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StrToTime function

  • #1
  • First Post: May 11, 2009 10:08pm May 11, 2009 10:08pm
When I use the StrToTime function, it seems that Metatrader is using the Local (computer) time as opposed to the broker's time.

Can anyone confirm this?
  • #2
  • May 12, 2009 1:18am May 12, 2009 1:18am
Quoting Ronald Raygun
When I use the StrToTime function, it seems that Metatrader is using the Local (computer) time as opposed to the broker's time.

Can anyone confirm this?
that's correct. if your string only provide time but no date, it will fill in the date as set on your computer's system clock.
Programming for a better future.
  • #3
  • May 12, 2009 9:14am May 12, 2009 9:14am
How then do I get the broker's time?
  • #4
  • May 12, 2009 8:01pm May 12, 2009 8:01pm
Quoting Ronald Raygun
How then do I get the broker's time?
use TimeCurrent()

datetime TimeCurrent( )
Returns the last known server time (time of incoming of the latest quote)
Programming for a better future.
  • #5
  • May 12, 2009 8:33pm May 12, 2009 8:33pm
Not quite what I meant.

You know zen that some of my TradingTime code uses that string function. I'm trying to figure out how best to set trading times down to the minute.
  • #6
  • May 12, 2009 10:54pm May 12, 2009 10:54pm
Quoting Ronald Raygun
Not quite what I meant.

You know zen that some of my TradingTime code uses that string function. I'm trying to figure out how best to set trading times down to the minute.
Vague.

best is if you can post some codes of what you want to do.
I have encountered this string to time conversion problem years ago.
  • #7
  • May 12, 2009 11:36pm May 12, 2009 11:36pm
Inserted Code
string TradingTimes = "Outside Trading Times";
if(TimeCurrent() > StrToTime("10:00") && TimeCurrent() < StoToTime("20:00")) TradingTimes = "Inside Trading Times";

It seems that the StrToTime function is using the Local computer time as opposed to the broker time, so sometimes this trading times issue doesn't work properly.

How can I still drill down to the minute for the trading ranges?
  • #8
  • Edited 2:56pm May 13, 2009 2:54am | Edited 2:56pm
Ah.. so you want is a simple method for the EA to trade only within a specific time frame.

But to answer your problem. I would do something like this:
int TimeShift = TimeCurrent()-TimeLocal();

if(TimeCurrent()-TimeShift > StrToTime("10:00") && TimeCurrent()-TimeShift < StrToTime("20:00")) TradingTimes = "Inside Trading Times";


To offer my method, i will simply use TimeLocal() instead of TimeCurrent(); this way the codes are broker independent:

if(TimeLocal() > StrToTime("10:00") && TimeLocal()< StrToTime("20:00")) TradingTimes = "Inside Trading Times";
  • #9
  • May 13, 2009 3:37am May 13, 2009 3:37am
But if you really insist on using TimeCurrent(), I suggest this more suitable one:


if(TimeCurrent()> StrToTime(TimeToStr(TimeCurrent(), TIME_DATE)+" 10:00") && TimeCurrent() < StrToTime(TimeToStr(TimeCurrent(), TIME_DATE)+" 20:00")) TradingTimes = "Inside Trading Times";

this will ensure StrToTime contains valid date to convert the time to.
  • #10
  • May 13, 2009 7:54am May 13, 2009 7:54am
Wow Ragnakore!

That's a lot simpler than what I had in mind. What about people using ranges which go through midnight? That's the main reason why I tried to use the following set of code:


PHP Code
//Find End Time Shift
int EndTimeShift = 1;
int EndTimeUsed = 0;
bool EndTimeFound = False;

while (!EndTimeFound)
   {
   if(TimeHour(Time[EndTimeShift + 1]) <= EndHour && TimeHour(Time[EndTimeShift]) >= EndHour && TimeMinute(Time[EndTimeShift + 1]) <= EndMinute && TimeMinute(Time[EndTimeShift]) >= EndMinute)
      {
      EndTimeFound = True;
      EndTimeUsed = EndTimeShift;
      }
      else
      {
      EndTimeShift++;
      }
   }

//Find the most recent Start Time before end time
bool StartTimeFound = False;
int StartTimeShift = EndTimeUsed;
int StartTimeShiftUsed = 0;

while (!StartTimeFound)
   {
   if(TimeHour(Time[StartTimeShift + 1]) <= StartHour && TimeHour(Time[StartTimeShift]) >= StartHour && TimeMinute(Time[StartTimeShift + 1]) <= StartMinute && TimeMinute(Time[StartTimeShift]) >= StartMinute)
      {
      StartTimeFound = True;
      StartTimeShiftUsed = StartTimeShift;
      }
      else
      {
      StartTimeShift++;
      //Print("Here I am: 1");
      }
   //Print("Here I am: 2");
   }
The way it works (I think) is:

 

  1. Find the End Time

    1. Check the Open time of the Bar starting with the first closed bar.
    2. Check the Open time of the Bar after the bar in step 1-1.
    3. If the time being looked for is not between the times of Step 1-1 and Step 1-2, shift back one bar and go to step 1-1.
    4. If the time being looked for is between the times of step 1-1 and step 1-2, go to step 2

  2. Find the Start Time

    1. Check the Open Time of the bar starting with the bar where the end time is.
    2. Check the Open time of the bar after the bar found in step 2-1
    3. If the time being looked for is not between the times of Step 2-1 and Step 2-2, shift back one bar and go to step 2-1.
    4. If the time being looked for is between the times of step 2-1 and step 2-2, go to step 3

  3. The range has been established.

  • #11
  • Edited 8:25am May 13, 2009 8:11am | Edited 8:25am
how about this?

Inserted Code
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//|                                                         test.mq4 |
//|                      Copyright © 2009, MetaQuotes Software Corp. |
//|                                        http://www.metaquotes.net |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
#property copyright "Copyright © 2009, MetaQuotes Software Corp."
#property link      "http://www.metaquotes.net"

// note the change in input type
extern int StartHour = 0; 
extern int StartMinute = 30;
extern int EndHour = 3;
extern int EndMinute = 30;

int init()
{
   start(); // remove this away when you implement the snipplet to your code.
   return (0);
}

//+------------------------------------------------------------------+

//| Custom indicator iteration function |

//+------------------------------------------------------------------+

int start()
{
   //Find End Time Shift
   int EndTimeShift = 0;
   bool EndTimeFound = false;
   while (!EndTimeFound)
   {
      // checking the minute segment allows you to attach this EA to lower timeframes
      if (TimeHour(Time[EndTimeShift]) == EndHour && TimeMinute(Time[EndTimeShift]) == EndMinute)
      {
         EndTimeFound = true;
      }
      else
      {
         EndTimeShift++;
      }
   }
   
   //Find the most recent Start Time before end time
   int StartTimeShift = EndTimeShift;
   bool StartTimeFound = False;

   while (!StartTimeFound)
   {
      if(TimeHour(Time[StartTimeShift]) == StartHour && TimeMinute(Time[StartTimeShift]) == StartMinute)
      {
         StartTimeFound = true;
      }
      else
      {
         StartTimeShift++;
      }
   }
   Comment ("StartTimeShift: "+StartTimeShift+"nEndTimeShift: "+EndTimeShift);
}

but to use this, the minute value must be something that the timeframe can offer. meaning, if you set minute to 30, but you attach this on an hourly chart. you're going to be stuck in an infinite loop because all candles on hourly chart has only 0 as their minute value. Perhaps you can come up with a way to work around this limitation. best of luck.

regards,
Zen
Programming for a better future.
  • #12
  • May 13, 2009 3:23pm May 13, 2009 3:23pm
Quote
What about people using ranges which go through midnight?

Inserted Code
stringTimeStart = "22:00";//10PM
stringTimeEnd   = "10:00";//10AM of next day


stringBrokerDate;
int_TimeStart,_TimeEnd;

//these should be within start() NEVER within init
if (TimeCurrent() > _TimeEnd) {
//first time this will always be true ensuring BrokerDate is valid
//why we do this? to ensure that BrokerDate and _TimeEnd will not end in a cat/mouse race
BrokerDate = TimeToStr(TimeCurrent(),TIME_DATE);
}
_TimeStart = StrToTime(BrokerDate + " " + TimeStart);
_TimeEnd   = StrToTime(BrokerDate + " " + TimeEnd);

if (_TimeStart > _TimeEnd) {
_TimeEnd = _TimeEnd + 86400; //add 1 day
}
//now freely use _TimeStart and _TimeEnd to compare with TimeCurrent()


This code is written for EA/Script.
Depending on where you want to use this, it may have different effects.
  • #13
  • Edited 6:58pm May 13, 2009 6:44pm | Edited 6:58pm
Here's a code fragment from a box breakout EA that I wrote for a client a few months ago:

Inserted Code
 :   :   :   :   :   :   :

extern string StartTime    = "07:00";    // time for start of price establishment window
extern string EndTime      = "08:00";    // time for end of price establishment window
extern string ExpiryTime   = "06:00";    // time at which pending orders expire, and any still open orders closed
extern int    Clearance    = 5;          // entry price 'safety' tolerance above window high, below window low
extern double MinWinHgt    = 0;          // if price window (incl. Clearance) < this value, no order placement is permitted today 
extern double MaxWinHgt    = 9999;       // if price window (incl. Clearance) > this value, no order placement is permitted today 

 :   :   :   :   :   :   :

int start()
{
  double dt0 = StrToTime(TimeToStr(TimeCurrent(),TIME_DATE) + " 00:00:00");
  double dt1 = StrToTime(TimeToStr(TimeCurrent(),TIME_DATE) + " " + StartTime + ":00");
  double dt2 = StrToTime(TimeToStr(TimeCurrent(),TIME_DATE) + " " + EndTime + ":00");
  double dt3 = StrToTime(TimeToStr(TimeCurrent(),TIME_DATE) + " " + ExpiryTime + ":00");
  if (dt3 < dt2)  dt3 += 86400;
  int ib1 = iBarShift(NULL,0,dt1);
  int ib2 = iBarShift(NULL,0,dt2);
  if (TimeCurrent() >= dt2 && TimeCurrent() <= dt3) {
    double vHigh = 0, vLow = 999;
    for (int j=ib1; j>ib2; j--)  {
      vHigh = MathMax(vHigh,High[j]+Clearance*pnt);
      vLow  = MathMin(vLow,Low[j]-Clearance*pnt);
    }
    if (vHigh-vLow <= MaxWinHgt*pnt && vHigh-vLow >= MinWinHgt*pnt) {

 :   :   :   :   :   :   :

dt0 is the midnight (MT4 time) on the current day

dt1 is the Start Time (MT4 time) of the breakout box

dt2 is the End Time (MT4 time) of the breakout box

dt3 is the Expiry Time (MT4 time)

Orders may only be placed between dt2 (the end of the breakout box) and dt3 (the designated expiry time).
Hence I add 86400 (number of seconds in a 24-hour day) to dt3, if necessary, to ensure that it's always larger than dt2 (just as Ragnakore does).
Then the EA only places orders if TimeCurrent() lies between dt2 and dt3.

(vHigh and vLow are the highest and lowest prices attained in the breakout box, plus a specified user-supplied Clearance).

Hope this helps.
  • #14
  • Last Post: Edited 11:11am May 15, 2009 10:57am | Edited 11:11am
Wow Hanover!!!

Thank you so much for the block of code.

I'm wondering though, I don't see the variable "dt0" used anywhere other than the initialization. So, how do you work through midnight? Let's say I wanted the start of the range to be 23:00 yesterday, and the end of the range to be 3:00 today. How does this block of code do that?

I added a snippet in bold to try and accomplish what I'm trying to do.

Inserted Code
 :   :   :   :   :   :   :

extern string StartTime    = "07:00";    // time for start of price establishment window
extern string EndTime      = "08:00";    // time for end of price establishment window
extern string ExpiryTime   = "06:00";    // time at which pending orders expire, and any still open orders closed
extern int    Clearance    = 5;          // entry price 'safety' tolerance above window high, below window low
extern double MinWinHgt    = 0;          // if price window (incl. Clearance) < this value, no order placement is permitted today 
extern double MaxWinHgt    = 9999;       // if price window (incl. Clearance) > this value, no order placement is permitted today 

 :   :   :   :   :   :   :

int start()
{
  double dt0 = StrToTime(TimeToStr(TimeCurrent(),TIME_DATE) + " 00:00:00");
  double dt1 = StrToTime(TimeToStr(TimeCurrent(),TIME_DATE) + " " + StartTime + ":00");
  double dt2 = StrToTime(TimeToStr(TimeCurrent(),TIME_DATE) + " " + EndTime + ":00");
  double dt3 = StrToTime(TimeToStr(TimeCurrent(),TIME_DATE) + " " + ExpiryTime + ":00");
  if (dt3 < dt2)  dt3 += 86400;
  [b]if (dt1 > dt2) dt1 = StrToTime(TimeToStr(TimeCurrent() - 86400, TIME_DATE) + " " + StartTime " + ":00");[/b] //If the StartTime is greater than the EndTime on the same day, the code assumes that the intended start time was 86400 seconds earlier. 
  int ib1 = iBarShift(NULL,0,dt1);
  int ib2 = iBarShift(NULL,0,dt2);
  if (TimeCurrent() >= dt2 && TimeCurrent() <= dt3) {
    double vHigh = 0, vLow = 999;
    for (int j=ib1; j>ib2; j--)  {
      vHigh = MathMax(vHigh,High[j]+Clearance*pnt);
      vLow  = MathMin(vLow,Low[j]-Clearance*pnt);
    }
    if (vHigh-vLow <= MaxWinHgt*pnt && vHigh-vLow >= MinWinHgt*pnt) {

 :   :   :   :   :   :   :
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