Current problems:
- How to collect number of consecutive losses.
This parameter is required by Martingale. Since FST is stateless, consecutive losses must be counted and stored in the expert. I already made a manner of transferring additional params from MT to FST on every tick.

If you know some mql4 code for counting consecutive losses, please share.

I'm working on that now and hope to publish a testing release today.

I added some code a couple of years ago so if it hit a maximum number of consecutive losses, FST would disconnect (to stop the strategy from trading). It looks like: if the order profit > 0, count as win, consecutive losers resets to 0;  else, increase consecutive loser count;;; then if consecutive losers is greater than parameter max losers, then disconnect.

It might have the problem of getting confused on adding or reducing to a position, or how to count stop losses and break evens.

code:

///
/// MT4-FST Server
///
int Server()
{
    string oldrequest = "";
    string expertID   = "";
    if (Connection_ID > 0)
        expertID = "(ID = " + Connection_ID + ") ";
    datetime tickTime = MarketInfo(Symbol(), MODE_TIME);
    datetime barTime = Time[0];
    string message = expertID + TimeToStr(TimeLocal(), TIME_DATE | TIME_SECONDS) + " Forex Strategy Trader is disconnected.";
    Comment(message);

    while (!IsStopped())
    {
        // KROG modification -- count previous orders, be sure less than max number of allowed losses
        // if more, then return -1 to end server
        
         int LossCount=0;
         int OrdHistory=OrdersHistoryTotal();
         // Print("ordersHistoryInit: " + ordersHistoryInit + " OrdHistory: " + OrdHistory + " LossCount: " + LossCount);
         if(OrdHistory>0) {
           for(int cnt=OrdHistory-ordersHistoryInit; cnt>=1; cnt--){
              if(OrderSelect(OrdHistory-cnt,SELECT_BY_POS,MODE_HISTORY)){
                 if (OrderSymbol()==Symbol() && OrderMagicNumber()==Expert_Magic) {
                    if (OrderProfit()>=0) {
                       LossCount=0;
                    }
                    else {
                       LossCount++;
                    }
                  }
               }
            } 
         }
         if (LossCount >= MaxLosses) {
            message = expertID + TimeToStr(TimeLocal(), TIME_DATE | TIME_SECONDS) + "Max Losses (" + LossCount + "/" + MaxLosses + ") hit, disconnecting FST";
            Comment(message);
            Print("Max Losses hit: Loss Count: " + LossCount + " MaxLosses: " + MaxLosses);
            return (-1);
         }

         // end KROG modification        
    
        LastError = 0;
        RefreshRates();

hope that helps

Update on auto start proposed here.

I used the idea of @acerguest for FST starting automation.
The batch file for autostarting will be included in the distribution.
Here is it's code:

:: This batch file runs FST automatically, sets connection ID,
:: sets a strategy name to load and starts (or not) autotrade;
:: Example:
:: start "" "Forex Strategy Trader.exe"   100   "yes"   "Test Trade"
:: Where:
::       100 is the ConectionID,
::       "yes" means start autotrade when connected,
::       "no" means do not start autotrading,
::       "Test Trade" is the strategy name without extension.

start "" "Forex Strategy Trader.exe"   100   "yes"   "Test Trade"
start "" "Forex Strategy Trader.exe"   110   "yes"   "Test Trade"
start "" "Forex Strategy Trader.exe"   120   "yes"   "Test Trade"
start "" "Forex Strategy Trader.exe"   130   "no"    "Test Trade"
start "" "Forex Strategy Trader.exe"   140   "no"    "Test Trade"

It will be available for testing on Monday together with other changes on FST.

Update:

Following tags remain open after publishing FSTv1.5.1NB.

- Automatic log file for FST;
- Repeating non executed closing orders (with an on/off option);

To fix:
- Dealing with activated SL and TP that are not properly detected from expert.

Documentation ToDO:
- Trade Settings;
- Logical Groups;

ETA next NB with log file Wednesday.

Did you covert to double ConnectionID?
I'll add int.TryParse to prevent crashes.

What do you mean with "when converting to double." ?

Is the text "when converting to double." a part of the errormessage?
thomas

I`m sorry, I wrongly interpreted this exception to be autostart issue - but it`s not.
Just installed fresh 1.5.3b, updated Mt4, and when FST is connecting to MT4, it throws this exception below. Broker Oanda & GoMarkets.

Ok probably I know what`s the problem, as it`s conversion issue, it must be good/old -> different Culture. Do you use US culture (I`m from Europe) ?

************** Exception Text **************
System.FormatException: Input string was not in a correct format.
   at System.Number.StringToNumber(String str, NumberStyles options, NumberBuffer& number, NumberFormatInfo info, Boolean parseDecimal)
   at System.Number.ParseDouble(String value, NumberStyles options, NumberFormatInfo numfmt)
   at System.Double.Parse(String s, NumberStyles style, NumberFormatInfo info)
   at Forex_Strategy_Trader.Actions.ParseAndSetParametrs(String parameters)
   at Forex_Strategy_Trader.Actions.TimerPingTick(Object sender, EventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Timer.OnTick(EventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Timer.TimerNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)

Repeating Failed Close Orders

I think the failure to close an order is a critical issue. There can be nothing worse than an open position going against you that you have no control over. A bit like in the early days when you couldn't get hold of your broker and no-one else wanted to get involved with a fellow brokers book. Here are my thoughts.

1. If the close order is sent and it fails I think the order should be continuously retried until canceled by operator intervention.  At the same time a flashing warning should be displayed on FST as a visual indication of a problem and maybe even send an email indicating an order failure.

2. How long should it retry for? Maybe every 30 seconds would seem reasonable. Maybe for an hour, after that the market would either be closed or there is another problem.

3. I think strategy activity should be stopped until the order is closed. You cannot keep trading a strategy when half of it is broken.

4. I do occasionally get a message that says market closed when it isn't and the next minute the order goes through so getting a market closed response shouldn't be an indication to stop sending the close order.

Thank you SpiderMan for the reasonable request. I'm going to work on that matter today.

If the strategy comes from FSB, it has a time frame and a symbol record. I can add a warning and additional confirmation if one tries to start trading on different chart.

If strategy was set directly in FST it can also record info for the market it was initially started to trade.
Normally FST stop trading if the user changes the chart, but currently there is no warning or confirmation when tarding is started on different chart.

I can also add a record if a strategy was first tested on a Demo account. If it wasn't, FST can show a confirmation dialog.