How to use Strategy Tester as a Visual Learning Tool - MQL4 and MetaTrader 4

Robert 2010.02.13 03:16 #41

Use Strategy Tester For Visual Learning

mchll001:
Hi

Some days ago I subscribe myself to this group looking for information in forex. As a beginner I was trying to learn about analysis techniques and things like that but, while I'm reading more I'm getting more confused.

Thanks for all suggestions that you can make me for organize my head and show me how to make a trading plan for start to operate.

Thanks , Michelle R.

Hi Michelle,

This TSD forum offers many threads and information for beginners. Keep asking, keep searching the forums. Keep Learning!

In the meantime...

If you are a visual learner and want a quick introduction to help understand technical analysis, indicators, and EA's, and to help develop your own basic trading strategies -

Here's a quick suggestion:

Technical analysis uses basic indicators (MA's, MACD, Stoch, CCI, etc) and most everyone uses various settings for each indicator for technical analysis based on their personal preference... When you learn about indicators...you learn about technical analysis.

The game is to find your own personal trading strategy using the indicators and EA's that you understand and are comfortable with.

To help learn about indicators and EA's, the fastest, best way to do this is...directly hands on...using the MT4 platform that has basic EA's and indicators built in. MT4 also has a built in Strategy Tester for you to test and learn how the indicators and EA's work together.

Learning how the basic indicators and EA's work using Strategy Tester Visual Mode will help you understand technical analysis easier and will help you develop your own successful trading strategies for yourself.

Use Strategy Tester As A Visual Learning Tool - A Quick Introduction:

1) Place an EA on any chart

- I recommend starting with the basic MACD Sample EA included in MT4

- Write down the settings so you can put the same settings in the MACD indicator (see below)

2) Run Strategy Tester on the chart with the MACD Sample EA

3) Before you press Start

- Check - From-To Dates (use only 2 weeks to make testing and learning quicker)

- Check - Visual Mode

4) Press Start - a Strategy Tester chart will appear with the words "visual" in the tab at the bottom.

- PRESS PAUSE immediately (use Pause Button next to Visual Mode).

- Place the MACD indicator on the chart (match the MACD indicator settings with the MACD Sample EA settings)

5) Press PAUSE again (unPause) - and the chart will start, the indicators will follow the chart line, and the EA's will trade.

6) Now adjust the SPEED Slider and watch in SLOW MOTION how the indicators and the EA's works with the chart line.

70 Press PAUSE anytime you want to study some trades in detail. Press unPAUSE to continue the tests.

This testing will help you learn the basic MACD technical analysis. You will begin to actually see the MACD lines cross up and down and how the MACD Sample EA's Buy/Sell logic makes it's trades. You can then can change the indicator/EA settings to get different profit/loss results.

Once you learn how to use Strategy Tester with this one EA and indicator, testing and learning from others will use the same process.

As you learn more, it will be easier for you to play with other EA and indicator settings to understand their functions, potentials, and limits for technical analysis.

The goal is to fine tune your learning, increase your confidence, and develop your own personal strategies to start trading and making profits.

Be patient, be persistent! Have fun learning!

Hope this helps you get started. Good luck!

Robert

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