MT5 - Broker Spread and Ticket Number Questions

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I have two basic MT5 questions: 

1. Why does the current price shown on the chart differ from the current price shown in the Toolbox?  Is that supposed to reflect the Broker Spread or could it be due to some type of lag in the program (the chart price seems to update faster. 

2. Each order has Ticket Number in the Toolbox and an "autotrade" number on the chart (they don't match).  Why is that and how do you match up the Tool box order list with the orders on the chart? 

Sorry of the dumb questions but, I'm new at this and not really sure how to get answers to my basic questions other than asking on the forum.  If there is a better way to answer these types of questions, please let me know. 

 

oceanview: I have two basic MT5 questions: 

  1. Charts only show Bid prices, but Buy Orders open at the Ask price and close at the Bid price, while Sell Orders open at the Bid price and close at the Ask Price. The difference between Ask and Bid price is the Spread.
  2. Remember that there are Orders, Deals and Positions and each have their own respective ticket numbers. The number shown on the chart graphics, identified with "autotrade" shows the Deal ticket numbers (in and out). In the "History Tab", you have the option to select what should be displayed: "Positions", "Deals", "Orders" or "Orders & Deals".
 

I suggest reading the documentation. Here are some links related to your questions:

MetaTrader 5 Help → Trading Operations → Executing Trades → Trading Account History

 
Fernando Carreiro:
  1. Charts only show Bid prices, but Buy Orders open at the Ask price and close at the Bid price, while Sell Orders open at the Bid price and close at the Ask Price. The difference between Ask and Bid price is the Spread.
  2. Remember that there are Orders, Deals and Positions and each have their own respective ticket numbers. The number shown on the chart graphics, identified with "autotrade" shows the Deal ticket numbers (in and out). In the "History Tab", you have the option to what should be displayed: "Positions", "Deals", "Orders" or "Orders & Deals".

Thanks for the info. 

1. Is the price shown in the Toolbox the Last price? 

2. So is there not a way of showing the Deal number in the Trade table (or otherwise having a way of matching the active orders on the chart and Trade table)? 

Also, I am noticing that the prices are updating very slowly.  It seems like it can take as much as a minute sometimes.  This is very slow compared to other platforms.  Is this to be expected or does this mean there's a problem? 

 

oceanview: Thanks for the info. 

1. Is the price shown in the Toolbox the Last price? 

2. So is there not a way of showing the Deal number in the Trade table (or otherwise having a way of matching the active orders on the chart and Trade table)? 

Also, I am noticing that the prices are updating very slowly.  It seems like it can take as much as a minute sometimes.  This is very slow compared to other platforms.  Is this to be expected or does this mean there's a problem? 

  1. Please be more clear. By simply stating "Toolbox" you are not being clear. Do you mean "Trades" or the "History" tabs? In the "History" tabs you will see the opening and/or closing prices of "Positions", "Orders" or "Deals". In the "Trade" tab it will be similar except that the closing prices of open positions will be floating and will be either the current Bid or Ask price depending on the type of position.
  2. Yes there is and I have already mentioned that you can choose which to display and even supplied a link to the documentation for you to read ( Trading Account History ). Right-click the area and choose from the context menu.
  3. What do you mean by "slowly"? Where are the prices being updated? You just say "Toolbox" but are not specific enough. Prices are shown and updated in various areas depending on what is being monitored. Please explain more clearly and show a screenshot.
 
Fernando Carreiro:
  1. Please be more clear. By simply stating "Toolbox" you are not being clear. Do you mean "Trades" or the "History" tabs? In the "History" tabs you will see the opening and/or closing prices of "Positions", "Orders" or "Deals". In the "Trade" tab it will be similar except that the closing prices of open positions will be floating and will be either the current Bid or Ask price depending on the type of position.
  2. Yes there is and I have already mentioned that you can choose which to display and even supplied a link to the documentation for you to read ( Trading Account History ). Right-click the area and choose from the context menu.
  3. What do you mean by "slowly"? Where are the prices being updated? You just say "Toolbox" but are not specific enough. Prices are shown and updated in various areas depending on what is being monitored. Please explain more clearly and show a screenshot.

1.  You've answered my question.  I was asking about the current price shown in the Trade table. 

2.  Yes, from your last email, I now know how to add the Deal number to the History tab (thank you).  I was asking about the Trade tab where the open positions are shown.  I'm wanting to be able to easily match my open positions in the Trade tab with the arrows on the chart that show my entry points.  Your link was about the History tab.  I don't see that I have the same options in the Trade tab.  Can the Deal number be added to the table in the Trade tab? 

3.  I'm talking about the current prices that show up in two places:  The chart (the current price that shows up on the right side of the table in the moving gray box) and the current Price column in the Trade tab in the Toolbox.  They are both very slow (sometimes 30 to 60 seconds between updates). 

 
oceanview:

1.  You've answered my question.  I was asking about the current price shown in the Trade table. 

2.  Yes, from your last email, I now know how to add the Deal number to the History tab (thank you).  I was asking about the Trade tab where the open positions are shown.  I'm wanting to be able to easily match my open positions in the Trade tab with the arrows on the chart that show my entry points.  Your link was about the History tab.  I don't see that I have the same options in the Trade tab.  Can the Deal number be added to the table in the Trade tab? 

3.  I'm talking about the current prices that show up in two places:  The chart (the current price that shows up on the right side of the table in the moving gray box) and the current Price column in the Trade tab in the Toolbox.  They are both very slow (sometimes 30 to 60 seconds between updates). 

  1. OK!
  2. The "Trade" tab only shows Pending Orders and Open Positions! The corresponding Deals for the open positions are shown in the "History" tab.
  3. On the chart you can enable the Ask and Last price lines from the chart properties. 30 to 60 is indeed slow but it depends on the symbol. I asked in the previous post about that but you did not answer. For example, EURUSD will have more and faster incoming ticks then say for example USDPLN which is much slower. It also depends on the broker. A small broker will have less activity while a larger more popular broker will have more activity.
Executing Trades - Trading Operations - MetaTrader 5 Help
Executing Trades - Trading Operations - MetaTrader 5 Help
  • www.metatrader5.com
The trading activity in the platform implies forming and sending market and pending orders to be executed by a broker, as well as managing current...
 
Fernando Carreiro:
  1. OK!
  2. The "Trade" tab only shows Pending Orders and Open Positions! The corresponding Deals for the open positions are shown in the "History" tab.
  3. On the chart you can enable the Ask and Last price lines from the chart properties. 30 to 60 is indeed slow but it depends on the symbol. I asked in the previous post about that but you did not answer. For example, EURUSD will have more and faster incoming ticks then say for example USDPLN which is much slower. It also depends on the broker. A small broker will have less activity while a larger more popular broker will have more activity.

Thanks again for all your answers. 

2.  When I place an order to open a new position, an arrow (either blue or red) appears on the chart indicating my entry point.  If I mouse over this arrow, I can see an "autotrade" number.  And, as you've explained, this is known as the "Deal" number (a 7-digit number starting with 179).  Then when I look at the Trade tab in the Toolbox, the only identifying number I see, for the open positions, is the "Ticket" number (a 7-digit number starting with 229).  Also, my understanding is that I cannot add a "Deal" number column to the Trade tab (however, I can add it to the history tab [as you've also explained]).  So, my question is:  Is there any easy way I can match the arrow on the chart to the correct position shown in the Trade tab (other than matching up the position's entry price)?  Currently my understanding is that the answer is "no".  Is this correct? 

3.  OK, got it.  In the meantime, I think I figured out what it was .  I was using a 3-rd party indicator that I believe was bogging down the program.  Now that I've removed that indicator, the price numbers seem to be flowing normally. 

 
oceanview: 2.  If I mouse over this arrow, I can see an "autotrade" number.  Is there any easy way I can match the arrow on the chart to the correct position shown in the Trade tab (other than matching up the position's entry price)?  Currently my understanding is that the answer is "no".  Is this correct? 

You are not reading the documentation as I have asked you to do, twice now!

2. In the "History" tab, show "Orders & Deals", and look for the Deal with the ticket the same as in the "autotrade" of the Chart arrow; then look at the ticket number of the corresponding Order (just above the Deal), which will also be the ticket of the Order in the "Trade" tab.

 
Yes, I understood that.  I was just hoping there was a way of matching them without having to first look at the history tab.  Thanks again for your help. 
 
Fernando Carreiro #:

You are not reading the documentation as I have asked you to do, twice now!

2. In the "History" tab, show "Orders & Deals", and look for the Deal with the ticket the same as in the "autotrade" of the Chart arrow; then look at the ticket number of the corresponding Order (just above the Deal), which will also be the ticket of the Order in the "Trade" tab.

Good afternoon Mr. Fernando,

I would like to see the ticket number displayed on the actual chart shown right by the position(s) currently opened. History tab only shows past trades. I would like to be able to match my currently opened trades with what is on the chart. For example, if I have 4 currently opened trades and I want to match just a certain trade (displayed on the toolbox under the trade tab) with the one displayed on the chart, how can I do that? Does it make sense? I want to match/see/locate my current opened trade with the same trade displayed on the chart. Is there a way to do that? On the MT4 you can see the a number right by the currently opened position and it's an easy way to match them with what is displayed in the toolbox under the trade tab. I'd appreciate your input! Thank you!

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