MQL5 Programming Articles

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Study the MQL5 language for programming trading strategies in numerous published articles mostly written by you - the community members. The articles are grouped into categories to help you quicker find answers to any questions related to programming: Integration, Tester, Trading Strategies, etc.

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Using Assertions in MQL5 Programs
Using Assertions in MQL5 Programs

Using Assertions in MQL5 Programs

This article covers the use of assertions in MQL5 language. It provides two examples of the assertion mechanism and some general guidance for implementing assertions.
Error Handling and Logging in MQL5
Error Handling and Logging in MQL5

Error Handling and Logging in MQL5

This article focuses on general issues linked to handling software errors. Furthermore, the logging term is brought up and the examples of logging implementation with MQL5 tools are shown.
Evaluation and selection of variables for machine learning models
Evaluation and selection of variables for machine learning models

Evaluation and selection of variables for machine learning models

This article focuses on specifics of choice, preconditioning and evaluation of the input variables (predictors) for use in machine learning models. New approaches and opportunities of deep predictor analysis and their influence on possible overfitting of models will be considered. The overall result of using models largely depends on the result of this stage. We will analyze two packages offering new and original approaches to the selection of predictors.
Handling ZIP Archives in Pure MQL5
Handling ZIP Archives in Pure MQL5

Handling ZIP Archives in Pure MQL5

The MQL5 language keeps evolving, and its new features for working with data are constantly being added. Due to innovation it has recently become possible to operate with ZIP archives using regular MQL5 tools without getting third party DLL libraries involved. This article focuses on how this is done and provides the CZip class, which is a universal tool for reading, creating and modifying ZIP archives, as an example.
Indicator for Spindles Charting
Indicator for Spindles Charting

Indicator for Spindles Charting

The article regards spindle chart plotting and its usage in trading strategies and experts. First let's discuss the chart's appearance, plotting and connection with japanese candlestick chart. Next we analyze the indicator's implementation in the source code in the MQL5 language. Let's test the expert based on indicator and formulate the trading strategy.
MQL5 Cookbook: Implementing Your Own Depth of Market
MQL5 Cookbook: Implementing Your Own Depth of Market

MQL5 Cookbook: Implementing Your Own Depth of Market

This article demonstrates how to utilize Depth of Market (DOM) programmatically and describes the operation principle of CMarketBook class, that can expand the Standard Library of MQL5 classes and offer convenient methods of using DOM.
How to Secure Your Expert Advisor While Trading on the Moscow Exchange
How to Secure Your Expert Advisor While Trading on the Moscow Exchange

How to Secure Your Expert Advisor While Trading on the Moscow Exchange

The article delves into the trading methods ensuring the security of trading operations at the stock and low-liquidity markets through the example of Moscow Exchange's Derivatives Market. It brings practical approach to the trading theory described in the article "Principles of Exchange Pricing through the Example of Moscow Exchange's Derivatives Market".
Drawing Resistance and Support Levels Using MQL5
Drawing Resistance and Support Levels Using MQL5

Drawing Resistance and Support Levels Using MQL5

This article describes a method of finding four extremum points for drawing support and resistance levels based on them. In order to find extremums on a chart of a currency pair, RSI indicator is used. To give an example, we have provided an indicator code that displays support and resistance levels.
An Introduction to Fuzzy Logic
An Introduction to Fuzzy Logic

An Introduction to Fuzzy Logic

Fuzzy logic expands our boundaries of mathematical logic and set theory. This article reveals the basic principles of fuzzy logic as well as describes two fuzzy inference systems using Mamdani-type and Sugeno-type models. The examples provided will describe implementation of fuzzy models based on these two systems using the FuzzyNet library for MQL5.
Using Layouts and Containers for GUI Controls: The CGrid Class
Using Layouts and Containers for GUI Controls: The CGrid Class

Using Layouts and Containers for GUI Controls: The CGrid Class

This article presents an alternative method of GUI creation based on layouts and containers, using one layout manager — the CGrid class. The CGrid class is an auxiliary control that acts as a container for other containers and controls using a grid layout.
Drawing Dial Gauges Using the CCanvas Class
Drawing Dial Gauges Using the CCanvas Class

Drawing Dial Gauges Using the CCanvas Class

We can find dial gauges in cars and airplanes, in industrial production and everyday life. They are used in all spheres which require quick response to behavior of a controlled value. This article describes the library of dial gauges for MetaTrader 5.
Using Layouts and Containers for GUI Controls: The CBox Class
Using Layouts and Containers for GUI Controls: The CBox Class

Using Layouts and Containers for GUI Controls: The CBox Class

This article presents an alternative method of GUI creation based on layouts and containers, using one layout manager — the CBox class. The CBox class is an auxiliary control that acts as a container for essential controls in a GUI panel. It can make designing graphical panels easier, and in some cases, reduce coding time.
Tips for Selecting a Trading Signal to Subscribe. Step-By-Step Guide
Tips for Selecting a Trading Signal to Subscribe. Step-By-Step Guide

Tips for Selecting a Trading Signal to Subscribe. Step-By-Step Guide

This step-by-step guide is dedicated to the Signals service, examination of trading signals, a system approach to the search of a required signal which would satisfy criteria of profitability, risk, trading ambitions, working on various types of accounts and financial instruments.
MQL5 Cookbook: Implementing an Associative Array or a Dictionary for Quick Data Access
MQL5 Cookbook: Implementing an Associative Array or a Dictionary for Quick Data Access

MQL5 Cookbook: Implementing an Associative Array or a Dictionary for Quick Data Access

This article describes a special algorithm allowing to gain access to elements by their unique keys. Any base data type can be used as a key. For example it may be represented as a string or an integer variable. Such data container is commonly referred to as a dictionary or an associative array. It provides easier and more efficient way of problem solving.
Tips for Purchasing a Product on the Market. Step-By-Step Guide
Tips for Purchasing a Product on the Market. Step-By-Step Guide

Tips for Purchasing a Product on the Market. Step-By-Step Guide

This step-by-step guide provides tips and tricks for better understanding and searching for a required product. The article makes an attempt to puzzle out different methods of searching for an appropriate product, sorting out unwanted products, determining product efficiency and essentiality for you.
Plotting trend lines based on fractals using MQL4 and MQL5
Plotting trend lines based on fractals using MQL4 and MQL5

Plotting trend lines based on fractals using MQL4 and MQL5

The article describes the automation of trend lines plotting based on the Fractals indicator using MQL4 and MQL5. The article structure provides a comparative view of the solution for two languages. Trend lines are plotted using two last known fractals.
Bi-Directional Trading and Hedging of Positions in MetaTrader 5 Using the HedgeTerminal API, Part 2
Bi-Directional Trading and Hedging of Positions in MetaTrader 5 Using the HedgeTerminal API, Part 2

Bi-Directional Trading and Hedging of Positions in MetaTrader 5 Using the HedgeTerminal API, Part 2

This article describes a new approach to hedging of positions and draws the line in the debates between users of MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 about this matter. It is a continuation of the first part: "Bi-Directional Trading and Hedging of Positions in MetaTrader 5 Using the HedgeTerminal Panel, Part 1". In the second part, we discuss integration of custom Expert Advisors with HedgeTerminalAPI, which is a special visualization library designed for bi-directional trading in a comfortable software environment providing tools for convenient position management.
Studying the CCanvas Class. How to Draw Transparent Objects
Studying the CCanvas Class. How to Draw Transparent Objects

Studying the CCanvas Class. How to Draw Transparent Objects

Do you need more than awkward graphics of moving averages? Do you want to draw something more beautiful than a simple filled rectangle in your terminal? Attractive graphics can be drawn in the terminal. This can be implemented through the CСanvas class, which is used for creating custom graphics. With this class you can implement transparency, blend colors and produce the illusion of transparency by means of overlapping and blending colors.
Optimization. A Few Simple Ideas
Optimization. A Few Simple Ideas

Optimization. A Few Simple Ideas

The optimization process can require significant resources of your computer or even of the MQL5 Cloud Network test agents. This article comprises some simple ideas that I use for work facilitation and improvement of the MetaTrader 5 Strategy Tester. I got these ideas from the documentation, forum and articles.
Bi-Directional Trading and Hedging of Positions in MetaTrader 5 Using the HedgeTerminal Panel, Part 1
Bi-Directional Trading and Hedging of Positions in MetaTrader 5 Using the HedgeTerminal Panel, Part 1

Bi-Directional Trading and Hedging of Positions in MetaTrader 5 Using the HedgeTerminal Panel, Part 1

This article describes a new approach to hedging of positions and draws the line in the debates between users of MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 about this matter. The algorithms making such hedging reliable are described in layman's terms and illustrated with simple charts and diagrams. This article is dedicated to the new panel HedgeTerminal, which is essentially a fully featured trading terminal within MetaTrader 5. Using HedgeTerminal and the virtualization of the trade it offers, positions can be managed in the way similar to MetaTrader 4.
Principles of Exchange Pricing through the Example of Moscow Exchange's Derivatives Market
Principles of Exchange Pricing through the Example of Moscow Exchange's Derivatives Market

Principles of Exchange Pricing through the Example of Moscow Exchange's Derivatives Market

This article describes the theory of exchange pricing and clearing specifics of Moscow Exchange's Derivatives Market. This is a comprehensive article for beginners who want to get their first exchange experience on derivatives trading, as well as for experienced forex traders who are considering trading on a centralized exchange platform.
MQL5 Cookbook: ОСО Orders
MQL5 Cookbook: ОСО Orders

MQL5 Cookbook: ОСО Orders

Any trader's trading activity involves various mechanisms and interrelationships including relations among orders. This article suggests a solution of OCO orders processing. Standard library classes are extensively involved, as well as new data types are created herein.
Building an Interactive Application to Display RSS Feeds in MetaTrader 5
Building an Interactive Application to Display RSS Feeds in MetaTrader 5

Building an Interactive Application to Display RSS Feeds in MetaTrader 5

In this article we look at the possibility of creating an application for the display of RSS feeds. The article will show how aspects of the Standard Library can be used to create interactive programs for MetaTrader 5.
Trader's Statistical Cookbook: Hypotheses
Trader's Statistical Cookbook: Hypotheses

Trader's Statistical Cookbook: Hypotheses

This article considers hypothesis - one of the basic ideas of mathematical statistics. Various hypotheses are examined and verified through examples using methods of mathematical statistics. The actual data is generalized using nonparametric methods. The Statistica package and the ported ALGLIB MQL5 numerical analysis library are used for processing data.
Third Generation Neural Networks: Deep Networks
Third Generation Neural Networks: Deep Networks

Third Generation Neural Networks: Deep Networks

This article is dedicated to a new and perspective direction in machine learning - deep learning or, to be precise, deep neural networks. This is a brief review of second generation neural networks, the architecture of their connections and main types, methods and rules of learning and their main disadvantages followed by the history of the third generation neural network development, their main types, peculiarities and training methods. Conducted are practical experiments on building and training a deep neural network initiated by the weights of a stacked autoencoder with real data. All the stages from selecting input data to metric derivation are discussed in detail. The last part of the article contains a software implementation of a deep neural network in an Expert Advisor with a built-in indicator based on MQL4/R.
Neural Networks Cheap and Cheerful - Link NeuroPro with MetaTrader 5
Neural Networks Cheap and Cheerful - Link NeuroPro with MetaTrader 5

Neural Networks Cheap and Cheerful - Link NeuroPro with MetaTrader 5

If specific neural network programs for trading seem expensive and complex or, on the contrary, too simple, try NeuroPro. It is free and contains the optimal set of functionalities for amateurs. This article will tell you how to use it in conjunction with MetaTrader 5.
Programming EA's Modes Using Object-Oriented Approach
Programming EA's Modes Using Object-Oriented Approach

Programming EA's Modes Using Object-Oriented Approach

This article explains the idea of multi-mode trading robot programming in MQL5. Every mode is implemented with the object-oriented approach. Instances of both mode classes hierarchy and classes for testing are provided. Multi-mode programming of trading robots is supposed to take into account all peculiarities of every operational mode of an EA written in MQL5. Functions and enumeration are created for identifying the mode.
Random Forests Predict Trends
Random Forests Predict Trends

Random Forests Predict Trends

This article considers using the Rattle package for automatic search of patterns for predicting long and short positions of currency pairs on Forex. This article can be useful both for novice and experienced traders.
MQL5 Wizard: Placing Orders, Stop-Losses and Take Profits on Calculated Prices. Standard Library Extension
MQL5 Wizard: Placing Orders, Stop-Losses and Take Profits on Calculated Prices. Standard Library Extension

MQL5 Wizard: Placing Orders, Stop-Losses and Take Profits on Calculated Prices. Standard Library Extension

This article describes the MQL5 Standard Library extension, which allows to create Expert Advisors, place orders, Stop Losses and Take Profits using the MQL5 Wizard by the prices received from included modules. This approach does not apply any additional restrictions on the number of modules and does not cause conflicts in their joint work.
Liquid Chart
Liquid Chart

Liquid Chart

Would you like to see an hourly chart with bars opening from the second and the fifth minute of the hour? What does a redrawn chart look like when the opening time of bars is changing every minute? What advantages does trading on such charts have? You will find answers to these questions in this article.
MQL5 Programming Basics: Global Variables of the Terminal
MQL5 Programming Basics: Global Variables of the Terminal

MQL5 Programming Basics: Global Variables of the Terminal

This article highlights object-oriented capabilities of the MQL5 language for creating objects facilitating work with global variables of the terminal. As a practical example I consider a case when global variables are used as control points for implementation of program stages.
Why Virtual Hosting On The MetaTrader 4 And MetaTrader 5 Is Better Than Usual VPS
Why Virtual Hosting On The MetaTrader 4 And MetaTrader 5 Is Better Than Usual VPS

Why Virtual Hosting On The MetaTrader 4 And MetaTrader 5 Is Better Than Usual VPS

The Virtual Hosting Cloud network was developed specially for MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 and has all the advantages of a native solution. Get the benefit of our free 24 hours offer - test out a virtual server right now.
MQL5 Cookbook: Handling BookEvent
MQL5 Cookbook: Handling BookEvent

MQL5 Cookbook: Handling BookEvent

This article considers BookEvent - a Depth of Market event, and the principle of its processing. An MQL program, handling states of Depth of Market, serves as an example. It is written using the object-oriented approach. Results of handling are displayed on the screen as a panel and Depth of Market levels.
How to Access the MySQL Database from MQL5 (MQL4)
How to Access the MySQL Database from MQL5 (MQL4)

How to Access the MySQL Database from MQL5 (MQL4)

The article describes the development of an interface between MQL and the MySQL database. It discusses existing practical solutions and offers a more convenient way to implement a library for working with databases. The article contains a detailed description of the functions, the interface structure, examples and some of specific features of working with MySQL. As for the software solutions, the article attachments include the files of dynamic libraries, documentation and script examples for the MQL4 and MQL5 languages.
MQL5 Cookbook: Handling Custom Chart Events
MQL5 Cookbook: Handling Custom Chart Events

MQL5 Cookbook: Handling Custom Chart Events

This article considers aspects of design and development of custom chart events system in the MQL5 environment. An example of an approach to the events classification can also be found here, as well as a program code for a class of events and a class of custom events handler.
MQL5 Cookbook: Handling Typical Chart Events
MQL5 Cookbook: Handling Typical Chart Events

MQL5 Cookbook: Handling Typical Chart Events

This article considers typical chart events and includes examples of their processing. We will focus on mouse events, keystrokes, creation/modification/removal of a graphical object, mouse click on a chart and on a graphical object, moving a graphical object with a mouse, finish editing of text in a text field, as well as on chart modification events. A sample of an MQL5 program is provided for each type of event considered.
MQL5 Cookbook: Processing of the TradeTransaction Event
MQL5 Cookbook: Processing of the TradeTransaction Event

MQL5 Cookbook: Processing of the TradeTransaction Event

This article considers capabilities of the MQL5 language from the point of view of the event-driven programming. The greatest advantage of this approach is that the program can receive information about phased implementation of a trade operation. The article also contains an example of receiving and processing information about ongoing trade operation using the TradeTransaction event handler. In my opinion, such an approach can be used for copying deals from one terminal to another.
How to Prepare a Trading Account for Migration to Virtual Hosting
How to Prepare a Trading Account for Migration to Virtual Hosting

How to Prepare a Trading Account for Migration to Virtual Hosting

MetaTrader client terminal is perfect for automating trading strategies. It has all tools necessary for trading robot developers ‒ powerful C++ based MQL4/MQL5 programming language, convenient MetaEditor development environment and multi-threaded strategy tester that supports distributed computing in MQL5 Cloud Network. In this article, you will find out how to move your client terminal to the virtual environment with all custom elements.
Regression Analysis of the Influence of Macroeconomic Data on Currency Prices Fluctuation
Regression Analysis of the Influence of Macroeconomic Data on Currency Prices Fluctuation

Regression Analysis of the Influence of Macroeconomic Data on Currency Prices Fluctuation

This article considers the application of multiple regression analysis to macroeconomic statistics. It also gives an insight into the evaluation of the statistics impact on the currency exchange rate fluctuation based on the example of the currency pair EURUSD. Such evaluation allows automating the fundamental analysis which becomes available to even novice traders.
Indicator for Constructing a Three Line Break Chart
Indicator for Constructing a Three Line Break Chart

Indicator for Constructing a Three Line Break Chart

This article is dedicated to the Three Line Break chart, suggested by Steve Nison in his book "Beyond Candlesticks". The greatest advantage of this chart is that it allows filtering minor fluctuations of a price in relation to the previous movement. We are going to discuss the principle of the chart construction, the code of the indicator and some examples of trading strategies based on it.