Strategy optimizer

Starting from Forex Tester 5 we've added the Strategy Optimizer feature with AI based algorithms . This feature allows to select the optimal parameters for your automatic strategy (expert) to gain the best profit.

You can find the Strategy Optimizer on the Strategies tab. Just click the appropriate button to launch it.

Before optimization you need to make a preliminary step and make the initial settings.

On the first stage of initial you just need to select the Strategy (EA) from the list as well as add your custom strategy by clicking the Add new strategy menu item.

In this guide, we will look at how the tool works by the example of the AwesomeEA strategy. After choosing the strategy please click the Next button to go to the next stage.

On the second stage you need to select the optimization algorithm:

1. Full grid. This algorithm is the simplest and lacks AI methods. Every test run, called iteration, it goes through every single combination of a given set of parameters based on historical data. The more combinations, the more iterations, the more time it takes to get results.
   The accuracy of the method is the highest - up to 99% but the speed is the lowest. Full Grid is available for all users even without Paid Data Service Subscription.
2. Neural Network is an AI based algorithm. Thanks to the complex mathematical formulas that underlie this algorithm, it can select the strategy parameters with a high level of accuracy - up to 95%.This precision achieved by using a very small dataset, so you can get the result 10-100 times faster in comparison with a full grid (Brute Force) test.
3. XGBoost. Algorithm based on AI. Takes advantage of the most powerful and advanced ML-technique, which allows to perform parallel tree boosting to filter out inappropriate options as early as possible. It provides an even faster work than a Neural Network without loss of the result accuracy (up to 95%).

When you're done with the algorithm selection, please click the Next button.

On the 3rd stage please choose the symbol and timeframe. It is also necessary to select the dates for the data, on which the optimization algorithm iterations will run.

Please check one of the options:

• Use 1 minute data (less precise,suitable for Basic and Standard data subscribers)
• Use 1-minute and tick data (more precise, recommended for VIP data subscribers)

The Advanced settings button allows to adjust special parameters: Tick generation method and Floating spread using.

Generate ticks by OHLC points – if you select this method, each bar will contain 1-4 ticks based on Open/ High/ Low/ Close values of the given bar (less than 4 ticks are possible in the situation when Open=High, or Low=Close).
Generate ticks randomly by volume – it means that the number of ticks inside a 1-minute bar will be equal to the volume of this bar, ticks will be distributed randomly inside a single bar. We recommend using the first method of ticks generation, as it is the fastest and gives a good testing quality.
If you have activated the Use minute and tick data option, the Use floating spread option will be available in the advanced settings window. This feature is important for all intraday traders (timeframes M1, M5, M15, M30, H1) to obtain the most precise test results.

When all the parameters related to the symbols and data quality are set up, please click the Next button.

On the 4th stage you can work with your Strategy parameters that should be optimized. By default all the parameters are switched off for optimization and you need to enable only those options that you think should be optimized. For example, let`s enable the “Lot size” parameter.

Please enter the necessary values into the From, To, Step fields.You can leave the Auto value in these fields, so the algorithm will select the parameters at its discretion.

In our case we entered the following parameters for the Lot size optimization:
From = 0.1
To = 0.5
Step = 0.1

If you need to reset the setting value to auto, please delete the entered symbols via pressing the Backspace keyboard button and click on any empty place of the window.

When all optimization settings are set up please click the Next button to continue.

On the last stage before optimization starts, just specify your initial Deposit (Balance) and define the conditions when the optimization should stop immediately: Balanse is smaller than (value) AND/OR Balance is bigger than (value).
Please note, the values in stop conditions should be differ than Initial deposit.

When ready please click the Start button and optimization process will begin.
If you need to change some parameters, please use the Previous button.

A tip: if you hover the mouse cursor on the headers of stages, you can see in the information popup with parameters you`ve set up.

During the testing process, you can see the chart with control points appear and the progress bars both for the current iteration and for the whole process. To see detailed information about the particular point, just hover the mouse cursor on it.
You can use the Pause button if you need to pause the optimization process for any reason.

If you want to change some settings any time of the test, just click the Reconfigure button in the left top of the window. The Optimization summary window will be shown.

Please note: you can change only parameters of the strategy and common settings without restarting the test. Changing the strategy, symbol and data will lead to a test restart and all the results will be lost.

When ready click the “Resume optimization” button to continue the testing.

When the optimization is completed, you will see the report with general statistics of trades for this testing and the best parameters for getting the maximum profit. Also you can see the best settings and profit after the end of the every iteration in the left top part of the window.

In our case the best profit is reached when the Lot size = 0.5