Zenith-FX/QUICKSTART_v3.md

ForexTrader EA v3.0 - Quick Start Guide

🚀 Get Started in 5 Minutes

Step 1: Choose Your EA

Option A: Single-Pair EA (Recommended for beginners)

• File: ForexTrader_v3_Production.mq5
• Best for: Focusing on one currency pair
• Complexity: Low
• Recommended pair: EURUSD, GBPUSD, or USDJPY

Option B: Multi-Strategy EA (For experienced traders)

• File: ForexTrader_v3_MultiStrategy_Production.mq5
• Best for: Portfolio diversification
• Complexity: Medium
• Works with: Any major pair

Step 2: Installation

1. Copy EA to MetaTrader 5:

   Copy the .mq5 file to:
   [MT5 Data Folder]/MQL5/Experts/
   

   To find your data folder: File → Open Data Folder

2. Compile the EA:

   • Open MetaEditor (F4 in MT5)
   • Open your EA file
   • Click Compile (F7)
   • Check for errors (should show 0 errors)

3. Restart MT5 or press F5 to refresh Navigator

Step 3: Configure Settings

Quick Setup - Use Pre-Made Configurations:

1. In MT5, drag the EA onto your chart
2. In the Inputs tab, click "Load"
3. Navigate to the MQL5/Presets/ folder
4. Load one of these preset files:
   • ForexTrader_v3_Conservative.set - Low risk (1% per trade)
   • ForexTrader_v3_Moderate.set - Balanced (2% per trade)
   • ForexTrader_v3_Multi_Moderate.set - Multi-strategy balanced

Or Manual Setup:

For beginners, use these settings:

Risk Management:
├─ RiskPercent: 1.5
├─ StopLossPips: 40
├─ TakeProfitPips: 80
├─ MaxDrawdownPercent: 25
└─ MaxSpreadPips: 5

Trading Controls:
├─ MaxDailyTrades: 8
├─ MaxConcurrentPositions: 2
└─ CooldownMinutes: 15

Filters:
├─ UseADXFilter: Yes
├─ ADX_Minimum: 20
├─ UseATRFilter: Yes
├─ ATR_MinimumPips: 10
└─ ATR_MaximumPips: 100

Step 4: Enable Trading

1. Click "AutoTrading" button (or press F7)
   • Should turn green
2. Check the "Experts" tab for initialization message
   • Should see: "ForexTrader v3.0 - Initialized"

Step 5: Monitor

First Hour:

• Watch the Experts tab for messages
• Verify no error messages appear
• Check that filters are working (it won't trade immediately)

First Day:

• Monitor first 1-2 trades closely
• Verify SL and TP are set correctly
• Check trade execution quality

First Week:

• Review trade log daily
• Calculate win rate
• Verify risk per trade is accurate

✅ Verification Checklist

Before going live, verify:

• EA compiled without errors
• AutoTrading is enabled (green button)
• Settings loaded correctly
• Risk per trade is acceptable (1-2%)
• Max drawdown threshold is set
• Tested on demo for at least 1 week
• Broker spreads are reasonable (<3 pips for majors)
• Account has sufficient balance (minimum $500 recommended)

📊 Expected Behavior

Normal Operation

The EA will NOT:

• Trade every bar (it waits for quality signals)
• Trade during high spread conditions
• Trade when ADX is too low (weak trend)
• Trade when ATR is too low or too high
• Open trades during cooldown period

The EA WILL:

• Trade only on new bar formation
• Check multiple filters before entry
• Set SL and TP automatically
• Trail stop when profitable
• Move to breakeven when specified
• Log all activities to Experts tab

First Trade Example

=== BUY SIGNAL DETECTED ===
FastMA[1]: 1.08450 > SlowMA[1]: 1.08420
FastMA[2]: 1.08440 <= SlowMA[2]: 1.08445
ADX: 24.5 | ATR: 15.2 pips
=== BUY ORDER OPENED ===
Ticket: 123456789
Lots: 0.15 | SL: 1.08050 | TP: 1.08850
Expected Risk: $30.00

🎯 Performance Targets

Realistic Expectations

Conservative Settings:

• Win Rate: 55-65%
• Monthly Return: 3-8%
• Max Drawdown: 10-15%
• Trades per Week: 5-10

Moderate Settings:

• Win Rate: 50-60%
• Monthly Return: 5-12%
• Max Drawdown: 15-20%
• Trades per Week: 10-20

Multi-Strategy:

• Win Rate: 55-70%
• Monthly Return: 8-15%
• Max Drawdown: 15-25%
• Trades per Week: 15-30

⚠️ Common Issues & Solutions

Issue: EA Not Trading

Check:

1. AutoTrading enabled? (F7)
2. Cooldown expired? (check last trade time)
3. ADX too low? (minimum 20 default)
4. Spread too high? (check MaxSpreadPips setting)
5. Daily limit reached? (check MaxDailyTrades)

Solution:

Review Experts tab for messages like:
"ADX too low: 18.5 (min: 20)"
"Spread too high: 6.2 pips (max: 5.0)"

Issue: Orders Rejected

Check:

1. Sufficient margin in account?
2. Broker connection stable?
3. Stop loss too close? (check broker's minimum)

Solution:

• Increase StopLossPips if broker requires more distance
• Check terminal's Journal tab for rejection reason

Issue: Trailing Stop Not Working

Check:

1. UseTrailingStop = true?
2. Position in profit > TrailingActivationPips?
3. Price moved > TrailingStepPips since last update?

Solution:

• Default activation is 20 pips profit
• EA only trails when conditions met

📈 Optimization Tips

After 1 Week

1. Calculate Your Win Rate:

   Win Rate = Winning Trades / Total Trades × 100
   Target: >50%
   

2. Check Average Trade:

   Avg Trade = Total Profit / Total Trades
   Should be positive
   

3. Review Max Drawdown:

   Should be < your MaxDrawdownPercent setting
   

If Win Rate < 45%

Try adjusting:

• Increase ADX_Minimum (stronger trends only)
• Increase MA_SlopeMinimum (filter weak crosses)
• Increase MinSignalScore (multi-strategy)

If Too Few Trades

Try adjusting:

• Decrease ADX_Minimum (to 18-20)
• Decrease CooldownMinutes (to 10-15)
• Increase MaxDailyTrades

If Too Many Losses

Try adjusting:

• Increase StopLossPips (give more room)
• Decrease MaxSpreadPips (only trade best conditions)
• Enable UseTradingHours (avoid Asian session)

🔧 Best Practices

Risk Management

• Never risk more than 2% per trade
• Set MaxDrawdownPercent to 20-30%
• Use MaxConcurrentPositions to limit exposure

Testing

• Always test on demo first (minimum 1 week)
• Start with small lots on live
• Increase size gradually as confidence builds

Monitoring

• Check EA daily for first week
• Review weekly performance after
• Keep trading journal of results

Account Management

• Maintain sufficient balance (minimum $500)
• Withdraw profits regularly
• Compound only when comfortable

📞 Support

Resources

• Full Documentation: README_v3.md
• Technical Details: IMPLEMENTATION_V3.md
• Previous Logs: /Previous Logs/ folder

Need Help?

1. Check Experts tab for error messages
2. Review troubleshooting section in README_v3.md
3. Open GitHub issue with:
   • EA version
   • Broker name
   • Settings used
   • Error message or unexpected behavior

🎓 Next Steps

After Successful Demo Testing

1. Review Results:

   • Minimum 20 trades completed
   • Win rate >50%
   • Profit factor >1.3
   • Max drawdown acceptable

2. Go Live:

   • Start with minimum lot size
   • Same settings as demo
   • Monitor first 10 trades closely

3. Scale Up:

   • Increase risk gradually (0.5% increments)
   • Add more pairs (multi-strategy EA)
   • Optimize parameters for your broker

Continuous Improvement

• Track performance monthly
• Adjust parameters based on market conditions
• Consider seasonal adjustments
• Stay informed about major news events

⚡ Quick Reference Card

Risk Settings:
  Conservative: 1.0%
  Moderate: 1.5-2.0%
  Aggressive: 2.5-3.0%

SL/TP Ratios:
  Conservative: 50/100 pips (1:2)
  Moderate: 40/80 pips (1:2)
  Tight: 30/60 pips (1:2)

Filter Strength:
  Weak: ADX 15-18
  Normal: ADX 20-22
  Strong: ADX 25+

Max Positions:
  Single Pair: 1-2
  Multi-Strategy: 3-5
  Aggressive: 5-7

🎉 Congratulations!

You're now ready to start trading with ForexTrader EA v3.0!

Remember:

• Start small
• Stay consistent
• Monitor regularly
• Adjust gradually
• Never risk more than you can afford to lose

Good luck and happy trading! 📊🚀