Conclusion To These Timezone Threads

 

In the following thread, there Original Post asked what the timezone is for MetaQuotes historical data. The answer was: " GMT+1 with daylight time savings (ie summer time is GMT+2) Time is automatical corrected after download"

https://www.mql5.com/en/forum/103514

Then in this following thread, the Original Post asked what was meant by the "Time is automatically corrected after download." Does that mean the the timezone becomes the local timezone or does that mean the timezone become the timezone of the broker (which I believe would make more sense)?

https://www.mql5.com/en/forum/146123


I too would like to know the answer to this question as it relates to the strategy backtester. This would be much appreciated, Thanks in advanced. 

Historical Data from MetaTrader... what timezone is it?
Historical Data from MetaTrader... what timezone is it?
  • 2007.05.31
  • www.mql5.com
It also seems to change, has anyone noticed that? Thanks, Matt...
 
it depends on your EA coding actually, in code you can choose local time/broker server time

And there is no auto gmt switch in backtest, you need to create it yourself
 
Pak Hong Poon:
it depends on your EA coding actually, in code you can choose local time/broker server time

And there is no auto gmt switch in backtest, you need to create it yourself
Right, so if I use TimeCurrent() without any datetime argument in the EA, then in the strategy backtester it will use the broker time? I assume you can't get local time in the strategy backtester, right? Thanks for the reply. 
 
TraderTogami: Right, so if I use TimeCurrent() without any datetime argument in the EA, then in the strategy backtester it will use the broker time? I assume you can't get local time in the strategy backtester, right? Thanks for the reply. 

Yes, TimeCurrent() is simulated in the Strategy Tester. On a live account it returns the current time (or more specifically the time of the last tick that last arrived) of the broker's trade server, in accordance to their time-zone (not local time-zone).

 
Fernando Carreiro:

Yes, TimeCurrent() is simulated in the Strategy Tester. On a live account it returns the current time (or more specifically the time of the last tick that last arrived) of the broker's trade server, in accordance to their time-zone (not local time-zone).

Just to confirm (sorry), by simulated you mean it tries to convert the timezone of the historical data to the broker's time zone or do you mean it just uses the raw time found in the historical data simulating how TimeCurrent() would work if the broker's timezone was that of the historical data. 
 

TraderTogami: Just to confirm (sorry), by simulated you mean it tries to convert the timezone of the historical data to the broker's time zone or do you mean it just uses the raw time found in the historical data simulating how TimeCurrent() would work if the broker's timezone was that of the historical data. 

The latter! The historical data is downloaded from the broker and is already in the brokers' timezone. No conversion takes place.

EDIT: This also applies to MT4, but just to be clear, you are referring to MT5, right?

 
Fernando Carreiro:

The latter! The historical data is already in the brokers' timezone. No conversion takes place.

How would the MetaQuotes historical data be in my broker's timezone? Wouldn't it be in the timezone of the MetaQuotes server? Thank you for your patience. 
 
TraderTogami: How would the MetaQuotes historical data be in my broker's timezone? Wouldn't it be in the timezone of the MetaQuotes server? Thank you for your patience. 
Are you are talking about MT5 or MT4?
 
Fernando Carreiro:
Are you are talking about MT5 or MT4?

MT4 (the version talked about in the threads mentioned)

 
TraderTogami: MT4 (the version talked about in the threads mentioned)

Then please in the future, post in the MT4 section at the very end of the Forum, or else you will get answers referring to MT5.

In regards to MT4, it currently downloads that data from the broker when connected to a broker account. It no longer downloads that data from the MetaQuotes servers (unless you are connected to a MetaQuotes Demo account).

So, no time conversion is necessary!

 
Fernando Carreiro:

Then please in the future, post in the MT4 section at the very end of the Forum, or else you will get answer referring to MT5.

In regards to MT4, it currently downloads that data from the broker when connecting a a broker account. It no longer downloads that data from the MetaQuotes servers.

So, no time conversion is necessary!

Thanks and (as for the section problem; sorry, I didn't notice that). Now that you mention it, the historical data center does show the same volume datapoints as my broker. Thanks for all the help everyone.