Dear all,

I am really fedup with yahoo 360. This is basically a terrible experience! I've been trying to make my post for the 3rd time in this month. Everytime I composed my blog entry nicely and well, when i click on post this entry, the FUCKING YAHOO ASK FOR PASSWORD!!! When I keyed in the password, then all my paragraph DISAPPEAR!!! Is yahoo FUCKING IDIOT?! or they're just basically DOWN SYNDROME!!! I'm so FUCKING PISSED!!! Cant they save my paragraph 1st, then ask for my password again?! Cant they just be kind enough to repost my paragraph after I verify my password again?! This is FUCKING NUTS!!! You know what?! This post is the 3rd try of the day! The initial post is how to make the EA! It got disappeared after I click on post entry. The 2nd post was a complain, just like this 1. But it disappear again! This is the 3rd post composed in a word pad, just incase they said my session expired! FUCKING IDIOT! Do not ever register 360 with the fuckin idiot yahoo! FUCK THEM!

p/s: Meanwhile, I'm still here. EA creation journey are doing fantastic. Only thing is the fucking yahoo giving me rubbish experience and over secure issue that causing me unable to post more detail. Am looking for a suitable blog entry to continue my construction.

Basic Function

"IF" Statement

The "if" statement can come with 2 solution for the programmer to help the EA to decide what to do "if" it meet specified criteria. "if" statment comes with a pair of parent brackets (), where as the solution comes with a pair of child bracket s{}. An example as below:

if(a>b) //if A is greater then B
{Comment("A greater then B");} //show on screen A is greater then B
else //A is not greater then B
{Comment("B greater then A");} //show on screen B is greater then A

"Comment" function

The Comment function doesn't comes with any other solution. It can display wordings on the chart by adding quotes " to after the parent open bracket. Example as below:

Comment("Testing testing");

Another case is, just incase you needed the "(quote) to show on the chart itself, you need to put down 2 x ' (hyphant) to become a "(quote). If you use "(quote) directly may confused the auto trading system that thought you're finishing your conversation(display).

Comment("System:'' Testing! '' ";); // Read carefully as before Testing!, that is not a quote. Its a double hyphant

"Print" function

Print function also doesn't comes with any otehr solution. It will record anything to the log file provided by MT4 standard platform. When the criteria is met, it will diplay the message on the Expert tab under the your Terminal window. Example:

Print("Testing debug mode");

When the EA triggered met the criteria to print that debug message, it wil appear on the Expert Tab in the Terminal window. Meanwhile, you can also retrieve your history log from your meta trader 4's folder. Which will be located at

<Drive letter>:\Program Files\<Meta Trader 4 Folder>\Experts\Log

Then you can browse for your desire date, open up and read your MT4's activities.

I personally prefer Comment() better then Print(), because I can identify immediately on the chart itself. But belive me, most professional profer Print() function, my personal opinion think that is good for book keeping, for keep tracking and debugging with proper write outs.

Here is a small topic on what needs to be done before an EA(Expert Advisor) start its routine. Basically we need to put down some limitation, in order to control this little critten from hurting our trading account if something goes wrong. So, here we go.

Limitation of lowest margin available

This is what we concern about, which is to protect our capital if the expert advisor keep lossing like nobody's business. As everybody know what is the purpose of having an automated trading system. When we're not around our trading desk, this system will continue make us money so we can spend our summer in Costa Rica In order to limit the EA from over trading your account, you need to put down certain parameter in your EA. I give you example here:

extern double ProtectMargin = 2000;

And add this line after the int Start() line

if(AccountFreeMargin() < ProtectMargin)
{
Comment("Not enough money! Margin below ", ProtectMargin);
return(0);
}

This way, the EA will not open any trade if your free margin is below 2000.

History data check

Now, its very important that you have enough historical data on the currency pair you planned to trade with your EA. Because incomplete data could give you bad indicator, and that would result a false signal that trigger bad trades by your EA. Add another variable to the external input as below:

extern int MinimumBar = 500;

Below are the codes that should add to the EA after the Margin protection line:

if(Bars<MinimumBar)
{
Comment("Bars less then ",MinimumBar);
return(0);
}

The above 2 simple rule are the border line of creating a decent EA that will not blow your account away for no reason. I have compile a source code as usual, so you can download and double check with your codes.

Template

We create a template of an Expert Advisor. This way we can eleminate most of the hassle everytime we start a new project. We can use the same template to create different type of Expert Advisor on the same platform.

I assume you already downloaded the Meta Trader 4 platform and playing around with it. So, here we start with the core of programming an Expert Advisor(Automated trading software). By clicking on the MetaEditor, you'll be able to use the programming tool provided by MetaQuotes as a standard equipment installed simultaneously while MetaTrader4 are installed on your computer. To start a new project, simple go to the File menu on your tool bar, select New, you'll be able to see a window pop up with different selection of project you can start with. Since we're talking about automated trading, so I will not get into other project, we select Expert Advisor. Once the selection has been made, 2nd window will pop up for your information input. You can now put down your name and your copyright status. You may also preset your parameter if you already have a system flowchart. Basically TakeProfit, StopLoss, TrailingStop, LotSize are standard parameter needed by a basic EA.

I have uploaded a sample copy of the work we done today. Click here to download the EA to verify see whether your work are close to mine.