the directions on post#1 (Kevin's original post describing the system), use the Sentinel_Revised2 indicator to see strength of USD (and includes a 336 SMA), use this in conjunction with 336 SMA on each pair, and also use the rules about not trading in the red zone (red rectangle = NFP cooling off period), and not trading after the cooling off period as long as the price is in the orange zone (orange rectangle = highest high to lowest low for the pair during NFP cooling off period, but a zone which should not be traded even during the rest of the month).

My understanding of Kevin's system is:
If, for example, USDJPY's price goes below 336 SMA, the Sentinel in the Sentinel_Revised2 indicator is on a USD-based pair, so if the Sentinel line in the indicator is also below 336 SMA in the indicator, AND if price is also NOT in the red or orange zone, THEN Sell USDJPY.

For a non-usd-based pair, here's the same example when selling USD (usd is going down):
If EURUSD's price is above the 336 SMA, the Sentinel in the Sentinel_Revised2 indicator is on a non-USD-based pair, so if the Sentinel line in the indicator is above 336 SMA in the indicator, AND if price is also NOT in the red or orange zone, THEN Buy EURUSD.

Now (my method): I have just used the Sentinel_Revised2 to trade, and Buy USD (simultaneously Sell EURUSD, GBPUSD, and AUDUSD, while Buy USDCHF, USDCAD, and USDJPY) or Sell USD (simultaneously Buy EURUSD, GBPUSD, and AUDUSD, while Sell USDCHF, USDCAD, and USDJPY) based on this indicator and the internal 336 SMA alone. So I buy or sell all at the same time, where Kevin's method would buy or sell based on multiple criteria.

My method can be tested by simply using the attached EA and only keeping/using references to Sentinel_Revised2 (Sentinel > 336 SMA = Buy/CloseSell pair, Sentinel < 336 SMA = Sell/CloseBuy pair)

However, I believe that if Kevin's system's additional requirements were added (NFP cooling off period highest high and lowest low, so we don't trade in that range during the remainder of the month) and 336 SMA on each chart, plus stop losses he recommends, these MAY keep us out of ranging areas better in the long run. Also, since my emotions seem to get the better of me when trading, I'd like to finish this and put it into an EA (why I've worked towards that goal). Then we can backtest and compare my method with Kevin's method, and use the best one. Both are profitable for sure. You can see almost 5,500 pips gained last month (actually could have been more if trading from previous month and not having to wait until next cross that happened after the 1st of the month), and this using just the one Sentinel_Revised2 indicator on M30 chart with 336 SMA. However, as I've said before, Kevin's strategy could be more profitable in the long run if it keeps us out of ranging areas when they are encountered. I just know I made 2,000 pips in less than a couple weeks at beginning of August, before I ever found this thread, with an indicator I made that didn't update correctly. Now that we have an updated indicator that can be trusted, I can move to lower timeframes than when I made that 2,000 pips. If Kevin's strategy is better, then all the better. If it can be automated, and take my emotions out of the equation, I'll be one very happy man.

Thank you much,

Don

Quoting azjeff
Hello Disbellj,

I can try get this done for you, Please post the exact instructions you want done. Be as specific as possible. Also, include all indicators and other items in the one post you make.
I know you have indicated that the items are in other posts but please put everything in one post. It will make it a lot easier.
Regards,
Jeff
Attached File(s)
File Type: mq4 NFP_Sentinel_Don.mq4   7 KB | 431 downloads
File Type: mq4 NFP_Sentinel_EA.mq4   16 KB | 418 downloads
File Type: mq4 Sentinel_Revised2.mq4   7 KB | 493 downloads
  • #344
  • Dec 28, 2008 3:41pm Dec 28, 2008 3:41pm
This is the best I could do at fixing the indicator and EA. I'm using this on FXDD. If someone knows how to correctly build and optimize the code, it would be much welcome. However, the indicators and EA may be able to be used in an automated way right now, but certainly can be used in a manual way to test Kevin's strategy.

All lines are drawn automatically per Kevin's first post (by using the two attached indicators), as I understand his directions:

Vertical line is created when NFP is released, which is 7:30 AM Central Time (8:30 Eastern Time), the first Friday of the month.

Vertical line is created at the end of the NFP "cooling off" period, which I understand to be 11PM Sunday night Central Time (Monday midnight Eastern time).

Simple moving average of 336 (7-day) is placed on each pair's chart, and also on the Sentinel indicator in separate window.

Sentinel is created by adding the gains from buying (if usd-based pair) or selling (if non-usd-based pair) each pair that is traded (marked by putting 1.0 in user inputs, beside each pair's counter-currency to USD)

When M30 bar closes above 336 SMA, and Sentinel crosses above 7-day moving average (also 336 SMA), then both agree. When both agree and are above the highest high of the NFP cooling-off period, then buy the pair. 100 pip stop loss. Close the buy when the M30 bar close is below the 336 SMA (or if it goes back and closes in the no-trade zone). Only open another buy if M30 bar closes above two-week high, in addition to the other buy conditions listed above.

When M30 bar closes below 336 SMA, and Sentinel crosses below 7-day moving average (also 336 SMA), then both agree. When both agree and are below the lowest low of the NFP cooling-off period, then sell the pair. 100 pip stop loss. Close the sell when the M30 bar close is above the 336 SMA (or if it goes back and closes in the no-trade zone). Only open another sell if M30 bar closes below two-week low, in addition to the other sell conditions listed above.

As I see the indicator on my chart right now, December 28th, I see that this month, thousands of pips could have been made trading six or seven pairs (not sure if that includes last two weeks rule or not, but just zooming all the way out and looking at the crossing of the price and sentinel with the 336 SMAs). I'm having trouble backtesting because the NFP indicator's code needs optimized (to use arrays which I'm still trying to get, but does not keep me from being able to code the indicator's to be used in manual trading), which I'm having trouble with, because I'm still learning, and do not come from a programming/coding background.

Hopefully Kevin or another programmer will be able to optimize the NFP indicator's code so that fast backtesting can be made possible with the EA. At this time, backtest removes this indicator from the chart multiple times a second, so I do know the code needs to be optimized/fixed.

I thank anyone giving help to finish this automated business that can be used by all that read this thread.

Don
Attached File(s)
File Type: mq4 NFP_Sentinel_Don_Revised.mq4   10 KB | 488 downloads
File Type: mq4 Sentinel_Revised3.mq4   7 KB | 537 downloads
File Type: mq4 NFP_Sentinel_EA_Revised.mq4   16 KB | 476 downloads
  • #345
  • Dec 28, 2008 3:51pm Dec 28, 2008 3:51pm
no such easy way to profit using indicators. grow up and learn the hard way
  • #346
  • Dec 28, 2008 4:28pm Dec 28, 2008 4:28pm
asian_sg_guy,

no way to profit from indicators? try telling that to someone who has not profited from indicators. I will look at your comment as either ignorant, or an attempt to stop progress on this profitable system. Either one is negative and not true when it comes to this strategy.

I've made over 2000 pips in a couple weeks time using an indicator similar to sentinal index indicator, before I came to this thread, so if you have nothing constructive to add, just please don't comment at all, since it is not productive.

Don


Quoting asian_sg_guy
no such easy way to profit using indicators. grow up and learn the hard way
  • #347
  • Dec 29, 2008 6:34am Dec 29, 2008 6:34am
Hi guys! The Kevin_E
didn't update the first post. Pls share or send by PM last versions of indicators and template for system! Thanks! Using Index its really nice
  • #348
  • Dec 29, 2008 8:14am Dec 29, 2008 8:14am
Look back a page or two and you will see the latest indicators. Kevin did post a Sentinel_Revised indicator, and has not fixed his version to be correct. It does not look like Sentinal_index indicator from the past when put on chart.

Sentinal_index indicator looked correct when first placed on chart, but did not update correctly (it didn't look the same on multiple currency pair charts of same timeframe after being on the charts for a period of time).

Sentinel_Revised is what Kevin made that did update correctly on the charts (same numbers and line appearance on all pairs' charts of the same timeframe, even as the indicator updates over time), but the JPY pair having two decimals instead of four decimals wasn't taken into account, so the line's appearance on charts were wrong even though consistent.

So I fixed Sentinel_Revised to be correct (succeeded after multiple tries), and have tried moving forward with my understanding of the strategy.

I have asked Kevin to post back, but he hasn't. I have asked if he knows how to code, that it would be best for him to code the indicators and EA. He has not responded. So I have no choice but to do what I can, so that I can get to a point of backtesting the variations that can be used, to see which variation is best. For instance, which is more profitable: Using the rules as they were laid out, or not using all the rules, but just some of the rules. Or maybe just using the lastest Sentinel indicator I posted without all the rules. No one can say which is the best strategy until the EA can be backtested. There is no question in my mind that the strategy is profitable as Kevin gave it. The only question is: Who cares anymore? I do. Does Kevin? Does anybody else? Anyone that can help?

Don

Quoting fxairy
Hi guys! The Kevin_E
didn't update the first post. Pls share or send by PM last versions of indicators and template for system! Thanks! Using Index its really nice
  • #349
  • Dec 29, 2008 8:54pm Dec 29, 2008 8:54pm
Quoting asian_sg_guy
no such easy way to profit using indicators. grow up and learn the hard way
Just like you have hey Asian Guy
  • #350
  • Dec 31, 2008 7:13pm Dec 31, 2008 7:13pm
Hi disbellj,

Thanks for all the hard work. Could I ask what you mean by 336 SMA (also 7 day SMA)? Does that mean you have 2 MA lines? Do you set the SMA lines to the closing price or?

I am testing this system. Let me know what needs to be fixed. I wrote an EA according to Rob Booker's idea and automated it but the profits were not consistent. I tried tweaking with my own ideas but it is still crappy - losing too much and missing a lot of nice trends.

Happy 2009!
  • #351
  • Dec 31, 2008 8:18pm Dec 31, 2008 8:18pm
Could someone please explain to me about these files and what they do:

I understand that the NFP_Sentinel_EA_Revised.mq4 is the EA.

PHP Code
extern bool ShowLastMonth = false;
extern double MonthOffset = 0;
extern string OA = "Override Automatic NFP Start/End Dates";
extern bool OA.Override_AutoDates = false;
extern string OA.NFP_Start = "Default: 8:30AM EST 1st Friday of the month, when NFP released";
extern datetime OA.NFP_StartTime = D'2008.12.05 15:30:00';//8:30 AM EST 1st Friday of the month, when NFP released
extern string OA.NFP_End = "Default: 00:00 EST Monday Midnight (11:00 PM Sunday Central time)";
extern datetime OA.NFP_EndTime = D'2008.12.08 07:00:00';//00:00 EST Monday (Midnight? which would be 11:00 PM Sunday Central time?)
extern datetime OA.NFP_LastStartTime = D'2008.11.07 15:30:00';//8:30 AM EST 1st Friday of the month, when NFP released
extern datetime OA.NFP_LastEndTime = D'2008.11.10 07:00:00';//00:00 EST Monday (Midnight? which would be 11:00 PM Sunday Central time?)
I assume that the EA can draw the lines properly without manual input like the code above as long as OA.Override_AutoDates = false?

I can see that your code does not use any functions. It would be so much neater if you did.

I have an EA that draws the lines of high and low of the NFP Friday. I used a daily chart on my EA. I only start trading on the Monday after NFP Friday.

Looking at your screen shots, I see you have implemented something similar.

What is TradeCount = 0 for?

I do not see any code that adds to this counter. It seems to stay zero forever unless I am wrong. Is there code to increase this once an order has been made?

It would be very helpful if you explain your code. Some parts can be understood pretty easily but not other parts. It also depends on the programmer looking at your code.

What are these for?

extern bool AverageGains = False;
extern bool PipsAsWholeNumbers = True;
extern double EUR = 1.0, // weights
JPY = 1.0,
GBP = 1.0,
CHF = 1.0,
CAD = 1.0,
AUD = 1.0,
NZD = 1.0;
  • #352
  • Dec 31, 2008 9:39pm Dec 31, 2008 9:39pm
It's the last day of 2008...
...and I wish for all my friends here on Forex Factory a wonderful and profitable new year.
Thank you for all your help.
I have learned a lot about trading here, and I hope to return the favors someday by helping others become better traders as well.

Happy New Year!

  • #353
  • Dec 31, 2008 9:49pm Dec 31, 2008 9:49pm
I am now on holiday in Thailand. Happy new year = Sawadee Pee Nai!
  • #354
  • Dec 31, 2008 10:17pm Dec 31, 2008 10:17pm
ForexNewDude,

Yes, there is a 336 SMA on each pair's chart, and ALSO a 7-day SMA on the Sentinel indicator in a separate indicator window. When figuring out what "7-day" SMA means on a M30 chart, we know there are 24 hours in a day, so there are 48 half-hours in a day. 48 x 7 days = 336. So both SMAs are 336.

I am automatically setting the start times in the NFP indicator, but not doing it with arrays because I don't know how to. I then used iBarShift and don't think it's using the correct bars (off by one?). I have combined the NFP indicator with the EA (not posted), and see that the objects are not updating correctly (probably because not arrays) when backtesting. Kevin's money management needs added instead of mine (or in addition to mine, so the user can choose which to use). I've noticed that the W1 highest highs and lowest lows for the NFP "cooling off period" are sometimes very different than the M30 highest highs and lowest lows for the same pair for the same "cooling off period" (I've seen like 145 pip difference for this last week between HH for EURUSD M30 vs W1 chart).

There are a lot of nice trends it does not catch, but plenty it keeps us out of too. Is it more or less profitable than just using Sentinel indicator alone without the extra rules? I don't know. I know both are very profitable lately. I wouldn't have even come to this thread except a friend TRO told me about this thread and said it was very close to what I had already made 2000 pips in a couple weeks doing. This just adds more rules, but may help protect us better. I think money management is going to be as important as anything else. I like the idea of Kevin's for removing half the position at 50 pips gain. I also like the idea in the T101 thread about using an AccountProtect EA (or implement it with ours), so to close all trades once a percentage has been lost from maximum equity high, or locking in profits every 50 pips (so like a 50 pip trailing stop for the whole basket, maybe, if we didn't use anything but the Sentinel indicator alone?)

Many possibilities. T101 has a record of 16,000 pips in one week with his strategy, and like he says, locking the profit in is what makes it as successful as it is (plus he's trading 14 pairs on each account, and trading two accounts, all simultaneously, and I would too if I could get the entry and exit rules down for his system).

Don


Quoting ForexNewDude
Hi disbellj,

Thanks for all the hard work. Could I ask what you mean by 336 SMA (also 7 day SMA)? Does that mean you have 2 MA lines? Do you set the SMA lines to the closing price or?

I am testing this system. Let me know what needs to be fixed. I wrote an EA according to Rob Booker's idea and automated it but the profits were not consistent. I tried tweaking with my own ideas but it is still crappy - losing too much and missing a lot of nice trends.

Happy 2009!
  • #355
  • Dec 31, 2008 10:33pm Dec 31, 2008 10:33pm
Quoting disbellj
This is the best I could do at fixing the indicator and EA. I'm using this on FXDD. If someone knows how to correctly build and optimize the code, it would be much welcome. However, the indicators and EA may be able to be used in an automated way right now, but certainly can be used in a manual way to test Kevin's strategy.

Don
Don

This looks bloody impressive, suits trading really well and the direction can pretty much allow you to constantly re enter on support and resistance with tight stops.

Well done.
  • #356
  • Dec 31, 2008 10:43pm Dec 31, 2008 10:43pm
Quoting disbellj
Yes, there is a 336 SMA on each pair's chart, and ALSO a 7-day SMA on the Sentinel indicator in a separate indicator window. When figuring out what "7-day" SMA means on a M30 chart, we know there are 24 hours in a day, so there are 48 half-hours in a day. 48 x 7 days = 336. So both SMAs are 336.
I do not see any option to add 7-day SMA on the sentinel indicator. Mine only has 1 line. Your screen shots have more than 1 line. Is mine normal?

Quoting disbellj
I am automatically setting the start times in the NFP indicator, but not doing it with arrays because I don't know how to. I then used iBarShift and don't think it's using the correct bars (off by one?). I have combined the NFP indicator with the EA (not posted), and see that the objects are not updating correctly (probably because not arrays) when backtesting. Kevin's money management needs added instead of mine (or in addition to mine, so the user can choose which to use). I've noticed that the W1 highest highs and lowest lows for the NFP "cooling...
My current EA uses daily charts to calculate the high and low of the NFP friday. I draw a horizontal line at the high of the NFP and low of the NFP. I also draw a vertical line on Monday after the NFP.

However, I don't know how you coloured the areas red and orange. That looks good. Please point me to the code where you did this.

Quoting disbellj
There are a lot of nice trends it does not catch, but plenty it keeps us out of too. Is it more or less profitable than just using Sentinel indicator alone without the extra rules? I don't know. I know both are very profitable lately. I wouldn't have even come to this thread except a friend TRO told me about this thread and said it was very close to what I had already made 2000 pips in a couple weeks doing. This just adds more rules, but may help protect us better. I think money management is going to be as important as anything else. I like the...
This depends. We need to back test to find out more. I already have trailing stop and a bit of kevin's 50 pip gain features in my EA. Your money management code is good for automating the lot size to put in.

Quoting disbellj
Many possibilities. T101 has a record of 16,000 pips in one week with his strategy, and like he says, locking the profit in is what makes it as successful as it is (plus he's trading 14 pairs on each account, and trading two accounts, all simultaneously, and I would too if I could get the entry and exit rules down for his system).

Don
Could you show me the T101 thread? That seems interesting too. I think he uses a 100 pip trailing stop.

================

At the moment, I need to know the exact rules of this system to code it...

1. Buy signal
2. Sell signal
3. Exit buy
4. Exit sell

I also need to know which files are the latest and what indicators I should use. I still cannot figure out how to get the indicator to display like your screen shot.
  • #357
  • Dec 31, 2008 10:49pm Dec 31, 2008 10:49pm
ForexNewDude,

Good questions.

Yes, Automatic overrides, if set to true, will use the dates manually input. If set to false (default), will automatically set start and end dates for NFP "cooling off period" as explained by Kevin (although I don't know how to set the time for every user, I set it hardwired in the code to conform to FXDD server time (day starts at 4PM Central time) and my local time (Central time), so this means NFP Start time is 15:30 (4PM to midnight Central time is 8 hours, plus 7:30 Central time when NFP is released is another 7 1/2 hours, so total of 15 1/2 hours), and NFP End time is 7:00 (12 PM Monday midnight is really 11 PM Central time Sunday, and 11 minus 4 (which is day open for Forex, Central time) is 7).

You are right, I don't know how to code and that is why a programmer could do such a better job than me, but I do have something that can at least be used manually and can be used by a programmer (something they can fix, but have info in the files to go by).

TradeCount starts at 0 (no trades have been done). I may have not entered the rest of the code at that time (I have done so in a more recent version that I haven't posted). Once a trade on a pair is taken, right after the ticket for buy or sell is sent, then TradeCount is set to TradeCount+1. This is because there are different rules (additional rules) for a re-entry than there are for the original entry. If TradeCount is above 1, these additional rules/conditions are also used before a trade is placed.

AverageGains is an input I put there because Kevin was averaging the gains to make the Sentinel number, while my method is to see total pips gained by all 6 pairs (since I'm going to trade all 6 pairs at once). So if true, then the resulting Sentinel number is all gains divided by number of pairs being used/traded. If false (default), the resulting Sentinel number is all gains (not divided by number of pairs being used/traded).

PipsAsWholeNumbers is an input I put there because Kevin's original Sentinal_index showed the pips using decimals, while I like looking at pips as whole numbers and not paying attention to the decimals if I can. So if false, Sentinel will be displayed as decimals (4). If true, Sentinel will be displayed as whole numbers. These whole numbers are the total gain or loss one would have if they started trading at the first bar the Sentinel is formed up to the present time, if buying the 3 USD-based pairs (usdchf,usdcad,usdjpy), and selling the 3 non-USD-based pairs (eurusd,gbpusd,audusd) and having them as one long trade. The up and down oscillation of the Sentinel shows when the account would be gaining or losing money by buying USD. If we would be losing money, we would want to sell USD and not be buying it. The additional rules Kevin has given in his strategy may keep us out of trouble, or may keep us from making as much. Only getting it built right for backtesting will tell us. I really like using visual mode when I backtest in MT4 to show what's going on during the times I'm testing

The EUR,GBP,etc. and the 1.0 beside them are basically saying that the pairs are being traded and their gains/loses taken into account when forming the Sentinel. If they are not going to be traded, set them to 0. That way, the Sentinel is only applicable to the pairs you are wanting to trade (where all other USD "indexes" use non-sensical equations and pairs you may not want to trade, but are there giving "weight" anyway)

Like I said, very good questions. I thank you for your interest and input. Happy New Year!

Don

Quoting ForexNewDude
Could someone please explain to me about these files and what they do:

I understand that the NFP_Sentinel_EA_Revised.mq4 is the EA.

[php]extern bool ShowLastMonth = false;
extern double MonthOffset = 0;
extern string OA = "Override Automatic NFP Start/End Dates";
extern bool OA.Override_AutoDates = false;
extern string OA.NFP_Start = "Default: 8:30AM EST 1st Friday of the month, when NFP released";
extern datetime OA.NFP_StartTime = D'2008.12.05 15:30:00';//8:30 AM EST 1st Friday of the month, when NFP released
extern string OA.NFP_End = "Default:...
  • #358
  • Dec 31, 2008 11:21pm Dec 31, 2008 11:21pm
dfxclub,

The system is bloody impressive. Putting it on the chart just shows it. It's hard to imagine that this thread went on as long as it did before I got here without someone making the indicators to make it easy. Kevin said an EA had been made but never have it in the thread. I knew Sentinel alone was profitable by itself (at least my version before I came here was real profitable, but I also keep an eye out for improving where I can also. I think the indicator is impressive given that I'm not a programmer. Thank you for the kind remarks. I do see when I'm zoomed all the way out on M30 that the trends appear to me easier, and with the added lines, the trends become even clearer.

Don

Quoting dfxclub
Don

This looks bloody impressive, suits trading really well and the direction can pretty much allow you to constantly re enter on support and resistance with tight stops.

Well done.
  • #359
  • Jan 1, 2009 12:10am Jan 1, 2009 12:10am
The lines on the latest indicators are:
Main chart window:
Vertical line for NFP Start (First Friday of month at 7:30 Central time)
Vertical line for NFP End (end of cooling off period, Sunday 11PM Central time)
Horizontal line for the highest high between NFP Start and NFP End.
Horizontal line for the lowest low between NFP Start and NFP End.
Red rectangle to mark the no-trade zone during NFP cooling off period.
Orange rectangle to mark this same no-trade zone during the rest of the month.
336 period SMA (simple moving average)

(Don't know if these are added on the latest posted indicators, but they should be there):
Vertical line for current week start
Horizontal line for current week high
Horizontal line for current week low
Rectangle to encompass current week start to now, high to low
Vertical line for previous week start
Vertical line for previous week end
Horizontal line for previous week high
Horizontal line for previous week low
Rectangle to encompass previous week start to end, high to low

Seperate Sentinel indicator window:
Sentinel (aka BuyUSD Profit) line
336 period SMA (7-day simple moving average, as well as inputs for user to use up to 2 more moving averages)

If you look in the indicator 'NFP_Sentinel_Don_Revised', at the top I first make the moving average, then below that, I define Start time for NFP. When I get done with that, you'll see //---- (to separate pieces of code), then you'll see my calculations for the NFP End time. More //--- Then you'll see code for Highest High and Lowest Low calculations, then basically repeat that for current and previous week high and low. My iBarShift is off by one bar, and doesn't show in backtesting, so I do know it needs rebuilt, but I'm learning. It's all based on time and price. When a certain type is needed, return that type. For instance, in iBarShift, when it says that the type that's returned needs to be datetime, then give it datetime if you want it to work. Returning int type will not work. I'm learning how to return the type that's asked for in different circumstances, and learning to convert one type to another if need-be. But time-based stuff I'm still struggling with, learning some, everything I do learn is really cool!

BTW, here's the code to create the red rectangle:
ObjectCreate("NoTradeZone", 16, 0, StartTime, HighestHigh, EndTime, LowestLow );

Using the help inside MetaEditor has taught me a lot, but I still have a long ways to go if I'm going to really learn MQL4.

I've just tonight typed on this thread the buy signals and sell signals, exit signals, and re-entry signals.

Look at this thread on the last couple pages. The last indicators I posted at the bottom of the message are the latest posted. Kevin has not responded recently, so it doesn't look like the first post will be getting updated. We might want to move this to another thread, I dunno.

Simple trading method with trader101:
http://www.forexfactory.com/showthread.php?t=107119

T101 basket trading strategy:
http://www.forex-tsd.com/suggestions...01-system.html

http://baskettradingsytemt101.blogspot.com/

T101 external IA monitor:
http://www.forexfactory.com/showthread.php?t=110309

Indicators development for T101's not very simple method.:
http://www.forexfactory.com/showthread.php?p=2287427

Basket Trading System (T101 system):
http://www.forex-tsd.com/suggestions...system-26.html
and then there's George Soros (comdoc) that has used one of the indicators for T101 system in his system WAVES Heatmap system and EA:
http://www.forexfactory.com/showthread.php?p=2369476

I'm sure there is more out there based on the T101 system. However, although I want to learn that system, I think what we have here MAY be applicable to that system as well. Any input to put this together and see where it takes us is much appreciated.

As far as your screen shot not matching mine, the highest highs and lowest lows were messed up on the old indicator that I took those screen shots with, so please download the latest indicator posted. Also, you would probably have to even look inside the new NFP indicator to hard-code the NFP Start time and End time (unless you happen to use FXDD MT4 and are in the Central time zone), for the objects on-chart to be correct.

Don

Quoting ForexNewDude
I do not see any option to add 7-day SMA on the sentinel indicator. Mine only has 1 line. Your screen shots have more than 1 line. Is mine normal?



My current EA uses daily charts to calculate the high and low of the NFP friday. I draw a horizontal line at the high of the NFP and low of the NFP. I also draw a vertical line on Monday after the NFP.

However, I don't know how you coloured the areas red and orange. That looks good. Please point me to the code where you did this.



This depends. We need to back test to find out more. I already have...
  • #360
  • Jan 1, 2009 12:15am Jan 1, 2009 12:15am
latest files are posted at post #344.

Don
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