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Version: 2.0

Configuration

Folder path and data organization​

The Custom Expert Advisor manages its file and folder inputs within two distinct folders: the live folder for the live variant and the tester folder for the tester variant. You can access these folders via the Windows start menu or through a shortcut configured on your Windows desktop, as shown in the image below.

File Input, Configuration, Application folder on desktop and start menu.png

Please refer to the appropriate input folder corresponding to your variant.

Tester variant​

You'll encounter the configuration input folder as you navigate further down the file structure in the tester folder. This is where you need to place the SET files for required trading modules to make them accessible to the Custom Expert Advisor Tester. The entire folder tree, starting from the tester folder, is depicted below.

File Input, Configuration, Folder path and data organization for tester variant.png

Alternatively, you can access the tester Configuration input folder by inputting the designated path into your Windows folder browser.

%AppData%\MetaQuotes\Terminal\Common\Files\FEA Trading Tester Data\Custom Expert Advisor Tester 2.0\default\Configuration

Live variant​

As you delve deeper into the file structure in the live folder, you'll come across the configuration input folder. This is where you need to place the SET files for required trading modules to make them accessible to the Custom Expert Advisor Live. The entire folder tree, starting from the live folder, is depicted below.

File Input, Configuration, Folder path and data organization for live variant.png

Alternatively, you can access the live Configuration input folder by inputting the designated path into your Windows folder browser.

%AppData%\MetaQuotes\Terminal\Common\Files\FEA Trading Live Data\<META_TRADER_INSTANCE_NAME>\Custom Expert Advisor Live 2.0\default\Configuration

<META_TRADER_INSTANCE_NAME> shall be your MetaTrader instance name, for example, MetaTrader 4 IC Markets.

Usage​

As observed, the actual configuration folder is part of the profile folder for both variants. If you still need to become familiar with the typical content of the profile folder, please refer to the relevant article here.

A SET file encapsulates the configuration needed to execute an automated trading idea. This SET file can be manually modified using a text editor or, more commonly, generated with the Expert Advisor Builder. Two simple trading modules are available in the default profile folder. The file default/Configuration/EAM_I1.set executes only long trades based on a straightforward MACD strategy, and default/Configuration/EAM_I2.set executes only short trades based on the same MACD strategy.

As demonstrated, the SET files generated with the Expert Advisor Builder are copied and pasted into the Custom Expert Advisor configuration folder. A simple naming convention should be maintained here. Each SET file should start with EAM_I, followed by a number, and end with the file format .set. You can choose any number, provided it's a positive integer that doesn't start with zero. For example, both EAM_I1.set and EAM_I97573968.set are both correct.

Copying the SET file into these folders makes them accessible to your Custom Expert Advisor. However, these SET files still need to be enabled. With the additional input folders named system and condition, you can specify which trading modules should be used for your trading system and determine the trading state of each input module.