write_ini_file: Create initialization files to launch MT4 platform with specific configuration

Description

Function generate initialization files suitable for launching MT4 terminal with specific parameters. Several options available for generating files specific for each purpose. Option 'prod' will just use existing profile and connect to the broker server Option 'backtest' will generate file for the robot backtest Option 'opt' will generate file needed for the robot optimization Option 'full' allows to specify any desired parameter

Usage

write_ini_file(
  mt4_Profile = "Default",
  mt4_MarketWatch = "Forex.set",
  mt4_Login = "1234567",
  mt4_Password = "xxxxxXX",
  mt4_Server = "BrokerServerName",
  mt4_AutoConfiguration = "false",
  mt4_EnableNews = "false",
  mt4_ExpertsEnable = "true",
  mt4_ExpertsDllImport = "true",
  mt4_ExpertsExpImport = "true",
  mt4_ExpertsTrades = "true",
  mt4_Symbol = "EURUSD",
  mt4_Period = "H1",
  mt4_Template = "Default",
  mt4_Expert = "",
  mt4_ExpertParameters = "",
  mt4_Script = "",
  mt4_ScriptParameters = "",
  mt4_TestExpert = "",
  mt4_TestExpertParameters = "",
  mt4_TestSymbol = "EURUSD",
  mt4_TestPeriod = "H1",
  mt4_TestModel = "",
  mt4_TestSpread = "",
  mt4_TestOptimization = "false",
  mt4_TestDateEnable = "true",
  mt4_TestFromDate = "",
  mt4_TestToDate = "",
  mt4_TestReport = "test report",
  mt4_TestReplaceReport = "false",
  mt4_TestShutdownTerminal = "",
  mt4_TestVisualEnable = "false",
  dss_inifilepath = "",
  dss_inifilename = "test.ini",
  dss_mode = "prod"
)

Arguments

mt4_Profile

string, the subdirectory name in the /profiles directory. The charts will be opened in the client terminal according to the given profile. If this parameter is not specified, the current profile will be opened

mt4_MarketWatch

string, file name (the symbolsets directory) that contains the symbol list to be shown in the Market Watch window.

mt4_Login

string, the number of the account to connect to at startup. If this parameter is not specified, the current login will be used.

mt4_Password

string, the password that allows entering the system. This parameter will be ignored if the client terminal stores personal data on the disk and the account to be connected is in the list

mt4_Server

string, the name of the trade server to be connected to. The server name is the same as the name of the corresponding .srv file stored in the /config directory

mt4_AutoConfiguration

string, "true" or "false" depending on whether the autoconfiguration of Data Center setting should be enabled or not. If this parameter is not specified, the value from the current server settings will be used.

mt4_EnableNews

string, either 'false' or 'true'

mt4_ExpertsEnable

string, enable/disable experts.

mt4_ExpertsDllImport

string, enable/disable DLL imports

mt4_ExpertsExpImport

string, enable/disable import of functions from external experts or MQL4 libraries.

mt4_ExpertsTrades

string, enable/disable the experts trading

mt4_Symbol

string,the symbol of the security the chart of which should be opened immediately after the terminal startup

mt4_Period

string, the chart timeframe (M1, M5, M15, M30, H1, H4, D1, W1, MN). If this parameter is not specified, H1 is used

mt4_Template

string, the name of the template file (the templates directory), which should be applied to the chart.

mt4_Expert

string, the name of the expert that should be launched after the client terminal has started

mt4_ExpertParameters

string, the name of the file containing the expert parameters (the MQL4 Presets directory).

mt4_Script

string, the name of the script, which must be launched after the client terminal startup

mt4_ScriptParameters

string, the name of the file containing the script parameters (the MQL5 Presets directory).

mt4_TestExpert

string, the name of the expert to be launched for testing. If this parameter has not been specified, no testing is launched.

mt4_TestExpertParameters

string, the name of the file containing parameters (the tester directory).

mt4_TestSymbol

string, the name of the symbol used for the expert testing. If this parameter has not been specified, the latest value used in the tester is used.

mt4_TestPeriod

string, the chart period (M1, M5, M15, M30, H1, H4, D1, W1, MN). If this parameter has not been specified, H1 is used.

mt4_TestModel

string, 0, 1, or 2, depending on the testing model (Every tick, Control points, Open prices only). If this parameter has not been specified, 0 is used (Every tick)

mt4_TestSpread

string, spread value that will be used for modeling Ask prices during testing. If 0 value is specified, the strategy tester will use the current spread of a symbol at the beginning of testing

mt4_TestOptimization

string, enable/disable optimization. The values that can be taken are "true" or "false". If this parameter had not been specified, the "false" value is used.

mt4_TestDateEnable

string, enable/disable the "Use date" flag. The values that can be taken are "true" or "false". If this parameter had not been specified, the "false" value is used.

mt4_TestFromDate

string, the date, from which to start testing, appeared as YYYY.MM.DD. If this parameter has not been specified, this date is 1970.01.01.

mt4_TestToDate

string, the date, on which to finish testing, appeared as YYYY.MM.DD. If this parameter has not been specified, this date is 1970.01.01.

mt4_TestReport

string, the name of the test report file. The file will be created in the client terminal directory. A relative path can be specified, for example: tester \ MovingAverageReport". If the extension has not been specified in the file name, the ".htm" will be set automatically. If this parameter has not been specified, the test report will not be formed

mt4_TestReplaceReport

string, enable/disable the repeated report file record. The values that can be taken are "true" or "false"

mt4_TestShutdownTerminal

string, enable/disable shutdown of the terminal after the testing has been finished.

mt4_TestVisualEnable

string, enable (true) or disable (false) the visual test mode. If the parameter is not specified, the current setting is used.

dss_inifilepath

string, path on the computer where file will be stored

dss_inifilename

string, file name that should be written

dss_mode

string,

Value

output is a file with desired parameters

Details

added value of this function is the ability to generate multiple files to backtest several robots for several timeframes. For example it is solves the problem of doing repetitive tasks to 'backtest' robots for several currencies and repeat this procedure over time.

Most of the variables present in the function are starting with a prefix mt4_, the remainder of the name comes from the platform documentation, see references

Remaining variables are named with a prefix 'dss_' stands for 'Decision Support System', as these are the variables used for further automation purposes

Note that for simplicity reasons not all parameters are present in this function. e.g. FTP Settings and Proxy Server settings are not present

References

All parameters used are taken from the reference documentation https://www.metatrader4.com/en/trading-platform/help/service/start_conf_file

Examples

Run this code

# NOT RUN {
library(lazytrade)

dir <- normalizePath(tempdir(),winslash = "/")

# test file to launch MT4 terminal with parameters
write_ini_file(mt4_Profile = "Default",
               mt4_Login = "12345678",
               mt4_Password = "password",
               mt4_Server = "BrokerServerName",
               dss_inifilepath = dir,
               dss_inifilename = "prod_T1.ini",
               dss_mode = "prod")

# test file to launch robot backtest
TO <- format(as.Date(Sys.Date()), "%Y.%m.%d")
FROM <- format(as.Date(Sys.Date()-60), "%Y.%m.%d")

# test file for MT4 use for backtesting
write_ini_file(mt4_Profile = "Default",
               mt4_Login = "12345678",
               mt4_Password = "password",
               mt4_Server = "BrokerServerName",
               mt4_TestExpert="FALCON_D\\Falcon_D",
               mt4_TestExpertParameters="Falcon_D.set",
               mt4_TestSymbol="EURUSD",
               mt4_TestPeriod="H1",
               mt4_TestModel="2",
               mt4_TestSpread="20",
               mt4_TestOptimization="false",
               mt4_TestDateEnable="true",
               mt4_TestFromDate=FROM,
               mt4_TestToDate=TO,
               mt4_TestReport="EURUSD_Report",
               mt4_TestReplaceReport="false",
               mt4_TestShutdownTerminal="true",
               mt4_TestVisualEnable="false",
               dss_inifilepath = dir,
               dss_inifilename = "backtest.ini",
               dss_mode = "backtest")


# }

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