cTrader Chart Key Events for Trading

Knowle

Subject and Questions: Trade Operations by means of Key Events

To illustrate the above I post code that I am familiar with and which should not be hard to follow

MQL5 Trade Operation via Key Events

#include <Trade\Trade.mqh>
//--- object of class CTrade
CTrade trade;
#include <Trade\PositionInfo.mqh>
CPositionInfo  m_position;      
#include <Trade\SymbolInfo.mqh>  
CSymbolInfo    m_symbol; 
#include <Trade\OrderInfo.mqh>
COrderInfo     m_order;   
......
......
#define KEY_NL_UP 38 // NL Up Arrow// BUY AT ASK
#define KEY_UP 104 // Up Arrow // BUY AT ASK
......
......
// BUY at Ask (market) /////////////////////
if(lparam == KEY_UP || lparam == KEY_NL_UP)
{
  cl=0;
  trade.Buy(LotSizex, NULL, SymbolInfoDouble(Symbol(),SYMBOL_ASK), SymbolInfoDouble(Symbol(),
  SYMBOL_ASK) - StopLoss*_Point, 0, NULL); 
  PlaySound(SND);
}

So it should be fairly clear that if the Up Key or NumLock Up Key is pressed a Buy position will be opened at preset LotSizex.

The way hotkeys work in MT5/4 is that the hotkey will only be alive or able to fire if the chart has focus/is the active chart. If the chart is not the active chart/does not have focus the hotkey is non active. Further, the hotkey is local only to the active chart and will not trigger any event in any other MT5 terminal using the exact same hotkey allocations nor will the same hotkey external to the chart trigger a key event on the chart..

cTrader/cAlgo does not incorporate Key Events at present so possible recourse to achieve objective is Manage References >> .NET Framework >> System.Windows.Forms.

using System.Windows.Forms;

However, I am at loss how to create a Key Event for the Event Handler in cAlgo (if that description is correct).
Below is the code so far - can anyone point to a direction of the next step that I can research. Thanks for any assistance.

The test code is deliberately basic - B Key down to open a Buy position, S key down to open a Sell position and Z Key down to close all positions .

using System;
using System.Linq;
using cAlgo.API;
using cAlgo.API.Indicators;
using cAlgo.API.Internals;
using cAlgo.Indicators;
using System.Windows.Forms;

namespace Key_Test
{
    [Robot(TimeZone = TimeZones.UTC, AccessRights = AccessRights.FullAccess)]
    public class KeyTest : Robot
    {
        [Parameter("SL", Group = "Parameters", DefaultValue = 0)]
        public int defaultSL { get; set; }

        [Parameter("TP", Group = "Parameters", DefaultValue = 0)]
        public int defaultTP { get; set; }

        [Parameter("Lots", Group = "Parameters", DefaultValue = 0.01)]
        public double defaultLots { get; set; }

        private string label = "KeyTest";

        //public event System.Windows.Forms.KeyPressEventHandler KeyPress;
        public event System.Windows.Forms.KeyEventHandler KeyDown;
        //protected virtual void OnKeyDown(System.Windows.Forms.KeyEventArgs e);


        protected override void OnStart()
        {
            // Event for  KBE Event Handle - ??? Confusion ....  
        }

        private void KBE(object sender, System.Windows.Forms.KeyEventArgs e)
        {
            if (e.KeyCode == Keys.Z)
            {
                allClose();
            }
            else if (e.KeyCode == Keys.B)
            {
                entry(TradeType.Buy);
            }
            else if (e.KeyCode == Keys.S)
            {
                entry(TradeType.Sell);
            }
        }

        private void entry(TradeType type)
        {
            var order = ExecuteMarketOrder(type, SymbolName, defaultLots * 100000, label, defaultSL, defaultTP);
            if (!order.IsSuccessful)
            {
                Print("Error:{0}", order.Error.ToString());
            }
        }
        private void allClose()
        {
            var positions = Positions.FindAll(label);
            foreach (Position p in positions)
            {
                ClosePosition(p);
            }
        }

    }
}

Mike

Hi, Knowle,

What you are looking for is coming next week in the beta version of cTrader.

https://spotware.com/beta

Knowle

Hi Support

Thanks - I am aware of the coming new Chart KB Events in API but was not given a clear date.
Neither the site or the download file indicate the version number.
Here source of news and announcements - https://ctrader.com/forum/announcements

Besides above, I was looking to implement at a lower level.

There is, at present, a commercial hotkey trader product available but it is not suitable to my needs.

Mike

In your solution, you require a windows form object to tie the key event, you need to link a specific chart to the event instead, I have been informed by cTrader that the new feature will be in the Beta download next week, I would wait for this instead of attempting a workaround.

Alternatively, you could launch a small GUI window from a specific chart and use this form to tie in your keyboard events.

Spotware needs to add a KeyEvent to the Chart object.

Knowle

Yes, have realized more complicated than a quick fix - so off to MS forms, events, event handlers, delegates etc.
Keep it as back burner as the coming update will be easier to implement.
One would expect similar to
Chart.MouseDown += onChartMouseDown; etc.,

Cheers

Mike

You have this already, you may be able to capture which key was pressed.

[protected override void OnStart()
        {
            Chart.MouseUp += OnChartMouseUp;
        }

        void OnChartMouseUp(ChartMouseEventArgs obj)
        {
            Print("Mouse up event triggered");
        }

The chart mouse events argument does not tell you which key was pressed, but you may be able to get this with some extra coding, this helps you capture the event, you just now need to talk to windows to find out which key was pressed.

Knowle

Thanks - was meant that Spotware will more than likely add key event to the chart object as is the case with mouse events. (.....just noticed the code example in your included image - chart.AddHotkey( Buy, "Alt + B" ))

My understanding is, that at present (2021-Jan-01) the only hotkey use available in cAlgo are Alt, Shift and Ctrl and these appear restricted to use in a mouse event handler - as is in this code - https://ctrader.com/algos/cbots/show/2241

partial code from above link illustrates

        protected override void OnStart()
        {
            Chart.MouseDown += onChartMouseDown;
            howToUseText();
        }
        private void howToUseText()
        {
            Chart.DrawStaticText(label, HowToUseText, VerticalAlignment.Bottom, HorizontalAlignment.Left, Chart.ColorSettings.ForegroundColor);
        }
        private void onChartMouseDown(ChartMouseEventArgs args)
        {
            if (args.AltKey)
            {
                if (args.ShiftKey && args.CtrlKey)
                {
                    allClose();
                }
                else
                {
                  ........
                  .........
                }
            }
            else
            {
                if (args.ShiftKey)
                {
                    entry(TradeType.Buy);
                }
                else if (args.CtrlKey)
                {
                    entry(TradeType.Sell);
                }
            }
        }
        private void entry(TradeType type)
        {
            var order = ExecuteMarketOrder(type, SymbolName, Volume, label, StopLossPips, TakeProfitPips);
            if (!order.IsSuccessful)
            {
                Print("Error:{0}", order.Error.ToString());
                //throw new Exception(order.Error.ToString());
            }
        }
        private void allClose()
        {
            var positions = Positions.FindAll(label);
            foreach (Position p in positions)
            {
                ClosePosition(p);
            }
        }

I am fairly familiar and capable with some aspects of MQL4 & 5 and have coded a fairly customized keyboard trader in MQL5 EA for personal use. Objective is to duplicate the scope in a cBot for cTrader.

Previously I edited a cTrader sample bot - mainly with code from the excellent code examples on ClickAlgo - to produce an adequate Panel Trader.
So thanks for a most informative and useful site.
I have modified said Panel Trader to remove Buy/Sell Buttons - no longer necessary - but retain SL,TP, BE+, BE Trigger and other on screen Inputs and integrated select preferences of the above code to produce a workable and safe trader.

A preference basic edit other cAlgo/C# newbies may find useful

// private void allClose()
    private void CloseSymbol() // Close the current active chart symbol position/s only
        {
           // var positions = Positions.FindAll(label);
            // foreach (Position p in positions)
            foreach (var position in Positions.Where(x => x.SymbolName == Symbol.Name))
            {
                // ClosePosition(p);
                ClosePosition(position);
            }
        }

Knowle

@Support#244

Spotware update 27-Jan-2021 with reference to Automate API 4.0 - https://ctrader.com/forum/announcements/34400

Chart.KeyDown event
This event will be raised for every keyboard event when a single key or a keystroke with modifier keys (Ctrl, Alt, and Shift) was pressed.
Events that are handled as hotkeys by cTrader will not be raised for cBots and indicators.

Mt assumption is that the Automate API version will always correspond to the cTrader version number .
My current live and demo cTrader versions are 3.8, therefore my assumption is

the Automated API version of these two cTraders are also 3.8 (Keydown Events not available)
I am dependent on the Brokers for update to cTrader 4.0 which will include Automate API 4.0

Mike

Hi, Knowle, you will need to contact Spotware about how they name their API documentation, the new Key events current only work with v4 of cTrader beta, you will need to wait until this version is rolled out to your broker.

Knowle

@Support#4 Thanks - According to Spotware - affirmative with reference to 1. and 2.