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🔄Trade Management Mode

Magic = 0 Complete Guide

When Magic = 0, BananaEA transforms into a professional trade manager — it stops creating new trades and focuses exclusively on managing existing positions.

✨ v3.13.1 Enhancement: Trade Management Mode now includes real-time dashboard displays showing entry price, R:R ratio, and directional exposure for instant trade quality assessment!

Overview

What Trade Management Mode Does

Core functionality:

  • ✅ Automatically applies SL/TP to manual trades

  • ✅ Maintains consistent risk:reward ratios

  • ✅ Works with trades from ANY source (manual, copied, other EAs)

  • ✅ Applies break-even, trailing, and partial close features

  • ✅ NEW (v3.13.1): Real-time R:R ratio display with color-coded quality indicators

  • ✅ NEW (v3.13.1): Entry price tracking with current pip difference

  • ❌ Does NOT create new trades from signals

Perfect for:

  • Manual traders wanting professional risk management

  • Prop firm traders needing exact SL/TP ratios

  • Copy trading with automated risk protection

  • Managing trades from multiple sources on one symbol

Configuration Methods

BananaEA offers two calculation methods for SL/TP placement:

1. ATR-Based (Adaptive)

Best for: Markets with changing volatility (forex, indices, commodities)

How it works:

  • SL distance = SL_Multiplier × ATR(14 or 15)

  • TP distance = TP_Multiplier × ATR(14 or 15)

  • Adapts to current market conditions automatically

Example calculation:

Current ATR = 10 pips
SL_Multiplier = 2.0 → SL = 20 pips
TP_Multiplier = 10.0 → TP = 100 pips
Result: 5:1 Risk:Reward ratio

2. Fixed Pips (Predictable)

Best for: Consistent strategies, prop firm rules, specific R:R requirements

How it works:

  • SL distance = Fixed pip amount (e.g., 20 pips)

  • TP distance = Fixed pip amount (e.g., 100 pips)

  • Never changes regardless of volatility

Example:

SL_FixedPips = 20
TP_FixedPips = 100
Result: Always 5:1 Risk:Reward ratio

Settings Reference

Method Selection

TradeManagement_Method

Choose calculation approach:

  • ATR_BASED — Dynamic distances that adapt to volatility

  • FIXED_PIPS — Consistent distances regardless of volatility

Recommendation:

  • Use ATR_BASED for markets with varying volatility (most forex pairs)

  • Use FIXED_PIPS for prop firm challenges or strict R:R requirements

ATR-Based Settings

TradeManagement_SL_Multiplier

What it does: How many ATR units for stop loss.

Configuration:

  • Default: 2.0 (balanced protection)

  • Range: 0.5–5.0

  • Examples:

    • 1.5 = Tight stops (more frequent SL hits)

    • 2.0 = Balanced (recommended)

    • 3.0 = Wide stops (fewer SL hits, larger losses when hit)

Risk implications:

  • Lower multiplier = Smaller SL = Less $ risk per trade = More SL hits

  • Higher multiplier = Larger SL = More $ risk per trade = Fewer SL hits

TradeManagement_TP_Multiplier

What it does: How many ATR units for take profit.

Configuration:

  • Default: 10.0 (approximately 5:1 R:R)

  • Range: 1.0–20.0

  • Examples:

    • 6.0 = 3:1 R:R (with SL 2.0)

    • 10.0 = 5:1 R:R (with SL 2.0, recommended)

    • 15.0 = 7.5:1 R:R (with SL 2.0, aggressive)

Risk:Reward Examples

SL Mult
TP Mult
Result

2.0

6.0

3:1 R:R

2.0

10.0

5:1 R:R (default)

1.5

15.0

10:1 R:R

3.0

15.0

5:1 R:R (wider stops)

Fixed Pips Settings

TradeManagement_SL_FixedPips

What it does: Fixed stop loss distance in pips.

Configuration:

  • Example: 20.0 pips

  • Range: 5.0–100.0 pips (typical)

  • Broker adjustment: Account for broker pip definition (5-digit vs 4-digit)

Example scenarios:

  • Major pairs (EURUSD): 15-30 pips

  • Volatile pairs (GBPJPY): 30-50 pips

  • Indices (DAX, NAS100): 20-40 pips

TradeManagement_TP_FixedPips

What it does: Fixed take profit distance in pips.

Configuration:

  • Example: 100.0 pips (5:1 R:R with 20 pip SL)

  • Range: 10.0–500.0 pips (typical)

Example scenarios:

  • Conservative (3:1 R:R): 60 pips TP with 20 pip SL

  • Balanced (5:1 R:R): 100 pips TP with 20 pip SL

  • Aggressive (10:1 R:R): 200 pips TP with 20 pip SL

Preservation Settings

PreserveExistingSL

What it does: Don't change manual stop loss if already present.

Configuration:

  • true (recommended): Respect manual SL placement

  • false: Always apply EA-calculated SL

Use case:

  • Set to true when you want manual control over stop losses

  • Set to false when you want EA to enforce consistent SL distances

Behavior:

PreserveExistingSL = true:
- Trade opened with SL = 50 pips → EA leaves it at 50 pips
- Trade opened without SL → EA applies calculated SL

PreserveExistingSL = false:
- Trade opened with SL = 50 pips → EA changes to calculated SL
- Trade opened without SL → EA applies calculated SL

PreserveExistingTP

What it does: Don't change manual take profit if already present.

Configuration:

  • true (recommended): Respect manual TP placement

  • false: Always apply EA-calculated TP

Use case:

  • Set to true for manual profit targeting

  • Set to false for consistent R:R enforcement

Enhancement Features

AllowTrailingEnhancement

What it does: Allow trailing stop in Trade Management Mode.

Configuration:

  • true: Trail stops only in risk-reducing direction

  • false: No trailing (SL stays fixed)

Behavior:

  • Trailing only moves SL toward entry price or profit (never increases risk)

  • Uses TrailingDistance and TrailingTrigger settings from Advanced Features

  • 💡 See Advanced Features for complete trailing documentation

AllowBreakEvenEnhancement

What it does: Move SL to break-even after profit threshold.

Configuration:

  • true: Enable automatic break-even

  • false: SL stays at original distance

Behavior:

  • When trade reaches profit threshold, SL moves to entry price (zero loss)

  • Uses BreakEvenTrigger and BreakEvenOffset settings

  • 💡 See Advanced Features for complete break-even documentation

📊 Dashboard Features (v3.13.1+)

Real-Time Trade Monitoring

BananaEA v3.13.1 includes enhanced dashboard displays for Trade Management Mode:

Trade Panel Information (Per Position)

Each managed trade displays:

  1. Entry Price with Pip Difference

    • Display: Entry: 24636.4 (+7.0 pips) or (-2.3 pips)

    • Color: Green when profitable, red when losing

    • Benefit: Instant position status without clicking order

  2. Risk:Reward Ratio (Automatic)

    • Display: R:R Ratio: 1:5.0

    • Color Coding:

      • 🟢 Green: ≥2.0 (excellent trade quality)

      • ⚪ White: ≥1.5 (acceptable quality)

      • 🟡 Yellow: <1.5 (poor R:R - warning!)

    • Benefit: Instant trade quality assessment - no manual calculation needed!

  3. Initial Risk vs Current Risk

    • Shows how much risk has been reduced by break-even/trailing

    • Locked profit display when SL is in profit territory

  4. Current P&L

    • Real-time profit/loss in dollars and pips

    • Color-coded for quick visual assessment

Enhanced Info Panel (Symbol-Level)

When managing multiple trades, the dashboard shows:

  • Directional Exposure: Exposure: 2 BUY, 0 SELL

    • Concentration risk warning if all trades same direction

  • Total Open Trades: Count of managed positions

  • Daily Range Progress: Daily Range: 187.2 / 245.3 (76%)

    • Helps time new entries (is most of daily range consumed?)

Visual Benefits

No More Mental Math:

  • R:R ratio calculated automatically (was your 5:1 target achieved?)

  • Entry price difference shown in pips (are you +7 or -2 pips?)

  • Color-coded quality indicators (is this trade meeting standards?)

Quick Decision-Making:

  • See all managed trades at a glance

  • Identify concentration risk instantly (all BUY or all SELL?)

  • Monitor progress toward profit targets visually

Workflow Examples

Example 1: Manual Day Trading with Strict R:R

Goal: Manual entries with guaranteed 5:1 R:R, 20 pip SL.

Configuration:

Magic = 0
TradeManagement_Method = FIXED_PIPS
TradeManagement_SL_FixedPips = 20.0
TradeManagement_TP_FixedPips = 100.0
PreserveExistingSL = false
PreserveExistingTP = false
AllowBreakEvenEnhancement = true
AllowTrailingEnhancement = true

Workflow:

  1. Identify setup on chart

  2. Place manual BUY (no SL/TP)

  3. EA instantly applies 20 pip SL, 100 pip TP

  4. Dashboard displays: Entry: 24636.4 (+0.0 pips), R:R Ratio: 1:5.0 (green ✅)

  5. EA manages break-even and trailing automatically

  6. Monitor visually: Watch entry price difference turn green as trade profits

Example 2: Copy Trading with Adaptive Risk

Goal: Copy trades from signal provider, apply adaptive SL/TP.

Configuration:

Magic = 0
TradeManagement_Method = ATR_BASED
TradeManagement_SL_Multiplier = 2.0
TradeManagement_TP_Multiplier = 10.0
PreserveExistingSL = true  (respect signal provider's SL)
PreserveExistingTP = false (override TP for better R:R)

Workflow:

  1. Signal provider trade copied to your account

  2. EA checks for existing SL (preserves if present)

  3. EA applies adaptive TP based on current ATR

  4. Dashboard shows: Current R:R ratio for each copied trade (instantly see if it's 1:3.5 or 1:5.0)

  5. EA manages trailing and break-even

  6. Monitor exposure: Check if all copied trades are same direction (concentration risk warning)

Example 3: Prop Firm Challenge

Goal: Meet prop firm requirements (1:2 R:R minimum, max 2% risk).

Configuration:

Magic = 0
TradeManagement_Method = FIXED_PIPS
TradeManagement_SL_FixedPips = 30.0
TradeManagement_TP_FixedPips = 60.0  (2:1 R:R)
PreserveExistingSL = false (enforce firm rules)
PreserveExistingTP = false (enforce firm rules)
RiskPercent = 2.0  (in Risk Management settings)

Workflow:

  1. Manual entry on chart

  2. EA enforces 30 pip SL (= 2% risk via lot size)

  3. EA enforces 60 pip TP (= 2:1 R:R)

  4. Dashboard confirms: R:R Ratio: 1:2.0 displays in white (acceptable ✅)

  5. Meets prop firm requirements automatically

  6. Visual compliance check: All trades show correct R:R ratio - no manual verification needed!

Best Practices

Choosing Between ATR and Fixed Pips

Use ATR-Based when:

  • Trading multiple timeframes with varying volatility

  • Trading across different market sessions (Asian/London/NY)

  • You want SL/TP to adapt to market conditions

Use Fixed Pips when:

  • You need exact R:R ratios (prop firms, personal rules)

  • Trading single timeframe with consistent strategy

  • You want predictable risk per trade in dollar terms

Preservation Settings Strategy

Preserve Both (Flexible):

PreserveExistingSL = true
PreserveExistingTP = true

  • Manual control when you set SL/TP

  • EA fills in when you don't set them

  • Best for experienced traders

Preserve Neither (Strict):

PreserveExistingSL = false
PreserveExistingTP = false

  • EA enforces consistent SL/TP every trade

  • Removes emotional decision-making

  • Best for beginners or prop firm compliance

Risk:Reward Ratio Selection

Conservative (3:1 to 5:1):

  • Higher win rate required for profitability

  • Shorter holding periods

  • Suitable for ranging markets

Balanced (5:1 to 8:1):

  • Moderate win rate (40-50%) needed

  • Most popular for swing trading

  • Works in trending and ranging markets

Aggressive (10:1+):

  • Low win rate acceptable (20-30%)

  • Longer holding periods

  • Best for strong trending markets

Troubleshooting

Issue: SL/TP Not Applied

Check:

  1. Is Magic = 0? (Verify in EA inputs)

  2. Is EA attached to correct chart symbol?

  3. Are trades on the same symbol as chart?

  4. Check MT4 Experts log for error messages

Issue: Wrong SL/TP Distances

Check:

  1. Verify TradeManagement_Method setting (ATR vs Fixed Pips)

  2. If ATR: Check current ATR value on chart

  3. If Fixed Pips: Verify broker pip definition (5-digit vs 4-digit)

  4. Check ShowDebugLogs = true for calculation details

Issue: SL/TP Changed Unexpectedly

Check:

  1. PreserveExistingSL and PreserveExistingTP settings

  2. If false, EA will override manual settings

  3. Break-even or trailing may have triggered

  4. Check EA logs for management actions

Issue: R:R Ratio Shows Yellow Warning

Understanding the display:

  • 🟢 Green (≥2.0): Excellent R:R ratio - professional quality trade

  • ⚪ White (≥1.5): Acceptable R:R - meets minimum standards

  • 🟡 Yellow (<1.5): Poor R:R - risk too high for reward!

If ratio is lower than expected:

  1. Check your multiplier settings (TP_Multiplier should be 5-10× SL_Multiplier)

  2. For Fixed Pips: Verify TP_FixedPips is at least 3× SL_FixedPips

  3. Example fix: If SL = 20 pips, TP should be 60+ pips for 3:1 minimum

  4. Prop Firm Warning: Most firms require minimum 2:1 R:R (green or white display)

Issue: Dashboard Panels Stuck on Chart

Fixed in v3.13.1:

  • Previous versions: Panels remained after EA removal

  • Current version: All Trade Panels clean up automatically when EA removed

  • If still seeing stuck panels: You're using older version - update to v3.13.1+

Manual cleanup (older versions only):

  1. Right-click chart → Objects → Objects List (Ctrl+B)

  2. Delete all objects starting with "BananaEATradeInfo"

  3. Or update to v3.13.1 for automatic cleanup!

Related Settings

Quick Reference

Setting
ATR Mode
Fixed Pips Mode

TradeManagement_Method

ATR_BASED

FIXED_PIPS

SL Distance Setting

SL_Multiplier (2.0)

SL_FixedPips (20.0)

TP Distance Setting

TP_Multiplier (10.0)

TP_FixedPips (100.0)

Typical R:R Ratio

5:1

5:1

Mode activation:

  • Set Magic = 0 to enable Trade Management Mode

  • Attach EA to chart with symbol you want to manage

  • EA manages ALL trades for that symbol (regardless of origin)

Dashboard displays (v3.13.1+):

  • ✅ Entry price with current pip difference (+7.0 pips or -2.3 pips)

  • ✅ Automatic R:R ratio calculation (1:5.0 with color-coded quality)

  • ✅ Directional exposure tracking (2 BUY, 0 SELL)

  • ✅ Real-time risk reduction monitoring (initial vs current risk)

No manual calculations needed - dashboard shows everything instantly!

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