I'm working on rebuilding dt-e7 (aka "demo5"). I have made a number of changes to my build process and wanted to share. This tradebot is being built under Zorro 1.20 and I expect to trade it live once it's done. I'll share my build process along the way and you can feel free to add improvements or any input really.

The former iterations of this tradebot did not properly handle the Margin=0 situation, instead taking 1 Lot trades. I believe this affected the optimization too much, so I've started over from scratch on this build (note in Zorro v1.20, Margin=0 will no longer open a live trade).

I initially started with EURUSD, but was not very satisfied with the results. I then moved to NZDJPY and was happier with that basis, so I used that asset as the core to build out from. Therefore, in dt-e8 EURUSD is completely unused.

The infrastructure is constantly evolving and (hopefully) improving as well. Almost everything works now, several bugs squashed, and no more known issues as of Zorro 1.20.

I've identified the 7 pairs now that I'll use for this tradebot: USDJPY; EURAUD; EURCAD; AUDUSD; AUDCHF; AUDJPY; NZDJPY

Just for fun, I've calculated the "what if" scenario, if this tradebot were to go live today. But it's only optimized for 1 asset, not the other 6 (that's the work still left to do...) But I can use this scenario as a benchmark for comparison... to see how much better the tradebot will become when its fully optimized.

Quote:
Walk-Forward Test: dt-e8 portfolio 2008..2013
Read dt-e8.fac dt-e8_1.par dt-e8_2.par dt-e8_3.par dt-e8_4.par
Profit 6565$ MI 148$ DD 764$ Capital 1069$
Trades 2768 Win 32% Avg +240.9p Bars 157
CAGR 73% PF 1.35 SR 1.65 UI 6.0% Error 17%


Code:
function fridayClose(int fridayclose)
{
	//allows Friday trading up until NYSE 3pm; close trades and don't allow after this
	if(fridayclose && dow() == FRIDAY && lhour(ET) >= 15) 
		{
			exitLong("*");
			exitShort("*");
			return 1; //condition met; indicate no further trades
		}
	return 0; //condition not met; safe to take new trades
}

function hourOpen(int hourblockstart, int hourblockend)
{
	//blocks new open trades between selected hours
	//uses NYSE time, including DST
	if ( (lhour(ET) >= hourblockstart) && (lhour(ET) < hourblockend) )
		return 0; //between blocked hours, do not allow trade opens
	else
		return 1; //no conditions met, allow trades by default
}

function todayOpenCombo(var dayopencombo)
{
	//allows optimizer to specify the best combo of days for opens
	//bit position 0 = Monday
	//bit position 1 = Tuesday
	//bit position 2 = Wednesday
	//bit position 3 = Thursday
	//bit position 4 = Friday
	//bit position 5 = Sunday
	//given a combination #, the function will return whether
	//current dow() is in the combination

	int dayopencombobits = dayopencombo+.5; //truncate to rounded int
	int today = dow() - 1; //Mon is 0
	if (today == 6) today = 5; //bump Sun to 5 (no Sat, keep binary range 0-63)

	if (dayopencombobits & (1 << today)) return 1; //current dow() is in the combo
		else return 0; //current dow() not in combo, do not allow trade opens
}

function todayCloseCombo(var dayclosecombo)
{
	//allows optimizer to specify the best combo of days to close by NYSE 4pm
	//bit position 0 = Monday
	//bit position 1 = Tuesday
	//bit position 2 = Wednesday
	//bit position 3 = Thursday
	//bit position 4 = Friday
	//bit position 5 = Sunday
	//given a combination #, the function will determine if we are beyond
	//a combo close time, close all trades if necessary, and return 1
	//if no further trades allowed today

	int dayclosecombobits = dayclosecombo+.5; //truncate to rounded int
	int today = dow() - 1; //Mon is 0
	if (today == 6) today = 5; //bump Sun to 5 (no Sat, keep binary range 0-63)

	if ((dayclosecombobits & (1 << today)) && lhour(ET) >= 16) 
	{
		exitLong("*");
		exitShort("*");
		return 1; //current dow() is in the combo; indicate no further trades
	}
	else return 0; //current dow() not in combo, safe to take new trades
}

function marketOpenCombo(var marketopencombo)
{
	//allows optimizer to specify best markets to initiate trades
	//bit position 0 = New York 8am-5pm Eastern
	//bit position 1 = Sydney 5pm-2am Eastern
	//bit position 2 = Tokyo 7pm-4am Eastern
	//bit position 3 = London 3am-12pm Eastern
	//given a combination #, the function will determine if current time is within
	//a market part of the combination (returns 1 to allow trading if true)
	
	int marketcombobits = marketopencombo+.5; //truncate to rounded int
	if ( (lhour(ET) >=8) && (lhour(ET) <17) && (marketcombobits & (1 << 0)) ) return 1; //inside New York
	if ( (lhour(ET) >=17) || (lhour(ET) <2) && (marketcombobits & (1 << 1)) ) return 1; //inside Sydney
	if ( (lhour(ET) >=19) || (lhour(ET) <4) && (marketcombobits & (1 << 2)) ) return 1; //inside Tokyo
	if ( (lhour(ET) >=3) && (lhour(ET) <12) && (marketcombobits & (1 << 3)) ) return 1; //inside London
	return 0; //default - current market not in combination, don't allow trade opens
}

function checkTradesPerCycle()
{
	//require minimum 30 trades per WFO cycle or stop training
	static int LastWFOCycle = 0, LastNumTrades = 0;
	if(Train && (WFOCycle != LastWFOCycle) )
	{
		if(LastNumTrades > 0 and LastNumTrades < 30)
		{
			char tradecount[100];
			sprintf(tradecount,"Not enough trades per cycle: %d",LastNumTrades);
			quit(tradecount);
		}
		LastWFOCycle = WFOCycle;
	}
	LastNumTrades = NumWinTotal+NumLossTotal;
}

function calculateMargin(int direction)
{
	//calculate risk Margin based on OptimalF and trade direction
	Capital = 1000; //simulated account balance
	var riskCapital = 300; //basis to trade with

	if (direction && OptimalF>.001) //long trade, historically profitable
		{
		Lots = 1; //allow live trading
		return OptimalFLong * riskCapital;
		}
	else if (!direction && OptimalF>.001) //short trade, historically profitable
		{
		Lots = 1; //allow live trading
		return OptimalFShort * riskCapital;
		}
	else
		Lots = -1; //non-historically profitable = phantom live trades only

	return 0; //no Margin allocated for non-historically profitable
}

function getOpt(string param)
{
	switch (Asset)
	{
		case "EURUSD":
			switch (param)
			{
				case "timecycle": return optimize(75,65,85,1,0);
				case "timefactor": return optimize(2.4,0.2,5,0.2,0);
				case "stop": return optimize(7.5,2,15,0.5,-1);
				case "trail": return optimize(8,3,11,0.5);
				case "maxtrades": return 5; //limit trades per signal
				case "marketopencombo": return optimize(13,1,15,1); //15)every market
				case "dayopencombo": return 63; //optimize(61,1,63,1); //63)every day
				case "dayclosecombo": return 0; //optimize(33,1,63,1); //0)none; 63)every day
				case "fridayclose": return 1; //no trades after NYSE 3pm Friday
				case "reversedir": return 0; //trade opposite signals: 0)normal trade direction
				case "hedge": return 0; //Hedge mode: 0)none, 4)virtual
				case "hourblockstart": return 0; //block trade opens beginning at NY hour
				case "hourblockend": return 0; //block trade opens ending at NY hour
				case "lossstreaks": return 21; //0)no limit
				case "emode": return 0; //equity-curve trading: 0)none; 1)standard; 2)switch hitter; 3)weighted; 4)mean reversion
			}
		case "NZDJPY":
			switch (param)
			{
				case "timecycle": return optimize(70,60,80,1,0);
				case "timefactor": return optimize(2.4,0.2,5,0.2,0);
				case "stop": return optimize(4,1,7,0.5,-2);
				case "trail": return optimize(7,3,11,0.5);
				case "maxtrades": return 7; //limit trades per signal
				case "marketopencombo": return 15; //optimize(9,1,15,1); //15)every market
				case "dayopencombo": return 63; //optimize(13,1,63,1); //63)every day
				case "dayclosecombo": return 0; //optimize(34,1,63,1); //0)none; 63)every day
				case "fridayclose": return 0; //no trades after NYSE 3pm Friday
				case "reversedir": return 0; //trade opposite signals: 0)normal trade direction
				case "hedge": return 4; //Hedge mode: 0)none, 4)virtual
				case "hourblockstart": return 0; //block trade opens beginning at NY hour
				case "hourblockend": return 0; //block trade opens ending at NY hour
				case "lossstreaks": return 19; //0)no limit
				case "emode": return 1; //equity-curve trading: 0)none; 1)standard; 2)switch hitter; 3)weighted; 4)mean reversion
			}
		default: //use with Step 3a: prospecting
			switch (param)
			{
				case "timecycle": return optimize(70,60,80,1,0);
				case "timefactor": return optimize(2.4,0.2,5,0.2,0);
				case "stop": return optimize(4,1,7,0.5,-2);
				case "trail": return optimize(7,3,11,0.5);
				case "maxtrades": return 7; //limit trades per signal
				case "marketopencombo": return 15; //optimize(9,1,15,1); //15)every market
				case "dayopencombo": return 63; //optimize(13,1,63,1); //63)every day
				case "dayclosecombo": return 0; //optimize(34,1,63,1); //0)none; 63)every day
				case "fridayclose": return 0; //no trades after NYSE 3pm Friday
				case "reversedir": return 0; //trade opposite signals: 0)normal trade direction
				case "hedge": return 0; //Hedge mode: 0)none, 4)virtual
				case "hourblockstart": return 0; //block trade opens beginning at NY hour
				case "hourblockend": return 0; //block trade opens ending at NY hour
				case "lossstreaks": return 0; //0)no limit
				case "emode": return 0; //equity-curve trading: 0)none; 1)standard; 2)switch hitter; 3)weighted; 4)mean reversion
			}
	}
}

function checkEquity()
{
	int emode = getOpt("emode");
	if (!emode) return; //no equity-curve trading

	//emode 1 = standard: sets phantom/normal mode only (via Lots)
	//emode 2 = switch hitter: always in market (Lots=1), fades direction (via dir)
	//emode 3 = reward success with weighting: increase trades based on degree of improvement
	//emode 4 = mean reversion: trade when equity curve falls (Lots=1), sit out when it rises (Lots=-1)
	vars EquityCurve = series(EquityLong+EquityShort); //includes all phantom equity
	var dir; //indicates normal trade direction (dir=1) or reverse (dir=-1)

	//narrower curves
	//var slow = 50;
	//var fast = 10;

	//wider curves
	//var slow = 100;
	//var fast = 10;

	//mega-wide curves
	var slow = 200;
	var fast = 10;

	//uber-wide curves
	//var slow = 300;
	//var fast = 10;

	//optimized curves
	//var slow = optimize(50,50,300,12);
	//var fast = 10;

	vars EquityLP = series(LowPass(EquityCurve,fast));
	var EquityLPfalling = LowPass(EquityLP,slow);
	var EquityLPrisingBigger = LowPass(EquityLP,slow*3.2);
	var EquityLPrisingBig = LowPass(EquityLP,slow*1.5);
	//plot("EquityLPslow",LowPass(EquityLP,slow),1,BLUE);
	//plot("EquityLPfast",LowPass(EquityLP,fast),0,GREEN);
	
	if(EquityLP[0] < EquityLPfalling && falling(EquityLP)) { //drawdown
		if (emode==1) Lots = -1; //set phantom trade mode
		if (emode==2) return 1; //fade: take signals when losing
		if (emode==3) { //reward success with weighting
			Lots = -1; //set phantom trade mode
			return 1; //allow max 1 phantom trade in drawdown
		}
		if (emode==4) Lots = 1; //mean-reversion: start trading when equity curve falls
		
	}
	else { //positive equity curve
		if (emode==1) Lots = 1; //set normal trade mode
		if (emode==2) return -1; //fade: take reverse signals when winning
		if (emode==3) { //reward success with weighting
			Lots = 1; //set normal trade mode
			if (EquityLP[0] > EquityLPrisingBigger && rising(EquityLP)) return 3; //very big rising
			else if (EquityLP[0] > EquityLPrisingBig && rising(EquityLP)) return 2; //big rising
			else return 1; //rising but not yet significantly
		}
		if (emode==4) Lots = -1; //mean-reversion: stop trading when equity curve rises
	}
}

function checkStreak()
{
	//disallow trading this asset if loss streak threshold breached
	if (getOpt("lossstreaks") && ((LossStreakLong>=getOpt("lossstreaks")) || (LossStreakShort>=getOpt("lossstreaks"))))
	{
		Margin = 0;
		printf("\nWarning: %s breached loss streak limit of %i; may need reTrain",Asset,getOpt("lossstreaks"));
	}
}

function checkModifiers()
{
	int reversedir = getOpt("reversedir"); //default 0=normal trade direction
	int fridayclose = getOpt("fridayclose"); //enforce auto-close and no trades after NYSE 3pm Friday
	int hourblockstart = getOpt("hourblockstart"); //block trade opens beginning at NY hour
	int hourblockend = getOpt("hourblockend"); //block trade opens ending at NY hour
	int dayopencombo = getOpt("dayopencombo"); //combo of days to open; 63=every day
	int dayclosecombo = getOpt("dayclosecombo"); //combo of days to close after NYSE 4pm; 0=none; 63=every day
	int marketopencombo = getOpt("marketopencombo"); //combo of markets to allow trade opens; 15=every market

	if ( (!fridayClose(fridayclose) //close NYSE 3pm on Friday
		|| !todayCloseCombo(dayclosecombo) ) //close NYSE 4pm on selected days
		&& todayOpenCombo(dayopencombo) //open on selected days only
		&& marketOpenCombo(marketopencombo) //open during selected markets only
		&& hourOpen(hourblockstart,hourblockend) ) //open during selected hours only
			return 1; //ok to place new trades
	else
		return 0; //no trade, restricted by a modifier	
}


function run()
{
	AssetList = "Assets-IBFXnano.dta";
	//AssetList = "Assets-IBFXnano-spread100.dta";
	//AssetList = "Assets-IBFXnano-spread300.dta";
	//AssetList = "Assets-FXCMmicro.dta";
	//AssetList = "Assets-FXCMmicro-spread100.dta";
	set(PARAMETERS+ALLCYCLES+FACTORS);
	StartDate = 20080101;
	EndDate = 20131125;
	GapDays = 3; //alert if more than 3 days gap in data
	BarPeriod = 15;
	LookBack = 600;
	DataSplit = 70; //70% training, 30% OOS test
	NumWFOCycles = 5;
	if(is(TESTMODE)) NumSampleCycles = 15; //oversampling on Test only, not Train
	if (Train) { RollLong = 0; RollShort = 0; } //help prevent asymmetry in parameters & profit factors
	checkTradesPerCycle(); //stop Train early if not enough trades
	int reinvestprofits = 1; //invoke margin setting during trade logic
   
	while(asset(loop("USDJPY","EURAUD","EURCAD","AUDUSD","AUDCHF","AUDJPY","NZDJPY")))
	//asset("NZDJPY");
	{
		int maxtrades = getOpt("maxtrades");
		checkEquity(); //equity-curve trading
		Hedge = getOpt("hedge");
		
		//edge trading logic
		var TimeCycle = getOpt("timecycle");
		var TimeFactor = getOpt("timefactor");
		//Stop = BarPeriod*PIP; //simple stop level
		Stop = ATR(100) * getOpt("stop");
		Trail = ATR(100) * getOpt("trail");

		vars Price = series(price(0));
		vars MA1 = series(SMA(Price,TimeCycle));
		vars MA2 = series(SMA(Price,TimeCycle*TimeFactor));

		if (checkModifiers()) //only evaluate signals if no restrictions in force
		{
			if (crossOver(MA1,MA2) && rising(MA1)) //long signal
			{
				if (reinvestprofits) Margin = calculateMargin(1); //long
				checkStreak(); //disallow trading if loss streak limit breached
				//enterLong(); //standard entry
				if (!getOpt("reversedir")) reverseLong(maxtrades); else reverseShort(maxtrades);
			}
			else if(crossUnder(MA1,MA2) && falling(MA2)) //short signal
			{
				if (reinvestprofits) Margin = calculateMargin(0); //short
				checkStreak(); //disallow trading if loss streak limit breached
				//enterShort(); //standard entry
				if (!getOpt("reversedir")) reverseShort(maxtrades); else reverseLong(maxtrades);
			}
		}
	}

	PlotWidth = 1100;
	PlotHeight1 = 600;
}


Attached Files