Metatrader Tips – Expert Advisor Optimization
MetaTrader Tip AE” Expert Agent Optimization MetaTrader’s Strategizer is a great tool to optimize your Expert Advisor. Here you can optimize and perform backtests on your strategy. In a demo trading account, forward testing is vital. However, backtesting can be used to simulate trading in real time. Optimizer allows you to see which settings perform best on a chosen historical chart. Article source!
MetaTrader 4’s optimization tool allows you the option to try out thousands of different expert advisor settings, and then find which settings are most profitable for the chosen chart (period) or dates range. Optimisation is required for indicator-based strategy to achieve maximum profits. Most EAs, even those which trade using tick data (provided you have M1’s complete history), will benefit greatly from optimizing. This does not guarantee future profitability, however the optimizer is able to return the most profitable options for the period selected.
To get the best results from your expert adviser, you should re-optimize it regularly. This is because market conditions can change frequently. You must first select an expert advisor from the dropdown list to optimise your expert. In the Symbol field, select your currency pair. Select the Chart period you want to use in the Period field. Model will usually be “Open Prices Only”, except if you’re optimizing an EA which runs on tick-data. Choose “Every Tick” if you are optimizing an EA that runs on tick data. If you choose the “Use Date” option, select a time range for which to optimize. Check that you have Optimization checked. Click on Expert Properties in order to access your expert adviser settings. Enter the desired range of input values in the Inputs section. The lowest setting will appear in the “Start” column, and the highest will be displayed under the “Stop” column. The column Step is how much the optimizer “steps through” the settings from Start to stop. The optimizer will attempt to combine values of 20-40-60 and up to 200. Select a Start, Step and Stop value appropriate for the settings you want to optimize. Even values (5, 10, etc.) All values are acceptable. If you want to optimize a setting, make sure the checkbox is selected on the extreme left. The value in the Value Column will be optimized for all settings. If you click on the “Testing” tab, the Initial deposit can be changed to a more realistic amount.
When you’re ready to begin optimizing, hit the Start button on the lower right corner of Strategy Tester. You can start optimizing by pressing the Start icon at the bottom of the Strategy Tester. It could take a couple of minutes or several hours to complete depending on how many settings you want to optimize, what period is being used, and whether the model that’s been chosen has a date range. When it is taking too much time, consider shortening your date range, optimising fewer settings or increasing the step value. Once the optimization has been completed, open the Optimization Results Tab and click twice on the Profit column. Double-click a result to download it. If you want to repeat the backtest, click the Start again.