HOW-TO: Execute closed-source script alerts via TradingConnector

15 Des 2023

HOW-TO: Auto-Execute closed-source script alerts using TradingConnector
(Assuming alerts don't match required syntax and script author won't adjust)

TradingView hosts numerous Pine-Scripts with alerts generated by those scripts. Oftentimes, you discover an indicator or strategy with promising parameters, and to top it off, the alerts trigger precisely when needed. It feels as though the entire setup is pleading, "Automate me!"

However, there's a challenge. Many times, these scripts are closed-source, and the alert messages they produce don't align with the execution service's syntax requirements. Moreover, the script author may not be inclined to modify these alerts.

Introducing the "Search&Replace Alerts Modifier" Module
TradingConnector has recently introduced the “Search&Replace Alerts Modifier” module, offering a solution to this issue. This module acts as a bridge between alerts generated by closed-source scripts and the expected syntax of TradingConnector. By intercepting alerts fired from TradingView, the Alerts Modifier adjusts them using a familiar Search&Replace mechanism. Consequently, these alerts are aligned with the required syntax before being forwarded for execution in MetaTrader.

Configuring the Alerts Modifier is straightforward. Users only need to specify two strings of text for Search&Replace: one to identify within the incoming alert and the other to replace it in every occurrence.

Example Scenario
Consider an alert generated by a closed-source script:
{"id": 1701248700,"symbol": "XAUUSD","command": "short tradesymbol=XAUUSD lot=0.01","time": 1701248700}

This alert, in its current form, wouldn't be parsed by TradingConnector due to the absence of an expected keyword like short. It contains a partial occurrence of the term ("...mind": "short") that wouldn't be recognized.

https://www.tradingview.com/x/xh20jbLk/

Processing this alert through the Search&Replace Alerts Modifier, with a specification to replace " symbol with a plain space, transforms the alert into a recognizable format:

{ id : 1701248700, symbol : XAUUSD , command : short tradesymbol=XAUUSD lot=0.01 , time : 1701248700}
Now, the distinct short keyword is recognizable, enabling the alert's execution in MetaTrader. Moreover, irrelevant words (time, id, symbol, command) or strings (:1701248700, XAUUSD) are intelligently ignored without causing any disruption.

Customization and Flexibility
Users can configure multiple search&replace pairs of strings, facilitating comprehensive customization to accommodate various alert formats and syntax variations.

By incorporating the "Search&Replace Alerts Modifier" alongside TradingConnector, traders can seamlessly handle alerts from closed-source scripts that diverge from the expected syntax. This module acts as a pivotal tool, reconciling these discrepancies and enabling the automated execution of alerts in MetaTrader without necessitating modifications to the original scripts.