How to Change the Time Reference 00:00 of MT4 to my country time

 
Hello Salwa,

I am from Lebanon-Middle East. When I check the Hourly Candles of MT4, I see the Time 00:00 of MT4 equal to 01:00 AM in Lebanon. How can I handle that to have 00:00 time of MT$ equal to 00:00 in my country. it is important to me since I use the 4Hrs charts in my Own signals. I rely on 16:00--->20:00 Period in Lebanon which coincid with 8:00 AM---> 12:00 noon in USA and 08:00--->12:00 Lebanon time which coincid w/ 9:00--->1:00 PM in europe.
 
You cannot change time because there is server time
 
A neat solution from Salwa would by to have a seperate bar below the time bar which can be:

A) Toggled on and off.
B) Options for all 24 time zones and syncroed to the platform time.

That way anyone anywhere can set the time they are interested in.
 
no. we will not change our architecture.
 
Why don't you just add one hour to curTime() within your expert? e.g.

int init() {
return(0);
}

int deinit() {
return(0);
}

int start() {
datetime lebanonTime = CurTime() + 7200; // Time server time +/- time difference

string hours;
switch (TimeHour(lebanonTime)) {
case 0: hours = "00"; break;
case 1: hours = "01"; break;
case 2: hours = "02"; break;
case 3: hours = "03"; break;
case 4: hours = "04"; break;
case 5: hours = "05"; break;
case 6: hours = "06"; break;
case 7: hours = "07"; break;
case 8: hours = "08"; break;
case 9: hours = "09"; break;
default: hours = TimeHour(lebanonTime); break;
}

string minutes;
switch (TimeMinute(lebanonTime)) {
case 0: minutes = "00"; break;
case 1: minutes = "01"; break;
case 2: minutes = "02"; break;
case 3: minutes = "03"; break;
case 4: minutes = "04"; break;
case 5: minutes = "05"; break;
case 6: minutes = "06"; break;
case 7: minutes = "07"; break;
case 8: minutes = "08"; break;
case 9: minutes = "09"; break;
default: minutes = TimeMinute(lebanonTime); break;
}

string seconds;
switch (TimeSeconds(lebanonTime)) {
case 0: seconds = "00"; break;
case 1: seconds = "01"; break;
case 2: seconds = "02"; break;
case 3: seconds = "03"; break;
case 4: seconds = "04"; break;
case 5: seconds = "05"; break;
case 6: seconds = "06"; break;
case 7: seconds = "07"; break;
case 8: seconds = "08"; break;
case 9: seconds = "09"; break;
default: seconds = TimeSeconds(lebanonTime); break;
}
string timeString = hours + ":" + minutes + ":" + seconds;
Comment("Time: " + timeString);
return(0);
}


By the way, I had to add 2 hours to curTime() to actually get a 1 hour time difference because curTime() seems to be one hour behind the time displayed on the 'Market Watch' window - any idea's as to why this is Slawa?
 
the idea is to have the 4 hrs candle start appearing on my screen on counting from 00:00 Lebanon which is = 01:00 Moscow time, the result will be a more convinient 4 hrs bars whoose corrolate with Open/Close Japan(3:00 Lebanon) ; Open France/Europe (8:00 Lebanon)and Open USA/ NY(4:00 Lebanon).
Major actions are within 8:00-12:00 Europe & 4:00-8:00 USA sessions
 
I have response for both Slawa and Coen:

Slawa:

If I lived only 1 or 2 hours away from the server's time zone, it would be a simple matter for me to add/subtract an hour or two while looking at the platform's display time. That wouldn't be too much of a problem. However, in the US, we live 7 to 9 hours away from your time zone, and every time we need to correlate your time with our time we have to be totally distracted from our train of thought and chart analysis -- being forced to calibrate our time with yours.

I don't think that khaled ali, Brolis Kiela -- and vast numbers of your users -- are asking you to make a major change to your platform's architecture, but just provide a simple option.

Other platforms I've seen have an option with a drop down list of options, i.e: +1, +2, +3, +4, +5, etc. This sets the platform's display time to match local time zone. If their are reasons why actual "trade reports" must display the server's time (which I doubt) then you could have these trade reports still display the server's time, and at the same time, allow your user's to see local time on charts, etc.

If you choose not to allow your *multitudes* of users of your platform to configure the display time for their own time zone, then I guess the multitudes of us are "stuck" with being forced to add/subtract hours in our heads -- interrupting our work -- every time we need to know our local time, looking at your charts or platform's display time.

I realize that you have many other tasks to complete at this time of a higher priority than providing us with this option, but perhaps you could consider it later.

I am quite aware, from speaking with various brokerage executives, that multitudes of your users are asking for this useful option.


Coen:

I thank you for taking the time to show us how to change time *within* experts. This will be usefull.

Chow everyone!
 
i think in half year time after beta testing you will find broker company with mt4 server with your local time
 
tks, no need to ask more about this matter
 
khaledali :
Hello Salwa,

I am from Lebanon-Middle East. When I check the Hourly Candles of MT4, I see the Time 00:00 of MT4 equal to 01:00 AM in Lebanon. How can I handle that to have 00:00 time of MT$ equal to 00:00 in my country. it is important to me since I use the 4Hrs charts in my Own signals. I rely on 16:00--->20:00 Period in Lebanon which coincid with 8:00 AM---> 12:00 noon in USA and 08:00--->12:00 Lebanon time which coincid w/ 9:00--->1:00 PM in europe.

It appears to me that the time in MT4 at the bottom of the grid is GMT + 2, which is the time zone for Beirut. Right now, for instance MT4 time is 0535 and my time is 2035 PST which is GMT - 8. That adds up to a ten hour difference. Basically you have to learn to think in MT4 time and base your timing on it. What we call the present moment doesn't change the moment it is still now! If the ECB wants to make an announcement at 0830 EST, you have to think that for MT4 that is 1530 and have your trades in place accordingly.
 
edwardBe :
khaledali :
Hello Salwa,

I am from Lebanon-Middle East. When I check the Hourly Candles of MT4, I see the Time 00:00 of MT4 equal to 01:00 AM in Lebanon. How can I handle that to have 00:00 time of MT$ equal to 00:00 in my country. it is important to me since I use the 4Hrs charts in my Own signals. I rely on 16:00--->20:00 Period in Lebanon which coincid with 8:00 AM---> 12:00 noon in USA and 08:00--->12:00 Lebanon time which coincid w/ 9:00--->1:00 PM in europe.

It appears to me that the time in MT4 at the bottom of the grid is GMT + 2, which is the time zone for Beirut. Right now, for instance MT4 time is 0535 and my time is 2035 PST which is GMT - 8. That adds up to a ten hour difference. Basically you have to learn to think in MT4 time and base your timing on it. What we call the present moment doesn't change the moment it is still now! If the ECB wants to make an announcement at 0830 EST, you have to think that for MT4 that is 1530 and have your trades in place accordingly.


Actually, the broker has the option of selecting the server market time display on the MT4

platform. All brokers display different timezones in MT4. For example, IBFX shows GMT 0

timezone while FXCM shows EST timezone which is now GMT -5. Most brokers do display

the London GMT timezone but others do something else like show their own timezone

time. So ask your broker if you are not sure. But this timezone issue is totally irrelevant.

If you can't calculate time differences in your head, how do you expect to become a

successful forex trader? All you need to do is go to your own computer's clock setting

to check what actual time your MT4 is displaying.