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Need help creating my first EA

  • #1
  • First Post: Mar 17, 2014 6:08am Mar 17, 2014 6:08am
Hey guys!
I have recently started to code my very first EA however there are some things that are causing problems for me.

1.My EA should check ADX values only when a new bar opens on the chart.Doesn't matter the timeframe.
However right now if i run it on H1 it will place several orders on a H1 candle which is something i don't want.
What should i do?The variables are storing the values set to the current timeframe respectively.But the EA will check these values on every tick? and will place more than one order on a H1 candle even though it should only open an order or close the previous one when a new bar opens.
I am kinda lost here.

2.How can i access a custom indicators global variable?Do i need to put the indicator into a mqh file while rewriting into classes and such?
Do i have to use iCustom?If yes what value does it give back?Also what if the custom indicator uses several buffers?Do i need to create an iCustom for each of them?
Can't i just access one of the indicator's variable?
Like the custom indicator will set a bool to true or false when certain conditions are met.Now i want to access this bool value in my EA for checking.
How can i do that?

That's all for now.
  • #2
  • Mar 17, 2014 6:45am Mar 17, 2014 6:45am
adx -> use the http://docs.mql4.com/indicators/iadx command

filter the trades, for example by bar - check if on the same bar is already trade opened.
or limit the number of open trades, for example if already a trade open do not open a new one ..

you could append your ea in this thread and maybe somebody will help you with the coding-stuff.
PM me with coding requests and I'll probably put you on my ignore list
  • #3
  • Mar 17, 2014 7:22am Mar 17, 2014 7:22am
Quoting turulHAARP
But the EA will check these values on every tick?
Yes, experts (and indicators) are tick-driven, meaning the terminal will try to run their core code at each new tick.
So, if you want to apply a certain logic only, for example, at the beginning of a new candle (bar), you will have to check for that "event" yourself.
Usually we use the bar start time to check for the beginning of a new bar; only the start time is unique to a particular bar. Otherwise bars can have equal open, high, low or close prices, or volumes, but not the same start time.
On each and every new bar, its start time is recorded in the Time[0] variable. If you record the start time of the bar that is in progress when your program starts, you can detetct the start of a new bar by comparing Time[0] against the previously recorded time; and if they differ, a new bar has started.
Code sample:

In OnInit() you record the current bar time:
Inserted Code
 mytime = Time[0]; // put mytime in global scope

Then, in OnTick(), on every tick you compare:
Inserted Code
 if(mytime != Time[0]) {
   // if times differ, a new bar has started and your code inside this if-statement will run
   // re-record your time
   mytime = Time[0];
   /*
      put your core logic here
   */
}
Return To Disorder
  • #4
  • Mar 17, 2014 7:24am Mar 17, 2014 7:24am
I think that the following code should do it:

Inserted Code
datetime LastTime = 0;
 
.
.
.
.
if( Time[0] != LastTime ){
  // Open your order here
}
 
LastTime = Time[0];
Simplicity is the Ultimate Sophistication.
  • #5
  • Mar 17, 2014 7:26am Mar 17, 2014 7:26am
Here is the ea i am currently working on and the custom indicator.
What i want is if custom indicator colors a bar yellow which means it's a doji according to the set parameters EA should be able to do something based on this.
I didn't create the indi so i don't quite know about which buffer do i want look for.Also i don't care about the buffers,i just want to access to one of the indicator's global variable so i can easily decide based on that value in my EA instead messing around with buffers...if it's possible of course.
Yeah EA is a mess now i know.
Attached File(s)
File Type: mq4 HeikenAshi_DojiSpotter.mq4   7 KB | 356 downloads
File Type: mq4 ADX_test.mq4   9 KB | 373 downloads
  • #6
  • Mar 18, 2014 9:18am Mar 18, 2014 9:18am
Hi, I can help you in writing your EA. If you want...

So if I understand well, you want to trade when you detect a doji, right ?

If so, instead of using that external indi, take its formula inside your EA, it will be much easier.

From what I have seen in that indicator, it uses the size of the candle body as a percentage of the entire candle size, including wicks as a threshold to determine if it's a doji or not.

This is the formula from the indicator:

Inserted Code
if (MathAbs( (haClose-haOpen)/(haHigh-haLow)) <= (DojiLevel/100) && spotDojis)

Where DojiLevel is the percentage and you can forget the spotDojis variable.

So, take just that in your EA code and you will know when you have a doji.

You will have to work on last closed bar (index = 1) not current bar which is not yet closed.
Simplicity is the Ultimate Sophistication.
  • #7
  • Mar 18, 2014 10:21am Mar 18, 2014 10:21am
Quoting broketrader
Hi, I can help you in writing your EA. If you want... So if I understand well, you want to trade when you detect a doji, right ? If so, instead of using that external indi, take its formula inside your EA, it will be much easier. From what I have seen in that indicator, it uses the size of the candle body as a percentage of the entire candle size, including wicks as a threshold to determine if it's a doji or not. This is the formula from the indicator: if (MathAbs( (haClose-haOpen)/(haHigh-haLow)) <= (DojiLevel/100) && spotDojis) Where DojiLevel...
Okay,thanks for the help.Though can i restructure the indicator into classes and include in EA as a .mqh then create an instance of said indicator in the EA and access its variables?
For now i will use this formula but i would like to avoid writing calculations into the EA so it will have code only which handles logic and orders or some smaller insignifact things.
I took a look at your mql5 learning thread and i want to do something like that.
  • #8
  • Mar 18, 2014 11:00am Mar 18, 2014 11:00am
Off course you can.

Depending on the complexity of the EA you want to write, it could help to organize and make your code reusable.

At the other end it can me meaningless writing OOP code for very simple EAs where you just need two or three function calls.

I don't know if you have a good knowledge in MQL programming. Maybe it could be better for you to start writing something flat, I mean global functions and variables and then porting it in OOP if needed or just for the exercise.
Simplicity is the Ultimate Sophistication.
  • #9
  • Mar 19, 2014 7:23pm Mar 19, 2014 7:23pm
Quoting broketrader
Off course you can. Depending on the complexity of the EA you want to write, it could help to organize and make your code reusable. At the other end it can me meaningless writing OOP code for very simple EAs where you just need two or three function calls. I don't know if you have a good knowledge in MQL programming. Maybe it could be better for you to start writing something flat, I mean global functions and variables and then porting it in OOP if needed or just for the exercise.
Cool.I meant to tell i have learned C++ about a year ago just the basic stuffs(constructor,copy constructor,destructor,getters,setters,namespaces,instances,) just things that need to make some oop oriented application.
So i was kinda stucked at first with mql4 as i didn't understand its structure.Saw it was described as an OOP language but when i looked at indicators and EAs nothing reflected that but instead ppl were trying to get values from custom indicators through buffers and that was kinda weird for me when there is option for OOP programming.

Also i am here again because the trailing stop that i copied directly from the MACD sample EA doesn't seem to work.Nor the one which i have directly copied from a trailing stop EA.
As far as i undersaind trailing stop it is basically a dynamically moving stop loss.
According to this http://www.investopedia.com/articles...-stop-loss.asp if i set up a trailing stop and the price moves in my favor then basically i cannot lose some of the profit even if the price decides to go against me.
So it's either a stop loss from the start because of wrong PA or too tight trailing stop or profit if PA is good enough and trailing stop has been set correctly.

However on backtesting after many wins there is always a last order that basically wipes out the acc.What gives?
Also i try to open a position at a new candle but check the order with trailing stop on every tick.Is the current implementation right?
Attached File(s)
File Type: mq4 ADX_test_forTicks_modified.mq4   11 KB | 366 downloads
  • #10
  • Mar 20, 2014 2:43am Mar 20, 2014 2:43am
I think that it doesn't work because of the following line.

Inserted Code
if (OrderOpenPrice()-Ask>TrailingAct*Point && TrailPrice ==0) {

Are you sure that your TrailPrice variable is set before its first use ? Because I don't see it.

And, if you know about OOP, why you don't switch to it ? I mean, you could reorganize and write better quality code. You should think about it.
Simplicity is the Ultimate Sophistication.
  • #11
  • Mar 20, 2014 6:50am Mar 20, 2014 6:50am
Quoting broketrader
I think that it doesn't work because of the following line. if (OrderOpenPrice()-Ask>TrailingAct*Point && TrailPrice ==0) { Are you sure that your TrailPrice variable is set before its first use ? Because I don't see it. And, if you know about OOP, why you don't switch to it ? I mean, you could reorganize and write better quality code. You should think about it.
Woops i refer to its value in the if statement before it gets the value...
Also i will switch to oop but now i want to check out simple stuffs first.
  • #12
  • Mar 21, 2014 5:14am Mar 21, 2014 5:14am
i have good adx indi guys.. need someone to help me coding for best ea..
  • #13
  • Last Post: Mar 21, 2014 6:34am Mar 21, 2014 6:34am
Quoting myfacefx
best ea
PM me with coding requests and I'll probably put you on my ignore list
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