invalid integer number as parameter 1 for TimeToNumber function | Forex Factory

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invalid integer number as parameter 1 for TimeToNumber function

  • #1
  • First Post: Apr 3, 2010 7:10pm Apr 3, 2010 7:10pm
I am doing a backtest run of my EA together with my indicator,
the indicator alone runs properly,
however, when i call the custom indicator function in the EA and backtest it
an error occur for my indicator: "invalid integer number as parameter 1 for TimeToNumber function"
the following is the only structure in both my indicator and EA which the code TimeToStr is used
Inserted Code
datetime Date;
string BOTime;
datetime ExactTime = StrToTime(TimeToStr(Date, TIME_DATE) + " " + BOTime
Thanks a lot
lmyyyks
  • #2
  • Apr 4, 2010 1:32am Apr 4, 2010 1:32am
Not 100% sure where the "TimeToNumber" function fits into your scenario, but working from the fragment you provided, the code below runs correctly for me.

datetime Date = StrToTime("2010.04.04");
string BOTime = "11:45:00";
datetime ExactTime = StrToTime(TimeToStr(Date, TIME_DATE) + " " + BOTime);
  • #3
  • Apr 4, 2010 1:33am Apr 4, 2010 1:33am
Not much to go on, but off the top of my head, it looks to me like you are writing strings to a datetime variable type. I'm not surprised that this is producing an error.

You are using this stament :-

Quote
StrToTime(TimeToStr(Date, TIME_DATE)

to convert the Date to a datetime variable and then you are promply adding the following strings it :-

Quote
+ " " + BOTime
  • #4
  • Apr 4, 2010 9:23am Apr 4, 2010 9:23am
Quoting kennyhubbard
to convert the Date to a datetime variable and then you are promply adding the following strings it :-
No. He is converting to a string, then appending the time to the date as a string and then converting back into a timestamp. Looks correct to me.
  • #5
  • Apr 4, 2010 9:27am Apr 4, 2010 9:27am
Quoting hanover
Not 100% sure where the "TimeToNumber" function fits into your scenario, but working from the fragment you provided, the code below runs correctly for me.

datetime Date = StrToTime("2010.04.04");
string BOTime = "11:45:00";
datetime ExactTime = StrToTime(TimeToStr(Date, TIME_DATE) + " " + BOTime);
That's the point, i've printed the ExactTime and it looks just right. However, This structure
Inserted Code
StrToTime(TimeToStr(Date, TIME_DATE) + " " + BOTime)
is the only structure that "TimeToNumber" is used (though I'm actually using TimeToStr)
I use it to set time, calculate expiry date for pending orders and create objects. Since i call the icustom() from the EA, create object is thus not a concern.
Apart from this error, the backtest used to show Error 3 while ALL pending orders couldn't be sent.
After a whole day correction, Error 3 is eliminated, but Error 130 occurs. I've already printed all the parameters for the pending orders and NormalizeDouble them all.........
No Clue what's happening...........

To kennyhubbard:
Sorry but I don't get your point,
what should I do in your opinion?
  • #6
  • Apr 4, 2010 9:38am Apr 4, 2010 9:38am
Quoting lmyyyks
That's the point, i've printed the ExactTime and it looks just right. However, This structure
Inserted Code
StrToTime(TimeToStr(Date, TIME_DATE) + " " + BOTime)
is the only structure that "TimeToNumber" is used (though I'm actually using TimeToStr)
Did you already try to Print() the string resulting from

TimeToStr(Date, TIME_DATE) + " " + BOTime
  • #7
  • Apr 4, 2010 10:05am Apr 4, 2010 10:05am
Quoting 7bit
Did you already try to Print() the string resulting from

TimeToStr(Date, TIME_DATE) + " " + BOTime
It's my own defined function
i printed the returned value,
4 in total
all 4 are correct

i just wonder whether it is the EA or the indicator's problem,
because the indicator alone runs fine without any errors
but i just copy all the external variables from the indicator into the EA and input them as i call the indicator. Don't know where could the problem come from
  • #8
  • Apr 4, 2010 10:18am Apr 4, 2010 10:18am
Quoting lmyyyks
I am doing a backtest run of my EA together with my indicator,
the indicator alone runs properly,
however, when i call the custom indicator function in the EA and backtest it
an error occur for my indicator: "invalid integer number as parameter 1 for TimeToNumber function"
the following is the only structure in both my indicator and EA which the code TimeToStr is used
Inserted Code
datetime Date;
string BOTime;
datetime ExactTime = StrToTime(TimeToStr(Date, TIME_DATE) + " " + BOTime
Thanks a lot
lmyyyks
The error message shows that you use iCustom in incorrect format, especially on the line index part. Maybe you accidentally using string as line index. It's not related on how you manipulate string or time vars. Pls consult iCustom format on MT4 language reference
  • #9
  • Apr 4, 2010 10:25am Apr 4, 2010 10:25am
Quoting sangmane
The error message shows that you use iCustom in incorrect format, especially on the line index part. Maybe you accidentally using string as line index. It's not related on how you manipulate string or time vars. Pls consult iCustom format on MT4 language reference
I input integers 0, 1, 2 and 3, the 4 buffers used in my indicator.
and i've printed all the 4 values in my EA, they match with the values in the indicator
  • #10
  • Apr 4, 2010 11:03am Apr 4, 2010 11:03am
can you post the part of the ea that call icustom? i'm quite sure this type of error come from the incorrect call to icustom.
  • #11
  • Apr 4, 2010 1:28pm Apr 4, 2010 1:28pm
Quoting sangmane
i'm quite sure this type of error come from the incorrect call to icustom.
Can you make a minimal example that will produce this error?

Why would the iCustom() call complain about TimeToNumber()? This must be some internal MT4 runtime thing, since there is no such function exposed to the mql4 language directly and judging from the name of the function it is dealing with time-formatting or parsing and/or timestamps and nowhere in the iCustom() call is anything that has even remotely something to do with time.
  • #12
  • Apr 4, 2010 5:03pm Apr 4, 2010 5:03pm
Quoting sangmane
can you post the part of the ea that call icustom? i'm quite sure this type of error come from the incorrect call to icustom.
These are the ext variables from the indicator, I made this indicator based on the panca-eagle breakout indicator.
i copied them all to the EA.
Inserted Code
extern int    NumberOfDays          = 50;     
extern string BoxEnd             = "09:00:00";    
extern string BoxBegin           = "06:30:00"; 
extern int    BreakOut_Offset    = 10; 
extern color  HLColor         = LightGreen; 
extern color  BreakOutColor   = DarkViolet;
Here is the part that the indicator is called and the values of the pending orders
Inserted Code
datetime Expire = StrToTime(TimeToStr(TimeCurrent(),TIME_DATE) + " " + expiretime)
high = NormalizeDouble(iCustom(Symbol(), Period(), "lmyyyks",  NumberOfDays, BoxEnd, BoxBegin, BreakOut_Offset,
HLColor, BreakOutColor, 0,1), Digits);

low = NormalizeDouble(iCustom(Symbol(), Period(), "lmyyyks",   NumberOfDays, BoxEnd, BoxBegin, BreakOut_Offset,
HLColor, BreakOutColor, 1,1), Digits);

BuyTP = NormalizeDouble(high+TP*Point,Digits);
SellTP = NormalizeDouble(low-TP*Point,Digits);
Difference=NormalizeDouble(high-low,Digits);
if (Difference>MaxSL)
   {
   BuyStopSL = NormalizeDouble(high-MaxSL,Digits);
   SellStopSL = NormalizeDouble(low+MaxSL,Digits);
   }
else if (Difference<=MSL)
   {
   BuyStopSL = low; SellStopSL = high;
   }
//- Pending Buy Stop --------------------------------------------------------------------------
      if (trade==true)
         {
         Buy = OrderSend(Symbol(),OP_BUYSTOP,Lots,high,Slip,BuyStopSL,BuyTP,"",0,Expire,Blue);
         } 
//- Pending Sell Stop -------------------------------------------------------------------------
      if (trade==true)
         {
         Sell = OrderSend(Symbol(),OP_SELLSTOP,Lots,low,Slip,SellStopSL,SellTP,"",0,Expire,Red);
         }
  • #13
  • Edited 4:59am Apr 5, 2010 4:23am | Edited 4:59am
You need to learn a few debugging techniques.

MT4 does not give line numbers for runtime errors, so the first thing to do before any further speculations is to find the exact location in your code where the error is triggered. The brute-force method to do this is to put two print statements Print("before") and Print("after") around the part of your code where you suspect the error. The output in the console will then help you find the line where the error occurs by moving the Print() statements line by line up or down in your code until you have found the exact line: If you cannot see the string "after" in the log anymore then move up the Print("after"), if you can still see the "before" before the error is triggered then move Print("before") down until it disappears. Alternatively or if you have absolutely no clue you can simply insert a Print() between every line (Print(1); Print(2); Print(3); etc.) so you don't have to compile and run a dozen times.

If it is a line where a function is called then print all function arguments before calling the function and if you still have no clue then repeat the above procedure inside the function body until you have found the erroneous line. If it is the iCustom() call then print all arguments for iCustom() and you have found the error. If this gives no hint and the error cannot be found in the EA then you can try to do the same procedure in the start() function of the indicator(s), narrow down the exact line in the indicator with print statements until you have found the exact line.

This takes some time but speculating for many days where the error might be without systematically searching for it takes even longer. The above mentioned procedure will tell you beyond any doubt where exactly the error is triggered and you can then start trying to find the reason for it and fix it. Print() is your only debugging tool in mql4, learn how to make the best use of it.

The above procedure is the last resort that always works 100%, if you have already run out of all other ideas then this will still work and anything else would be a waste of time. Often you will find the error in a completely different location than you initially thought.
  • #14
  • Last Post: Nov 18, 2010 6:09pm Nov 18, 2010 6:09pm
Quoting 7bit

Alternatively or if you have absolutely no clue you can simply insert a Print() between every line (Print(1); Print(2); Print(3); etc.) so you don't have to compile and run a dozen times.


The above procedure is the last resort that always works 100%, if you have already run out of all other ideas then this will still work and anything else would be a waste of time. Often you will find the error in a completely different location than you initially thought.
Many Thanks for the hint above.
And you were right. My error was nothing like I thought it would be and this technique saved me countless hours searching for something I would never have guessed.
Cheers
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