FF Calendar Indicator for MT

#import "kernel32.dll"
int  GetTimeZoneInformation(int& TZInfoArray[]);
#import

#define TIME_ZONE_ID_UNKNOWN   0
#define TIME_ZONE_ID_STANDARD  1
#define TIME_ZONE_ID_DAYLIGHT  2

// Local timezone in hours, adjusting for daylight saving
double TimeZoneLocal()
{
int TZInfoArray[43];

switch(GetTimeZoneInformation(TZInfoArray))
{
case TIME_ZONE_ID_UNKNOWN: 
Print("Error obtaining PC timezone from GetTimeZoneInformation in kernel32.dll. Returning 0");
return(0);

case TIME_ZONE_ID_STANDARD:
return(TZInfoArray[0]/(-60.0));

case TIME_ZONE_ID_DAYLIGHT:
return((TZInfoArray[0]+TZInfoArray[42])/(-60.0));

default:
Print("Unkown return value from GetTimeZoneInformation in kernel32.dll. Returning 0");
return(0);
}
}

// Server timezone in hours
double TimeZoneServer()
{
int ServerToLocalDiffMinutes = (TimeCurrent()-TimeLocal())/60;

// round to nearest 30 minutes to allow for inaccurate PC clock
int nHalfHourDiff = MathRound(ServerToLocalDiffMinutes/30.0);
ServerToLocalDiffMinutes = nHalfHourDiff*30;
return(TimeZoneLocal() + ServerToLocalDiffMinutes/60.0);
}

// Uses local PC time, local PC timezone, and server time to calculate GMT time at arrival of last tick
datetime TimeGMT()
{
// two ways of calculating
// 1. From PC time, which may not be accurate
// 2. From server time. Most accurate except when server is down on weekend
datetime dtGmtFromLocal = TimeLocal() - TimeZoneLocal()*3600;
datetime dtGmtFromServer = TimeCurrent() - TimeZoneServer()*3600;

// return local-derived value if server value is out by more than 5 minutes, eg during weekend
if (dtGmtFromLocal > dtGmtFromServer + 300)
{
return(dtGmtFromLocal);
}
else
{
return(dtGmtFromServer);
}
}

int TimeGMT() {
int DST = GetTimeZoneInformation(TZInfoArray);
if (DST == 1) {DST = 3600;}
else {DST = 0;}
return( TimeLocal()+DST+(TZInfoArray[0]+TZInfoArray[42])*60 );
}

Quoting DerkWehler

Disliked

Are you sure about that? Do you live in a place where that happens?

Yes, especially for [some] non-US parts of the world, it would be really nice to have a better method. If anyone comes across something that would work better, please let me know.

Ignored

Quoting tesla

Disliked

Short post, on bberry.

Could you maybe put dummy xml file at old url with events named "see forexfactory for update"?

Something like that will reach those who don't visit boards.

Ignored

Quoting BurgerKing

Disliked

Im the one who reported this bug to Metaquotes and is one of the fixed in Build 203... (http://www.metaquotes.net/forum/2837/) I sure am sure of this since October 2006 when I first reported it to Metaquotes... took them this time after I kept bugging them

Ignored

Quoting merlin

Disliked

we hear this a lot believe it or not LOL. people want to pay for everything from forum access to calendar usage, its the weirdest thing!

but we have a philosophy of keeping everything free to the trader, always. FF has never taken one dollar from a trader and we intend on keeping it that way traders have a hard enough life as it is, the brokers are the ones who have it easy so that is who we charge LOL.

Ignored

Quoting DerkWehler

Disliked

Hi all:

I wanted to ask your opinion:

Do you like/use the feature in FFCal that writes the news even vertically on the chart? This code was graciously donated by Mike Nguyen from the Yahoo group, but I have heard complaints that it does not work, or folks want to turn it off.

I am contemplating whether to remove it. Keep in mind that it can be turned off... Still, if no one really likes it, I will remove it altogether.

Thanks,
-Derk

PS: FFCal version 5 will be forthcoming today or tomorrow. I like to wait for market open to test, but will release it as soon as it hints of working correctly...

Ignored

Quoting DerkWehler

Disliked

I got the TimeZone stuff from a talented programmer on the Yahoo group. It seemed to work, so I just put it in place. But your code is smaller, simpler.... if you have tested it and it works (which I am sure you have), I will make the changes and lets try your way for version 5.

Ignored

Quoting merlin

Disliked

this might be a stupid comment, but isnt the time listed on the XML in GMT? why is a conversion needed? is this so it will plug into MT time zone functions? sorry again for my lack of MT skills...

Ignored

for (iZ=0,iX=0; iZ<MaxNews && iX<NewsIndex; iX++) {
if (TimeGMT() > StrToTime(NewsData[iX][TIME]) + MinOldNews*60) continue;//this news is too old
if (NewsData[iX][CURRENCY] != C1 && NewsData[iX][CURRENCY] != C2) continue;//not related to this news
if (NewsData[iX][IMPACT] == "Low") continue;//insignificant news

temp = TimeToStr(StrToTime(NewsData[iX][TIME])+TimeShift) + " " + NewsData[iX][CURRENCY] + " " + NewsData[iX][TITLE];
  LABEL("Header_"  +iX, temp,"Arial Bold",  0, iZ*40+00+20, TxtColorNews);
if (NewsData[iX][IMPACT]   != "") LABEL("Impact_"  +iX, "Impact: "  +NewsData[iX][IMPACT],"Arial Bold",   0, iZ*40+15+20, TxtColorImpact);
if (NewsData[iX][PREVIOUS] != "") LABEL("Previous_"+iX, "Previous: "+NewsData[iX][PREVIOUS],"Arial Bold",110, iZ*40+15+20, TxtColorPrevious);
if (NewsData[iX][FORECAST] != "") LABEL("Forecast_"+iX, "Forecast: "+NewsData[iX][FORECAST],"Arial Bold",220, iZ*40+15+20, TxtColorForecast);
if (NewsData[iX][ACTUAL]   != "") LABEL("Actual_"  +iX, "Actual: "  +NewsData[iX][ACTUAL],"Arial Bold",330, iZ*40+15+20, TxtColorActual);
iZ++;
}

Quoting amenlo9

Disliked

yea,please keep the vertical news function but make it can turn on and off.besides,how can i adjust the position of news display?because i have some information display on left top and the news display is overlay my information.i hope i can move it down a little bit.

Ignored

Quoting BurgerKing

Disliked

I'd like to suggest that instead of this variable:

extern bool ShowNextTwoEvents = true;

Why not use an Integer Counter instead like I do?
extern int MaxShowNews = 3;

Ignored

Quoting DerkWehler

Disliked

Hello again:

I have just tried testing FFCal_v05 on 23 platforms... 21 FXDD, an IBFX, and a Mig. 4 of the FXDDs did not work; all the rest worked fine.

But perhaps now I see why some folks have trouble. 2 of the FXDD platforms remove the indicator automatically because they claim "No connection to broker". I do not know why that is happening, but it's not a bug in the indicator.

And the last two... They completely hang when I try to add FFCal. All of these results are reliably repeatable. I have updated all 23 platforms to build 203, all have the same expert-enabling settings, and all have fresh demo accounts.

I am at a loss to explain this. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know.

Ignored

Quote

Disliked

I guess it was not done that way because it never occurred to me that anyone would want that much stuff on their chart. It was originally made to do one, then someone suggested 2...

I could change it, but it would require more changes that you mention... above the display, where it finds the next two events... That code would have to be changed somewhat. At the moment, I have other things I must attend to.

You are welcome to make the changes; you appear to be a competent programmer... Just please name it something new (like 5a), and try to be careful not to break anything else of course.

-Derk

bool GrabWeb(string strUrl, string& strWebPage) {
int lReturn[1];
stringsBuffer = "....:....A....:....B....:....C....:....D....:....E....:....F....:....G....:....H....:....I....:....J....:....K....:....L....:....M....:....N....:....O....:....P....:....Q....:....R....:....S....:....T"; // not more than 255 spaces
intBufferLen = StringLen(sBuffer);

strWebPage = "";
int hInternet = InternetOpenUrlA(hSession(FALSE), strUrl, "0", 0, INTERNET_FLAG_NO_CACHE_WRITE | INTERNET_FLAG_PRAGMA_NOCACHE | INTERNET_FLAG_RELOAD, 0);
if (hInternet != 0) {
while (InternetReadFile(hInternet, sBuffer, BufferLen, lReturn) != 0) {
if (lReturn[0] == 0) break;
strWebPage = strWebPage + StringSubstr(sBuffer, 0, lReturn[0]);
}
InternetCloseHandle(hInternet);
return(true);
} else {
return(false);
}
}