This simple indicator, is known used by the famous Turtle Trading System.

This indicator freely available in PriceChannel-LowHigh.ex4 binary file and also the PriceChannel-LowHigh.mq4 source code file format.

Previously we write a simple code to filter order placement by daily timeframe. This version modify the previous code, to provide filtering facility base on weekly time frame.

With this simple script you will be able to filter base on weekly time frame such as preventing order placement in the week end or for others specific purposes

Add following code on your EA:

extern bool    filter_time_enable  = true;
extern string  filter_time_range   = "sun 00:00 - sat 23:59;";

int atimestart[10];
int atimestop[10];
int timerangecount = 0;

int day_enum(string day) {
  if (day == "sun") { return(0); }
  else if (day == "mon") { return (1); }
  else if (day == "tue") { return (2); }
  else if (day == "wed") { return (3); }
  else if (day == "thu") { return (4); }
  else if (day == "fri") { return (5); }
  else if (day == "sat") { return (6); }
  else return (-1);
}

int second_in_week (string time) {
   string day = StringSubstr(time, 0, 3);
   string strtime = StringSubstr(time, 4, 0);
   int day_val = day_enum(day);
   if (day_val == -1) {
      return (-1);
   }
   int time_val =
       (StrToInteger(StringSubstr(strtime, 0,2)) * 60 * 60) +
       (StrToInteger(StringSubstr(strtime, 3,2)) * 60);

   if (time_val < 0) {
      return (-1);
   }   

   return ((day_val * 24 * 60 * 60) + time_val);   

}

int init_time_filter() {
   /* on this initialization function we parse the parameters
      and make an array contains
      an array of allowed trading time */
   string strt = trim(filter_time_range);
   int start = 0;
   int len = StringLen(strt);
   string range_token;
   while (start < len) {

      int tokensemicolon = StringFind(strt, ";", start);
      if (tokensemicolon == -1) {
        if (len - start < 19) {
           MessageBox(
            "Parameter filter_time_range contains error!");
           break;
        }
        range_token = trim(StringSubstr(strt, start,0));
      } else {
        range_token = trim(StringSubstr(
                           strt, start, tokensemicolon));
      }

      int tokendash = StringFind(range_token, "-", 0);
      if ((tokendash == -1) || (tokendash > tokensemicolon)) {
         MessageBox(
           "Parameter filter_time_range contains error!");
         break;
      }

      string timestart =
            trim(StringSubstr(range_token, 0, tokendash));
      string timestop  =
            trim(StringSubstr(range_token, tokendash + 1,0));
      if ((StringLen(timestart) < 9 ) ||
            (StringLen(timestop) < 9 )) {
        MessageBox(
            "Parameter prm_trade_timeframe contains error!");
        break;
      }

      int dd_start = second_in_week(timestart);
      int dd_stop = second_in_week(timestop);

      if ((dd_start < 0) || (dd_stop < 0) ||
          (dd_start >= dd_stop)) {
        MessageBox(
            "Parameter filter_time_range contains error!");
        break;
      }

      atimestart[timerangecount] = dd_start;
      atimestop[timerangecount] = dd_stop;
      timerangecount++;
      start = tokensemicolon + 1; // process next time
   }
   return(0);
}

int deinit_time_filter() {
   return(0);
}

bool is_trading_time(datetime time){
  int theday = TimeDayOfWeek(time);
  int thetime =  (TimeHour(time) * 60 * 60) +
                 (TimeMinute(time) * 60 ) +
                 TimeSeconds(time);
  int trade_time = (theday * 24 * 60 * 60) + thetime;

  /* search if this time exists in the array */
  int idx;
  bool found = false;
  for (idx = 0; idx < timerangecount; idx ++) {
     found = ((atimestart[idx] <= trade_time) &&
              (atimestop[idx] >= trade_time));
     if (found) {
        break;
     }
  }

  return(found);
}

int init() {

   if (filter_time_enable) {
      init_time_filter();
   }

   /* your code here ... */

   return(0);
}

int deinit() {
   if (filter_time_enable) {
      deinit_time_filter();
   }

   /* your code here ... */
   return(0);
}

int start() {

   /* your code goes here .... */

   /* when performing filter call like this .... */

   if ((filter_time_enable) && (is_trading_time(Time[0])) {
      /* your code goes here .... */
   }

   /* your code goes here .... */

   return (0);
}

Enjoy….

In many cases, we need to put order/transaction placement filter base on time. For example, we only want to entry the market during the busy hour, or only entry the market in a specific time, etc..

Following code is a simple and general purpose code for your expert advisor. The time filter can be configured through the EA parameters “prm_trade_timeframe”.

extern bool   time_filter          = true;
extern string prm_trade_timeframe  = "00:00-06:00;17:00-23:58;";

string atimestart[10];
string atimestop[10];
int timerangecount = 0;

int init(){
   /* -------- insert this code int the EA initialization -----*/
   string strt = prm_trade_timeframe;
   int start = 0;
   int len = StringLen(strt);
   while (start < len) {
      int tokensemicolon = StringFind(strt, ";", start);
      if (tokensemicolon == -1) {
        if (len - start < 5) {
           break;
        }
      }
      int tokendash = StringFind(strt, "-", start);
      if ((tokendash == -1) || (tokendash > tokensemicolon)) {
         break;
      }
      string timestart =
            StringSubstr(strt, start, tokendash - start);
      string timestop  =
            StringSubstr(strt, tokendash + 1,
            tokensemicolon - tokendash - 1);
      if ((StringLen(timestart) != 5 ) ||
            (StringLen(timestop) != 5 )) {
        MessageBox(
            "Parameter prm_trade_timeframe contains error!");
        break;
      }
      atimestart[timerangecount] = timestart;
      atimestop[timerangecount] = timestop;
      timerangecount++;
      start = tokensemicolon + 1; // process next time
   }
   if (timerangecount == 0) {
     MessageBox(
          "No time range specified, no trade seem to be allowed.");
   } else {
     int i;
     for (i = 0; i < timerangecount; i++) {
       Print(StringConcatenate("Trade Allowed Time: ",
                  atimestart[i], " to ", atimestop[i]));
     }
   }
   /* -------------*/
   return(0);
}

bool is_trading_time(int time){
  bool allowed = false;
  int i;
  for (i = 0; i < timerangecount; i++) {
    allowed = (time >= StrToTime(atimestart[i])) &&
            ((time <= StrToTime(atimestop[i])));
    if (allowed) {
      break;
    }
  }
  return (allowed);
}

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