ReadMe File

Forex trading involves substantial risk of loss, and may not be suitable for everyone.

Forex Strategy Builder is a complete system for creating and testing Forex, Index or CFD trading strategies. It provides an easy way of building strategies by combining various technical indicators. All parameters and indicators logic can be selected from menus, so that you do not have to write formulas and scripts. Forex Strategy Builder uses historical forex rates to perform a reliable backtest on different markets and data periods. It gives you detailed charts and statistics, and automatic journals show all orders and positions as well as the changes of your virtual bank account. The program includes a number of useful tools like strategy generator, optimizer, interpolation methods comparator, bar explorer, pivot points calculator…

The strategies created with Forex Strategy Builder can be automatically traded by using the free, visual platform - Forex Strategy Trader.

If you have downloaded this program from a mirror server, it might be outdated.

Please check for the newest version on its main download page: http://forexsb.com/wiki/download.

The only important requirement of Forex Strategy Builder is the presence of Microsoft .NET Framework Version 2.0. It is the new managed code-programming model for Windows. The Framework is also useful for many other applications.

Windows Vista and Windows 7 include the required Framework. If you have windows XP with auto update switched on, the Framework should be automatically installed also.

The system requirements of this program are determined by Microsoft .NET Framework Version 2.0.

• Windows 98
• Windows 98 Second Edition
• Windows ME
• Windows 2000 Service Pack 3
• Windows Server 2003
• Windows XP Service Pack 2
• Windows Vista
• Windows 7

• Microsoft .NET Framework version 2.0 (x86) Redistributable Package
• Windows Installer 3.0 (except for Windows 98/ME, which requires Windows Installer 2.0 or later) is required. Windows Installer 3.1 or later is recommended.
• Internet Explorer 5.01 or later for all installations of the .NET Framework needed.

If you use Windows Vista or Windows 7, you do not need to install additional software.

• 280 MB (x86), 610 MB (x64)

This space requirement concerns Microsoft .NET Framework installation. If it's already installed, the program will take about 25 MB of disk space.

1. Download the Forex Strategy Builder's installation file.
2. Double click on it to run the installer.
3. Read and accept the users' license agreement.
4. Choose a destination folder. By default, the installer makes folder Forex Strategy Builder into your Program Files folder.
5. Choose a group for the Windows Start Menu icons. The default one is Forex Strategy Builder.
6. Read the ReadMe file.
7. Update the forex rates from the program's website or from your broker. Extract the historical forex rates in Dat folder. You can reach it from the Start Menu. It is a subfolder of the Forex Strategy Builder's folder.

The best way to renew your Forex Strategy Builder is to download the latest version and to install it over the old installation.

The program is distributed together with several demo strategies. They are for demonstration only! Each strategy has a description. It's good to open the strategies one by one and to read their descriptions (Overview command).

• Demo Bollinger ADX - a classical Bollinger Bands trend following strategy.
• Demo Ichimoku Kinko Hyo - a trend following system based on this indicator.
• Demo MACD Reversal - demonstrates the “Close and Reverse” logic.
• Demo Optimizer - usable for testing the Optimizer. - Open the Optimizer, check all the checkboxes and press “Optimize”. It can reach 6500 pips profit.
• Demo Comparator - contains some ambiguous bars. You can apply the Scanner or Method Comparator on it.
• Demo Weekly Trading - demonstrates the possibility of trading only during certain periods of the week.
• New - the default starting strategy.

1. Use pessimistic method of interpolation.
2. Check your strategy with the scanner and the method comparator.
3. Minimize the ambiguous bars.
4. Avoid over-optimization.
5. When it is possible, test the strategy using data from alternative source.
6. For more information, browse the forum and the program's web site.

To remove the Forex Strategy Builder from your computer, run the uninstaller from the Windows Start Menu or from Control Panel, Add or Remove Programs. You can manually uninstall Forex Strategy Builder by deleting its folder.

• Corrected bug when Save As command of Overview window saves an empty page;
• When “Account percent entry” is activated, the entry % may be greater than max entry lots;
• Changed default values of all Stop Loss and Take Profit indicators to 200 pips;
• Added 1/500 leverage in the Account Settings dialog window;
• Data files updated from Alpari (UTC-2H time zone), 5 / 3 digits quotations;
• Instrument properties set to 5 / 3 digits quotations;
• Using the latest Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 and .NET 3.5 for compilation the program. (It remains .NET 2.0 compatible.);
• Correction of the data file parser. It correctly read years 24/6/10 as 2010.06.24. (The old version read it as 0010.06.24.);
• Corrected formula for calculating the “Account percent entry size”;
• Improved error report of the data parser;
• Added a “Play Sounds” option in the Tools menu. From there one can stop the beep of the Generator and Optimizer;
• New option to the “Export” menu - “Data File”. It can export data files in CSV. It is useful when you want to save the data file in correct format or cut bad data.
• Bar Explorer plots all cancelled orders within a bar range.
• Added button Show / Hide FSB in the Generator.
• Generator catches exceptions from buggy indicators and displays debug info.
• Generator accept a 0 working minutes setting, which means no time limits.
• Optimizer and Generator play sound when finish calculations.
• Optimizer and Generator show OOS balance when using OOS.
• Optimizer shows optimized parameters in real time.
• Intrabar scanner loads data automatically. Automatic scan option included.
• Charts was improved, a button strip was added.
• True Indicator Charts added.
• Added “Max equity drawdown” statistic parameter in the account statistics.
• Added evaluation criteria to the Optimizer:
  • Maximum number of ambiguous bars;
  • Maximum number of trades;
  • Minimum number of trades;
  • Maximum drawdown as percent of the current equity;
  • Maximum drawdown in currency;
  • Minimum Win / Loss trades ratio;
• The Optimizer can save its options in the config file;
• Generator and Indicator dialog catch exceptions display debug info.
• Fixed backtesting bug with scanner where the back-tester shows straight, rising balance line when TP is near to the entry price.
• Keltner Channel can be based on Close price only. The other options for the base price were removed. (Thanks to Lorenz Vauck)
• Fibonacci indicator was removed from the indicator list.
• Logical groups added. They can be activated from Strategy menu. The logic is OR between groups and AND in a group. Indicators assigned to “All” group participate in each group.;
• Changeable number of slots from “Strategy” menu;
• Indicators can show a warning message in the Indicator Dialog. Example - Trailing Stop
• Generator:
  • Generating a new strategy or a more profitable strategy;
  • Generator saves all better strategies in a history list. Called from the main menu Edit → Previous Generated Strategy, Next Generated strategy. Fast keys Ctrl - H (H from History) and Ctrl - J
  • Maximum number of trades;
  • Maximum drawdown as percent of the current equity;
  • Maximum Win / Loss trades ratio;
  • Generator saves its options in the config file;
• Directional Indicators and ADX can be based on Close price only, which is it's usual calculation method. “Use previous bar value” parameter fixed.
• Many other smaller changes.

For support refer to the program's Forex Forum.