(NEW MATERIAL IN RED TYPEFACE )
Hi all
The subsequent article used to be tacky in the MetaTrader forum, but it seems to have been missing. Therefore I'm re-posting it .
Utilization of the mouse and mousewheel, and their keyboard equivalents
Scrolling the chart
Hold down the mouse button and drag the mouse in the main chart area, to scroll left/right.
Or you can also simply roll the mousewheel down/up, or utilize the left/right arrow keys, to likewise scroll the chart perspective left/right.
To scroll a whole screen at one time, use Page Up (scroll ) and Page Down (scroll right).
To Rename into the leftmost bar on the chart, press Home.To reposition to the latest (rightmost) bar, press Finish.
To measure forward 1 bar at a time, press F12.
To measure backward 1 bar at a time, press Shift-F12.
Scrolling a chart beyond the leftmost bar will add historical bars to the start of the chart, until no more are available from MT4's historical database.
Moving right to a particular date/time
To re-position immediately to a particular date, press Enter, then type in the date in the shape DD.MM.YY and press Enter again. Leading zeros may be omitted (e.g. to proceed to 4 July 2005, kind 4.7.5). To re-position to a specific date/time, use the format HH:MM or DD.MM.YY HH:MM (e.g. to place to 8:07am TODAY on a 1-min chart, simply type 8:7).
You can also utilize the Quick Navigation Box to change either the currency symbol, or the period, thus:
Inserted Code 1. Time (hours:minutes) example: 08:30; 8:30; 2. Date illustration: 2004.10.16; 16.10.2004; 16.10.04; 3. Date and time example: 2004.10.16 8:30; 16.10.2004 8:30; 16.10.04 8:30; 4. Symbol illustration: GBPUSD; EURUSD; 5. Chart period example: M1; M5; M15; M30; H1; H4; D1; W1; MN; 6. Symbol, chart interval example: GBPUSD, M30; EURUSD, D1; Vertical zoom and re-scale
it is possible to re-scale the chart vertically by moving the mouse to the vertical axis area at the right of the screen, and then dragging downwards (with the left button down) to compress the chart bars, or dragging upwards to expand them.
Double click to reset the chart to its original scale.
Horizontal zoom and re-scale
Likewise, you can fix the diameter of the price pubs by moving the mouse to the horizontal axis area at the bottom of the screen, and then dragging directly (zoom ) or left (zoom out). Or use the and #8211; keys to attain this.
Indiors
Double-click on or close indiors with the left mouse buttonto call their parameter installation windows.
Right-click to call the indior's context menu.
If the screen is cluttered with overlapping indiors and/or objects, making it too hard to pick the desirable indior, press Ctrl-I to call up the Indiors dialog window. Double click (or click on the Edit button, or Alt-E) on the indior to edit its attributes (parameters, colors, etc), or click on the Publish button (or Alt-D) to remove it in the chart.
You can use the Home, End and Page/arrow Up/Down keys to navigate up/down the list.
Objects
Double-click on or close an item (line studies, arrows, texts, geometric shapes) to pick the object. Once chosen, you can move an item by clicking on it (or in the case of or trendline or form, it is centre handle) and dragging it to the desired destination. By dragging the handles on the 17, shapes channels etc may be extended. The amount X/Y seems, in which X = the diameter of the shape of candles, and Y = the elevation of the shape in pips.
Right-click on a chosen object to open its context menu.
If the screen is cluttered with overlapping indiors and/or objects, making it too hard to pick the desired object(s), press Ctrl-B to call up the Objects dialog window. Left click on the check boxes on/off to select/deselect applicable object(s). Double click (or click on the Edit button, or Alt-E) on an item to edit its attributes (parameters, colors, etc), or click the Publish button (or Alt-D) to remove it in the chart. To quickly delete a whole block of objects, repeatedly press Alt-D or hold it down (careful, they vanish rather quickly!)
You can use the Home, End and Page/arrow Up/Down keys to navigate up/down the list.
Click on the'Name' or'Description' going area to sort by name, or description, respectively.
Left-click to Pick a product. You can use Ctrl-click Shift-click to add a set of sequential items to add a choice and items, or media Ctrl-A to pick all products. Click on the Edit button (or press Alt-E) to edit all items in the group consecutively, or the Delete button (or press Alt-D) to delete all selected items concurrently (careful!) .
Alternatively, from the chart window, then press Backspace repeatedly to delete the most recently added object(s) on a last-added-first-removed basis (useful if you want to quickly have a look at a Fibo or regression station, then remove it). Press Ctrl-Z to reverse any deletes, in reverse order.
Or press the Delete key to remove ALL SELECTED objects.
Parallel Trendlines
Ctrl left click on a chosen trend line to draw a parallel fashion line (make a station ). Can also be used with horizontal and vertical lines.
Dupliing objects
The'Parallel Trendlines' concept extends to ALL objects (vertical, horizontal and fashion lines; shapes - triangle, square, ellipse; text and labels; arrows and arrows; and studies like channels, Fibo, Gann, Pitchfork, etc). Here is how to duplie any item:
-- Select the item by clicking on it**
-- While holding down the Ctrl key: move the mouse over any one of the object's handles, and, holding down the left button drag the mouse to where you want the duplied thing to be loed
This shortcut also duplies each one the proprties of the parent thing, e.g. if you've got red, blue and green objects, and you want to create a green one, simply duplie it. This is quicker than creating a new item, and changing its colour.
** Object choice options
Press Ctrl-O and then Pick the'Objects' tab.
-- Select thing by single mouse - if checked OFF, you have to double click to pick an item, and right click to change its attributes. Only click to pick an item, and double click to modify its attributes if checked ON.
-- Select thing after production - if checked ON, any item is automatically chosen immediately after you create it.
-- Display properties after production - if checked ON, the land modifiion window to the item is displayed, immediately after you make the item.
OR
Press Ctrl-B to display the things list. Click on the checkbox (at left) for each item you want selected.
Info Bubble
Hover the mouse cursor on or over a component, item or indior to see the instant (help information bubble).
Crosshair style, and ruler instrument
Click on the mousewheel to switch cursor to the crosshair mode.
This may also be achieved by pressing on Ctrl-F, or selecting the crosshair icon in the toolbar. The crosshairs also display vertical (price) and horizontal (date/time) co-ordinates at the right and bottom of the chart.
Simply left-click to exit crosshair mode.
Now, this really is something extremely useful I haven#8217;t discovered in the online help:
While in crosshair mode, hold down the mouse button and drag the mouse to acquire a ruler-type tool which measures vertical (amount of pips) and horizontal (number of bars) in the center of the crosshairs. The tool shows counters in the shape A/B/C in which a is the amount of pubs right or left of the crosshair, B is the amount of pips from crosshair to cursor, and C is the price at the cursor.
I locate B extremely useful for measuring the amount of pips between any 2 points, thus:
1) move the mouse to the stage that you need to measure from (the anchor line );
2) click on the mousewheel to input crosshair style;
3) then hold down the left button and move the mouse to any number of destination factors, to see the amount of pips between the anchor line and the current mouse destination.
This saves having to compute this space , as the gap between two prices. Pretty cool!
You could also use this facility to rely price bars (reading A) between any 2 dates/times.
Reference and anchor points
'Fixed chart position' arrow: In the lower left of the chart there's a dark colored** arrow. Dragging it with the mouse sets the benchmark (anchor) stage for the chart. Now once you change the timeframe, or zoom in or out, this stage remains anchored at its existing loion.
'Chart change' arrow: In the top right of the chart there's additionally a dim colored** arrow. Twist it left or right with the mouse to set the loion for the final (most current) bar on the chart (i.e. set the quantity of empty whitespace at the right of the chart).
[** the colour is actually set to the identical colour as the Grid colour (press F8 to change the Grid colour in the chart Properties window). Therefore if the arrows are not simple to see, change the Grid color that contrasts better with the chart background.]
Removing all indiors and objects from the chart
Load a blank chart (the pair/timeframe does not matter), then change the preferences (press F8) to set colors, grid, etc to fit your preference. Save as a template named (for example) Z. (menu option: /> http://www.greattradingsystems.com/f...der-4-indiors/
http://allforexindiors.com/Default.aspx
http://www.metatraderlibrary.com/forex-indiors/
If you want to delete an expert, script or indior (CAREFUL!) , use Windows Explorer to go to the appropriate folder, and then delete the file together with the EX4 extension. For instance, if you decide that you no longer wish to utilize PCCI, then delete file PCCI.EX4
That will effectively eliminate PCCI from the habit indiors list in MT4
The file PCCI.MQ4 includes the source code for PCCI (which you copied from your web resource), the PCCI.EX4 file is the executable code that was created when you did your own compile back step (5). If you want to re-instate the indior, all you need to do is reload the source into MetaEditor (press Ctrl-O and open the appropriate file), and then press F5 to compile it, then re-creates the executable file used by MT4.
A simpler method of deleting an expert, script or indior is by using the Navigator (press Ctrl-N). Click the item you wish to delete, then press the key, and click Yes to confirm the deletion. Notice that this deletes both the source (. MQ4) and executable (. EX4) files.
Happy charting!
David
Footnote: the above is replicated in the Word doc. If you prefer, you may download the doc, add your own notes or publish it out.
NOTE: More tips http://articles.mql4.com/189.
March 27, 2012: Added attached file How to create a ruler to measure multiple R-multiple profit targets. This is useful if you want a measuring tool where you want to vary a SL setting, and also have multiple TP settings (that are R-multiples of the SL) fix themselves automatically. It utilizes MT4's in-built Fibonacci Channels centre, so there is no indy required.
Miscellaneous connections
Solving Vista/Win7 issues: http://4xtrader.net/how-to-run-metat...ws-7-or-vista/
7bit's Debug View thread: https://www.forexforum.co.za/general...d-thought.html
Steve Hopwood's EA casing: https://www.forexforum.co.za/trading...imeframes.html
MQL4 tutorials: https://www.forexforum.co.za/general...ex-trader.html
see also: https://www.forexforum.co.za/trading...s-reality.html
MQL4 tutorials (full Collection of hyperlinks ):
https://www.forexforum.co.za/trading...o-journal.html (zip files with full tutorials)
http://www.metatrader.info/node/34
http://articles.mql4.com/404
http://articles.mql4.com/417
http://articles.mql4.com/466
http://articles.mql4.com/516
http://articles.mql4.com/536
http://book.mql4.com/
http://docs.mql4.com/ (MQL4 reference guide )
https://www.forexforum.co.za/general...as-system.html
Have a look at Jim Dandy's excellent MQL4 tutorial videos : http://www.jimdandyforex.com/lessonvideo-links/
Br0ker comparison links: https://www.forexforum.co.za/general...ents-euro.html
TA resources: https://www.forexforum.co.za/trading...sd-charts.html
Useful MQL4 functions (my functions catalog ): https://www.forexforum.co.za/general...d-thought.html
Format of HST files here: https://www.forexforum.co.za/general...on/71-mt4.html
Export price history to Excel here: https://www.forexforum.co.za/trading...imeframes.html (see later articles in thread also)
and updated here: https://www.forexforum.co.za/general...ly-target.html
Export Background indior: https://www.forexforum.co.za/trading...00-2008-a.html
Export bid/ask to Excel (SMJones, DDE-sample. Xls): https://www.forexforum.co.za/general...-question.html
MT4 Expert Advisor Builder: http://sufx.core.t3-ism.net/ExpertAdvisorBuilder/
Another egy builder: http://forexsb.com/wiki/start
MQL4: Manual: http://book.mql4.com/
Documentation: http://docs.mql4.com/
Interpreting System Tester Report numbers: http://www.metaquotes.net/experts/ar...tester_report/
Link to MQL4 resources: https://www.forexforum.co.za/trading...agic-wave.html
Trade/exit management EAs: https://www.forexforum.co.za/general...pile-list.html and https://www.forexforum.co.za/trading...nal-245-a.html
Compendium of EAs (mainly trade management) in forexsaint#8217;s thread: https://www.forexforum.co.za/general...ents-euro.html
Why MT4 is so widely used: https://www.forexforum.co.za/trading...-scalping.html
What the numbers in MT4's Expert Testing report mean: http://articles.mql4.com/83 and http://articles.mql4.com/127
utilizing MT4 to plot non-forex charts: https://www.forexforum.co.za/trading...newbi-log.html
and https://www.forexforum.co.za/general...-question.html
Reading/writing files outside #8230;\experts\files folder: http://articles.mql4.com/720 and http://codebase.mql4.com/4086
Executing external program: http://forum.mql4.com/16121#109022 and http://support.microsoft.com/kb/238245
How to set up e-mail alerts in MT4: http://broguetraders.com/2011/02/11/...in-metatrader/
also https://www.forexforum.co.za/general...ly-target.html
and https://www.forexforum.co.za/general...ty-knocks.html
MetaTrader 4 Strategy Tester Tutorial: http://www.easyexpertforex.com/backt...imization.html
How to attain 90% modelling quality: http://alansforexblog.com/2008/02/27...pert-advisors/
Free data source for EAs: http://www.forextester.com/datasources.html
EA review/constriction info: http://eareview.net/tick-data
Trade juice table on statistical validity: http://www.tradejuice.com/system-tra...ing-system.htm
Ideas on backtesting: https://www.forexforum.co.za/general...rts-ascii.html
Possible sources of tick data:
http://ratedata.gaincapital.com/
http://www.forextickdata.com/services.htm
http://www.tickplusdata.com/forexlist.htm
http://disktrading.is99.com/disktrading/#FOREX
OMZ to ASCII converter here: http://www.quote-solutions.com/softw...historycentre/
http://www.tssupport.com/services/hc/
http://www.goforex.net/forex-directory/forex-data.htm
http://www.global-view.com/forex-tra...forex-history/
http://www.thinkingstuff.com/Resourc...5/Default.aspx
MT4 script to convert tick data to FXT/HST format: http://codebase.mql4.com/516
Free programming threads:
https://www.forexforum.co.za/trading...o-journal.html
https://www.forexforum.co.za/general...-big-deal.html
https://www.forexforum.co.za/general...ty-knocks.html
https://www.forexforum.co.za/trading...mendation.html
How to read/interpret the stats on a Trade Explorer: https://www.forexforum.co.za/general...ly-target.html
Pips, lots, spread, swap, risk, position sizing, margin, leverage calculations explained: https://www.forexforum.co.za/general...-question.html
https://www.forexforum.co.za/attachm...3552606793.doc
https://www.forexforum.co.za/attachm...6301800818.doc
https://www.forexforum.co.za/attachm...9789248924.mq4