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Learning to Program MQL4/5

  • #1
  • First Post: Nov 4, 2009 2:36pm Nov 4, 2009 2:36pm
Hi,
I'm in pursuit to learn programming I wanted to signup for C++ basics, and I wanted to make sure that it will help me in my Quest.
I'd appreciate any input from the programmers on this forum.
Many thanks in advance.
  • #2
  • Nov 4, 2009 5:02pm Nov 4, 2009 5:02pm
I would not recommend learning MQ4 as a first language. Java and C++ are also tough for first time programmers. There are easier languages with better documentation, debugging and tutorials. I particularly like Visual Basic and C#. What is learned in one language can be easily applied to others like MQ4.

But you need to realize, learning the language is only a small part in learning software development skills. You have to have good analytical, problem solving and testing skills as well. These usually aren't taught but can be learned. If you picked up some of these skills in your past experience you are going to be ahead of the curve.
  • #3
  • Nov 6, 2009 3:52pm Nov 6, 2009 3:52pm
Quoting CodeMeister
I would not recommend learning MQ4...
Thank you codeMeister for taking the time and being the only one who answered my question.
  • #4
  • Nov 6, 2009 3:57pm Nov 6, 2009 3:57pm
Bill Gates will teach you for free - get his express package(s) / many languages / from microsoft or msdn website.
  • #5
  • Nov 6, 2009 4:07pm Nov 6, 2009 4:07pm
You can start here: http://book.mql4.com/
  • #6
  • Nov 6, 2009 4:21pm Nov 6, 2009 4:21pm
MT4 is pretty easy. I have no idea why you have to learn 'C' first. - Look at a few code example and then create a EA that opens a trade then closes a trade. - start adding conditions like lego blocks. - You understanding and skills will improve as you keep adding pieces.
  • #7
  • Nov 6, 2009 4:28pm Nov 6, 2009 4:28pm
MQL can be a bit of a handful for a non programmer, due to fact that the behaviour of the EA or Indicator is dependant on the market, which is of course outside of your control.

For example, you might write code that might open a buy order if a fast moving average crosses above a slow moving average. Then you have sit and wait for the condition to set up, before you get to determine if the code works !, if it fails, you modify it, and sit and wait again !

When your learning to code, it really helps if you can get immediate feedback that your codes either working or not working, sitting around for hours on end waiting for some bit of your code to execute isnt much fun.

I'd download one of the free Microsoft express languages, either Visual Basic, or C# and learn the basic programming constructs such as variable types, variable scope, conditional statements, loops, use of functions etc

Once your comfortable with the basics, move onto MQL. The MACD EA sample that metaquotes provides is a useful template to get you started
  • #8
  • Nov 6, 2009 4:30pm Nov 6, 2009 4:30pm
Quoting Razzle
MQL can be a bit of a handful for a non programmer, due to fact that the behaviour of the EA or Indicator is dependant on the market, which is of course outside of your control.

For example, you might write code that might open a buy order if a fast moving average crosses above a slow moving average. Then you have sit and wait for the condition to set up, before you get to determine if the code works !, if it fails, you modify it, and sit and wait again !

When your learning to code, it really helps if you can get immediate feedback that your codes...
Thats what backtests are for. Code - Run backtest - Tweak - Run backtest - Rinse, Repeat....
  • #9
  • Nov 6, 2009 6:38pm Nov 6, 2009 6:38pm
Quoting Aja
Thats what backtests are for. Code - Run backtest - Tweak - Run backtest - Rinse, Repeat....
thanks for the input guys.
I learned some basic stuff, I used an ea generator and with a help of a friend got it to work and added more stuff into it. i can tweek it the way i want but when it get to more complicated stuff ...
like I wanted to add an MA to MFI so I was told to use imaonArray...... i read and read fr hours on how to do it but still no idea how to start... so I figured learn to program and that's when I came here to ask is is gonna help me at all?!!
  • #10
  • Nov 6, 2009 6:57pm Nov 6, 2009 6:57pm
Quoting CodeMeister
I would not recommend learning MQ4 as a first language.
I fully agree!

What we are seeing in mql4 programming is what i call the PHP effect: A lot of noobs with absolutely no background try to learn this domain specific language as fast as possible. The forums are full of blind leading the blind and the only thing you can learn as a beginner are bad habits and bad style from other noobs.

I have a theory that the best way to learn programming is learning a language where it is guaranteed that there are no wannabe script kiddies around that only teach you wrong things, a language that is mainly used by real programmers who deserve that name (not Java consultants!), a language specifically designed to have clear and consistent syntax and grammar and is only used by experienced programmers or language designers.

Learn a statically typed language (Pascal for example) and learn a dynamic language (i recommend Python), both are used by intelligent people only and although they are both in relative widespread use they are not really mainstream languages by the above definition.

After having mastered this you are ready to learn *any* of the dirty mainstream languages and the even dirtier domain specific languages, including mql4. You will learn to use it and you will learn to hate it in only a few days and with absolutely no effort.
  • #11
  • Edited 9:37pm Nov 6, 2009 7:29pm | Edited 9:37pm
I DON'T Agree.

I've programmed business systems, games, 3D animation, ecommerce websites, etc.. in almost every language around, BASIC, Pascal, C, Assembly language, Dbase, Java, Clarion, Yadda, Yadda.. and MQ4 isnt any harder than BASIC. If you start with small projects and add pieces as you go you'll learn just fine. - You wont be programming your dream EA anytime soon (or editing one to work like you want) but you'll eventually get to when you can implement your ideas. It can be a pretty long journey but the programming thought process transfers pretty easily. There are easy languages and hard languages to learn and MQ4 is on the 'easy' list. It not a bad place to start because between strategy tester and forward testing you get nice feedback on what your programming is doing (or not doing) - most languages are more abstract than that and require a bit more head scratching to 'get' it. MQ4 can be a nice intro to programming just dont expect to miracles overnight.
  • #12
  • Nov 7, 2009 7:33am Nov 7, 2009 7:33am
Quoting Aja
and MQ4 isnt any harder than BASIC. If you start with small projects and add pieces as you go you'll learn just fine.
It isn't the language, it is the community that is wrong with such languages. There simply are no experienced coders around, there are mostly beginners trying to teach other beginners, none of them has ever learnd programming. Just look at the code examples, all the free indicators and EAs written by non-programmers that are flowing around in these forums. They are all textbook examples for bad programming style, how should one learn programming without ever seeing an example of something done right?
  • #13
  • Edited 12:35pm Nov 7, 2009 12:30pm | Edited 12:35pm
Quoting jado911
thanks for the input guys.
I learned some basic stuff, I used an ea generator and with a help of a friend got it to work and added more stuff into it. i can tweek it the way i want but when it get to more complicated stuff ...
like I wanted to add an MA to MFI so I was told to use imaonArray...... i read and read fr hours on how to do it but still no idea how to start... so I figured learn to program and that's when I came here to ask is is gonna help me at all?!!
Spend some time reading code - if you want to learn ImaOnArray, look through the indicators you have on your system - somewhere in there you will find an example to learn from. (Hint: take a look at Macd.mq4 - it uses iMaOnArray).

Same for EA's - mt4 comes with 2 functional experts - read the code and see how basic things are done.

Good luck.
Old Benjamin was right
  • #14
  • Nov 8, 2009 1:39am Nov 8, 2009 1:39am
Whatever language you learn, learn to apply good software engineering techniques. Most of the problem comes in debugging and testing the code you write. Too many times you write something, think it works one way, forget about it, and have to come back and figure out what the hell you did.

So I suggest:

1) Have a set code flow and formatting standards. Code readability is critical.
2) Learn Hungarian notation, it highly useful documentation for your code as you read it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungarian_notation
  • #15
  • Last Post: Sep 21, 2012 10:03am Sep 21, 2012 10:03am
There's an option to code MQL experts in C# with http://www.nquotes.net/ .
C# is a general purpose language, which is the most advanced, professional and demanded language at the moment.
So I would suggest it as a first programming language.
Later if you need, you can try some C++, but for most types of apps you don't need it, as you usually can access C++ (low level) stuff from C#.
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