How do determine .mq4 or .ex4 is an EA or Script?

Hi,


Notice some scripts posted in here also can be used as EA.

.mq4 is script / EA?
.ex4 is script / EA?

Is all script can be used as EA?
Is all EA can be used as script?
If not, how do we determine whether particular .mq4 file is an EA or Scripts or both?

How do we determine if the EA or Scripts applied to all symbols OR only applied to particular symbol OR applied on to symbol where a EA attached/Script dragged on to its graph?

Sometimes, we found good EA/Scripts but unsure the above as no detailed description on its name.file.

Appreciate your kind advice and guidance. (meta editor?)

Thank you.

First of all never, ever download something from the internet that isn't well documented and from a reputable contributor. If you do, you risk serious harm like hidden malware or code that has been stolen. In the US you can be jailed for possession of stolen software under the Millenium Digital Copyright act. Other countries have similar but less drastic laws.

That should eliminate 90% of the situations that concern you. For the other ones where you are uncertain, ask and I am sure that most of the time they will answer. If you think about it, how do you know how to use an executable unless its well documented? You have better things to do than waste time with poor code. Instead use your time to find something acceptable, not all code is junk.

To answer some of your other points:
- mq4 is source code that must be compiled into an executable ex4 file.
- an ex4 cannot be both an EA and a script. Its one or the other or its an indicator.
- an executable should be able to run on any currency pair unless the coder has done something stupid. Avoid this type of executable and this coder. Sometimes exotics like commodities or indices may cause problems that the coder didn't anticipate, but hey what do you expect for free?
- similarly an executable should also run on any timeframe.