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Best Way to set up EA Trading at Home

  • #1
  • First Post: Aug 8, 2015 1:04am Aug 8, 2015 1:04am
Hi All,

I have a question for all the IT / computer tech guys on here.

I have just purchased a refurbished i7 quad core computer with 8GB RAM and 240GB SSD drive which I intend to use solely for EA trading. The plan is to have the machine on 24/7.

Given the machine specification and the requirements of MT4, can anyone advise what would be the best way to set all this up? For example, I have heard that installing multiple copies of MT4 and running one EA on each copy of MT4 may be a better solution than running multiples EAs on one installation of MT4, although I have no experience on how to do this.

As I’m not an experienced programmer some of my EAs are probably resource hungry so given the computer specs any advice on how I would do this would be really welcome.

The longer term plan is to be to running 3-4 different EAs on multiple pairs.


Thanks in advance,

CCH
  • #2
  • Edited Aug 9, 2015 5:04am Aug 8, 2015 10:30pm | Edited Aug 9, 2015 5:04am
Just thought I'd bump this up in case someone who can help missed it
  • #3
  • Aug 9, 2015 7:18am Aug 9, 2015 7:18am
i do that on my pc , run various mt4s. with 8gb of ram and a quad core you should be able to run about 10 mt4 terminals comfortably. of course it depends on the EA's you have set up and the number of charts open on each platform.

to do that what you need to do is install multiple copies of mt4. for demo pusposes you can usually just use the same mt4 setup executable from your broker and each time just install into a differently named program files directory, eg mt4 global prime demo-1, mt4 global prime demo -2, etc.

Quoting Chorlton
Just thought I'd bump this up in case someone who can help missed it
  • #4
  • Aug 9, 2015 5:53pm Aug 9, 2015 5:53pm
Quoting Chorlton
Hi All, I have a question for all the IT / computer tech guys on here. I have just purchased a refurbished i7 quad core computer with 8GB RAM and 240GB SSD drive which I intend to use solely for EA trading. The plan is to have the machine on 24/7. Given the machine specification and the requirements of MT4, can anyone advise what would be the best way to set all this up? For example, I have heard that installing multiple copies of MT4 and running one EA on each copy of MT4 may be a better solution than running multiples EAs on one installation of...
//------


hey chorlton..... a few important points for me would be.....

1. assure windows does not update and restart automatically.....

2. set your power settings to never sleep or turn off......

3. have all computers on ups power backups.....

4. give the ea the ability read order comments and count orders which will allow you to control/adjust all the ea's input settings while away....

5. depending on the ea and account balance, run two copies of the ea in the same platform, one which is on and a second that has trade functions off.... allow the second to monitor the first and start itself if need be.....

6. have the ea push notify you every hour.....

7. have a second ea running with only the ability to count all and an emergency closeall() function....
//-----

there are a few other such points that are difficult to explain....

your goals should be first, maintain power to computer without allowing any restarts or sleep modes.... second, ability to control all ea input settings and functions from your iphone.... third, have a backup ea waiting to be turn on..... fourth, backup emergency closeall() ea waiting.....

be absolutely sure your ea's are foolproof.....h
to trade and code, keep both simple... no call to impress....h
  • #5
  • Aug 10, 2015 3:19am Aug 10, 2015 3:19am
Quoting blamshakk
i do that on my pc , run various mt4s. with 8gb of ram and a quad core you should be able to run about 10 mt4 terminals comfortably. of course it depends on the EA's you have set up and the number of charts open on each platform. to do that what you need to do is install multiple copies of mt4. for demo pusposes you can usually just use the same mt4 setup executable from your broker and each time just install into a differently named program files directory, eg mt4 global prime demo-1, mt4 global prime demo -2, etc. {quote}
Thanks blamshakk... that puts my mind at rest.... I only plan on having around 4-5 EAs running at any one time....
  • #6
  • Aug 10, 2015 3:52am Aug 10, 2015 3:52am
Hi Hayseed,

Really appreciate the reply. Great info, so thanks!!!

Reading through your comments I do have some further questions. If you have the time I would really welcome some clarification as Im fairly new to MQL4 programming.

Quote
4. give the ea the ability read order comments and count orders which will allow you to control/adjust all the ea's input settings while away....

Are you able to expand on this? How would I control the settings whilst away from the computer?

Quote
5. depending on the ea and account balance, run two copies of the ea in the same platform, one which is on and a second that has trade functions off.... allow the second to monitor the first and start itself if need be.....

Under what kind of circumstances would the 2nd ea need to start, and how would this be coded?

Quote
6. have the ea push notify you every hour.....

At the moment, my ea writes comments to the journal every hour such as the current account balance,# open trades, etc. Could this information be emailed to my gmail account instead?? If so, I didnt realise that such as thing was possible. Or could this info be texted to my iphone instead?

Quote
7. have a second ea running with only the ability to count all and an emergency closeall() function....

How would one ea monitor another ea? And why would the 2nd one be needed? Couldn't the original one monitor itself? Sorry if this is a stupid question.

You also mentioned that I should have the ability to control my settings via my iPhone. If the ea is running on my computer at home how would I do this??


Apologies for the questions but I really want to ensure that everything is as robust as possible, so any additional help would be appreciated.

Regards,
Chorlton
  • #7
  • Aug 10, 2015 8:53pm Aug 10, 2015 8:53pm
Quoting Chorlton
Hi Hayseed, Really appreciate the reply. Great info, so thanks!!! Reading through your comments I do have some further questions. If you have the time I would really welcome some clarification as Im fairly new to MQL4 programming.

Under what kind of circumstances would the 2nd ea need to start, and how would this be coded?
How would one ea monitor another ea? And why would the 2nd one be needed?

//----
Or could this info be texted to my iphone instead?
How would I control the settings whilst away from the computer?
You...
//-----

hey chorlton..... first, by far the most important point i mentioned was not allowing windows updates to restart your computer automatically and maintaining ac power.... maintain power 100% of the time....

about the iphone controlling the ea's settings remotely.... most everyone will say it's impossible..... it's not.... we just must be creative.....

this is where having your ea able to count orders or read comments comes in....

suppose your ea had the common function that counted orders by pair or type...... and your ea had no intention of trading the gbpnzd.... suppose your ea had a closeall() function..... now.....

if(Count("GBPNZD", 3) > 0) {CloseAll();}

so using your iphone and placing a selllimit on the gbpnzd, your ea on your computer at home will see it and closeall() and delete the pending order.....

the same principle could be used to adjust settings.....

if(Count("GBPNZD", 4) == 2) {ProfitTarget = 200; Stoploss = 100; Trailingstop = 50;}

and so on...... it might sound difficult but it's not.....

having your ea push notify your iphone every so often lets you know it's still wide awake.... yes email would work but push notifications seem easier to me.....
//-----

you mentioned running multiple copies of the same ea.... depending on the ea this could cause problems.... it might be better to have a second that would monitor the first on turn on it's own trade functions only if the first ceased to work..... ea's can fight each other for control.....

again, by far, the most important thing is to assure your home computer does not lose power.....h
to trade and code, keep both simple... no call to impress....h
  • #8
  • Aug 10, 2015 10:04pm Aug 10, 2015 10:04pm
Hey my friend,

Looks like Hayseed has given some solid advice already!

If your EA doesn't need to look too far back:
I recommend that you limit the # of Bars Displayed, and the # of Bars in History to 5000 - 10,000 to do this go to your MT4 Terminal, Options Menu> Charts Tab.
It really reduces the load Mt4 puts on your computer significantly!

Lastly, if you are doing extremely short term trades (scalping) it might be a good idea to rent a "VPS" (Virtual Private Server) close to your Broker's Server to reduce the delay of orders. An average VPS is about ~30ish bucks a month. If your trades are short term and you want to figure out how long it takes to communicate with your Broker from your Home Computer, simply Google along the lines of: "How to Ping Broker MT4"

Best of luck and Godbless!
Computing power/reducing network delays is essential in this business
A Positive Mind, and Positive Spirit lead to True Happiness
  • #9
  • Aug 11, 2015 5:41am Aug 11, 2015 5:41am
Hi Hayseed,

Appreciate the clarifications.

Quote
so using your iphone and placing a selllimit on the gbpnzd, your ea on your computer at home will see it and closeall() and delete the pending order.....

Am I right in assuming that I would use a downloaded version MT4 on my phone?? This might sound thick but if I have the EA running on my PC at home with its own magic number and I log into a different MT4 on my phone and place an order, how do I ensure it gets picked up by my running EA?
  • #10
  • Aug 11, 2015 5:42am Aug 11, 2015 5:42am
Quoting Rparm
Hey my friend, Looks like Hayseed has given some solid advice already! If your EA doesn't need to look too far back: I recommend that you limit the # of Bars Displayed, and the # of Bars in History to 5000 - 10,000 to do this go to your MT4 Terminal, Options Menu> Charts Tab. It really reduces the load Mt4 puts on your computer significantly! Lastly, if you are doing extremely short term trades (scalping) it might be a good idea to rent a "VPS" (Virtual Private Server) close to your Broker's Server to reduce the delay of orders. An average VPS is...

Thanks RParm..... Good advice also....

My strategy is more longer term but I will be drilling down to lower timeframes to place orders throughout the day.
  • #11
  • Aug 11, 2015 8:04pm Aug 11, 2015 8:04pm
Why did you choose this setup over using a VM via Amazon or your broker?
  • #12
  • Aug 13, 2015 5:28am Aug 13, 2015 5:28am
Quoting hayseed
{quote}4. give the ea the ability read order comments and count orders which will allow you to control/adjust all the ea's input settings while away....
Hi Hayseed,

Could you explain this further or share a link with the explanation?
I'm really interested how you are doing this, because currently when I want to control my EA when I'm not at home I have use TeamViewer to control my EA's. Which costs a lot time.

Thanks in advance,
  • #13
  • Aug 13, 2015 7:47am Aug 13, 2015 7:47am
Quoting xtractalpha
{quote} Hi Hayseed, Could you explain this further or share a link with the explanation? I'm really interested how you are doing this
//----

hey xtractalpha.... sure.... the best way is hands on..... so dive in.....

open up any 'test' chart on a pair, other than gbpnzd, that you have no trades on...... attach the example ea below to it.... right click several hundred pips below the current price and place a 0.01 lot buylimit order.... right click several hundred pips above the current price and place a sell limit order....

now look at the inputs on the ea.... and compare the inputs to the graphics on your 'test' chart.... profittarget, stoploss, buylevel, selllevel.....

by default, 'pair', which is your control pair is the gbpnzd... if you have any pending trades on the gbpnzd chose some pair with no trades.... assuming you have no trades on it, open up a gbpnzd chart...

using your iPhone , place a sellimit on the gbpnzd several hundred pips above the current price.... you should see the gbpnzd pending order appear on your computer and after the first tick all pending orders on your 'test' chart should delete.... once you see this happen, delete the gbpnzd sell limit order....


now place a buylimit on the gbpnzd several hundred pips below the current price.... on your 'test' chart you should see the buylevel and selllevel change values... once you see this, delete the gbpnzd buy limit order.... note the buylevel and selllevel values do not revert back to the default levels.....

now place a buystop order on the gbpnzd several hundred pips above the current price and check the 'test' charts profittarget graphic.... it should change from 200 to 500.... once you see this, delete the pending gbpnzd buystop.... now check the profittarget graphic again, it should revert back to the default setting of 200.... give the ea the ability to revert back to defaults if it might be needed....

so by placing orders remotely and giving your ea the ability to count them, you have adjusted the profit target along with adjusting the rsi buy and sell levels....

you could have just as easily shut down the ea, partially or fully... or activated functions that were not running.... or closed 100's of orders.....

reading comments is similar......

make sure you don't forget to delete any pending order we just placed.....h
//-----
Attached File(s)
File Type: pdf mt4_iphone_usermanual.pdf   1.0 MB | 16,211 downloads
File Type: mq4 xtractalpha.mq4   4 KB | 641 downloads
File Type: ex4 xtractalpha.ex4   10 KB | 529 downloads
to trade and code, keep both simple... no call to impress....h
  • #14
  • Aug 15, 2015 7:07am Aug 15, 2015 7:07am
Quoting hayseed
{quote} //---- hey xtractalpha.... sure.... the best way is hands on..... so dive in..... open up any 'test' chart on a pair, other than gbpnzd, that you have no trades on...... attach the example ea below to it.... right click several hundred pips below the current price and place a 0.01 lot buylimit order.... right click several hundred pips above the current price and place a sell limit order.... now look at the inputs on the ea.... and compare the inputs to the graphics on your 'test' chart.... profittarget, stoploss, buylevel, selllevel........
Hi Hayseed,

I really appreciate your explanation! I have never thought about this way to control an Expert Advisor. I will use your code on my Expert Advisors, this way it saves me a lot time (and probably money). Normally I had to open Teamviewer on my mobile phone to edit my long/short filter, close a trader, this was a very time consuming way to control an EA.

Thank you very much,

XtractAlpha
  • #15
  • Aug 15, 2015 7:34pm Aug 15, 2015 7:34pm
Quoting hayseed
{quote} //---- hey xtractalpha.... sure.... the best way is hands on..... so dive in..... open up any 'test' chart on a pair, other than gbpnzd, that you have no trades on...... attach the example ea below to it.... right click several hundred pips below the current price and place a 0.01 lot buylimit order.... right click several hundred pips above the current price and place a sell limit order.... now look at the inputs on the ea.... and compare the inputs to the graphics on your 'test' chart.... profittarget, stoploss, buylevel, selllevel........
I must admit this is one of the most creative peace of thinking I've heard concerning EA control.. I laughed when reading this amazing idea lol.. Just genius!!
BitByBit..
  • #16
  • Dec 21, 2015 3:50am Dec 21, 2015 3:50am
Very interesting way of controling the EA. Why not use a remote PC control software that allows you to access the PC and you can change the settings in whatever way you want?
  • #17
  • Dec 30, 2015 6:01pm Dec 30, 2015 6:01pm
Hi Chorlton,

Very heavy setup for trading EA's, although it is not a server, it is still a desktop. Ever thought of using a VPS near the exchanges? Probably less fun, but it can scale when needed.

Instead of using a VPS, what about trading your EA in the cloud? No hosting, no VPS, near the exchanges (1ms latency) and free.
  • #18
  • Apr 17, 2017 8:17am Apr 17, 2017 8:17am
is there a free way to run the ea 24 hours without having computer running
  • #19
  • Apr 19, 2017 6:22pm Apr 19, 2017 6:22pm
Quoting forexpairs
is there a free way to run the ea 24 hours without having computer running
Some brokers and VPS business offer "free" VPS service if a minimum trading volume is reached monthly.
  • #20
  • Last Post: Apr 21, 2017 1:30pm Apr 21, 2017 1:30pm
Quoting Chorlton
Hi All, I have a question for all the IT / computer tech guys on here. I have just purchased a refurbished i7 quad core computer with 8GB RAM and 240GB SSD drive which I intend to use solely for EA trading. The plan is to have the machine on 24/7. Given the machine specification and the requirements of MT4, can anyone advise what would be the best way to set all this up? For example, I have heard that installing multiple copies of MT4 and running one EA on each copy of MT4 may be a better solution than running multiples EAs on one installation of...
I wonder how resource intensive and complicated is your EA?
Can you show us your MT4 running alone with 1 chart and EA attached to it.
Then put a screenshot of the PC performance in the task manager?
I want to see the CPU and memory consumption of it.
This is not investment/trading advise. Will not hold accountable for loss
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