Manual system that can't be Automated

I had this question since i start trading couple of years ago .. and i never had answer on it ..

All manual trading systems i know, i read about, i trade .. at some point can be automated.. probably a bit difficult, probably we don't have EA yet for it .. but it can be automated !

think about it .. all system have some kind of rules sort of
(line crossing, candle close above/below, S/R line rejection .. pattern, etc)
and all this can be automated in fact many -if not all- better to be automated!

even the Elliot wave based systems, (witch might not yet automated on MT4 as long as i know) it can be, and theoretical talking you might recognize/suggest 1-3 EW count, but computer will see them all even what at the moment you don't really see (as counting)

don't get me wrong here, my main income from trading is from Manual trading, but i've this question all time i'm trading manual ..
"Why i'm investing time trading this system that can be automated , when i can invest half time Automating it or developing it as automated system like EA"

i remember the old days registration form, without CAPTCHA the spammer/scamer used automated system to register / submite form etc .. then, they come with CAPTCHA by dif "is a type of challenge-response test used in computing to ensure that the response is not generated by a computer."
that make it almost impossible to automate registration/submission of data .. CAPTCHA proved that we can deferential Human being response from computer or computer systems response,

WHAT IS THE TRADING CAPTCHA ?? what it look like, do you know any ?? or can you imagine it?? i mean can you imagine trading system, computer system, or automated system on other word can't response to it but Human being??

Easiest way to automate any system is to generate a set of hard number-based rules.

Don't forget that Ronald Raygun used to be the fascist gun in the West.

yeah but what kind of systems (Trading system) CAN'T be automated ??
do you ever had or used or heard about manual system and you think it can't be automated? all trading system i saw here on FF at some point can be automated.. right?

I am a programming "noob", but I wonder if one of the more difficult aspects is programming volatility based stops and position sizing. I believe that is one of the aspects needed to be "head and shoulders" above the rest (other EAs which mostly fail).

Obviously, "big" money and true quants have this done, but us "little dogs" are mostly tinkering with (and failing with) programmed fixed stops and constant or % of account position sizing. All trading bets are not equal.

Just my 2 cents.

Every system can be automated, provided you can define it. For example, Jackone's 5 min pinbars, can be automated if you can define what a pin bar is, and define the divergence. The problem many people face is the step of turning what is obvious to the naked eye into hard and fast rules.

The classic problem is to write down ALL the steps needed to make a cup of tea, people nearly always miss something because we take so much for granted.

I remember a couple of years ago some idiot didn't know how to make mashed potato, we explained and he asked "where does the water go" (after boiling the potatoes), we'd forgotten to tell him to drain it because it was obvious to us.

Not every system can be fully automated - if it could then banks etc wouldnt need to employ traders.

Scoobs.

I trade manually also but I have been trying for 8 or 9 months (in vain so far) to create an EA that will take all my considerations into account.

I often miss a move by a couple of seconds that would not happen if I could get my EA to figure it out and instantaneously enter the trade.

I trade ECN so my order is filled at the arrival price not the quoted price. If the market is moving fast in my direction, I can easily be at a 10 or even 20 point disadvantage by not having an EA.

The real problem comes from recalculation of statistics and probability. In theory an EA should be much better than the trader given the time to calculate, lack of emotion and ability to enter as the tick chart is moving in the opposite direction.

The problem comes from the fact that, its all relative and how can you code that? Every thing just depends.

Actually I think I am making progress but it is slow and laborious and far from simple. I no longer believe that it can be done with a few simple rules without first defining a sideways market and a trend.
Then is it which trend are you talking about.. long term.. most recent strong trend.. or most recent trend.. That leads you to what is recent and what is long term? After a sideways market what is a break?

What is a retracement? How do you tell the EA the difference between a retracement and a trend change? So which fibo level is optimal or should you be using pivots? Lot of dollars between pivot points and the same can be said for fibo levels.

What is a retest and how can you tell until after the event?

I believe I will get there but not anytime soon. Maybe another 18 months I will have something respectable.

I am certain of one thing. If I ever get it done, it will be better than me as a trader simply because of the speed.

You can't automate experience, intuition, and common sense. Three primary ingredients in successful trading.

Toots,
MM

sweet..
so guys agree that -at least- hypothetically or theoretically any manual system can automated "as long as we know"..

well personally i do believe that there is systems that we can't automate! even if you include everything.. this systems will perform much much better with manual trading.. the thing here i believe it's there i just dont know any !! if you know any system this kind "something beside hard rules of crossing, levels etc stuff you automate" if you know some particular system this kind a would be very glad to look on it ..

man if your manual system can be automated so what are you doing?? go automate it .. for me it was all time like that .. what I'm doing! why i'm investing all this time trading manually system can be automated at least i've to invest some time touring my system to automated one! as long as i'm following hard rules "stuff of when ..... do if ..... do .... else ....." all this can be translate to programing language making automatic system!!

i don't have much experiance with deep volatility based stops but i can tell you with all automated systems all EAs i tried the ATR base stops (when i add it to the system) it makes significant improvement to the result .. well ATR stops the simplest form of volatility based stops..

right .. i agree with you, but what this thing tells you? the trend went down enough ? or there will be reveres around this fib line.. or trend lost momentum around that R/S .. etc
i mean most of time what we name it common sense it's just feeling based on what we seeing from indicators news etc right?
dont't get met wrong i do use common sense on my trading to get out of trading or in etc .. but truly what i think it's common sense it's just experience with this pair i'm trading and his volatility style and indicators i'm used to read .. i don't much have common sense with price naked. i mean even simplest chart you read without any indicatores you will find yourself counting EW or reading candles, (both can be automated) i mean can somebody make common sense just on price action!?

I think trend line based strategies also not look like to be coded into an EA. Or may be too difficult!

I don't think you can have a completly automated system. I stopped looking for that holy grail. I just decided that I will have to open trades manually. I do use a Money Management Expert Advisor to get me away from the computer after I enter the trade and keep me within my rules.