What is the best way to get started learning MQL4 programming language?

As there are many talented programmers on FF creating complex indicators and EA's. I find myself wanting to learn how to program these as well. So for those who understand MQL4 well, please suggest the quickest most surest way to get started learning how to program in MQL4. Please include references, links and other resources that can help us newbies out. Thanks!

In no particular order:

Docs.mql4.com
book.mql4.com
www.metatrader.info/node/34

Hi Drew,

As an engineer I'm familiar with programming but knew nothing of MLQ4/MT4 when I started in mid-2007. I learn best by example, so I just opened up some programs and tried to follow them line-by-line. I started small but by now, I'm writing programs with 15K+ lines! (no joke)

Tip: In MetaEditor, if you highlight a standard built-in command (highlighted in purple) then press "F1", it will display the MQL4 Reference with syntax and a description of what it does. I learned a lot about commands until I became familiar enough to use them.

One way to start could be by reviewing some examples I wrote, or more accurately, were written by someone else which I then hacked to do a lot more. You could even search for the original versions and compare to my own to see how I changed them. (To compare old vs. new files, I use "ExamDiff" (free; google it) to compare two different text files side-by-side. Large and/or multi-monitors help. Tip: Ignore all white space differences.)

Collection: Indicators, scripts, ... by Pips4Life (P4L ...)

Don't just look at mine... look at any program you are interested in. Hopefully you will choose ones that have lots of comments.

When you actually start programming, hit the "Compile" button OFTEN. Make simple changes bit by bit, and be sure it compiles before proceeding further. It is so much easier to fix syntax errors, unbalanced parenthesis, missing end-of-line ";", and so on when all you have done is change a line or two at a time.

Add a zillion comments to your own code. They will help you and others a lot!


Another suggestion: Search google for "mql4 tutorial". There are several hits which I think will point to some decent resources for you, some of which are elsewhere on this forum.


Good luck,
Kent (pips4life)

After teaching myself some mql4 I was still amazed at how few video tutorials there are on places like youtube about it.. so I started making some.
Just do a search either on google or on youtube for mql4 lessons. Start with the intro video and work your way thru.
The audio was horrible when I first started recording but I eventually get it figure out. I can't believe no one is helping the dummies like I was.
This is all free for the taking.
I guess the people that learn it want to make a living coding and so don't share their knowledge or are unable to explain what they know. I am certainly no coding guru.. but I get by with what I know.
Once you get the basic foundation laid in your mind, you can increase your knowledge rapidly just by looking at other code.
I would put a link here but I'm not sure if it's allowed. Just do a search and you'll find them. PipPip....Jimdandy

1.first I learn BASIC on 1981 TRS-80 computer in make russian rullete game with 1in6 times spacebar it says "BANG!"
2.then i learn VT Trader code for make ea but it loose
3.then i learn MT4 for make adjustment for ea i buy when after I run strategytester and it was always loose
4.so now im MT4 Pro but ea still loose

I have been teaching myself MQL4 from your video's Jim and they have been a great help, I'm not close to the level where you are now but over the last couple of months a lot became clear to me on the MT4 platform. I'm squeezing in a different question Jim cause I can't PM you: at one time you recommended a broker and I can't find which one that was. You might have removed that posting or it was on your website but who would you recommend?

As pips4life already wrote it's a good idea to search some simple iindicators/EAs and try to change something in it or add a new functionality. You can learn a lot about MQL functions checking http://docs.mql4.com.

For example you could search for a spread indicator, and change how/where the spread value is displayed. Or find a similar indicator to the one you would like to code, and start modifying it to make it more like your desired indicator.

While you are doing this, you will learn a lot about MQL and also gain some experience coding MQL.

I totally agree to checking the MQL4 Reference for function info. I do it all the time.
However, it's already built into MetaEditor, so I never bother to go to the URL.

i was just actually wondering pips do you code for other people by any chance?? had no clue how to pm or contact you any other way haha

At present, I just code for myself. I haven't applied for "commercial" status, nor actually have I even investigated what that status means or costs (?).

Maybe I will in the future, but I have no plans to for the moment.

Help this poor amature
im writing an EA which dont care about charts it reads trading signals from files... so each time it has to select another symbol
in http://docs.mql4.com they don't explain how exactly use SymbolSelect()

at mql4.com they said SymbolSelect(string name,bool select);
what do they mean about string name?
I tried this in order to select symbol EURUSD and see if its successful

string symbol="EURUSD";
SymbolSelect(symbol,1);
Alert (Symbol());

That didnt work
please gimme an example and write the caode which select symbol EURUSD
THanks lord

[quote=MT4Pro001;6839043]1.first I learn BASIC on 1981 TRS-80 computer in make russian rullete game with 1in6 times spacebar it says "BANG!" 2.then i learn VT Trader code for make ea but it loose 3.then i learn MT4 for make adjustment for ea i buy when after I run strategytester and it was always loose 4.so now im MT4 Pro but ea still loose[/quote
hi .. if you wish will you teach me how to code.. i dont know anything regards coding but if one teach me i can learn easyly

Question, I want to learn MQL4 but the level is too high, the step is too big. Which other programming language (C, C++, C#, Java, javascript) should I learn beforehand, so that MQL4 is easier to learn?

C++ or C are the languages most similar in syntax to MQL4.

thanks. I was already an Action Script programmer so learning the basics of MQL4 was easier than I thought. I've put some of my strategies into EA's now. I'm wondering if anyone wants to team up with me to build more EA's with me. Because programming EA's and backtesting is actually fun!

Sure - see my post on Babypips.

hi..can share the link here?

regards

http://forums.babypips.com/free-fore...-together.html

Start from C. It is the basis for many trading platforms (MetaTrader, AmiBroker etc).
Then try to program simple indicators and strategies using documentation and samples from mql4.com

Check this thread about getting help on learning to program MQL4:
https://www.forexfactory.com/showthr...3#post10394073