Can you use an external file for parameters? | Forex Factory

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Can you use an external file for parameters?

  • #1
  • First Post: Feb 17, 2011 9:02am Feb 17, 2011 9:02am
I'm wondering if you could use an external paramater file for both extern and global variables ? This way you can edit that directly and not have to touch either the code or edit the params on the indicator/EA ?

oh - and if so, if u could point me to examples/tutorials, much appreciated

thx
  • #2
  • Feb 17, 2011 7:02pm Feb 17, 2011 7:02pm
i should have added is there any helper tools to do it without coding your own functions to read from it ..
  • #3
  • Feb 17, 2011 8:01pm Feb 17, 2011 8:01pm
The short answer is yes, you can place externals and globals into an external file.

Like anything in coding, it is relatively simple if you dedicate a fair amount of time to understanding how it works. You could start by reading this :-

http://book.mql4.com/functions/files

I am not sure why you would want to place the externals in a file.....the only time I do it is when I want an optimised set of externals that changes dynamically ie a different set of trading parameters for different days of the week, or trading instrument.

A simpler, less elegant option for the externals is to simply load up an array internally with your different parameters eg :-

Inserted Code
string External_Var[7];//7 days of the week
switch(DayofWeek(){
   case 1: External_Var[0] = Monday;//Day of week in text
           External_Var[1] = 1111;//Monday MagicNumber
           External_Var[2] = 20;//Takeprofi on a Monday
           Break;
  case 2 : External_Var[0] = Tuesday;//Day of week in text
           External_Var[1] = 2222;//Tuesday MagicNumber
           External_Var[2] = 12;//Takeprofit on a Tuesday
           Break;
  case : 3 .............................................
           ............................................. etc, etc
}
  • #4
  • Feb 17, 2011 9:14pm Feb 17, 2011 9:14pm
thx kenny - actually my thinking is around remotely changing those params via a website login - ie, a website would give u an interface to those params, and it would update the external file on the machine running mt4/ea ...

Thx for the link .. reading ...
  • #5
  • Feb 18, 2011 1:18am Feb 18, 2011 1:18am
Yeah, that could work.

In that case, you may want to study the FFCal indicator which uses a nifty function called GrabWeb for downloading webpages. Instead of downloading the calendar, you could download your own page with the settings.
  • #6
  • Last Post: Feb 18, 2011 2:47am Feb 18, 2011 2:47am
hmm thats a good point - but i just thought it'd be easier still if the web page just set the file params and the EA just reads that
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