Hello everybody,

I am facing a problem in logging trades for a sharp understanding, what Zorro is dealing with the broker exactly. Ordering, entering, exiting via MT4-bridge works reliable fine.

I enter a trade via

ASSET_long_Ask_at_EntryCmd = priceClose(0);
enterLong(MyTMF_long);

or…

ASSET_short_Ask_at_EntryCmd = priceClose(0);
enterShort(MyTMF_short);

Exactly one command line before enterXX() command is triggered, I record the current valid ASK tick value at which zorro decides to trade.
In the TMFs (I use one TMF for long + one for short) I then let zorro pass me the real ASK at which the broker booked the trade into my account :

<TMF short>
…
if(TradeIsEntry)
{
…
ASSET_short_Ask_at_EntryBroker = TradePriceOpen;
…
}

For long and short trades, zorro can calculate the real slippage for each trade, so I can adjust my trade- and stop- planning.


BUT :

to be in full control of an active trade, I also need to know values of SPREAD during entry and exit. According zorro’s manual TMF-variables …


####SNIP###

TradeSpread
The ask-bid spread at the trade opening time for short trades, or at the current and trade closing time for long trades.

###SNAP###



…I try to operate the same way as I did with ASK values.
Tracking the „real SPREAD-value“ works well with all LONG trades, where SPREAD is charged during exit.

But it does not work during the entry of SHORT trades.
I can not get the "SPREAD-value“ from the related trade returned to zorro, via the following code the return value is always zero (0.0)


<TMF short>
…
if(TradeIsEntry)
{
…
ASSET_short_Spread_at_EntryBroker = TradeSpread;
…
}




…the same code inside the long-Trade TMF during exit works fine


<TMF long>
…
if(TradeIsClosed)
{
…
ASSET_long_Spread_at_ExitBroker = TradeSpread;
…
}


Can anybody give me a hint, what I am doing wrong.

Regards
Hendrix

TradeSpread is not the real entry spread, it is the ask bid difference at the time of entry. I think the broker API plugin does not return the entry spread, only the entry price.

I believe that using 'AskPrice - TradePriceOpen' is pretty accurate, but not always 100%. Maybe Petra can confirm this?

It is indeed so. The entry price is accurate because it's returned from the broker API, but the spread is not. The spread is taken at the time of entry, but it is not 100% identical to the entry spread due to slippage.

Thank you very much for your answers,

I learned : TradeSpread returns the Spread valid at time of trade, not a real Spread returned by Borker API -> I will deal with that.

You have any ideas, why TradeSpread does not return any values during my short_entry_example ?
(tested with different brokers, and different assets, always 0.0)

Is my coding, usage or understanding for TradeSpread wrong ?

best regards
Hendrix

Short trades enter at bid, so their trade spread is calculated at exit. For getting the ask-bid spread at entry time, use the "Spread", not the "TradeSpread" variable.