change spread for your backtest in metatrader

This is a quick instruction, on how to use the real account data and change spread for your backtesting.

Step one: retrieve the real account history data as back as you can.

1) install a fresh copy of Metatrader from your broker where you have the real account, name the metatrader such as

"Alpari UK backtest", or "ATCbacktest" ..., and you login with your real account.

2) Select from metatrader manual, Tools->Options-> charts, then put 512000 as number in the "max bars in history" and "max bars in charts".

3) open a EURUSD M5 charts, and click on anywhere in the chart, now, press down the "Home" botton on your keyboard, so that the charts is back to the begining or 2009.

you only release your "home" botton when the chart can not be backed to earlier data anymore.

Click on the timeframe M1, do the same, press down the Home button, until it is can not back to ealier data any more.

repeat this, for timeframe, M15, M30, H1, H4, D1 and W1...

After you have done all this for all your trading pairs, now, delete the account. so you next time does not connect to the server.

close down the metatrader.

Step two: change spread to the spread you want when backtesting.

1) download the script from [url]http://www.formulatrader.com/download/SpreadGenerator_v1.1.ex4[/url]
or original [url]http://www.formulatrader.com/download/SpreadGenerator_v1.1.mq4[/url]

to your /expert/script folder, because this is a script

2) start metatrader, because you have already deleted your account from this metatrader, now you shall be disconnected from server and do not login

3) make sure you have enabled expert in the Tools -> options-> expert, and allow import dll.

3) open a EURUSD chart, and drag the spread script to the chart, you shall then be able to give the "spread" you want to for backtesting.

this is working for both 5 digits, you put 56 for 5.6 pips spread. you put 10 for 1.0 pip spread.

for 4 digits broker, you put spread 5 for 5 pips spread, and put 1 for 1.0 pip spread.

this means you have changed the spread for just EURUSD. do this for your pair that you want to backtest each time.

Close metatrader now.

4) checking you shall have a newly created file /experts/files/symbols.sel

5) now, go to the folder /history/ATCBrokers-Server (like me, have ATC account, this is my ATC live data folder), there are serveral folders, if you can not find the live account folder, do this for every folder. you rename the old symbols.sel to symbols.sel.1

and copy /experts/files/symbols.sel ====>>>> to /history/ATCBrokers-Server

6) restart the metatrader, and go to backtest window by pressing CTRL-R, and click on the "symbol properties", you shall see the spread for your pair is now that one you want for backtesting.

you can change the spread to any spread you want for backtesting.

Re: change spread for your backtest in metatrader

no response to this thread?

you guys only get EA and not do backtest the EAs with various spread + your real acccount tickdata?

currently most the profitable ea there out are scalpers and it is spread sensitive, you gotta to do your home work and backtest all eas.

Re: change spread for your backtest in metatrader

Hi finimej,

Good day,

This is a great thread and for sure very important for those who use scaplers. well, let me be honest with you, I love scapling, but the problem is that whenever I make a lot of money because of scapling, the broker kills me with a lot of re-quotes so I can't continue doing that for hours and sometimes days.

I will try your way and see how things go.

Thanks again, I will save this notes to my FX notes.

Best wishes,

Re: change spread for your backtest in metatrader

Thanks scareface for your response.

the only way to survive requotes seems for me is to go to the ECN broker.

Re: change spread for your backtest in metatrader

Hi finimej,

Good day,

Thanks for the useful info. However, there is still a problem. Most ECN brokers are killers especially in spreads.

They always have high spreads, and some other have commissions as well.

Do you recommend any ECN broker with low spread that work maybe on MT4?

Looking forward to hearing from you again.

Thanks again.

Best wishes,

Re: change spread for your backtest in metatrader

as you know, always, I have ATCbrokers.com as my broker. has eyes on dukascopy meta4 as well, once they start take in.

mbtrading.com is good one as well. never got requote, only have slippage max 1pips or 1.5 pips or hehe, once, max 5 pips slippage on order.

Re: change spread for your backtest in metatrader

as you know, always, I have ATCbrokers.com as my broker. has eyes on dukascopy meta4 as well, once they start take in.

mbtrading.com is good one as well. never got requote, only have slippage max 1pips or 1.5 pips or hehe, once, max 5 pips slippage on order.

Could tell me more about ATCBrokers and MBTrading, please? Are they NFA member brokers subject to anti-hedging, FIFO, etc?

Currently I am looking for a new broker. Since I am residing in the US, the broker choice is rather limited to US based ones, unfortunately. So I'd like to hear about your experience with any US brokers.

Re: change spread for your backtest in metatrader

I go for ATCbrokers.com, since their accually account is at FXCM UK. Althrough ATCbrokers.com is NFA regulated, but you can hedge as much as you like on the same currecy at the same time, and no FIFO at all.

commission is 8 USD per 1 lot rund trip, spread are variad.

MBTrading does not allow hedge on the same pair, so I did not trying. you can have two account, one for long and one for short for hedge. but I do not like that work around. commission is less than ATC now, around 2.95 x 2 USD per lot round trip.

Oanda (non MEtatrader 4) is a market maker, however, very good market maker and relieable. this you can go as well.

Re: change spread for your backtest in metatrader

I go for ATCbrokers.com, since their accually account is at FXCM UK. Althrough ATCbrokers.com is NFA regulated, but you can hedge as much as you like on the same currecy at the same time, and no FIFO at all.

commission is 8 USD per 1 lot rund trip, spread are variad.

Your recommendation is much timely to me. I sent out an application to JadeFX last Tuesday but haven’t heard from them yet. This concerns me a bit because they should've at least acknowledged receipt of my application in a timely fashion. Besides, someone told me that slippage problem is rather serious with Jade.

I've begun to feel that I should go with ATCBrokers instead of JadeFX. That is, ATCBrokers' office is a driving distance from my place if it makes any difference.

I was wondering if you had any experience with Jade as well. I’d also like to hear about the experience with both ATCBrokers and JadeFX from other members, please.

Re: change spread for your backtest in metatrader

No. I do not have live account with Jadefx. I was wondering if any one tell me the jadefx slippage on limit orders are solved.

Re: change spread for your backtest in metatrader

No. I do not have live account with Jadefx. I was wondering if any one tell me the jadefx slippage on limit orders are solved.

Would you please be able to elaborate on what the JadeFX slippage on limit orders was all about? I'd like hear more about it if I could, please.