1 Topic by hannahis (edited by hannahis 2018-07-24 09:59:31)

  • Registered: 2010-11-18
  • Posts: 1,179

Topic: Different EA numbering between Collection and Portfolio Expert

Hi Popov,

1) I use the MT4 Tracker to track my EA's performance and use it to prune out bad EA.

2) I identify 1 good EA (941032, which supposed to be the 33th EA from the Collection folder) and pruned out the rest of the 99 strategies from this Portfolio Expert.  And hence this Portfolio Expert has only 1 strategy/EA inside it.

3) Then I use the Validator to ascend/extract it to the Collection.  This EA (941032) fortunately managed to be ascended into the Collection folder and I opened the EA and it's Identity number is ID 507.1

4) I opened the Collection file in EA Studio and looked for the 33th EA and it's not the same as one I managed to opened via the Validator (ID 507.1).

5) I searched for ID 507.1  and found it as the 1st EA in the Collection.

6) I did another search for EA 941066 (which supposed to be the 67th EA from the Collection) and I found it on number 58th of the Collection.

What's the Implication?

1) Users run the Portfolio Expert EA and use MT4 Tracker to track EA's performance and use it to prune out bad EA.

2) When asked whether the EA's numbering in the Collection file is correlated to the Portfolio Expert's number, we were informed that it is.  i.e Collection file's 1st EA is Portfolio Expert's number "0" EA and Collection file's 2nd EA is the same as Portfolio Expert's 2nd EA labelled as "1", so on and on...

https://forexsb.com/forum/post/44455/#p44455

https://forexsb.com/forum/post/45921/#p45921

3) So we assumed that the number 32th EA in Portfolio Expert is the number 33th EA from the Collection file.

So imagined I looked at the EA's performance and found EA 941032 seem to be a good EA I want to use and I go back to the Collection file and searched for the 33th EA (since Portfolio Expert labeled the 1st Strategy as "0" and 32th EA from the Portfolio Expert is the 33th from the Collection file).

I found the 33th EA and assume this is the same EA as the one I see in the MT4 Tracker number 941032.  (But this is not true).

So users could have been using the wrong EA all the long if we assume that the number is the same.


What's the Possible mix up?

1) Is it possible that when we upload the Collection file, the numbering of the EA will be Re-arranged according to the new/latest data (even though I didn't refresh it after I upload it).

2) If this is true, how then are Users going to identify a specific EA we want to use that is correlated to the numbering in the Portfolio Expert numbering we see on the MT4 Tracker? 

3) Ideally, we must be given to option to upload our EA (for a pruned Portfolio Expert) to extract EXACTLY the EA we intended to use.  However, currently this is not possible cos the only way to open an EA from the (pruned) Portfolio Expect is via the Validator, which often didn't pass my EA and hence they didn't get ascended to the collection folder for me to view them.

The Reason this issue is very important because

1) There are many EA from the Portfolio Expert that I want to open them up in the Collection folder/Editor so that I can view them individually and examine their rules and use them as Preset Indicators.

2) But since many of these EA can't be ascended back to the Collection folder because the Validator rejected them (as unprofitable), the only way left for me is to go back to the Collection file and search out for the EA by the using the Portfolio Expert's numbering such as 941032.  But if this only method doesn't give me true and accurate extraction, then what other method do I have to extract good EA from the Portfolio Expert?

Can you kindly resolve this very essential and important issue.  Kindly comment whether you intent to do something about it or you are going to leave users scratching their heads and having to resign to the fact that they can search for good Ea and ended up not able to re-use it again to generate better ones.

If you know of a better way that I somehow didn't know, kindly point me to the correct direction.  I've been express this difficulties I've been facing and yet haven't heard any workable respond to it.

Thanks

  • Popov
  • Popov
  • Lead Developer
  • Offline
  • From: Bulgaria
  • Registered: 2006-11-30
  • Posts: 8,048

Re: Different EA numbering between Collection and Portfolio Expert

The Collection sorts the strategies on a certain stats parameter. No static indexing is applied. The presented order may (and probably will ) change every time you have new data and recalculate the collection.

On the other hand, the strategies in the Portfolio Expert are physically written in a text file, which force a certain order. The indexes in the Portfolio Expert starts from zero, because this is how the computers count (although most of the people count from 1).

The ID numbers are temporary. We cannot set unique numbers for all possible strategies because  you will not be possible to deal with them easily.

The main goal of EA Studio (as well as FSB Pro) is to create strategies and to export expert advisors. The program doesn't address the process of analyzing the trading statistics. Such functionality may be added later, but this is not a primary feature of the program. You can use third party tools for that for now.

>  I've been express this difficulties I've been facing and yet haven't heard any workable respond to it.

There are unlimited count of existing problems in the algorithmic trading. We develop a product to provide a solution to a specific one - creating and backtesting strategies. You cannot expect that we will solve everything. We know for your request and have it in our plans. You don't need to post it every day.

You can make your live easier if you work with a count of experts you can manage. It is like if Mercedes decided to give you 100 000 cars if you order one. You cannot expect that they will solve your potential parking space problems.

Popov's Website

3 Reply by hannahis (edited by hannahis 2018-07-24 16:30:38)

  • Registered: 2010-11-18
  • Posts: 1,179

Re: Different EA numbering between Collection and Portfolio Expert

Popov wrote:

The main goal of EA Studio (as well as FSB Pro) is to create strategies and to export expert advisors. The program doesn't address the process of analyzing the trading statistics. Such functionality may be added later, but this is not a primary feature of the program. You can use third party tools for that for now.

Ans: I'm not even asking for any trading analysis.  I'm saying after my own trade analysis, I want to retrieve or extract that particular EA from the Portfolio Expert and I can't.


>  We know for your request and have it in our plans. You don't need to post it every day.

I won't be posting it here, if I have a proper respond in the 1st place.  All the while I'm been asking for any workable solution and it's now that you finally reply that you have it in your plans and that a solution is up in the way, I would have stopped asking.  Do you think I enjoy repeating myself and not getting any respond and that's why I kindly asked for your comments.

I've already suggested one possible solution.

Since EA Studio has the capability to (use Validator) import back an EA, Collection file, Portfolio Expert.

Why can't it just allow user to import EA contain in the Portfolio Expert into the Collection file without Validating it first.

I know you replied that's what a Validator is for, to validate and pass only profitable EA.  I'm not here to change the function of the Validator, I'm here to say that before the Validator even validate my EA from a Portfolio Expert.  Let user have the chance to directly transfer these EA from a Portfolio Expert to the Collection folder and skip the validating part.  Call it another name if you want, if you think it doesn't fit the role of the Validator. 

What I'm pointing out is that you have the existing capablity to import an Portfolio Expert (step 1) and then validate it (step 2), is it then that difficult to ask for the Step 1 function (without the need to perform step 2)?



Lastly, this post is to highlight and warn users that the Collection files ranking of the strategies changes all the time and hence doesn't necessary match the same "statistic" numbering of the Portfolio Expert.

The reason I raise this issue is that a few times users asked how to track or retrieve a particular EA and whether does the numbering of the Portfolio Expert Strategies matches the ranking of the strategies in the Collection file and the impression we or at least I have (cos no one pointed or highlighted to me, otherwise) is that they are the same and you can go to the Collection file and retrieve a particular Strategy we observed to perform well in the Portfolio Expert.  Eg Portfolio Expert 000001 is the Strategy in Collection file number 2, etc

Till date, neither you nor anyone highlighted the fact that the ranking of the strategies in the Collection file are not statistic and they changes all the time (and hence differ from the ranking of the original Portfolio Expert exported).  This is very important information cos I don't want any user to misunderstand that they can actually retrieve any of the strategies that they thought is good in the Portfolio Expert.

In another words, once you have export the strategies in the Portfolio Expert, you can not expect to be able to retrieve exactly the same strategy (particular strategy you want) unless it happened to pass the Validator to be allowed to be imported back to the collection file, even then you have to make sure you pruned out all the rest of the strategies in the Portfolio Expert and left with the remaining one that you want to examine.

Popov, I hope you understand I'm not here to make any troubles but to highlight to you the troubles users are facing.

  • Popov
  • Popov
  • Lead Developer
  • Offline
  • From: Bulgaria
  • Registered: 2006-11-30
  • Posts: 8,048

Re: Different EA numbering between Collection and Portfolio Expert

Why can't it just allow user to import EA contain in the Portfolio Expert into the Collection file without Validating it firs

Because they are two different things:

- The Collection is a set of meta data in JSON format. It is designed for the specific purpose to save and recover strategy collections.

- The Portfolio Expert is an Expert Advisor written in MQL and designed to work in Meta Traders.

You can make it easier for you to export both Portfolio Expert and a Collection file from the Portfolio -> Content page. You will have both files in that case and will be able to manage them as you like.

Popov's Website

  • Popov
  • Popov
  • Lead Developer
  • Offline
  • From: Bulgaria
  • Registered: 2006-11-30
  • Posts: 8,048

Re: Different EA numbering between Collection and Portfolio Expert

I do consider making a tool for analyzing the trade results from Meta Trader and for extracting strategies for EA Studio. However my concerns are that this will be a completely different product from EA Studio and I'm not sure it will have place in the app.  It is also not sure if the eventual sells of the product will cover the development cost especially if it is a part of EA Studio.

Please note that the USA traders cannot use Portfolio trading because of the FIFO rules, which greatly limits the potential benefits of developing such tool. It is even questionable if the Portfolio contributes to the success of EA Studio at all.

Our biggest problem is to make the traders believe that an online app can generate trading strategies. Also to convince the owners of trading oriented websites that if they integrate Ea studio for free, it will be useful for them and for their visitors.

One lady (a long term experienced trader) told me recently - "Why do you think I'm stupid and tell me to use your browser app instead of the professional desktop program?". This is the problems we have to solve now. The Portfolio validation is for then next months.

Popov's Website

6 Reply by hannahis (edited by hannahis 2018-07-24 16:57:30)

  • Registered: 2010-11-18
  • Posts: 1,179

Re: Different EA numbering between Collection and Portfolio Expert


You can make it easier for you to export both Portfolio Expert and a Collection file from the Portfolio -> Content page. You will have both files in that case and will be able to manage them as you like.

Thanks for you reply.  Appreciate your quick respond.  You are the programmer, I'm just a user who gives feedback of what can be improved without understanding how difficult or easy it can be...

Yes, it's easier if I don't have any specific Strategy I want to retrieve.

The Portfolio Content page is only accessing strategies from the original Collection file (strategies that are not pruned).

There is no way I can access pruned strategies from the Portfolio Expert because these are the remaining ones that I truly want to keep.

This are the stages of using EA Studio

1. Generator/Reactor to generate strategies to the Collection Folder

2. Add these Strategies to the Portfolio

3. Open up the Portfolio Tab to view the Summary or Content page and if you are happy, Export the Strategies out as Portfolio Expert

4. Test out these Strategies in Demo/live account and use the MT4 Tracker to analyse the trading results

5. Use MT4 Tracker to pruned unwanted EA and re-export the file to create this new Portfolio Expert (many thanks to Steve/Sleytus for his wonderful and time saver products).

6. Try import back the pruned/newly created Portfolio Expert back via Validator to examine the strategy rules so as to use them in future generating as Preset Indicator.

Now this Step 6 is where user are "stuck".  Cos you can't use the Portfolio Contain page to access this newly created Portfolio Expert.


Anyway, I'll be waiting for your workable solution that's coming in the future (do you have a projected time line when will that be).  Lastly, I'm still waiting for my belated birthday present (Optimising the combination setting in FSB Pro) from you (from our last skype call), am I still getting my birthday present or it's not ever coming anymore?  sad

7 Reply by hannahis (edited by hannahis 2018-07-24 22:04:07)

  • Registered: 2010-11-18
  • Posts: 1,179

Re: Different EA numbering between Collection and Portfolio Expert

Popov wrote:

I do consider making a tool for analyzing the trade results from Meta Trader and for extracting strategies for EA Studio. However my concerns are that this will be a completely different product from EA Studio and I'm not sure it will have place in the app.  It is also not sure if the eventual sells of the product will cover the development cost especially if it is a part of EA Studio.

Please note that the USA traders cannot use Portfolio trading because of the FIFO rules, which greatly limits the potential benefits of developing such tool. It is even questionable if the Portfolio contributes to the success of EA Studio at all.

Our biggest problem is to make the traders believe that an online app can generate trading strategies. Also to convince the owners of trading oriented websites that if they integrate Ea studio for free, it will be useful for them and for their visitors.

One lady (a long term experienced trader) told me recently - "Why do you think I'm stupid and tell me to use your browser app instead of the professional desktop program?". This is the problems we have to solve now. The Portfolio validation is for then next months.

1. Honestly, the function to extract a strategy from a Portfolio Expert is an basic and essential tool that I feel EA Studio (or company of FSB) "owe" it to the users to provide.  If you need to recover your developmental cost, then increase your sales price to cover it.  This feature is important because it will increase users' success rate in using EA Studio = increase in future sales

2.  Forex is a big market, I wonder how many of your customers are US citizen.  Hence, one cannot limited the product just to suit a particular segment of the market.  Do you want to attract only US trader/user/customer or do you prefer your product to be appealing to the rest of the traders who are not limited by FIFO (which I believe is a deep state set up to prevent retail traders to succeed in forex).

3.

Our biggest problem is to make the traders believe that an online app can generate trading strategies

Your team mates should have develop Strategies themselves and use them in live trading to understand the software's capabilities.  Won't they able to provide live accounts to verify and testify how "effective" the software can do to help people make money in forex?

In most other software website that sells EA/Robots etc, they mostly provide some live trading accounts results to show people of the success stories.  It would be good if your team mates can provide such "verification documents" such as Myfxbook links etc to show how by using EA Studio/FSB Pro, their trading account has grown etc.  If you don't have such, it's about time to build up a live trading account to show and convince.  (I'm totally won over long ago but for the sake of potential users of cos).

4.

Also to convince the owners of trading oriented websites that if they integrate Ea studio for free, it will be useful for them and for their visitors.

They integrate EA Studio for free?  Really and they reject it?  Do they, owners of trading oriented website need to pay for the EA Studio in order to provide it for their users?  I assume it's "yes".  Then I understand why.  These website owner don't want to incur additional cost just to satisfy their customers.  But if these owners don't have to pay to integrate EA Studio for free, they are really dumb.  I would one day like to then have a website to integrate EA Studio for free (for me as owner) and free for my visitors.

But honestly, I think if your team mates can provide live trading results, it would be more convincing.  Facts sells well, cos too many scam software/EA robot etc out there.  It's hard to tell the real ones from the bad ones at times.

5. 

One lady (a long term experienced trader) told me recently - "Why do you think I'm stupid and tell me to use your browser app instead of the professional desktop program?". This is the problems we have to solve now. The Portfolio validation is for then next months

She thinks it's stupid and impossible that a browser app can be better than a desktop program?

No. 1 - She doesn't know you...that you are a genius (I'm not kidding, it's true).

Well, I can't blame her.  That's a common misconception.  I was once in that shoe too.  I once thought that FSB Pro was far better the EA Studio and I had EA Studio for a year and never really pay much attention to use it....until 2mths ago.  Now, each week, I see EA studio strategies perform far better than my own FSB built EA.  That's amazing.  A bit of the bruising to my ego but yet I'm so happy too cos that mean I don't have to work so hard to build my own EA rule by rule any more.

Now I think I'm the "stupid" one for not using EA Studio earlier.  So if you have some concrete live account to "prove" success stories, then you can turn many "stupid" people like me (before I realised my stupidity, with due respect to others) around much faster and easier.

I'm quite near the end of my FSB Pro projects/experiment (if you have given me my "early" birthday present you promised (due by May 2018), i.e. optimising combination setting), I would have completed my work much earlier, faster and much more effortlessly.  Cos the key to success for FSB Pro lies in getting the correct combination.  I'm still hoping and waiting for my Birthday present so that I can improve my results by leap and bounds.

And part of the reason why I think EA Studio is "superior" is that the combinations rules are optimised, i.e. the EA rules uses sometimes Exponential, smooth, etc to find the best results.  That's what I want for FSB Pro, the software to find the best combination such as Simple, smooth, exponential etc instead of optimising the parameters, we should be optimising the combination.  This is the key to success.

I want to let you know that despite all my "complaints", EA Studio is superb and I have great faith in it's capabilities.  I only hope your solution can come faster as I'm stuck now and find it hard to progress further without the feature to extract good EA from the Portfolio Expert.  Kindly do put this as a high priority as your users' success is also your success.  I'll in due time post my EA Studio results here to what kind of results EA Studio can produce....meanwhile bear with my "slowness" as I'm a perfectionist when it comes to EA development.

  • FinWiz
  • Licensed Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2018-07-24
  • Posts: 6

Re: Different EA numbering between Collection and Portfolio Expert

why not try this to solve your problem:

use mt4 tracker to identify your high performing EA's and keep note of the magic numbers.

open up your portfolio expert in a text editor and find the following lines of code (yours will be different as your strategies will differ - but you get the idea):

//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//|                                                                  |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
void SetSignals(Signal &signalList[])
  {
   int i=0;
   ArrayResize(signalList,2*strategiesCount);
   HideTestIndicators(true);

   /*STRATEGY CODE {"properties":{"entryLots":0.01,"stopLoss":461,"takeProfit":8237,"useStopLoss":true,"useTakeProfit":true,"isTrailingStop":false},"openFilters":[{"name":"Moving Average","listIndexes":[2,2,3,0,0],"numValues":[200,0,0,0,0,0]},{"name":"Stochastic Signal","listIndexes":[0,0,0,0,0],"numValues":[18,6,15,0,0,0]},{"name":"Momentum","listIndexes":[0,3,0,0,0],"numValues":[13,100,0,0,0,0]},{"name":"Awesome Oscillator","listIndexes":[0,0,0,0,0],"numValues":[0,0,0,0,0,0]}],"closeFilters":[{"name":"MACD Signal","listIndexes":[2,3,0,0,0],"numValues":[15,45,11,0,0,0]}]} */
   signalList[i++] = GetExitSignal_00();
   signalList[i++] = GetEntrySignal_00();

   /*STRATEGY CODE {"properties":{"entryLots":0.01,"stopLoss":1040,"takeProfit":2626,"useStopLoss":true,"useTakeProfit":true,"isTrailingStop":false},"openFilters":[{"name":"Moving Average","listIndexes":[2,2,3,0,0],"numValues":[200,0,0,0,0,0]},{"name":"Moving Average of Oscillator","listIndexes":[5,3,0,0,0],"numValues":[20,50,8,0,0,0]}],"closeFilters":[{"name":"Stochastic","listIndexes":[6,0,0,0,0],"numValues":[8,5,4,20,0,0]}]} */
   signalList[i++] = GetExitSignal_01();
   signalList[i++] = GetEntrySignal_01();

   /*STRATEGY CODE {"properties":{"entryLots":0.01,"stopLoss":252,"takeProfit":8846,"useStopLoss":true,"useTakeProfit":true,"isTrailingStop":false},"openFilters":[{"name":"Moving Average","listIndexes":[2,2,3,0,0],"numValues":[200,0,0,0,0,0]},{"name":"MACD Signal","listIndexes":[0,3,0,0,0],"numValues":[13,49,4,0,0,0]},{"name":"Money Flow Index","listIndexes":[2,0,0,0,0],"numValues":[12,55,0,0,0,0]}],"closeFilters":[{"name":"Bears Power","listIndexes":[0,0,0,0,0],"numValues":[24,0,0,0,0,0]}]} */
   signalList[i++] = GetExitSignal_02();
   signalList[i++] = GetEntrySignal_02();

   /*STRATEGY CODE {"properties":{"entryLots":0.01,"stopLoss":252,"takeProfit":8846,"useStopLoss":true,"useTakeProfit":true,"isTrailingStop":false},"openFilters":[{"name":"Moving Average","listIndexes":[2,2,3,0,0],"numValues":[200,0,0,0,0,0]},{"name":"MACD Signal","listIndexes":[0,3,0,0,0],"numValues":[13,49,4,0,0,0]},{"name":"Money Flow Index","listIndexes":[2,0,0,0,0],"numValues":[12,55,0,0,0,0]},{"name":"Momentum","listIndexes":[2,3,0,0,0],"numValues":[39,100.06,0,0,0,0]}],"closeFilters":[{"name":"Bears Power","listIndexes":[0,0,0,0,0],"numValues":[24,0,0,0,0,0]}]} */
   signalList[i++] = GetExitSignal_03();
   signalList[i++] = GetEntrySignal_03();

   /*STRATEGY CODE {"properties":{"entryLots":0.01,"stopLoss":1197,"takeProfit":6642,"useStopLoss":true,"useTakeProfit":true,"isTrailingStop":false},"openFilters":[{"name":"Moving Average","listIndexes":[2,2,3,0,0],"numValues":[200,0,0,0,0,0]},{"name":"Force Index","listIndexes":[2,0,0,0,0],"numValues":[37,0,0,0,0,0]},{"name":"Moving Averages Crossover","listIndexes":[1,0,0,0,0],"numValues":[13,20,0,0,0,0]}],"closeFilters":[{"name":"Average True Range","listIndexes":[3,0,0,0,0],"numValues":[22,0.7264,0,0,0,0]}]} */
   signalList[i++] = GetExitSignal_04();
   signalList[i++] = GetEntrySignal_04();

   HideTestIndicators(false);
   if(i!=2*strategiesCount)
      ArrayResize(signalList,i);
  }

copy and paste this into a new document, if you notice in the commented out sections ( /*STRATEGY CODE {"properties":)it has all the rules for that particular strategy -  in particular notice the signalList[i++] = GetExitSignal_03(); line at the bottom- this will identify your strategy number within the portfolio.


using this info you can delete the poor performing EAs and then save the file as *.mq4 and reimport in the EA Studio Validator to then recreate the portfolio EA using only the high quality Experts.

so for example if i wanted to filter out magic numbers 10001 and 10003 from the above code i would simple make the changes so the code looks like this:


//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//|                                                                  |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
void SetSignals(Signal &signalList[])
  {
   int i=0;
   ArrayResize(signalList,2*strategiesCount);
   HideTestIndicators(true);

   /*STRATEGY CODE {"properties":{"entryLots":0.01,"stopLoss":461,"takeProfit":8237,"useStopLoss":true,"useTakeProfit":true,"isTrailingStop":false},"openFilters":[{"name":"Moving Average","listIndexes":[2,2,3,0,0],"numValues":[200,0,0,0,0,0]},{"name":"Stochastic Signal","listIndexes":[0,0,0,0,0],"numValues":[18,6,15,0,0,0]},{"name":"Momentum","listIndexes":[0,3,0,0,0],"numValues":[13,100,0,0,0,0]},{"name":"Awesome Oscillator","listIndexes":[0,0,0,0,0],"numValues":[0,0,0,0,0,0]}],"closeFilters":[{"name":"MACD Signal","listIndexes":[2,3,0,0,0],"numValues":[15,45,11,0,0,0]}]} */
   signalList[i++] = GetExitSignal_00();
   signalList[i++] = GetEntrySignal_00();

  

   /*STRATEGY CODE {"properties":{"entryLots":0.01,"stopLoss":252,"takeProfit":8846,"useStopLoss":true,"useTakeProfit":true,"isTrailingStop":false},"openFilters":[{"name":"Moving Average","listIndexes":[2,2,3,0,0],"numValues":[200,0,0,0,0,0]},{"name":"MACD Signal","listIndexes":[0,3,0,0,0],"numValues":[13,49,4,0,0,0]},{"name":"Money Flow Index","listIndexes":[2,0,0,0,0],"numValues":[12,55,0,0,0,0]}],"closeFilters":[{"name":"Bears Power","listIndexes":[0,0,0,0,0],"numValues":[24,0,0,0,0,0]}]} */
   signalList[i++] = GetExitSignal_02();
   signalList[i++] = GetEntrySignal_02();

  

   /*STRATEGY CODE {"properties":{"entryLots":0.01,"stopLoss":1197,"takeProfit":6642,"useStopLoss":true,"useTakeProfit":true,"isTrailingStop":false},"openFilters":[{"name":"Moving Average","listIndexes":[2,2,3,0,0],"numValues":[200,0,0,0,0,0]},{"name":"Force Index","listIndexes":[2,0,0,0,0],"numValues":[37,0,0,0,0,0]},{"name":"Moving Averages Crossover","listIndexes":[1,0,0,0,0],"numValues":[13,20,0,0,0,0]}],"closeFilters":[{"name":"Average True Range","listIndexes":[3,0,0,0,0],"numValues":[22,0.7264,0,0,0,0]}]} */
   signalList[i++] = GetExitSignal_04();
   signalList[i++] = GetEntrySignal_04();

   HideTestIndicators(false);
   if(i!=2*strategiesCount)
      ArrayResize(signalList,i);
  }

Id save that file as a mq4 file and then import in to validator, add them to your portfolio tab in EA Studio and reexport the portfoio expert and your done.

you may also want to include the very last line in the original portfolio ea that looks like this in my example:

//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
/*STRATEGY MARKET MetaTrader-Demo; GBPUSD; H4 */

place this right at the bottom of the mq4 file you create for the Validator. This will ensure the validator knows what pair and timeframe the strategies were using - otherwise you will have to manually set.

I know this is a bit of a work around, but i have been doing this for close to a year with no issues - although my workflow for analysis is different ( i dont use mt4 tracker, sorry steve ) i feel the results should be similar and you can extract your high performing EA's with little to no fuss.

I hope this helps yours and others situation in finding a way to your financial success.

Safe Trading.

9 Reply by hannahis (edited by hannahis 2018-07-25 17:40:04)

  • Registered: 2010-11-18
  • Posts: 1,179

Re: Different EA numbering between Collection and Portfolio Expert

Hi FinWiz,

Thanks very kind of you to take so much time to explain in details how to "prune" or delete the bad EA from the Strategies.

I believe users who don't have Steve's MT4 Tracker would benefit from your explanations and steps.

I've the MT4 Tracker that can help me select and delete the EA from the Portfolio Expert and re-create a new Portfolio Expert easily.

My problem is either methods, via yours or Steve, most of the time, the Validator won't pass or ascend my EA/strategies to the Collection folder even for me to view.

So my real problem isn't about pruning or deleting the strategies from Portfolio Expert.  My real problem is to by pass the Validator and get my strategies directly ascended to the Collection fold.

Still I'm very grateful and it's very kind of you to show me and teach me another method which will come in handy and helpful to other users too.

Thanks

Hope you too experience financial success and freedom...that's why we are here isn't it?  Have a good week ahead.

10 Reply by GD (edited by GD 2018-07-26 10:35:47)

  • GD
  • GD
  • Licensed Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2015-05-22
  • Posts: 444

Re: Different EA numbering between Collection and Portfolio Expert

Ι found another way to be also helpful and I test now

You just take out the EA studio mq4 file
and then you substitute this line inside (false, false) for the EA to pause i.e. the one with number 01

   //Signal signal = CreateExitSignal(1, ind2long, ind2short, 53, 30, true);   
   Signal signal = CreateExitSignal(1, false, false, 53, 30, true);

in Get Exit Signal_01

and

   //Signal signal = CreateEntrySignal(1, ind0long && ind1long, ind0short && ind1short, 53, 30, true);
   Signal signal = CreateEntrySignal(1, false, false, 53, 30, true);

in GetEntrysignal_01

By this way the indexing number does not change and you can easily enable EA back if it wins in Demo

I have to call it back to EA studio mq4 to find out if It can load and IF gives any mistake. 'be careful with SORT selection.
It is good idea to reload your setting production of this EA Studio MQ4, which you should keep together all time

11 Reply by hannahis (edited by hannahis 2018-07-26 14:36:48)

  • Registered: 2010-11-18
  • Posts: 1,179

Re: Different EA numbering between Collection and Portfolio Expert

Hi GD,

Thanks for cracking up with new ideas.

My aim is to get the Validator to pass my strategies in the Portfolio Expert so that it can be ascended back to the Collection folder.  Not all (rather most of my strategies don't pass the Validator).  I don't think yours would have the "magical power" to make the Validator pass my strategies.  Still I appreciate your time and effort to come forward with your suggestions.

12 Reply by GD

  • GD
  • GD
  • Licensed Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2015-05-22
  • Posts: 444

Re: Different EA numbering between Collection and Portfolio Expert

Ι think you have a good combination to make things now
It depends what you want.
Regards

13 Reply by hannahis (edited by hannahis 2018-07-27 06:10:47)

  • Registered: 2010-11-18
  • Posts: 1,179

Re: Different EA numbering between Collection and Portfolio Expert

Hi GD,

I still can't get Validator to pass all the Strategies I want in the Portfolio Expert to be ascended to the Collection file.

Unless I have misunderstood the methods taught by you and FinWiz, which actually can help me resolve this issue but somehow I didn't see it, please point it out to me cos going into the code files and understanding what it means is not my forte.

Would appreciate much...

Thanks

14 Reply by GD (edited by GD 2018-07-27 06:53:13)

  • GD
  • GD
  • Licensed Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2015-05-22
  • Posts: 444

Re: Different EA numbering between Collection and Portfolio Expert

What I suggested it works. I tested it.

It is an easy way to pause specific indexed EA without to change index of the others and start  again with same index if in Demo wins.

Popov can also add a button to each EA Studio member EA on chart to enable or disable it, it is much more easier. It depends on him.

The other you ask FinWiz can help better.

  • FinWiz
  • Licensed Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2018-07-24
  • Posts: 6

Re: Different EA numbering between Collection and Portfolio Expert

I suspect its your settings either in the /tools/settings, acceptance criteria, indicators, and or preset indicators.

I too had this problem trying to validate strategies and needed to turn all filters off, and keep the settings as generic as possible. Have a play with that.

I wonder have you tried importing the EA in to validator using my method above to see if the results are different. I havent worked with mt4 tracker to comment on how to validate those compiled portfolio EAs.

You have to remember though, when you reimport the EAs the collection will assign an ID that will not be reflected in the Magic Number, and based on your selection criteria and sorting place them accordingly. This is how the software works and something we must live with - at least for now.

  • Registered: 2010-11-18
  • Posts: 1,179

Re: Different EA numbering between Collection and Portfolio Expert

FinWiz wrote:

I suspect its your settings either in the /tools/settings, acceptance criteria, indicators, and or preset indicators.

I too had this problem trying to validate strategies and needed to turn all filters off, and keep the settings as generic as possible. Have a play with that.

I wonder have you tried importing the EA in to validator using my method above to see if the results are different. I havent worked with mt4 tracker to comment on how to validate those compiled portfolio EAs.

You have to remember though, when you reimport the EAs the collection will assign an ID that will not be reflected in the Magic Number, and based on your selection criteria and sorting place them accordingly. This is how the software works and something we must live with - at least for now.

Yes, I tried to turn off as many criteria as possible so that I can pass as many strategies as possible.  Sometimes I also try different data horizon to somehow make the Strategies "profitable" in order to pass the Validator.  But it's really by luck and trial and error, which is very frustrating.  Some strategies didn't pass initially and after a few days, it would pass.

Sorry I didn't try your method because I have no problem delete/pruning (as MT4 Tracker would called it, "prune") and that's why I didn't use your method.  MT4 Tracker can prune whatever strategies I want in a minute and re-export the remaining Strategies I want to keep into a new Portfolio Expert.  It's really time save and effortless and I don't have to open any files and view the codes (cos I'm not a code person, programming turns me off and I really have to find time to learn, one day).

Yes, I'm aware that the ID is different from the magic number.  The saving grace is, even if the ranking of the strategies in the collection change, at least the ID remain the same.

It's how the software works but it's not something we should be living with cos software needs to be user friendly and imagine developing strategies and yet can't retrieve it back to view...it's something terribly wrong in my opinion.  I can't want for a workable solution (with ease) to come about soon from the developer's team.

  • Popov
  • Popov
  • Lead Developer
  • Offline
  • From: Bulgaria
  • Registered: 2006-11-30
  • Posts: 8,048

Re: Different EA numbering between Collection and Portfolio Expert

The re-import and validation requires more planning. It will take time to figure out the best solution.
I don't think it is fair to blame me on that since it was never a priority task. Just think for a moment how better are the FSB / EAS generators than the MT's one! (wow it even doesn't have such, do it?). This is the main feature of the software and the one you pay for. All other things are free bonuses. Just ask MT to validate, sort, present the traded experts better.
You (especially Hannah) throws all word problems on me if I was the source of all evil. The software have demo before purchase. You buy if you like it. Ops Hannah you haven't bought EA Studio right! Please stop asking your request hundred of times. I'm absolutely serious on that! For 10th time  I have your request it in my ToDo. If you want to make this task a priority job, you may ask for a offer. I'm running a software company after all. not a kindergarten.  Please do not answer to my post.

Popov's Website