hello everyone, serious newbie ;-)
Hello allerune
Depends on level of patience really. This forum is loaded with info. Top right all pages, is the search box. USE IT and abuse it frequently... (If totally pi**sed off use google's very rich search syntax targeted to this site's url)
'this' sites search:: You will be presented with results page and take particular notice of the left column. SubSearch catagories if you like...
Specifically notice: Book and Articles
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IF and it is a big if I'm afraid... you can stick with it and keep your IT mindset in check regards 'Book',, you will be able to gloss over much but dive deeper when needed.
Why do I say above? There is much code... and guess what IT people do? they can nitpick and stuff, yes? Is a great timewaster and the salient points of an article/module can be missed - lol
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Personally, I would peruse the Book and perhaps even prior to that is the Client Terminal's user guide <F1> for the overall environment in which you will be programming in. Also, the MetaEditor's help topics <F1> which will bring you up to speed quickly regards program building blocks and interconnections thereof. To obtain specific help on callable builtins when in editor <ctrl-T> or <esc> (notice the tabs at bottom of pane ie: Help tab)
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Some interesting privately generated Tutorials are around also. Use search box and you will eventually find threads where links are to be found.
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In the end - you will come to appreciate that even though you may consider MQL4 a simple scripting language with below sub C syntax.. . please do remember that there are NO limitations as to what low level building blocks you can make which can bubble up into very sophisticated higher level functionality.
The real issue - is yourself. You will often see posts/questions that a 5yr old could answer - ONLY IF the will was there to look in the existing documentation.
Being self sufficient and scroungng around is massively profitable in terms of pure speed in issue solving and in one's picking up of seemingly disparate information chunks - which actually... all conspire in their own unique .RU way, to help build the picture which is this platform.
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Maybe sounds patronising but you will learn to love the Print() and NormalizeDouble() builtins. Firstly because Print() arguably is, your one tool of salvation/window into "what the heck's going on^^&$%^$£!!" (and is sooo easy to knock up quicky testharnes/script to see 'what's up doc') and the latter because NOT using is what causes more wasted energies then can be imagined!
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fwiw... ALWAYS, always - loop from HI to LOW when messing with OrdersTotal() - especially when you decide to Order[Close|Delete]().
Just search around and you will understand ;)
almost forgot... short-circuit evaluation of conds sound familiar concept??? well.... FORGET IT if you wish to remain sane. Why? the interpreter does not do it. Results? any multipart conds which in normal life would NOT get touched due to the aforementioned concept, will be executed in MQL due to 100% left paren to right closing paren execution. Think nesting :)
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I cannot help but mention these two links simply because you can save self much torment when issuing TradeOperations... again, much energies are spent due to not understanding the data therein:
Requirements and Limitations in Making Trades https://book.mql4.com/appendix/limits
Order Characteristics and Rules for Making Trades https://book.mql4.com/trading/orders
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IF... you've got this far in my post - you have already learned patience ;) - such a pre-requisite for sane MT'ing !!!
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Enjoy...
hehe. yes,like...... I have a dream, who can realize my dream? where can find some theory,or books, or......
so, you can realize your dream yourself, you can hire someone or organize a group to realize your dream.....
since till now, no perfect theory or enough reference can as a knowledge or rules for following or obey completely.....
since code is not a live life now, we can not know how let it can adjust itself automatically like ourself.....
Hello allerune
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IF... you've got this far in my post - you have already learned patience ;) - such a pre-requisite for sane MT'ing !!!
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Enjoy...
Thanks.
Big part of your advice sounds identical to what I would tell to a beginner PHP developer (especially the "print" command). Being able to work and debug a programming code is one of the main advantages I have. I know that technically I still have a lot to learn but that's the smallest issue, I hope that the others won't stop me from succeeding :)
Thanks.
Big part of your advice sounds identical to what I would tell to a beginner PHP developer (especially the "print" command). Being able to work and debug a programming code is one of the main advantages I have. I know that technically I still have a lot to learn but that's the smallest issue, I hope that the others won't stop me from succeeding :)
How refreshing to see one that appreciates the power of seemingly simple builtin. It really is a case of DIY = LEARN. Forums are kinda ok but nothing beats seeing results squirted out via eg, a self build trace() function! Others certainly can cause many man-hours worth of useless investigations. Is way of us all. Depends on the givers knowledge database content and their perceived rightness of what they state as fact [from their current knowledge state - that is :] Sounds as if you will have no issues in the separation of wheat from chaff. Let the playtime commence...
Enjoy the ride!
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I've been following this forum for quite a while searching for topics that would help me with my EA's.
As an IT professional who deals with "automation", "scheduling", "data processing" and "optimization" on a daily basis discovery of Algorithmic Trading was a great thing. Actually I knew it existed, but never assumed that it available for "regular people".
MQL4 turns out to be very easy programming (sorry, scripting ;) language, a little limited but I know that there is much more to it that I need to discover.
There are few trading systems that I know were successfully used "manually" by friends of mine. When they heard that it could be automated, I was almost forced to code the EA's. They can't wait to put their money to work. I prefer the patient and thorough attitude. I'm explaining to my friends that it's not that easy (they are trading on stock index contracts, not forex) and the tests show that even if profitable, system doesn't reflect their trades exactly, still may be full of bugs.
Anyway, I really enjoy dealing with automated trading and after I gain more knowledge about the topic I am planning to invest my time and money big time...
Questions (sorry if that's the hundredth time they've been asked):
1. Eventually I would like to develop my own EA's or combine really good methods from other EA's, what is the best source of theory in your opinion? There are tons of books about stocks and forex. What do you consider the "bible of automated trading"?
2. I've been working for some time now as an IT contractor and let's say that I can afford to take a little brake in my career. Did anyone do that, started trading... and then never returned to a full time job again? Do you know anyone like that, are you doing that yourselves?