Current candle or closed candle: choose your EA signal timing

A current candle is still forming. Its close, high and low can change with incoming prices. A completed candle gives a settled value for that period, but waiting for it also changes the timing of an entry.

Describe the rule in plain language

Write “evaluate the previous completed candle once a new candle starts” or “evaluate every incoming tick”. Both are meaningful designs. Confusion arises when the code implements one and the description promises the other.

Inspect the index and event

Check which bar index the indicator reads and which event triggers the calculation. A closed-bar value evaluated many times can still produce duplicate requests unless the order workflow prevents them.

Compare the same signal window

Use a short visual test and record the bar time, indicator value and decision. Compare the entry timestamp rather than merely checking whether the chart later shows the expected shape.

Choose with intent

Earlier signals are not automatically better and closed-candle signals are not automatically profitable. Source access lets you choose the timing that matches your idea and document that choice clearly.

Reference and further reading

Start with a free editable EA project · Explore MQLume source code

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