PHP Developer Looking to learn MQL4

 

Hi everyone,

I want to learn to code in MQL4 but I don't know where to start. I've read a lot that you should learn C++ before you start with MQL4, but I've also heard that any programming experience is fine.

I am a web application developer that mainly uses PHP, JavaScript and SQL. Based on what you now know about me, could someone please point me in the right direction, and tell me where I should start?

Thanks

Johnny

 
JohnnyInamoto:

Hi everyone,

I want to learn to code in MQL4 but I don't know where to start. I've read a lot that you should learn C++ before you start with MQL4, but I've also heard that any programming experience is fine.

I am a web application developer that mainly uses PHP, JavaScript and SQL. Based on what you now know about me, could someone please point me in the right direction, and tell me where I should start?

Thanks

Johnny

This is the original MACD EA

//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//|                                                  MACD Sample.mq4 |
//|                      Copyright © 2005, MetaQuotes Software Corp. |
//|                                       http://www.metaquotes.net/ |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+

extern double TakeProfit = 50;
extern double Lots = 0.1;
extern double TrailingStop = 30;
extern double MACDOpenLevel=3;
extern double MACDCloseLevel=2;
extern double MATrendPeriod=26;

//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//|                                                                  |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
int start()
  {
   double MacdCurrent, MacdPrevious, SignalCurrent;
   double SignalPrevious, MaCurrent, MaPrevious;
   int cnt, ticket, total;
// initial data checks
// it is important to make sure that the expert works with a normal
// chart and the user did not make any mistakes setting external 
// variables (Lots, StopLoss, TakeProfit, 
// TrailingStop) in our case, we check TakeProfit
// on a chart of less than 100 bars
   if(Bars<100)
     {
      Print("bars less than 100");
      return(0);  
     }
   if(TakeProfit<10)
     {
      Print("TakeProfit less than 10");
      return(0);  // check TakeProfit
     }
// to simplify the coding and speed up access
// data are put into internal variables
   MacdCurrent=iMACD(NULL,0,12,26,9,PRICE_CLOSE,MODE_MAIN,0);
   MacdPrevious=iMACD(NULL,0,12,26,9,PRICE_CLOSE,MODE_MAIN,1);
   SignalCurrent=iMACD(NULL,0,12,26,9,PRICE_CLOSE,MODE_SIGNAL,0);
   SignalPrevious=iMACD(NULL,0,12,26,9,PRICE_CLOSE,MODE_SIGNAL,1);
   MaCurrent=iMA(NULL,0,MATrendPeriod,0,MODE_EMA,PRICE_CLOSE,0);
   MaPrevious=iMA(NULL,0,MATrendPeriod,0,MODE_EMA,PRICE_CLOSE,1);

   total=OrdersTotal();
   if(total<1) 
     {
      // no opened orders identified
      if(AccountFreeMargin()<(1000*Lots))
        {
         Print("We have no money. Free Margin = ", AccountFreeMargin());
         return(0);  
        }
      // check for long position (BUY) possibility
      if(MacdCurrent<0 && MacdCurrent>SignalCurrent && MacdPrevious<SignalPrevious &&
         MathAbs(MacdCurrent)>(MACDOpenLevel*Point) && MaCurrent>MaPrevious)
        {
         ticket=OrderSend(Symbol(),OP_BUY,Lots,Ask,3,0,Ask+TakeProfit*Point,"macd sample",16384,0,Green);
         if(ticket>0)
           {
            if(OrderSelect(ticket,SELECT_BY_TICKET,MODE_TRADES)) Print("BUY order opened : ",OrderOpenPrice());
           }
         else Print("Error opening BUY order : ",GetLastError()); 
         return(0); 
        }
      // check for short position (SELL) possibility
      if(MacdCurrent>0 && MacdCurrent<SignalCurrent && MacdPrevious>SignalPrevious && 
         MacdCurrent>(MACDOpenLevel*Point) && MaCurrent<MaPrevious)
        {
         ticket=OrderSend(Symbol(),OP_SELL,Lots,Bid,3,0,Bid-TakeProfit*Point,"macd sample",16384,0,Red);
         if(ticket>0)
           {
            if(OrderSelect(ticket,SELECT_BY_TICKET,MODE_TRADES)) Print("SELL order opened : ",OrderOpenPrice());
           }
         else Print("Error opening SELL order : ",GetLastError()); 
         return(0); 
        }
      return(0);
     }
   // it is important to enter the market correctly, 
   // but it is more important to exit it correctly...   
   for(cnt=0;cnt<total;cnt++)
     {
      OrderSelect(cnt, SELECT_BY_POS, MODE_TRADES);
      if(OrderType()<=OP_SELL &&   // check for opened position 
         OrderSymbol()==Symbol())  // check for symbol
        {
         if(OrderType()==OP_BUY)   // long position is opened
           {
            // should it be closed?
            if(MacdCurrent>0 && MacdCurrent<SignalCurrent && MacdPrevious>SignalPrevious &&
               MacdCurrent>(MACDCloseLevel*Point))
                {
                 OrderClose(OrderTicket(),OrderLots(),Bid,3,Violet); // close position
                 return(0); // exit
                }
            // check for trailing stop
            if(TrailingStop>0)  
              {                 
               if(Bid-OrderOpenPrice()>Point*TrailingStop)
                 {
                  if(OrderStopLoss()<Bid-Point*TrailingStop)
                    {
                     OrderModify(OrderTicket(),OrderOpenPrice(),Bid-Point*TrailingStop,OrderTakeProfit(),0,Green);
                     return(0);
                    }
                 }
              }
           }
         else // go to short position
           {
            // should it be closed?
            if(MacdCurrent<0 && MacdCurrent>SignalCurrent &&
               MacdPrevious<SignalPrevious && MathAbs(MacdCurrent)>(MACDCloseLevel*Point))
              {
               OrderClose(OrderTicket(),OrderLots(),Ask,3,Violet); // close position
               return(0); // exit
              }
            // check for trailing stop
            if(TrailingStop>0)  
              {                 
               if((OrderOpenPrice()-Ask)>(Point*TrailingStop))
                 {
                  if((OrderStopLoss()>(Ask+Point*TrailingStop)) || (OrderStopLoss()==0))
                    {
                     OrderModify(OrderTicket(),OrderOpenPrice(),Ask+Point*TrailingStop,OrderTakeProfit(),0,Red);
                     return(0);
                    }
                 }
              }
           }
        }
     }
   return(0);
  }
// the end.

If you want to learn to code then trie to understand what every line in this EA is doing

It needs to be modified that it works with the same parameters on a 4 digit as a 5 digit broker

Search the forum read the book and trie to do it

if you are finished then post what you have made here

and then we (that means not only me) can give you more ideas you can do with this EA to make it save working on your account

Succes learning.....

 
JohnnyInamoto:

Hi everyone,

I want to learn to code in MQL4 but I don't know where to start. I've read a lot that you should learn C++ before you start with MQL4, but I've also heard that any programming experience is fine.

I am a web application developer that mainly uses PHP, JavaScript and SQL. Based on what you now know about me, could someone please point me in the right direction, and tell me where I should start?

Thanks

Johnny

Don't learn C++. MQL4 is based on C.

Really C is a very simple language. If you understand any computer language then C will be easy. The "hard" parts of C are structures, pointers and such, which are not available in MQL4 anyway. Have a start with the book.

 
JohnnyInamoto:

Hi everyone,

I want to learn to code in MQL4 but I don't know where to start. I've read a lot that you should learn C++ before you start with MQL4, but I've also heard that any programming experience is fine.

I am a web application developer that mainly uses PHP, JavaScript and SQL. Based on what you now know about me, could someone please point me in the right direction, and tell me where I should start?

Thanks

Johnny

 
Hi, try this link

forum.mql4.com/3332 it is the coders guru course. A good place to start
 

Thank you all so much. This is great!!

deVries, I'll be sure to post the MacD EA once I've finished with it.

Thanks.

Johnny

 
NewtonLeo:
https://www.mql5.com/en/forum/100402 it is the coders guru course. A good place to start
link contains
Jeff:
Links are dead have these tuts been moved?
They moved here
 
Thanks mate