MACD Sample_v1
Download scriptThis automated trading script is designed to manage and execute trades based on a combination of momentum indicators and trend analysis. It works by constantly monitoring live market data to identify specific entry points for "Buy" and "Sell" positions, while simultaneously managing existing trades to protect profits.
Core Logic Overview
1. Safety and Pre-Check Requirements Before the script starts any trading activity, it performs several "health checks." It ensures there is enough historical data available on the chart to make accurate calculations and verifies that the user has set a valid profit target. It also checks if the account has sufficient available funds (margin) to open a new trade based on the specified trade size.
2. Entry Signals (Opening Trades) The script looks for two specific market conditions to decide when to enter a trade:
- Momentum Shift: It analyzes the MACD (Moving Average Convergence Divergence) indicator to see if the momentum is shifting in a specific direction. For example, it looks for instances where the momentum line crosses over the signal line.
- Trend Confirmation: To ensure it isn't trading against the primary trend, it also checks an Exponential Moving Average. A "Buy" signal is only triggered if the price trend is moving upward, and a "Sell" signal is only triggered if the trend is moving downward.
When both of these conditions align—the momentum shifts and the trend confirms—the script automatically opens a position with a pre-defined profit target.
3. Trade Management (Closing and Protecting Trades) Once a trade is active, the script doesn't just wait for the profit target to be hit; it actively manages the position in real-time:
- Exit Logic: If the market conditions reverse before the profit target is reached (e.g., the momentum indicator signals a reversal), the script will automatically close the trade early to prevent further losses.
- Trailing Stop: The script features a "Trailing Stop" mechanism. As a trade moves into profit, the script follows the price upward (for buys) or downward (for sells). It adjusts the stop-loss order dynamically so that if the market suddenly turns against the trader, the position is closed while locking in the gains made during the trend.
Summary of Behavior
Essentially, this script acts as an automated floor trader. It waits for a confirmed "green light" from both trend and momentum indicators to enter a trade, monitors those indicators constantly to exit early if the trend breaks, and uses a trailing mechanism to ensure that profits are protected as the price moves in the trader's favor.
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| MACD Sample.mq4 |
//| Copyright © 2005, MetaQuotes Software Corp. |
//| http://www.metaquotes.net/ |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
extern double TakeProfit = 50;
extern double Lots = 0.1;
extern double TrailingStop = 30;
extern double MACDOpenLevel=3;
extern double MACDCloseLevel=2;
extern double MATrendPeriod=26;
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
int start()
{
double MacdCurrent, MacdPrevious, SignalCurrent;
double SignalPrevious, MaCurrent, MaPrevious;
int cnt, ticket, total;
// initial data checks
// it is important to make sure that the expert works with a normal
// chart and the user did not make any mistakes setting external
// variables (Lots, StopLoss, TakeProfit,
// TrailingStop) in our case, we check TakeProfit
// on a chart of less than 100 bars
if(Bars<100)
{
Print("bars less than 100");
return(0);
}
if(TakeProfit<10)
{
Print("TakeProfit less than 10");
return(0); // check TakeProfit
}
// to simplify the coding and speed up access
// data are put into internal variables
MacdCurrent=iMACD(NULL,0,12,26,9,PRICE_CLOSE,MODE_MAIN,0);
MacdPrevious=iMACD(NULL,0,12,26,9,PRICE_CLOSE,MODE_MAIN,1);
SignalCurrent=iMACD(NULL,0,12,26,9,PRICE_CLOSE,MODE_SIGNAL,0);
SignalPrevious=iMACD(NULL,0,12,26,9,PRICE_CLOSE,MODE_SIGNAL,1);
MaCurrent=iMA(NULL,0,MATrendPeriod,0,MODE_EMA,PRICE_CLOSE,0);
MaPrevious=iMA(NULL,0,MATrendPeriod,0,MODE_EMA,PRICE_CLOSE,1);
total=OrdersTotal();
if(total<1)
{
// no opened orders identified
if(AccountFreeMargin()<(1000*Lots))
{
Print("We have no money. Free Margin = ", AccountFreeMargin());
return(0);
}
// check for long position (BUY) possibility
if(MacdCurrent<0 && MacdCurrent>SignalCurrent && MacdPrevious<SignalPrevious &&
MathAbs(MacdCurrent)>(MACDOpenLevel*Point) && MaCurrent>MaPrevious)
{
ticket=OrderSend(Symbol(),OP_BUY,Lots,Ask,3,0,Ask+TakeProfit*Point,"macd sample",16384,0,Green);
if(ticket>0)
{
if(OrderSelect(ticket,SELECT_BY_TICKET,MODE_TRADES)) Print("BUY order opened : ",OrderOpenPrice());
}
else Print("Error opening BUY order : ",GetLastError());
return(0);
}
// check for short position (SELL) possibility
if(MacdCurrent>0 && MacdCurrent<SignalCurrent && MacdPrevious>SignalPrevious &&
MacdCurrent>(MACDOpenLevel*Point) && MaCurrent<MaPrevious)
{
ticket=OrderSend(Symbol(),OP_SELL,Lots,Bid,3,0,Bid-TakeProfit*Point,"macd sample",16384,0,Red);
if(ticket>0)
{
if(OrderSelect(ticket,SELECT_BY_TICKET,MODE_TRADES)) Print("SELL order opened : ",OrderOpenPrice());
}
else Print("Error opening SELL order : ",GetLastError());
return(0);
}
return(0);
}
// it is important to enter the market correctly,
// but it is more important to exit it correctly...
for(cnt=0;cnt<total;cnt++)
{
OrderSelect(cnt, SELECT_BY_POS, MODE_TRADES);
if(OrderType()<=OP_SELL && // check for opened position
OrderSymbol()==Symbol()) // check for symbol
{
if(OrderType()==OP_BUY) // long position is opened
{
// should it be closed?
if(MacdCurrent>0 && MacdCurrent<SignalCurrent && MacdPrevious>SignalPrevious &&
MacdCurrent>(MACDCloseLevel*Point))
{
OrderClose(OrderTicket(),OrderLots(),Bid,3,Violet); // close position
return(0); // exit
}
// check for trailing stop
if(TrailingStop>0)
{
if(Bid-OrderOpenPrice()>Point*TrailingStop)
{
if(OrderStopLoss()<Bid-Point*TrailingStop)
{
OrderModify(OrderTicket(),OrderOpenPrice(),Bid-Point*TrailingStop,OrderTakeProfit(),0,Green);
return(0);
}
}
}
}
else // go to short position
{
// should it be closed?
if(MacdCurrent<0 && MacdCurrent>SignalCurrent &&
MacdPrevious<SignalPrevious && MathAbs(MacdCurrent)>(MACDCloseLevel*Point))
{
OrderClose(OrderTicket(),OrderLots(),Ask,3,Violet); // close position
return(0); // exit
}
// check for trailing stop
if(TrailingStop>0)
{
if((OrderOpenPrice()-Ask)>(Point*TrailingStop))
{
if((OrderStopLoss()>(Ask+Point*TrailingStop)) || (OrderStopLoss()==0))
{
OrderModify(OrderTicket(),OrderOpenPrice(),Ask+Point*TrailingStop,OrderTakeProfit(),0,Red);
return(0);
}
}
}
}
}
}
return(0);
}
// the end.
Profitability Reports
Expected payoff
Average expected payoff across the available backtests for each symbol.
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