TGP_Analyzer_0125_1545
Download script
This tool is designed for traders who need to perform visual analysis, research various indicator combinations, or conduct back-testing by capturing images of their trading charts automatically. Rather than manually taking screenshots, this script acts as an automated "camera" that saves your chart view to a specific folder at regular intervals.
How the Logic Works
1. Automated Folder Management When you apply the script to a chart, it automatically identifies which currency pair or asset you are viewing. It then creates a dedicated folder within your MetaTrader 4 directory to store all the images, ensuring your screenshots stay organized by asset type.
2. Smart Interval Detection The script is programmed to understand different timeframes and adjusts how often it takes a picture based on what you are looking at. For example:
- If you are viewing a 1-minute chart, it will capture an image every 15 minutes.
- If you are on a 1-hour chart, it captures an image every 4 hours (240 minutes).
- If you are on a Daily chart, it captures an image every week. This logic ensures that you get a consistent flow of visual data regardless of the zoom level of your chart.
3. Dynamic Naming and Time Selection The script can be configured to use either the "Broker Time" (the time shown in the market) or your "Local PC Time." Every time a screenshot is captured, it generates a unique filename that includes:
- The exact date and time of the capture.
- The name of the asset (e.g., EURUSD).
- The timeframe being used. This makes it incredibly easy to sort through hundreds of images later to find a specific moment in history.
4. On-Screen Information (Watermarking) To ensure you know exactly what settings were active at the time of the screenshot, the script places a small text label (watermark) on your chart. This label displays the name of the indicator and the timeframe. You can customize the color, font size, and which corner of the screen the text appears in to keep your workspace looking clean.
5. Clean Execution
The tool runs silently in the background. It constantly checks the clock; once the predetermined interval passes, it triggers the "camera" to save the .gif file and then resets itself to wait for the next interval. When you remove the script from your chart, it automatically cleans up its visual elements.
10
Views
0
Downloads
0
Favorites
TGP_Analyzer_0125_1545
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| TGP_Analyzer_0125_1545.mq4 |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Copyright Jan 2013, Greedy Pig Trading
//| http://greedypigtrading.blogspot.com/
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
/*
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
TGP_Analyzer_0125_1545
Blog: http://greedypigtrading.blogspot.com/
BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS:
I want to take screen shots of charts at intervals for analysis of combinations of indicators or various settings.
Great for back testing to research indicators, timing, price action etc.
When you drop it onto a chart it:
1 reads the Pair and creates a folder to store all the pics in
Location C:\Program Files(x86)\MetaTrader4\experts\files\Pair\pic.gif (e.g. 20130125_215859_EURUSD_60.gif)
2 reads the timeframe and sets the interval to take the pic (e.g. on M15 chart takes pic every hour/60 minutes)
INPUT-Select Broker or Local time option.
INPUT-Enter color of Watermark
INPUT-Enter font size for Watermark
INPUT-Enter corner to display Watermark
*****************************************
PERIOD_M1 takes a pic every 15 minutes
PERIOD_M5 takes a pic every 30 minutes
PERIOD_M15 takes a pic every 60 minutes
PERIOD_M30 takes a pic every 60 minutes
PERIOD_H1 takes a pic every 240 minutes
PERIOD_H4 takes a pic every day
PERIOD_D1 takes a pic every week
PERIOD_W1 takes a pic every month
PERIOD_MN1 takes a pic every month
*/
#property copyright "Copyright 2012, Greedy Pig Trading"
#property link "http://greedypigtrading.blogspot.com/"
#property indicator_chart_window
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Variables |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
extern bool Pic_Broker_Time = true; //True uses broker times, False uses Local times
extern string IIIIIIIIII = "<<<<< Display >>>>>";
extern color t_Color = DimGray; //Color for Watermark
extern int t_fontsize = 10; //Font Size for Watermark
extern int d_Corner = 2; //Display Corner 0= top left,1= top right, 2= bottom left, 3= bottom right
int Pic_Timeframe; //How often do you want to take Picture of the chart?
string Pic_Folder; //What folder do you want to store pictures in MetaTrader4\Experts\Files\"Pic_Folder"
datetime Pic_Trigger; //Variable to store the datetime values in to compare if it is time for picture
string TAG = "TGP"; //The Greedy Pig
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Custom indicator initialization function |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
int init()
{
//---- indicators
Pic_Folder = Symbol()+"\\";
if (Period() == PERIOD_M1) Pic_Timeframe = PERIOD_M15;
else if (Period() == PERIOD_M5) Pic_Timeframe = PERIOD_M30;
else if (Period() == PERIOD_M15) Pic_Timeframe = PERIOD_H1;
else if (Period() == PERIOD_M30) Pic_Timeframe = PERIOD_H1;
else if (Period() == PERIOD_H1) Pic_Timeframe = PERIOD_H4;
else if (Period() == PERIOD_H4) Pic_Timeframe = PERIOD_D1;
else if (Period() == PERIOD_D1) Pic_Timeframe = PERIOD_W1;
else Pic_Timeframe = PERIOD_MN1;
Pic_Trigger = iTime(Symbol(),Pic_Timeframe,1); // Initially set to previous (shift of 1) to start, then in Start function it is compared to Pic_Timeframe
string t_IndicatorName = WindowExpertName();
ObjectCreate (TAG+"Watermark", OBJ_LABEL, 0, 0, 0); //$$$ Watermark
ObjectSet (TAG+"Watermark", OBJPROP_CORNER, d_Corner);
ObjectSet (TAG+"Watermark", OBJPROP_XDISTANCE, 5);
ObjectSet (TAG+"Watermark", OBJPROP_YDISTANCE, 5);
ObjectSetText (TAG+"Watermark",t_IndicatorName+"~Period="+Period(),t_fontsize, "Impact", t_Color);
//----
return(0);
}
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Custom indicator deinitialization function |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
int deinit()
{
//----
DeleteObjectsByPrefix(TAG);
//----
return(0);
}
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Custom indicator iteration function |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
int start()
{
int counted_bars=IndicatorCounted();
//----
// Check here if it is time to take a picture
if ( Take_Pic() ) // Take_Pic returns TRUE if the Pic_Trigger is NOT equal to current Pic_Timeframe iTime value.
{
Take_Screen_Shot(); // calls function to take the picture
Pic_Trigger = iTime(Symbol(),Pic_Timeframe,0); // Reset Pic_Trigger to current time to compare later
} // END Take_Pic
return(0);
//----
}
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//+-------------------- FUNCTION LIBRARY ----------------------------+
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//+-------------------- Take_Pic ----------------------------+
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
bool Take_Pic()
{
if((Pic_Trigger != iTime(Symbol(),Pic_Timeframe,0)))
{
return(true); // New Pic_Timeframe, Pic_Trigger is not same as current iTime of Pic_Timeframe
}
else
return(false); // Pic_Trigger is same as current iTime of Pic_Timeframe
} // END Take_Pic
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//+-------------------- Take_Screen_Shot() -------------------------+
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
void Take_Screen_Shot()
{
// Take "ScreenShot" of chart and put it in a .gif file
// by symbol, Pic_Timeframe, and time (hhmmss)the picture was taken.
// Default Location C:\Program Files\MetaTrader4\experts\files\Pic_Folder value
// Set _width and _height variables to match your screen resolution settings.
// If you prefer broker time change "TimeLocal()" to "TimeCurrent()".
int _width = 2000;// set to match your screen resolution numbers
int _height = 1080;// set to match your screen resolution numbers
string SCREENSHOT_FILENAME;
if (Pic_Broker_Time) // using TimeCurrent() option for Broker times
{
SCREENSHOT_FILENAME = Pic_Folder + StringConcatenate(TimeYear(TimeCurrent()),PadString(DoubleToStr(TimeMonth(TimeCurrent()),0),"0",2), PadString(DoubleToStr(TimeDay(TimeCurrent()),0),"0",2),"_",
PadString(DoubleToStr(TimeHour(TimeCurrent()),0),"0",2), PadString(DoubleToStr(TimeMinute(TimeCurrent()),0),"0",2),
PadString(DoubleToStr(TimeSeconds(TimeCurrent()),0),"0",2), "_", Symbol(),"_", Period(), ".gif" );
}
else // using TimeLocal() option for your PC times
{
SCREENSHOT_FILENAME = Pic_Folder + StringConcatenate(TimeYear(TimeLocal()),PadString(DoubleToStr(TimeMonth(TimeLocal()),0),"0",2), PadString(DoubleToStr(TimeDay(TimeLocal()),0),"0",2),"_",
PadString(DoubleToStr(TimeHour(TimeLocal()),0),"0",2), PadString(DoubleToStr(TimeMinute(TimeLocal()),0),"0",2),
PadString(DoubleToStr(TimeSeconds(TimeLocal()),0),"0",2), "_", Symbol(), "_",Period(), ".gif" );
}
WindowScreenShot(SCREENSHOT_FILENAME, _width, _height); // Take the Picture of the chart
}
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//+-------------------- PadString -------------------------+
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
string PadString(string toBePadded, string paddingChar, int paddingLength)
{
while(StringLen(toBePadded) < paddingLength)
{
toBePadded = StringConcatenate(paddingChar,toBePadded);
}
return (toBePadded);
}
//+-----------------------------------------------------
//---------- ObDeleteObjectsByPrefix(string Prefix) ----------------------------
//+-----------------------------------------------------
void DeleteObjectsByPrefix(string Prefix)
{
int L = StringLen(Prefix);
int i = 0;
while(i < ObjectsTotal())
{
string ObjName = ObjectName(i);
if(StringSubstr(ObjName, 0, L) != Prefix)
{
i++;
continue;
}
ObjectDelete(ObjName);
}
} // END DeleteObjectsByPrefix
Comments