Time Server Daylight Savings
This tool for MetaTrader 5 is specifically engineered to streamline your trading operations. This script functions as a utility program designed for specific, one-time execution tasks. It is utilized to perform targeted actions, such as closing all open orders, managing chart objects, or executing custom administrative commands on demand.
How to Setup and Use Time Server Daylight Savings
1. Installation: Move your script file into the MQL/Scripts directory and restart the platform.
2. Execution: Drag the script onto a chart; it will perform a one-time action, such as closing all open orders or clearing chart objects.
3. Editing: Use MetaEditor (F4) to modify code, click "Compile," and verify no errors appear in the terminal before running.
4. Removing: Scripts stop automatically, but you can remove them manually by right-clicking the chart and choosing "Remove Script."
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How are scripts different from EAs? A: Scripts execute a single action and then stop; EAs monitor the market and trade continuously.
Q: Can I assign a hotkey to a script? A: Yes, right-click the script in the Navigator, select "Set Hotkey," and define your preferred keyboard shortcut.
Q: Why did my script stop? A: Scripts are designed to stop immediately after finishing their programmed command; this is normal behavior.
Description & Settings
Please, note that in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, time zones are adjusted in the opposite direction: in the Northern Hemisphere, 1 hour is added in the "spring" (March or April) and subtracted in the "fall" (October or November), while in the Southern Hemisphere it is the other way around (because they have all the seasons swapped).
Due to specificity of the analysis it's recommended to run the code for the most liquid Forex ticker, which is usually EURUSD.
Here is the API:
The functions TimeServerDaylightSavings(), TimeServerGMTOffsetHistory(), TimeServerDaylightSavingsSupported() are just wrappers for TimeServerZone(), so if you need more than one characteristic it's preferable to use the later one and read values from the struct ServerTimeZone.
All these functions take a server time as 1-st argument at which you want to get correspopnding characteristic (in present or in the past). If the server time is left 0 (by default), the result is returned for current moment.
The 2-nd argument threshold allows you to adjust algorithms' sensitivity. By default, it's 52/4 that is a quarter of year of required stats for making decision (detecting time zone without a possible interference of short weeks before/after holidays). On the other hand, this settings prevent prompt detection of ad hoc time zone changes (should your broker decide to do so at some point). You may want to set the threshold to 0 to let the algorithms detect any changes as soon as possible.
The function TimeServerGMTOffset() does not use history analysis but rather calculate offset directly via MQL5 functions (as TimeGMT() - TimeTradeServer()).
Please note, that this function uses the same offset notation as MQL5's built-in TimeGMTOffset() function, that is positive time zones, such as GMT+3, are denoted by negative offsets, such as -10800, and vice versa. This notation is used by some other programming languages, like JaveScript, but there is also other languages, which denote positive time zones by positive offsets, and negative time zones by negative offsets. Check your algorithms carefully.
The test script outputs all acquired data into the log, for example:
You can enable detailed print out of the data being analyzed by preprocessor directive:
which should be placed in your code before include:
Here is an example of details in the log:
Please, feel free to run the script in your environments and post resulting logs in the discussion.
Updates
2024.10.10 - bug fix: US DST switches (that interfered into opening hours stats) are eliminated from timeline before main analysis.
2024.10.27 - server time of interest and minimal weekly stats threshold are added as arguments for all functions; TimeServerGMTOffsetEmpiric() is renamed to TimeServerGMTOffsetHistory().
2024.10.29 - small bugfix to include requested time into lookup period.
2024.10.30 - fixed DST in TimeZoneChange array; lookup is now performed from srvtime parameter, if it's specified.
2024.11.01 - added an autoadjustement of calculations when applied on precious metals, which can provide more reliable results on weeks during US DST and EU DST schedules are out of sync.
2024.11.04 - refined online detection of DST switch on/off.
2024.11.07 - added caching of time-zone/DST changes for bulk requests on history for indicators or economic events backtesting.
2024.11.08 - caching performance optimized by small code refactoring.
2024.11.16 - 1 hour adjustment for timestamps deduced from metals by amrali.
2024.11.17 - refactoring and fixes by amrali: eliminated cache rebuilds for online requests during weekends, 48h lookahead is added for detection of TZ changes during weekends (with possible DST transition), Sunday 00:00 is used as a boundary for timezones (instead of 1-st bar of a week).
2024.11.20 - default threshold changed to 1 (a balance between prompt detection of time zone changes and elimination of false positives on non-standard weeks such as after holidays); new set of functions added for time formatting, including time zone offsets and DST (look at TimeZoneFmt.mqh); other small refinements.
