Change Date format on MT4 .csv files?

If I understand you correctly, you want to chnage every occurrence of "2009" to "1999". If so, simply load the file into a text editor (e.g. Notepad) and perform a search/replace.

too repetitive.

is there any way to do this ? e.g. year - 1000??

Something like this?

StrToTime("199" + StringSubstr(TimeToStr(<datetime value>),3))

That would effectively replace the first 3 digits of the year (e.g. "200") with "199", and then convert back to a MQL4 datetime value. Would work correctly for all dates between Jan 1,2000 and Dec 31,2009


If you want to subtract 10 from any year, then you'd need to get a bit more complex, use something like:

StrToTime((TimeYear(d) - 10) + StringSubstr(TimeToStr(d),4))

where d is the datetime value that you want to convert

THANK YOU SO MUCH.
i have two different mt4 as follows. can you tell me how i can make adjustments (whichever).

1)
string date1 = TimeToStr(Time[i],TIME_DATE);
date1 = StringSubstr(date1,5,2) + "-" + StringSubstr(date1,8,2) + "-" + StringSubstr(date1,0,4);
string time1 = TimeToStr(Time[i],TIME_MINUTES);
FileWrite(handle, date1, time1, Open[i], High[i], Low[i], Close[i], Volume[i]);

2)

strline = TimeToStr(Time[cnt],TIME_DATE|TIME_SECONDS);
strline = StringSubstr(strline,0,4) + StringSubstr(strline,5,2) + StringSubstr(strline,8,2) + "," + StringSubstr(strline,11,5);
strline = strline + "," + DoubleToStr(Open[cnt],4) + "," + DoubleToStr(High[cnt],4) + "," + DoubleToStr(Low[cnt],4) + "," + DoubleToStr(Close[cnt],4) + "," + DoubleToStr(Volume[cnt],0);
FileWrite(handle, strline);

Replace the code in (1) with the following (changes in red typeface):


The above should work - please post again if it doesn't, and I will troubleshoot for you.

thank you very much.

for some reason, i can compile it without problem, but i cannot attach it to chart.

when i try in different ways to attach, nothing happens (not even error message). any idea why?

The fragment of code in your post will not compile or run on its own. You need to attach a fully structured indicator (or script) to your chart.

But since you say that it compiled OK, then I guess that you already know this.

Anyway, I can not investigate further unelss you post the full indicator/script.

this is what i found/used. pls investigate further.


//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| script program start function |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
int start()
{
//----
string fname = Symbol() + "," + Period() + ".csv";
int handle = FileOpen(fname, FILE_CSV|FILE_WRITE, ",");
if(handle>0)
{
for(int i=0; i<Bars; i++)
{

string date1 = TimeToStr(Time[i],TIME_DATE);
date1 = StringSubstr(date1,5,2) + "-" + StringSubstr(date1,8,2) + "-" + StringSubstr(date1,0,4);
string time1 = TimeToStr(Time[i],TIME_MINUTES);
FileWrite(handle, date1, time1, Open[i], High[i], Low[i], Close[i], Volume[i]);
}
FileClose(handle);
Comment("History output complete");
}
//----
return(0);
}
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+

It worked OK for me, although (apart from displaying an inconspicuous "History output complete" message at the top of the screen) there is no obvious messaging.

Try the two scripts attached below (download them into your .....experts/scripts folder and restart MT4). The first (OH test) outputs dates as they are. The second (OH test - 10) subtracts 10 years from the dates. Both display a message box when complete, telling you to look for the output file in the ...../experts/files folder.

You need to be on the correct chart before you drag the script onto it, e.g. if you're on EURUSD,H1 chart then the output will be historical 1 hour OHLCV values for EURUSD.

I was able to attach it as script instead of indicator. but, the file has error as follows: is there any ways to void this? thanks



id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3837,1.3838,1.3837,1.3838,3
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3838,1.3838,1.3837,1.3838,3
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3839,1.384,1.3838,1.3839,6
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.384,1.384,1.384,1.384,1
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3838,1.3839,1.3838,1.3839,10
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3839,1.3839,1.3839,1.3839,1
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3838,1.3838,1.3838,1.3838,1
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3837,1.3838,1.3836,1.3837,5
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3839,1.3839,1.3837,1.3838,6
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3839,1.384,1.3837,1.3838,8
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3842,1.3842,1.384,1.384,8
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3842,1.3842,1.3841,1.3841,2
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3843,1.3843,1.3843,1.3843,1
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3841,1.3841,1.384,1.384,2
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3841,1.3841,1.384,1.384,2
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3839,1.3839,1.3839,1.3839,1
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3839,1.384,1.3838,1.384,4
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.384,1.384,1.3839,1.384,3
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3841,1.3841,1.3841,1.3841,1
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3841,1.3841,1.384,1.384,4
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3836,1.384,1.3836,1.384,7
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3835,1.3837,1.3835,1.3837,7
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3836,1.3836,1.3835,1.3836,3
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3833,1.3835,1.3833,1.3835,5
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3834,1.3834,1.3833,1.3834,3
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3834,1.3834,1.3833,1.3833,2
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3833,1.3835,1.3833,1.3835,3
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3833,1.3834,1.3833,1.3834,2
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3835,1.3835,1.3833,1.3834,15
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3837,1.3837,1.3835,1.3836,4
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3836,1.3836,1.3836,1.3836,1
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3834,1.3836,1.3834,1.3835,10
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3835,1.3835,1.3835,1.3835,1
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3837,1.3837,1.3836,1.3836,10
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3838,1.3839,1.3835,1.3838,15
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3839,1.384,1.3839,1.3839,3
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3839,1.384,1.3838,1.384,6
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3842,1.3842,1.384,1.384,5
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.384,1.3843,1.384,1.3843,11
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3842,1.3842,1.3839,1.3839,9
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.384,1.3843,1.384,1.3843,6
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3843,1.3843,1.3839,1.3839,15
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3845,1.3845,1.3843,1.3844,6
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3845,1.3845,1.3842,1.3844,15
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3848,1.3848,1.3845,1.3846,11
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3847,1.3848,1.3847,1.3847,5
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3849,1.3849,1.3848,1.3848,4
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.3848,1.385,1.3848,1.385,5
id-ti-inva,invalid time,1.385,1.385,1.3847,1.3847,8

Yes, they are scripts, just like I said (see above). That's because they only need to execute once.

I'm sorry, I have no idea why you're getting the error. They work fine for me. I've tried them on two different pairs, and two TFs. Which of the two scripts is causing the error? What pair and timeframe are you attaching it to?

-10 is causing the error. I tried on every timeframe on different instruments, and none does not work properly.

sorry, -10 actually worked. i have -100, which created problems.

what's the difference between script v. indicator in this case? does it write file only when i attach the script to chart? (v. indicators constantly write .e.g every 10 minutes updating data)??

thanks

can you kindly respond to followings:

1. this script prints newest date/time first, and oldest date/time last. how can i reverse the order?

2. why is this script, and only print once when you attach the script to chart? is there any way to change it to indicator and/or print more than once ?

thanks

can you kindly explain whether this script can be converted into an indicator? Thank you.

Load the attached indicator into your ...../experts/indicators folder and restart MT4.

Attach it to any MT4 chart, and enter your desired parameter settings. The export file gets re-created every time a new candle appears on your chart, and/or whenever you refresh the indicator. So if you want an updated export every minute, attach it to an M1 chart. If the export is to be once-only, then attach it to a longer timeframe chart, and remember to remove the indicator from the chart, before the next candle appears.

If you want to subtract 10 years from the date being exported, load into MT4 editor, un-comment the line of code that reads:
// dt = StrToTime((TimeYear(dt) - 10) + StringSubstr(TimeToStr(dt),4)); // subtracts 10 years from dt
and recompile.

Parameters work as follows:

1. Currency Pair: enter the symbol. Upper/lowercase doesn't matter. You can use shorthand if you wish, e.g. GU or gu for GBPUSD. If you leave blank, the data exported will from the pair whose chart you attached the indicator to
2. TimeFrame: enter the timeframe as one of M1, M5, M15, M30, H1, H4, D1, W1, MN. Upper/lowercase doesn't matter. If you leave blank, the data exported will from the chart timeframe you attached the indicator to
3. FromDateTime, ThruDateTime: candles timestamped outside this range will be excluded from the export
4. NumBars: only the last X candles' data will be exported. To obtain only the latest quote, set NumBars = 1
5. AscDesc: enter A or D. A = data export in ascending chronological sequence, i.e. earliest date/time at top of file. D = descending sequence, i.e. most recent date/time at top of file
6. Separator: the character used to separate the items being output
7. DateTimeFmt: the output format for the date/time. If you want the date and time as two separate output fields, include a Separator character in the appropriate place, in the field
8. OHLCFmt: the output format for the open, high, low and close values
9. VolFmt: the output format for the volume value
10. OutputFile: the name of your output file. Leave blank and it will default to <pair>,<timeframe>.csv. The file will always be created in the ....../experts/files folder
11. Comments: if true, the comments "Export beginning....." and "Export completed....." will appear at the top left of the screen

thank you. you spend a lot of time on this. thanks again.

Can you please help with a script that can can export MT4 data- open, high, low, close in real time to exel(xlsm). I use this dynamic info in the 1 hr and daily timeframes to make buy and sell decisison.

Using the excellent export history indicator posted on this thread you can use the the text files created in Crogram FilesMetaTrader 4expertsfiles with the use of a Vbscript to read the files and write directly onto your Excel spreadsheet. You'd need the Vbscript to loop through the text files and stream them periodically say looping every 1 hour for hourly data in read only mode then writing the values directly into the corresponding cells in your Excel spreadsheet. I'm working on something similar to this at the moment using daily data to automatically fill my spreadsheets with OHLC, the sheets already have the pivot formulas so they get calculated when the data populates the sheet.

Thank you for your quick response and help. Where do i find the Vbscript that you mentioned? Once i install it to the script folder - do i attach it to the same chart that the history exporter is attached to?