Designing an Automated Trading Program

[expiated]

The guy I hired to take my first idea for an expert advisor (EA) and make it a reality knew how to write the code so that the indicators actually appeared on the chart. Unfortunately, he raised his fees, so for my second idea I opted for another coder who claimed that writing the code for an EA so that the indicators would be visible was impossible, except that he didn’t admit to not knowing how to do this until AFTER we were already approaching the end of the project.

As I’d hoped, the modifications I made to my first idea did indeed eliminate most of the chop that was habitually chipping away at the gains the system was able to generate. This video clip is merely a record of my initial attempt to uncover the best algorithm for this offshoot strategy, so as time permits, I hope to make adjustments that will optimize the system to peak performance.

 

[userque]

except that he didn’t admit to not knowing how to do this until AFTER we were already approaching the end of the project.

In my opinions: That should have been listed as one of the requirements (charting indicators). If it was listed, then you should have recourse (refund? no charge?).

 

[HobbyTrading]

The guy I hired to take my first idea for an expert advisor (EA) and make it a reality knew how to write the code so that the indicators actually appeared on the chart. Unfortunately, he raised his fees, so for my second idea I opted for another coder who claimed that writing the code for an EA so that the indicators would be visible was impossible, except that he didn’t admit to not knowing how to do this until AFTER we were already approaching the end of the project.

That's an example of the risk you're having when you outsource the programming.

You don't have access to the source code of the first program to show to the second programmer on how to print the indicators on the chart?

 

[expiated]

I’ve found this to be a very valuable exercise, and the image below is an example of a resulting system with which I am sufficiently happy.

Unfortunately, I lack the technical know-how to make the system "smarter" using the two expert advisors (EAs) I already have, and at this time, I’m unwilling to shell out any more cash to add additional code.

For example, the program should have exited long positions to sell at the locations indicated by the yellow ellipses, as it did at the spot identified by the yellow arrow, but for some (dumb) reason, it did not. So what should have been three nice gains turned out to be three significant losses instead. Hence, for the time being at least, I’ll simply have to take the principles resulting from this brief endeavor and apply them to my manual trading.

 

[HobbyTrading]

For example, the program should have exited long positions to sell at the locations indicated by the yellow ellipses, as it did at the spot identified by the yellow arrow, but for some (dumb) reason, it did not.

Have you analyzed why your program did not do what you intended it to do? It could be a failure in the design, or in the implementation.

 

[expiated]

Have you analyzed why your program did not do what you intended it to do? It could be a failure in the design, or in the implementation.

Could be...but since I'm not presently pursuing this seriously, I'm not really worried about it. The exercise has given my charts what is, for me, amazing clarity, so that was the payoff. But I'm extremely busy with something else right now, and am definitely not pouring tons of money into an automated system at this time. Maybe when I return to trading full time, if I eventually desire to free up my day, perhaps then I'll take a portion of my returns and designate it for continuing this project. But until and unless that happens, this little diversion is pretty much over and I'll just have to continue trading manually.

This kind of clarity ought to make manual trading a pure joy once I have time to return to day trading.

 

[Handle123]

Are you getting in on the close or intra-bar?

 

[expiated]

Are you getting in on the close or intra-bar?

I don't know. The instructions I gave the coder was that I wanted actions to trigger as soon as the moving averages displayed the described situation, that any concerns about false positives did not apply to me because my indicators do not repaint (whenever it is an issue for me) meaning that I use candlestick opens when I design them and closes are not included (because I hate repaint). So I suppose that, theoretically, I should not be getting in on the open, not on the close or intra-bar.

 

[Handle123]

Reason I asked, there is two ways that I know of to make one minute bars, A) open, high, low, close. B) all the ticks/pips fills up the bar and when next bar starts(.0000), last bar is completed. This makes a HUGE difference when you are back testing cause if you using limits on i.e. (A) and price jumped over your limit, you will see an arrow when in reality trade never took place. Now of course, memory will be an issue, many increments 24 hours a day. But what happens if you decide to change what you are doing to renko or some other non minute bar, you might not have that data?

I only collect daily bars on Forex cause all my signals comes off CME currencies for long term. Very seldom I scalp Forex manually unless testing something, to me it trades similar to CME currencies, I just don't like dealer manufactories the price, but long term it is ok, less rollovers.

And no, I no longer do much programming any more, but here is a suggestion, if you have a college nearby, go to the Dean of Computer Science and ask if he has a bright student who could use part time job yada yada yada cost less and whoever can redo it. College students always need extra and often times they do it for less and they might get involved into your method, one hand washes the other? It was how I started to learn programming by hiring college kids.

 

[expiated]

I was watching a children’s educational video on YouTube when an ad from these guys I’ve never heard of popped up. I think I’ll write up my ideal automated trading system and send it to them for a quote just out of curiosity—even though it’s almost sure to be way beyond my budget.