I am just playing with the ea from CoderGuru's course and have tried to add another MA.

But Meta-editor is returning an error. Error = 'if'-variable expected C:\Program files\ etc.\My_First_EA.mq4 (66, 4)

//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| My_First_EA.mq4 |
//| Coders Guru |
//| http://www.forex-tsd.com |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+


#property copyright "Coders Guru"
#property link "http://www.forex-tsd.com"

//---- input parameters
extern double TakeProfit=15.0;
extern double Lots=0.1;
extern double TrailingStop=8.0;
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| expert initialization function |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
int init()
{
//----

//----
return(0);
}
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| expert deinitialization function |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
int deinit()
{
//----

//----
return(0);
}

int Crossed (double line1 , double line2 , double line3)
{
static int last_direction = 0;
static int current_direction = 0;

if(line1>line2>line3)current_direction = 1; //up
if(line1<line2<line3)current_direction = 2; //down



if(current_direction != last_direction) //changed
{
last_direction = current_direction;
return (last_direction);
}
else
{
return (0);
}
}
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| expert start function |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
int start()
{
//----


int cnt, ticket, total;
double shortEma, longEma, longSma,


if(Bars<100)
{
Print("bars less than 100");
return(0);
}
if(TakeProfit<10)
{
Print("TakeProfit less than 10");
return(0); // check TakeProfit
}


shortEma = iMA(NULL,0,3,0,MODE_EMA,PRICE_CLOSE,0);
longEma = iMA(NULL,0,7,0,MODE_EMA,PRICE_CLOSE,0);
longSma = iMA(NULL,0,25,0,MODE_SMA,PRICE_CLOSE,0);

int isCrossed = Crossed (shortEma,longEma,longSma);

total = OrdersTotal();
if(total < 1)
{
if(isCrossed == 1)
{
ticket=OrderSend(Symbol(),OP_BUY,Lots,Ask,3,0,Ask+ TakeProfit*Point,"My EA",12345,0,Green);
if(ticket>0)
{
if(OrderSelect(ticket,SELECT_BY_TICKET,MODE_TRADES )) Print("BUY order opened : ",OrderOpenPrice());
}
else Print("Error opening BUY order : ",GetLastError());
return(0);
}
if(isCrossed == 2)
{

ticket=OrderSend(Symbol(),OP_SELL,Lots,Bid,3,0,Bid-TakeProfit*Point,"My EA",12345,0,Red);
if(ticket>0)
{
if(OrderSelect(ticket,SELECT_BY_TICKET,MODE_TRADES )) Print("SELL order opened : ",OrderOpenPrice());
}
else Print("Error opening SELL order : ",GetLastError());
return(0);
}
return(0);
}
for(cnt=0;cnt<total;cnt++)
{
OrderSelect(cnt, SELECT_BY_POS, MODE_TRADES);
if(OrderType()<=OP_SELL && OrderSymbol()==Symbol())
{
if(OrderType()==OP_BUY) // long position is opened
{
// should it be closed?
if(isCrossed == 2)
{
OrderClose(OrderTicket(),OrderLots(),Bid,3,Violet) ; // close position
return(0); // exit
}
// check for trailing stop
if(TrailingStop>0)
{
if(Bid-OrderOpenPrice()>Point*TrailingStop)
{
if(OrderStopLoss()<Bid-Point*TrailingStop)
{
OrderModify(OrderTicket(),OrderOpenPrice(),Bid-Point*TrailingStop,OrderTakeProfit(),0,Green);
return(0);
}
}
}
}
else // go to short position
{
// should it be closed?
if(isCrossed == 1)
{
OrderClose(OrderTicket(),OrderLots(),Ask,3,Violet) ; // close position
return(0); // exit
}
// check for trailing stop
if(TrailingStop>0)
{
if((OrderOpenPrice()-Ask)>(Point*TrailingStop))
{
if((OrderStopLoss()>(Ask+Point*TrailingStop)) || (OrderStopLoss()==0))
{
OrderModify(OrderTicket(),OrderOpenPrice(),Ask+Poi nt*TrailingStop,OrderTakeProfit(),0,Red);
return(0);
}
}
}
}
}
}
return(0);
}
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+

Semi-colon , it's the hell of forgetting a semi-colon which all the programmer (including me) always suffering it.

This line:
double shortEma, longEma, longSma,

Sould be:
double shortEma, longEma, longSma;

KEEP GOING MAN!

__________________
Hope it helps !
Coders' Guru
Senior MQL programmer:
www.xpworx.com/custom.htm

CodersGuru Thanks for your quick reply. Much appreciated.

One other question if I can.

In the error report, what do the numbers (66, 4) stand for?

I thought 66 was maybe the line number in the program but now I'm not so sure. Or is it Mq4 code to tell me I've missed a semi colon?

If I get an error report when compiling, does it tell me where to look for the error, or do I just search until I find it?

Many Thanks,

demag.

I think the (66, 4) means line 66, space 4.

If you double click the error message, Metaeditor will take you right to the line in which it finds a problem (if you're lucky that is where the REAL problem is!)

__________________
Regards,

Dean

Great,

Thanks Dean.

demag.