codersguru,

This is in response to your request for tools. Look it over and see if you think that it is reasonable and useful. You may have a ready alternative.

I am currently working on a project using EXCEL. By utilizing the MT4 DDE addressing (=MT4|BID!GBPUSD, etc.) for real time price values, I have created a dynamic display (real time display of price changes, percentages, probabilities, moving bars, highlighted targets, etc.). I also utilize data extracted to a .csv file by means of an MT4 script. The .csv data is read by EXCEL with Database Query. The time frame of interest for this worksheet is daily and the values that I extract from MT4 change very little during the course of a day. So I need to run the script once or twice a day. Currently I just drag and drop the script into any chart. The script is written so that it extracts current values and ArrayCopyRates data with set Symbols and Time Periods so that there is no need for the script to read any values in the chart. This updating procedure is simple and straight forward but I would like it to occur automatically on a scheduled basis. If this were possible then I would consider constructing the display for lower time frames.

I modified the script to run as an EA with a Sleep command. This works fine as long as the Expert Advisors is active and the EA is installed on a chart in the active profile. If I change to a different profile the updating stops. I would rather drag and drop than rely on an EA for this procedure.

I also modifed the script to run as an indicator but burdening the process thread with this type of demand seems unnecesary. Also if the indicator is not in an active profile, no update.

What I would like is a utility that could set a fixed schedule (once a day, once an hour, etc.) for the running of a script automatically without being dependent on an EA or active profile.

This project started with just the desire to automate some of the process of doing some very basic spreadsheet calculations. It has now grow into a dynamic indicator. One of the challenges has been the data transfer. Primarily how to best accomplish this with Excel. Any insight you have in working with Excel would be much appreciated.

hap