Auto Image Switcher is a utility for MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) that mechanically modifications the chart image primarily based on a listing you select. It helps you scan your watchlist rapidly with out opening dozens of charts.
1) Perceive the Fundamental Phrases
- Image: the instrument you open on a chart (for instance: EURUSD, XAUUSD, US500). Some brokers add a suffix like EURUSD.m.
- Market Watch: the listing of symbols on the left aspect of MetaTrader. If a logo is seen there, the platform can simply subscribe to its costs.
- Seen image: a logo that’s truly proven in Market Watch (not hidden).
- Tick: a recent worth replace. “Has ticks” means the image has current quotes. If the market is closed or the image is just not subscribed, you could have no ticks.
- Commerce Allowed: your dealer permits buying and selling for that image (some devices are disabled on some accounts; you’ll be able to nonetheless view charts should you don’t require “Commerce Allowed”).
2) Learn how to Set up and Connect to a Chart (MT4 & MT5)
- Open the product web page and set up:
- In MetaTrader, discover it within the Navigator (Market/Specialists).
- Connect it to any single chart. The utility modifications the image of that chart; your timeframe stays the identical.
- Make certain AutoTrading (the inexperienced button) is enabled so the timer can run.
3) First Run: See It Work in 60 Seconds
- Open Market Watch. Proper-click > Present All (optionally available) or preserve your typical listing.
- Connect the utility to at least one chart.
- Within the panel (Full Interface):
- Supply Mode = MARKETWATCH
- MW Seen Solely = ON
- Auto Add MW = ON
- Req Seen = ON, Req Ticks = ON
- Delay (sec) = 5–10
- Mode = FWD, Loop = ON
- Press START. The chart image will rotate by means of your Market Watch listing mechanically.
3.1 Elective: Easy Interface (compact panel)
- Set Simple_Interface = true in Inputs to point out a tiny panel with 4 buttons:
- START/STOP – begin or pause auto rotation
- FIRST – soar to the primary image within the energetic listing
- « PREV – the 1st step image backward
- NEXT » – the 1st step image ahead
- All superior choices are managed from the Inputs tab (the panel stays clear and small).
4) Supply Modes: Market Watch, Inline Record, File
A) MARKET WATCH (zero typing)
- Makes use of the symbols out of your present Market Watch.
- MW Seen Solely = ON: solely symbols which can be seen will likely be used.
- Auto Add MW = ON: if a logo must be seen (due to your filters), the utility will attempt to add it to Market Look ahead to you.
Tip: In case your dealer makes use of suffixes (like EURUSD.m), be sure the image in your listing matches your dealer’s image precisely.
B) INLINE LIST (quick customized listing)
- Choose Supply Mode = INLINE.
- Paste a comma-separated listing, for instance:
EURUSD, GBPUSD, USDJPY, XAUUSD, US500 - Areas/case don’t matter; the utility trims and may DeDup duplicates.
- If a logo isn’t seen and also you require visibility/ticks, flip Auto Add MW ON so the instrument can subscribe first.
C) FILE (lengthy lists, workforce lists)
- Choose Supply Mode = FILE and set the file identify (default: symbols.txt ).
- The place to put the file:
- MT4: MQL4/Recordsdata/symbols.txt
- MT5: MQL5/Recordsdata/symbols.txt
- Use Frequent Recordsdata = ON: put it in Terminal/Frequent/Recordsdata/symbols.txt to share throughout platforms/terminals.
- File content material will be comma- or line-separated, e.g.:
EURUSD, GBPUSD, USDJPY, XAUUSD, US500, DE40, BTCUSD
5) Filters — Clear, Constant Guidelines for Your Record
Filters allow you to resolve which symbols are eligible earlier than the rotation begins. They’re checked in a transparent order and work the identical in MT4 and MT5.
5.1 Require Seen
- Which means: the image have to be seen in Market Watch (not hidden).
- Good for: conserving the listing restricted to devices you truly monitor.
- Tip: With Auto Add MW = ON, the instrument will attempt to add lacking symbols to Market Watch earlier than deciding to skip them.
- Flip OFF when: your listing (INLINE/FILE) consists of hidden symbols that you simply nonetheless need to enable after auto-add.
5.2 Require Commerce Allowed
- Which means: the dealer should enable buying and selling that image in your account (not disabled/close-only).
- Good for: skipping indices/CFDs/foreign exchange pairs that your account can not commerce.
- Flip OFF when: you solely must view charts and don’t plan to put orders.
5.3 Require Has Ticks
- Which means: the image will need to have current worth quotes (a “tick”).
- Why: with out ticks, indicators could not replace and charts could look stale.
- Tip: Maintain Auto Add MW = ON so the platform can subscribe first, then examine ticks once more.
- Frequent causes for no ticks: market closed, fallacious image identify/suffix, or the dealer doesn’t stream that instrument in your account.
5.4 Exclude Patterns
- Which means: take away symbols whose names include sure fragments (case-insensitive).
- Instance listing: micro,_old,crypto
- Examples of matches: EURUSDmicro, XAUUSD_old, BTCUSD (in case your dealer labels it “crypto”).
- Tip: separate objects by commas; areas are ignored.
5.5 DeDup
- Which means: take away duplicate symbols (ignores case).
- Good for: blended sources (Market Watch + Inline + File) that may repeat the identical instrument.
6) How the Filters Work Collectively (Order of Checks)
- Seen? If Require Seen = ON:
- If not seen and Auto Add MW = ON → attempt to add to Market Watch, then examine once more.
- If nonetheless not seen → skip the image.
- Commerce Allowed? If Require Commerce Allowed = ON and dealer disables the image → skip.
- Has Ticks? If Require Has Ticks = ON:
- The instrument checks for recent quotes. With Auto Add MW = ON, it might subscribe earlier than checking.
- No quotes → skip.
- Exclude Patterns are utilized.
- DeDup removes duplicates (if ON).
7) Switching Settings: Delay, Modes, Loop, Guide Management
- Delay (sec): time to attend earlier than switching to the following image.
- Modes:
- FWD – go ahead by means of the listing.
- BWD – go backward.
- PINGPONG – go ahead to the top, then backward to the beginning, and repeat.
- Loop: wrap on the ends (really helpful ON).
- Guide management (each interfaces):
- PREV / NEXT – the 1st step image at any time.
- FIRST – soar to the primary image within the listing immediately.
- Observe: Guide stepping doesn’t change your START/STOP state; the timer continues or stays paused because it was.
Observe: The utility modifications solely the image. Your present timeframe stays unchanged.
8) Persistence (Save/Restore): Occasion Tag, Profiles, Reset
- Persist = ON saves your index and settings right into a file named like AutoSymbolSwitcher_{login}_{tag}.bin .
- Occasion Tag helps you to preserve separate profiles per chart. Use completely different tags for various watchlists.
- Reset quick: flip Persist OFF to delete the saved file; flip it ON once more to begin recent. You can even change the Occasion Tag to create a brand new profile.
- Internals: Full Interface shops an entire signature; Easy Interface shops run/pause + index solely (settings come from Inputs).
9) Prepared-to-Use Recipes (Step by Step)
Recipe A – Rotate my present Market Watch
- Supply Mode = MARKETWATCH
- MW Seen Solely = ON, Auto Add MW = ON
- Req Seen = ON, Req Ticks = ON, Req Commerce = OFF
- Delay = 10–20 seconds
- Mode = PINGPONG, Loop = ON
- Press START
Recipe B – Fast customized listing (session scan)
- Supply Mode = INLINE
- Inline Symbols = EURUSD, GBPUSD, USDJPY, XAUUSD, US500
- Auto Add MW = ON, Req Seen = ON, Req Ticks = ON
- Delay = 5–10 seconds, Mode = FWD, Loop = ON
- START
Recipe C – Group/shared lengthy listing (file)
- Supply Mode = FILE
- Use Frequent Recordsdata = ON, put symbols.txt in Terminal/Frequent/Recordsdata/
- Req Ticks = ON, Req Commerce = ON (skip disabled devices)
- Delay = 20–60 seconds, Mode = FWD, Loop = ON
- START
10) Troubleshooting (Easy Checks First)
- “Nothing occurs” / empty listing: open Market Watch and be sure you even have symbols; or in INLINE/FILE modes verify your listing is just not empty after filters. Flip OFF some filters briefly to see which one blocks.
- “FAILED so as to add” or “ChartSetSymbolPeriod FAILED” in Specialists tab: the instrument could not exist on your account or the identify is fallacious (examine suffixes). Open it manually in Market Watch as soon as to verify the right image identify.
- No ticks: market could also be closed. Flip OFF Req Ticks to check, or preserve it ON however allow Auto Add MW so the instrument can subscribe earlier than checking.
- Panel is simply too huge: set Simple_Interface = true to make use of the compact panel.
- Charts “flash” when switching: can occur if many heavy indicators are synchronized and recalculate on each image change. Run the EA on a clear chart (solely your sync indicator if wanted), improve Delay_Seconds, and preserve Req Has Ticks enabled to keep away from “chilly” symbols.
- Can not change settings: press STOP first, change the settings, then press START once more.
- Desire a clear reset: toggle Persist OFF (removes saved state), then ON; or change Occasion Tag.
11) FAQ (Very Quick Solutions)
Q: Does the utility place trades?
A: No. It solely modifications the chart’s image to hurry up handbook evaluation.
Q: Will my timeframe change?
A: No. Solely the image modifications; timeframe stays the identical.
Q: Can I run a number of situations?
A: Sure. Use completely different Occasion Tag values on completely different charts.
Q: The place do I put symbols.txt?
A: MT4 → MQL4/Recordsdata/ , MT5 → MQL5/Recordsdata/ . With Use Frequent Recordsdata ON, use Terminal/Frequent/Recordsdata/ .
Q: Can it add lacking symbols to Market Watch?
A: Sure, if Auto Add MW = ON.
12) Glossary: Fast Definitions
- Image: instrument identify utilized by your dealer (e.g., EURUSD.m).
- Market Watch: the instrument listing panel in MetaTrader.
- Seen: proven inside Market Watch (not hidden).
- Tick: a single worth replace (new quote).
- Commerce Allowed: dealer permission for putting orders on that image.
- Suffix: further letters added to the image by your dealer (like .m, .professional).
- Persist: save and restore your settings mechanically subsequent time.
If this instrument saves you time, please go away a ranking on the product web page. Thanks!
