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Running MT4 in linux

  • #1
  • First Post: Sep 2, 2009 6:33pm Sep 2, 2009 6:33pm
This isn't really about programming but this is probably the most approprite forum.

Just got MT4 up and running in Ubuntu Linux! I'm too paranoid using windows these days with the numerous trojans/hackers/backdoors/rootkits and after wasting about 2 hours installing XP Again (!) because of AVG which is the worst antivirus software ever I finally got too pissed off with it all.

If anyone wants to know heres a quick how-to:

1. Install wine (sudo apt-get install wine), or install it from synaptic package manager

2. Copy MFC42.dll from c:\windows\system32 from your windows pc onto /home/(your username)/.wine/drive_c/windows/system32

3. grab your MT4 installer from your broker

4. Open a terminal and type "wine mt4installer.exe"

5. Once its installed you can run it anytime by opening a terminal and typing
Inserted Code
#wine "/home/(your username)/.wine/drive_c/Program Files/(your broker)/terminal.exe"

Don't forget the inverted commas!
  • #2
  • Edited 2:53am Sep 3, 2009 12:45am | Edited 2:53am
How about full functionality of mt4?

every function is working fine? backtests, various order types, optimizations etc etc?
i have heard about nags while using wine!
kindly do share your experiences!
100 Fold Challenge->Interested? ->https://www.forexfactory.com/thread/32152
  • #3
  • Sep 3, 2009 2:29am Sep 3, 2009 2:29am
I have installed MT4 under Ubuntu Jaunty 9.04 and Wine 1.0.1.

I notice that

I cannot type into any input parameters box in any Custom indicator
I can change inputs in the tick boxes under Visualisation tab and Common tabs for Custom indicators
I can type into the inputs box in the Default indicators but not the Custom indicators


I uninstalled Wine, and then reinstalled, and also downloaded the latest instance of MT4 from IBFX. Same problem still occurred.

Metaeditor works fine, so I can change parameters by recompiling, but it is not an ideal solution. Has anyone managed to get MT4 running without these problems?
  • #4
  • Edited 7:27am Sep 3, 2009 7:10am | Edited 7:27am
Quoting Royston
I have installed MT4 under Ubuntu Jaunty 9.04 and Wine 1.0.1.

I notice that

I cannot type into any input parameters box in any Custom indicator
Try F2...

Also, you will probably want Wingding.ttf for special characters (arrows, etc.) - look around, it's free on the internet if you search.

Same for Microsuck truetype fonts - I use Debian and there is a package called msttcorefonts - install these and copy them to wine/drive_c/windows/fonts along with the Wingding fonts. Metaeditor won't work without them.

Strategy tester won't work using dates - you'll need to mod your EA to specifically select a date range. Wrap your EA code in "if(time[0] >= strtotime("2009.06.01 00:00))" to test since 6/1/09, for example.
Old Benjamin was right
  • #5
  • Sep 3, 2009 1:01pm Sep 3, 2009 1:01pm
Quoting Lou G

Try F2...
Lou, that worked really well on the Input values. Now I can get into the boxes to alter parameters, but I still can't get into the Colour values, F2 does not work on them. Any ideas as to what can get me into the colour drop down box, or the line style/width boxes?
  • #6
  • Sep 3, 2009 1:16pm Sep 3, 2009 1:16pm
i read somewhere that there is another dll needed to stop some annoyances, its name is something with commonctrl.dll or something like that, cant remember the name exactly, its some runtime dll from microsoft, not sure whether it is included with windows.
  • #7
  • Sep 3, 2009 4:06pm Sep 3, 2009 4:06pm
Quoting Royston
Lou, that worked really well on the Input values. Now I can get into the boxes to alter parameters, but I still can't get into the Colour values, F2 does not work on them. Any ideas as to what can get me into the colour drop down box, or the line style/width boxes?
No way that I have found other than to recompile - I've been running Debian/Wine/Metatrader nearly a year and have done a LOT of searching. That doesn't mean there is no way - just that I can't find it
Old Benjamin was right
  • #8
  • Edited 4:13pm Sep 3, 2009 4:11pm | Edited 4:13pm
Quoting 7bit
i read somewhere that there is another dll needed to stop some annoyances, its name is something with commonctrl.dll or something like that, cant remember the name exactly, its some runtime dll from microsoft, not sure whether it is included with windows.
I've read that too but not enough specifics about what problem it will solve to make me want to mess with it - if you find out what comctl32.dll is supposed to fix in MT4/Wine please post it here - I'd like to know.

P.S. this dll is already in Wine as it comes...
Old Benjamin was right
  • #9
  • Sep 3, 2009 4:42pm Sep 3, 2009 4:42pm
Quoting 7bit
i read somewhere that there is another dll needed to stop some annoyances, its name is something with commonctrl.dll or something like that, cant remember the name exactly, its some runtime dll from microsoft, not sure whether it is included with windows.
really? I can't use strategy tester, It keeps saying "no ticks loaded" or something like that
  • #10
  • Sep 3, 2009 4:47pm Sep 3, 2009 4:47pm
Quoting 7bit
i read somewhere that there is another dll needed to stop some annoyances, its name is something with commonctrl.dll or something like that, cant remember the name exactly, its some runtime dll from microsoft, not sure whether it is included with windows.
Thats a standard wndows DLL for common controls eg. textboxes , listviews etc.


I have it running now but it's very slow (on a 1gig laptop), I can't type anything into the EA parameters (the mouse pointer keeps flashing with a "no entry" icon).
  • #11
  • Sep 3, 2009 6:48pm Sep 3, 2009 6:48pm
Quoting FrinkFX
Thats a standard wndows DLL for common controls eg. textboxes , listviews etc.


I have it running now but it's very slow (on a 1gig laptop), I can't type anything into the EA parameters (the mouse pointer keeps flashing with a "no entry" icon).
I assume you are running Linux of some kind. If so, see post #4. If you are running Strategy Tester with "use dates" checked it will not work under Wine. You need to mod your EA as I suggest in post #4 - Strategy Tester runs fine that way.
Old Benjamin was right
  • #12
  • Sep 4, 2009 3:29am Sep 4, 2009 3:29am
Quoting Lou G
I assume you are running Linux of some kind. If so, see post #4. If you are running Strategy Tester with "use dates" checked it will not work under Wine. You need to mod your EA as I suggest in post #4 - Strategy Tester runs fine that way.
Thanks! The extra trouble is worth it in my opinion. Windows is just too much of a liability for me. I really shouldn't be using ubuntu either, When I really get serious about forex I'll probably go for FreeBSD (most secure OS in my opinion, because it's the most common for hosting big, busy websites) Once I get an extra gig of ram it should be sweet..
  • #13
  • Feb 10, 2010 11:12pm Feb 10, 2010 11:12pm
Quoting FrinkFX
This isn't really about programming but this is probably the most approprite forum.

Just got MT4 up and running in Ubuntu Linux! I'm too paranoid using windows these days with the numerous trojans/hackers/backdoors/rootkits and after wasting about 2 hours installing XP Again (!) because of AVG which is the worst antivirus software ever I finally got too pissed off with it all.

If anyone wants to know heres a quick how-to:

1. Install wine (sudo apt-get install wine), or install it from synaptic package manager

2. Copy MFC42.dll from c:windowssystem32...
hey sorry to re open this thread up lol.
but i have been playing around with wine and ubuntu and followed your instructions on how to get mt4 to work but still struggling and cant get anything to work.

what do you mean by grab your installer from your mt4 broker. I know where the terminal.exe is but what do i do with it?
  • #14
  • Feb 11, 2010 4:06am Feb 11, 2010 4:06am
Quoting supermatt
what do you mean by grab your installer from your mt4 broker.
The installer you downloaded from the broker.

I would install it in a windows virtual machine (use Sun VirtualBox). I tried it with wine too and had it (almost) successfully running but there will be certain things that just won't work properly (like the backtester for example!) and there is no known way to solve these problems.
  • #15
  • Feb 11, 2010 4:21am Feb 11, 2010 4:21am
ah k yeh, sorry im all new to this. i guess ill have to have a play around with it some more thanks
  • #16
  • Feb 11, 2010 7:23am Feb 11, 2010 7:23am
Quoting 7bit
The installer you downloaded from the broker.

I would install it in a windows virtual machine (use Sun VirtualBox). I tried it with wine too and had it (almost) successfully running but there will be certain things that just won't work properly (like the backtester for example!) and there is no known way to solve these problems.
I'm going to have to agree with 7bit here. I've been running Linux for years, but MT4 simply does not play nice. I have it running with all the features I use (never use backtester) and even then I had to get rid of it, as only 3 instances of MT4 was utilizing 80% of my CPU (even when I'm not in the program)! Slowing down my whole computer, heating up my laptop and killing my battery life.

The exact same 3 instances use 0% of my CPU under the same conditions.

Windows isn't a liability unless you use it in a dangerous fashion. Sure you can trade in a Virtualboxed environment, but what's the point of using Linux if you'll be in Virtualbox Windows the whole time? I installed a clean version of Windows 7, did all the updates, set the Windows Firewall to treat all networks as "Public" (blocking all local traffic, so no worms) and I use Ubuntu in Virtualbox for all non-trade related activities.

Even this is overkill though, I haven't had any Windows problems since XP...will probably just move back entirely. It's not worth it for an active trader, IMO.
  • #17
  • Feb 11, 2010 7:29am Feb 11, 2010 7:29am
Quoting Royston
Lou, that worked really well on the Input values. Now I can get into the boxes to alter parameters, but I still can't get into the Colour values, F2 does not work on them. Any ideas as to what can get me into the colour drop down box, or the line style/width boxes?
Not sure what did it, but I was able to solve this problem on my installation. Let me know if you're still looking for a solution to this and I'll investigate.
  • #18
  • Feb 11, 2010 2:28pm Feb 11, 2010 2:28pm
i agree i dont think its worth setting up mt4 in linux especially if your trading with real money as you never know what can happen.
I have no issues with windows 7 i just like to tinker and experiment because i get bored and trading daily charts does that to ya i think ubuntu is cool

i think if i was to trade on linux i would trade through a java based web platform such as prorealtime or the likes.
  • #19
  • Apr 16, 2010 8:37pm Apr 16, 2010 8:37pm
once again i am really sorry guys but this is bugging me. i cant get mt4 to run in my ubuntu. i dloaded wine it runs fine. i have since copied and pasted the 2 MCF dlls into the right folders as well as all the fonts. i then dloaded fxpro setup . exe to desktop. right clicked it and said to run through wine. setup pops up so obviously something does work but it wont let me install it as it says cannot re write to registry or something. where do i install it. i have tried everywhere
  • #20
  • Apr 30, 2010 2:58am Apr 30, 2010 2:58am
Quoting supermatt
once again i am really sorry guys but this is bugging me. i cant get mt4 to run in my ubuntu. i dloaded wine it runs fine. i have since copied and pasted the 2 MCF dlls into the right folders as well as all the fonts. i then dloaded fxpro setup . exe to desktop. right clicked it and said to run through wine. setup pops up so obviously something does work but it wont let me install it as it says cannot re write to registry or something. where do i install it. i have tried everywhere
Install it in the trial version of Crossover Linux

http://www.codeweavers.com/products/cxlinux/

With the mx3l something and the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable 6.0 packages from the auto install wizard

OR just copy the install directory from a Windows install and add the mfc42.dll to the windows/system32 directory.

I've got it working fine (besides cpu usage).
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