Manual Trading Integration for MetaTrader Strategy Tester

Related: Tick Scalper Helper: Tick Chart and One-Click Trading Panel for MT5 - another powerful expert for MetaTrader 5 traders.

This document outlines a method for linking manual orders to the MetaTrader Strategy Tester. Standard chart events do not function within the Strategy Tester. Currently, the only objects that can be placed in the Strategy Tester using basic MQL5 code are labels and buttons. While labels can be attached without issue, buttons placed in the tester cannot have their click states detected without advanced programming and integration with other systems. The technique described here relies on a file detection process. The Expert Advisor (EA) acts as a standalone receiver. On every tick, the EA checks a specific folder for a file that will trigger an order. Upon detecting the required text file in the designated folder, the EA executes a command to process the order and then deletes the file. Therefore, the presence of a specific file in a folder serves as the primary trigger for executing a trade. Users can now command the EA to execute orders using any method they devise to place a specific file in a designated folder. In this implementation, placing an empty text file named "buy.txt", "sell.txt", or "close.txt" in the "...\common\files\" folder within MetaTrader 5 will trigger the EA to execute a corresponding order based on the filename. The filename and its presence in the folder are crucial; the file content is not used. Only one of these three files should appear in the folder at a time. If multiple files are present, the EA will process the first one it reads and then delete any files matching these three names. The EA requires an external application to create and place these command text files into the specified folder. While an example Visual Basic application was developed, it cannot be shared directly. Users are encouraged to create or find their own application for this purpose. Recommendations:

Also recommended: Basket Pair Closer: Efficiently Close Trading Positions - similar expert with strong performance on MetaTrader 5.

To use custom indicators with the Strategy Tester, save or rename the indicator template to "strategytesterpracticetrade.tpl", matching the EA's name.

Ensure correct placement of command text files in the "...\metaquotes\terminal\common\files\" directory.

This file detection method can be adapted for use beyond the Strategy Tester, enabling external influences on other EA codings. For instance, instead of just detecting filenames, file reading operations can be implemented to retrieve data for take profit, stop loss, and lot sizes from file content. This allows external applications to provide diverse inputs for EA reactions.

You may also like: CME Equity Index Futures Holiday Calendar and Trading Halt Automation - excellent alternative for expert users on MetaTrader 5.

#property copyright "robotfx"
#property link "https://robotfx.org"
#property version     "1.00"
#property description "this code is educational. feel free to use, modify and upgrade as you wish. visit robotfx.org for professional trading tools"
#property description "this code is educational. feel free to use, modify and upgrade as you wish. visit robotfx.org for professional trading tools"
#property description "this code is educational. feel free to use, modify and upgrade as you wish. visit robotfx.org for professional trading tools"
/*
 note:  (please read, this is important!!!)
- in order for this ea to use its function on the strategy tester, a textfile command outside mt5's processing is needed for the manual order execution.
- the ea will take the "buy/sell/close" order command mainly on the existance of certain files as "buy.txt", "sell.txt", or "close.txt" at the mt5's common file folder.

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• This tool is provided for educational and testing purposes only.
• Past performance does not guarantee future results.
• Trading involves substantial risk of loss. Use on a demo account first.
• Results may vary depending on market conditions, broker, and settings.
• We recommend thorough backtesting and forward testing before using with real funds.