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• April 5, 2013 | Howtos

DAY4: Terminal & Charting functions

Introduction

Welcome to Blog No 4 in this miniseries of 10 daily blogs in which I will exploit MT4GUIs functionalities.

I hope you find it both interesting as well as valuable!

Sincerely

Thommy Tikka

DAY4: Objective

Ever needed a quick way to switch between pairs or periods in your MT4 chart!?
Or adjust terminal size, close terminal or chart quickly from a button!?
Check this out, you are a couple of code blocks from doing it!

DAY4: Functions covered

MT4GUI

MT4GUI labels (build a control panel with labels)

MT4GUI radiobutton (to quickly switch between alternatives)

MT4GUI button (Terminal & Chart buttons “control panel” on MT4 chart)

MT4GUI terminal function (get chart width for default GUI positioning)

Look and feel (Size, color, positioning etc of GUI objects)

MT4 (MQL4)

EA property inputs (set default pairs, periods to switch between & GUI colors)

Convert numeric Period to String equivalent

CODEBASE:

// mt4gui-TerminalChartingFunctions.mq4
// Created by Thommy Tikka (thommy_tikka@hotmail.com) 
// Version 0.1, 20130404

// Include library file with common functions for mt4gui
#include <mt4gui.mqh>


// Declare global variables
int hwnd = 0;
int menuTerminalBtn, menuChartBtn;
int controlPanelHeader, controlPanelMenuTerminal, controlPanelMenuChart;
bool chartMenuOpen=false, terminalMenuOpen=false;
int RChart1,RChart2,RChart3,RChart4,RChart5,RChart6,RChart7,RChart8;
int RTerm1, RTerm2, RTerm3, RTerm4;
int gUIXPosition, gUIYPosition;

// Declare variables that are adjustable in the EA properties inputs
extern string MENUPAIRS         = "--- Choose menu pairs ---",
              MenuPair1         = "EURUSD",
              MenuPair2         = "USDCHF",
              MenuPair3         = "GBPUSD",
              MenuPair4         = "USDJPY";
extern string MENUPERIODS       = "--- Choose menu periods ---";
extern int    MenuPeriod1       = 1,     //1Min
              MenuPeriod2       = 15,    //15Min
              MenuPeriod3       = 60,    //1Hour
              MenuPeriod4       = 1440;  //1Day                    
extern string GUICOLORS         = "--- Color settings ---";
extern color  ChartBtnColor     = Red,
              ChartMenuColor    = OrangeRed,
              ChartMenuColor2   = Orange,
              TerminalBtnColor  = Blue,
              TerminalMenuColor = RoyalBlue;
extern string GUIOFFSET         = "--- Offset from borders ---";
extern int    GUIXOffset        = -180,
              GUIYOffset        = 30;


// MT4 function called during the module initialization
//+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
int init()
  {
	hwnd = WindowHandle(Symbol(),Period());	
	guiRemoveAll(hwnd);
	
   // Measures chart width and height and sets default GUI X/Y-positions to top right of chart (with an offset)
   AutoPositionControlPanel();


   // Add interface with panel and buttons to chart function call
   BuildInterface();

   return(0);
  }


// MT4 function called during deinitialization of the module
//+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
int deinit()
  {
   // Very important to cleanup and remove all gui items from chart
   if (hwnd>0) guiRemoveAll(hwnd);   	
   guiCleanup(hwnd);
   
   return(0);
  }


// MT4 function called on every MT4 tick
//+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
int start()
  {   
   // Call function ManageEvents on every MT4 tick
   ManageEvents();
  }


// MT4GUI functions to capture Menu & Button Events
//+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
void ManageEvents()
{		
	// If menuTerminalBtn is clicked execute function OpenTerminalMenu()
	if (guiIsClicked(hwnd,menuTerminalBtn)) TerminalMenu();

	// If chartBtn is clicked execute function OpenTerminalMenu()
	if (guiIsClicked(hwnd,menuChartBtn)) ChartMenu();
	
	//If Radio chart buttons is checked change chart
	CheckRadioButton();
}


// MT4GUI functions to build Interface with labels, buttons & textfields
//+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
void BuildInterface()
{
   // Build control panel (labels) and set look and feel for it
 	controlPanelHeader  = guiAdd(hwnd,"label",gUIXPosition,gUIYPosition,120,20,"    ControlPanel");				
                                     
   // Create control panel menu buttons, Terminal & Chart and set look and feel for them
	menuTerminalBtn = guiAdd(hwnd,"button",gUIXPosition,gUIYPosition+20,60,20,""); 
	guiSetBorderColor(hwnd,menuTerminalBtn,TerminalMenuColor);
	guiSetBgColor(hwnd,menuTerminalBtn, TerminalBtnColor);
	guiSetTextColor(hwnd,menuTerminalBtn,White);
	guiSetText(hwnd,menuTerminalBtn,"Terminal",10,"Arial Bold");
	
   menuChartBtn = guiAdd(hwnd,"button",gUIXPosition+60,gUIYPosition+20,60,20,""); 
	guiSetBorderColor(hwnd,menuChartBtn,ChartMenuColor);
	guiSetBgColor(hwnd,menuChartBtn,ChartBtnColor);
	guiSetTextColor(hwnd,menuChartBtn,Black);
	guiSetText(hwnd,menuChartBtn,"Chart",10,"Arial Bold");
}


// MT4GUI functions to change chart settings within GUI
//+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
void ChartMenu()
{
   if (chartMenuOpen)
   {
   RemoveCPMC();
   }
   else
   {
      RemoveCPMT();
      controlPanelMenuChart  = guiAdd(hwnd,"label",gUIXPosition,gUIYPosition+40,120,80,"");
      guiSetBgColor(hwnd,controlPanelMenuChart,ChartMenuColor);
      chartMenuOpen=true;
      
	   // Radio Buttons for chart functions
	   RChart1    = guiAdd(hwnd,"radio",gUIXPosition,gUIYPosition+40,120,20,MenuPair1); 
	   RChart2    = guiAdd(hwnd,"radio",gUIXPosition,gUIYPosition+60,120,20,MenuPair2); 
	   RChart3    = guiAdd(hwnd,"radio",gUIXPosition,gUIYPosition+80,120,20,MenuPair3);
	   RChart4    = guiAdd(hwnd,"radio",gUIXPosition,gUIYPosition+100,120,20,MenuPair4);

	   RChart5    = guiAdd(hwnd,"radio",gUIXPosition,gUIYPosition+120,120,20,PeriodToText(MenuPeriod1)); 
	   RChart6    = guiAdd(hwnd,"radio",gUIXPosition,gUIYPosition+140,120,20,PeriodToText(MenuPeriod2)); 
	   RChart7    = guiAdd(hwnd,"radio",gUIXPosition,gUIYPosition+160,120,20,PeriodToText(MenuPeriod3));
	   RChart8    = guiAdd(hwnd,"radio",gUIXPosition,gUIYPosition+180,120,20,PeriodToText(MenuPeriod4));	   
	   
	   // Look and feel for chart radio buttons
      guiSetBgColor(hwnd,RChart1,ChartMenuColor);guiSetBgColor(hwnd,RChart2,ChartMenuColor);guiSetBgColor(hwnd,RChart3,ChartMenuColor);guiSetBgColor(hwnd,RChart4,ChartMenuColor);
      guiSetBgColor(hwnd,RChart5,ChartMenuColor2);guiSetBgColor(hwnd,RChart6,ChartMenuColor2);guiSetBgColor(hwnd,RChart7,ChartMenuColor2);guiSetBgColor(hwnd,RChart8,ChartMenuColor2);
   }
}


// MT4GUI functions to change terminal actions within GUI
//+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
void TerminalMenu()
{
   if (terminalMenuOpen)
   {
      RemoveCPMT();
   }
   else
   {
      RemoveCPMC();
      controlPanelMenuTerminal  = guiAdd(hwnd,"label",gUIXPosition,gUIYPosition+40,120,80,"");
      guiSetBgColor(hwnd,controlPanelMenuTerminal,TerminalMenuColor);
      terminalMenuOpen=true;
      
      // Radio Buttons for terminal functions
      RTerm1    = guiAdd(hwnd,"radio",gUIXPosition,gUIYPosition+40,120,20,"Min terminal"); 
	   RTerm2    = guiAdd(hwnd,"radio",gUIXPosition,gUIYPosition+60,120,20,"Max terminal"); 
	   RTerm3    = guiAdd(hwnd,"radio",gUIXPosition,gUIYPosition+80,120,20,"Close terminal");
	   RTerm4    = guiAdd(hwnd,"radio",gUIXPosition,gUIYPosition+100,120,20,"Close chart");
      // Look and feel for terminal radio buttons
      guiSetBgColor(hwnd,RTerm1,TerminalMenuColor);guiSetBgColor(hwnd,RTerm2,TerminalMenuColor);guiSetBgColor(hwnd,RTerm3,TerminalMenuColor);guiSetBgColor(hwnd,RTerm4,TerminalMenuColor);}
}


// MT4GUI functions to remove controlPanelMenuTerminal
//+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
void RemoveCPMC()
{
   guiRemove(hwnd,controlPanelMenuChart);
   guiRemove(hwnd,RChart1);guiRemove(hwnd,RChart2);guiRemove(hwnd,RChart3);guiRemove(hwnd,RChart4);
   guiRemove(hwnd,RChart5);guiRemove(hwnd,RChart6);guiRemove(hwnd,RChart7);guiRemove(hwnd,RChart8);
   chartMenuOpen=false;  
}


// MT4GUI functions to remove controlPanelMenuChart
//+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
void RemoveCPMT()
{
   guiRemove(hwnd,controlPanelMenuTerminal);
   guiRemove(hwnd,RTerm1);guiRemove(hwnd,RTerm2);guiRemove(hwnd,RTerm3);guiRemove(hwnd,RTerm4);
   terminalMenuOpen=false; 
}


// MT4GUI functions check radio buttons and change chart pair/period or execute terminal function
//+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
void CheckRadioButton()
{
   string tempdel = CharToStr(8)+CharToStr(8)+CharToStr(8)+CharToStr(8)+CharToStr(8)+CharToStr(8)+CharToStr(8)+CharToStr(8)+CharToStr(8)+CharToStr(8)+CharToStr(8)+CharToStr(8);
	if (guiIsChecked(hwnd, RChart1) && Symbol()!=MenuPair1) {guiChangeSymbol(hwnd, tempdel+MenuPair1); RemoveCPMC();}
	if (guiIsChecked(hwnd, RChart2) && Symbol()!=MenuPair2) {guiChangeSymbol(hwnd, tempdel+MenuPair2); RemoveCPMC();}
	if (guiIsChecked(hwnd, RChart3) && Symbol()!=MenuPair3) {guiChangeSymbol(hwnd, tempdel+MenuPair3); RemoveCPMC();}
	if (guiIsChecked(hwnd, RChart4) && Symbol()!=MenuPair4) {guiChangeSymbol(hwnd, tempdel+MenuPair4); RemoveCPMC();}
	if (guiIsChecked(hwnd, RChart5) && Period()!=MenuPeriod1) {guiChangeSymbol(hwnd, tempdel+Symbol()+","+MenuPeriod1); RemoveCPMC();}
	if (guiIsChecked(hwnd, RChart6) && Period()!=MenuPeriod2) {guiChangeSymbol(hwnd, tempdel+Symbol()+","+MenuPeriod2); RemoveCPMC();}
	if (guiIsChecked(hwnd, RChart7) && Period()!=MenuPeriod3) {guiChangeSymbol(hwnd, tempdel+Symbol()+","+MenuPeriod3); RemoveCPMC();}
	if (guiIsChecked(hwnd, RChart8) && Period()!=MenuPeriod4) {guiChangeSymbol(hwnd, tempdel+Symbol()+","+MenuPeriod4); RemoveCPMC();}	
	
	
   //If Radio terminal buttons is checked call terminal function
	if (guiIsChecked(hwnd, RTerm1)) {guiMinimizeTerminal(); RemoveCPMT();}  //Minimize terminal
	if (guiIsChecked(hwnd, RTerm2)) {guiMaximizeTerminal(); RemoveCPMT();}  //Maximize terminal
	if (guiIsChecked(hwnd, RTerm3)) {guiCloseTerminal(); RemoveCPMT();}  //Close terminal
	if (guiIsChecked(hwnd, RTerm4)) {guiCloseChart(hwnd); RemoveCPMT();}  //Close chart	
}


// MT4GUI Function for getting Chart Width and postition X/Y for ControlPanel (GUI)
//+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
void AutoPositionControlPanel()
{
   gUIXPosition = guiGetChartWidth(hwnd)+GUIXOffset;
   gUIYPosition = GUIYOffset;
}


// MT4/MQL4 Function to convert period number to text string
//+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
string PeriodToText(int period)
{
   switch (period)
   {
      case 1:
            return("M1");
            break;
      case 5:
            return("M5");
            break;
      case 15:
            return("M15");
            break;
      case 30:
            return("M30");
            break;
      case 60:
            return("H1");
            break;
      case 240:
            return("H4");
            break;
      case 1440:
            return("D1");
            break;
      case 10080:
            return("W1");
            break;
      case 43200:
            return("MN1");
            break;
   }
}

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