Free margin

[barrys]

Free margin is shown in real time in the Terminal/Trade tab. I want to see the lowest value of Free Margin during a week. Is there a way to see the history of Free Margin, eg, for the last week? 

[cubesteak]

I don't think that is kept anywhere, as if you look at the account history, amount of free margin isn't listed.

If you wanted to do it manually, I would keep a simple file that holds the lowest free margin that you've encountered.

So, the flow (in sloppy pseudo-code):


if (indicators say trade)
{
maketrade();
double FreeMargin = AccountFreeMargin();
int handle = FileOpen("mymarginfile.dat",FILE_BIN|FILE_READ);
double LowestMarginSoFar = FileReadDouble(handle, DOUBLE_VALUE);
FileClose(handle);

if (FreeMargin < LowestMarginSoFar)
{
handle = FileOpen("mymarginfile",FILE_BIN|FILE_WRITE);
FileWriteDouble(handle, FreeMargin, DOUBLE_VALUE);
FileClose(handle);
}

}

This way, your file will always hold the lowest value of your margin. You can then reset it weekly manually, or add code to the EA or use a script to reset it "automatically".

Anyway, don't know if that is the smartest way to do it, but it should work. :)

Cheers,
-cubesteak

[barrys]

cubesteak:
I don't think that is kept anywhere, as if you look at the account history, amount of free margin isn't listed.

If you wanted to do it manually, I would keep a simple file that holds the lowest free margin that you've encountered.

So, the flow (in sloppy pseudo-code):


if (indicators say trade)
{
maketrade();
double FreeMargin = AccountFreeMargin();
int handle = FileOpen("mymarginfile.dat",FILE_BIN|FILE_READ);
double LowestMarginSoFar = FileReadDouble(handle, DOUBLE_VALUE);
FileClose(handle);

if (FreeMargin < LowestMarginSoFar)
{
handle = FileOpen("mymarginfile",FILE_BIN|FILE_WRITE);
FileWriteDouble(handle, FreeMargin, DOUBLE_VALUE);
FileClose(handle);
}

}

This way, your file will always hold the lowest value of your margin. You can then reset it weekly manually, or add code to the EA or use a script to reset it "automatically".

Anyway, don't know if that is the smartest way to do it, but it should work. :)

Cheers,
-cubesteak

Thanks cubesteak, I was hoping for a built-in function that doesn't require coding, since my coding ability is limited.  If this is the only way to do it though, and I'm using 2 EA's on the one account, do I insert that code in one of the EA's, and then where do I locate the mymarginfile.dat file? Thanks for your help.