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Code migration guide

Pine Script to MQL4 converter

A Pine Script indicator or strategy can be rewritten as an MQL4 indicator or Expert Advisor, but Pine series expressions must become explicit MT4 buffer or shift logic, and strategy orders must be rebuilt around MQL4 tickets and callbacks.

Open the MQL4 Coding AgentReview MQL4 AI Coding Agent

Generate an MQL4 draft, then compile it in MetaEditor and test it in MetaTrader 4.

Conversion map

What changes between TradingView and MetaTrader 4

The migration is a model translation. Use this map to decide where the source behavior belongs before writing target syntax.

Source and target platform conversion map
ConcernSource modelTarget modelMigration decision
LifecycleCode runs sequentially across chart bars. Realtime behavior depends on script type and calculation settings.Expert Advisors and indicators respond to predefined callbacks such as OnInit, OnTick, and OnCalculate.Choose when each TradingView calculation should run in MetaTrader 4; matching syntax alone does not preserve timing.
Market data and historyBuilt-in series values such as close carry bar history and use history references such as close[1].Price series use terminal arrays and shift-based access; indicators commonly expose calculated values through buffers.Recheck bar indexing, warm-up requirements, timeframe requests, and behavior on an unfinished bar.
Indicators and chart outputindicator(), plot(), drawing objects, alerts, and the ta.* namespace define chart output.Custom indicators bind buffers, while built-in indicator functions can return values directly for a requested shift.Map calculations before recreating plots, labels, colors, and platform-specific drawing objects.
Orders and positionsstrategy.* commands create broker-emulator orders for TradingView strategy tests.Classic trade functions such as OrderSend work with order tickets, lots, prices, stops, and a shared order pool.Define fill timing, sizing, pyramiding or hedging, stops, and position ownership for the target platform.
Native validationSave in Pine Editor, resolve compiler errors, add to a chart, then inspect plots, alerts, and Strategy Tester behavior.Compile the .mq4 file in MetaEditor, attach it in MetaTrader 4, and test the correct EA or indicator artifact.Treat generated MQL4 as a draft until it passes the target editor, chart, and backtest workflow.

Code example

Moving-average cross: Pine Script to MQL4

These fragments show where the same signal starts in each API. They are not complete standalone programs; lifecycle setup, inputs, plots, and order handling still depend on the selected artifact.

Pine Script source fragment
//@version=6
indicator("MA cross", overlay = true)
fast = ta.sma(close, 10)
slow = ta.sma(close, 20)
longSignal = ta.crossover(fast, slow)
plot(fast)
plot(slow)
MQL4 target fragment
double fast0 = iMA(NULL, 0, 10, 0, MODE_SMA, PRICE_CLOSE, 0);
double fast1 = iMA(NULL, 0, 10, 0, MODE_SMA, PRICE_CLOSE, 1);
double slow0 = iMA(NULL, 0, 20, 0, MODE_SMA, PRICE_CLOSE, 0);
double slow1 = iMA(NULL, 0, 20, 0, MODE_SMA, PRICE_CLOSE, 1);
bool longSignal = fast1 <= slow1 && fast0 > slow0;

Workflow

A four-step migration path

Keep generation, target-platform validation, and behavior comparison as separate stages.

  1. 1

    Inventory the source behavior

    Separate calculations, plots, alerts, orders, external dependencies, and assumptions in a Pine Editor indicator or strategy source file.

  2. 2

    Choose the target artifact

    Decide whether the result is an .mq4 Expert Advisor or custom indicator. This choice controls lifecycle methods and available APIs.

  3. 3

    Rewrite through target APIs

    Translate state, series, indicators, drawings, and orders into MetaTrader 4 concepts instead of replacing function names.

  4. 4

    Validate behavior natively

    Compile the .mq4 file in MetaEditor, attach it in MetaTrader 4, and test the correct EA or indicator artifact.

Manual decisions

Decisions code replacement cannot make

  • Choose an MQL4 custom indicator for plots and signals or an Expert Advisor for executable trade management.
  • Decide whether Pine bar-close logic belongs in OnTick with new-bar detection or in indicator OnCalculate.
  • Translate strategy sizing, pyramiding, exits, and simulated fills into explicit MT4 ticket rules.

Limitations

What the draft cannot prove

  • TradingView and MetaTrader 4 do not share one execution, data, or order model, so behavior can change even when both versions compile.
  • Broker, symbol, session, timezone, history, and fill settings can change signals and backtest results on MetaTrader 4.
  • Pineify can generate and revise a MQL4 draft, but the target platform remains the authority for compilation, loading, backtesting, and runtime behavior.

Use cases

When this conversion is useful

  • Port a TradingView study into an MT4 custom indicator with buffers and alerts.
  • Rebuild a Pine strategy as an MQL4 Expert Advisor with explicit order ownership.
  • Use TradingView logic as a specification while retaining MT4-native execution controls.

FAQ

Pine Script to MQL4 questions

Official references

Build the MQL4 draft with its native model in view

Bring the complete source and your artifact, timing, data, and order requirements. Validate the result in MetaTrader 4.

Open the MQL4 Coding AgentProduct details