Exp_Dots
This EA trades based on the custom 'Dots' indicator, which generates color-coded trend signals. It opens buy positions when the indicator switches from bearish to bullish color and sell positions when it switches from bullish to bearish color, with configurable stop loss, take profit, and money management options.
Open the interactive view (equity curve, symbol switch)Key facts
Backtest results (H1, about 1 year)
Not backtested yet — this EA could not be converted automatically.
Strategy analysis
The core strategy of this EA is based on color changes of the custom Dots indicator to determine trend direction. Entry conditions: a buy position is opened when the indicator color array Clr[1] changes from 1 to 0 (bearish to bullish), and a sell position is opened when Clr[1] changes from 0 to 1 (bullish to bearish). Exit conditions rely on fixed stop loss and take profit settings in points, and the EA also actively closes opposite positions on trend reversal signals. Position sizing supports five modes: based on free margin, balance, free margin minus floating loss, balance minus floating loss, and fixed lot size. Money management is controlled by the MM parameter with a default risk fraction of 0.1. The strategy uses the SignalBar parameter to determine which bar to check for signals, defaulting to 1 (the last closed bar), which is a sound practice to avoid repainting signals from unclosed bars. The EA implements a new bar detection mechanism via IsNewBar() to prevent duplicate trades on the same bar. Additionally, it includes a history loading mechanism LoadHistory() to ensure sufficient bar data is available before signal calculation.
Strengths
- Signals are based on closed bars (SignalBar=1), avoiding false trades from repainting signals on unclosed bars
- Supports five money management modes, providing flexibility for traders with different risk preferences
- Independent buy/sell switches allow directional-only trading to adapt to different market conditions
- New bar detection mechanism prevents duplicate position opening within the same bar
- Both stop loss and take profit are configurable, with a default risk-reward ratio of 1:2 which is reasonable
Weaknesses
- Relies on the custom Dots indicator whose logic is opaque and cannot be audited directly in the EA code
- Default stop loss of 1000 points and take profit of 2000 points are excessively large for most instruments and may be impractical
- Lacks spread filter and trading session filter, which could lead to unfavorable fills during high-spread or low-liquidity periods
- No trailing stop functionality to lock in floating profits during trending moves
- No maximum position limit or account-level risk control, lacking protection during consecutive losses
Possible improvements
- Add spread filter and trading session filter to avoid trading during high spread and low liquidity periods
- Implement trailing stop functionality to dynamically lock in profits during trending markets
- Add maximum concurrent position limit and daily/weekly max drawdown limits for stronger account-level risk control
- Embed the Dots indicator logic or provide detailed documentation so the strategy is fully auditable
Risk assessment
Overall risk: Medium
- Relies on external custom indicator with unauditable logic, creating black-box strategy risk
- Default stop loss/take profit of 1000/2000 points is extremely large and could cause significant losses on unsuitable instruments
- Lack of spread filter may significantly reduce strategy profitability during high-spread periods
- No account-level maximum drawdown or maximum position protection mechanism
Evaluation scores
Parameters
| Parameter | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
MM | 0.1 | Money management scaling coefficient |
MMMode | LOT | Lot calculation mode (free margin/balance/margin minus floating loss/balance minus floating loss/fixed lot) |
StopLoss_ | 1000 | Stop loss in points |
TakeProfit_ | 2000 | Take profit in points |
Deviation_ | 10 | Maximum allowed slippage |
BuyPosOpen | true | Allow opening buy positions |
SellPosOpen | true | Allow opening sell positions |
BuyPosClose | true | Allow closing buy positions |
SellPosClose | true | Allow closing sell positions |
InpInd_Timeframe | PERIOD_H4 | Dots indicator timeframe |
Length | 10 | Indicator smoothing length period |
Filter | 0 | Signal filter, minimum fluctuation amplitude |
IPC | PRICE_CLOSE_ | Price type for indicator calculation |
PriceShift | 0 | Vertical price shift in points |
Shift | 0 | Indicator offset from current bar |
SignalBar | 1 | Bar index for trade signal detection |
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Backtests are historical simulations and do not guarantee future results. Not financial advice.