MT4 Data Editor FXT overwritten

[geektrader]

Hi,

I am currently trying Tickstory Lite and wanted to use the MT4 Data Editor to edit the Max Lot Size of an FXT file. That works, but as soon as I launch MT4 and the backtest (regardless if with Tick Data Suite or your own Launcher), the FXT is overwritten each time and hence the Max Lot Size I edited is back to the broker standard again. If I set the FXT file to "read only" after editing it via the MT4 Data Editor, the backtest won´t launch at all and MT4 says it can´t create a file.

What can I do to make it work?

[tickstory]

Hi Geektrader,

It sounds like the launcher has not been applied to MT4. Please check that you are running the launcher on the same MT4 installation as the files you are editing.

Thanks.

[geektrader]

Thanks for your reply. That´s exactly what I did as written. Neither with TDS nor with your launcher it makes a difference (and the MT4 instance is the right one as the title bar says MT4 with TDS or with your launcher too).

[tickstory]

Hi Geektrader,

You'll have to give more information about the "error" you are getting. I am not aware of any issue that would cause the back-test not to work. Is Birt also assisting you with your problem?

Thanks.

[geektrader]

Thanks for your answer, here is the exact way to replicate the problem:

1) delete all FXT files in /tester/history

2) Open MT4, choose any EA in the Strategy Tester and choose M5 timeframe (for example)

3) Press Start to get a backtest. Now the FXT file also have been created in /tester/history, in this case it´s called EURUSD5_2.fxt

4) Close MT4 (the FXT file is left intact when doing this)

5) I go to Tickstory Lite and choose the MT4 Data Editor and select the above created FXT file to edit the Max Lot Size to 2000 (instead of 200) and save the FXT file (everything working fine so far with that).

6) I open MT4 again via TDS -or- via your own Launcher from Tickstory (it doesn´t matter which one, as the same problem occurs with both).

7) Once in MT4, I simply press "Start" again for the backtest (remember, the FXT file is still there and was not deleted!), MT4 re-creates the FXT file and overwrites the one I´ve just edited in Tickstory This can be seen by the file-time of the FXT and also that the lot-size limit is not 2000 like I edited it, but 200 again.

When repeating step 5 to 7 but write-protecting (read only) the FXT file I´ve just edited with Tickstory, MT4 does of course not overwrite the edited FXT, but says: "2013.11.16 21:13:45 TestGenerator: internal error because the file not opened"

[tickstory]

Hi Geektrader,

Thanks for giving the further detail - it helps alot. It appears step 3) is the problem here. The Tickstory is intended to allow you to produce back-tests with tick data which means you need to select the "Every tick" model when doing your back-test. It seems you are selecting the "Open prices" model which generates the EURUSD5_2.fxt (instead of EURUSD5_0.fxt which contains tick data).

I believe if you edit the EURUSD5_0.fxt and select the 'Every tick' model you will solve the issue.

Hope this helps.

[geektrader]

True! That resolves the problem, thanks! Would be great though if it also works for bar open backtesting.