Custom Alerts - Complete Guide

Custom Alerts monitors your Stein Investments indicators and fires notifications when specific market conditions are met. Instead of watching charts all day, you define the conditions once and get alerted when they trigger.

Standard vs. AIO Version

There are two versions:

  • Standard - requires separately installed SI indicators (FX Power NG, FX Volume, IX Power, FX Dynamic, FX Levels). You need licenses for each indicator you want to use.
  • AIO (All-In-One) - all indicators are built into a single file. Everything is enabled by default. No separate installations needed.

Both versions share identical parameters and alert logic. Preset files (.set) are interchangeable between them.

If you are starting fresh, the AIO version is the simpler choice. If you already own the individual indicators and want granular control, the Standard version works well.

Available Strategies

FX Power Strategies (Forex)

Strategy What it detects Key parameters
Dog Walk Trend with counter-currency pullback DWSMain (25), DWSCounter (40)
Pair Breakout All 6 FX Power lines separate clearly PairBreakoutAlert, dynamic_option, clearseparation
Currency Dynamic Momentum building across timeframes MinDynamicFXP1/2/3
Currency Extreme Extreme strength or weakness CXTRLimit (40)
Line Delta Significant delta between currency lines MinDelta (15)
Currency Correlation Correlated currency movements (experimental) CCORREntryLimit, CCORRExitLimit

IX Power Strategies (Indices, Metals, Crypto)

Strategy What it detects Key parameters
Easy Scalping Pullback within a trend EasyMain (25), EasyCounter (40)
Dynamic Momentum across IX Power timeframes MinDynamicIXP1/2/3
Extreme Extreme strength or weakness IXTRLimit (40)

Volume Strategy (FX Volume)

Strategy What it detects Key parameters
Rising Interest Combined NLC + TVC increase NLCLimit (1.0), TVCLimit (1.0), filter_option

Setup & First Steps

AIO Version

  1. Place the indicator on any stable chart (EURUSD M5 recommended)
  2. All indicators are already enabled - just configure your alert strategies
  3. Set your alert channels (popup, push, email, sound)
  4. Optionally restrict symbols using the currency filters

Standard Version

  1. Install the SI indicators you want to use
  2. Place Custom Alerts on a chart
  3. Enable each indicator: FXP_ENABLED, FXV_ENABLED, IXP_USAGE, UseFXD, FXL_ENABLED
  4. Activate your chosen strategies
  5. Configure alert channels

Important: In the Standard version, the analysis periods in Custom Alerts must match the settings of your running indicators. The AIO version handles this automatically.

Key Parameters

ATR Filter (Recommended)

The ATR filter prevents alerts when a move is already extended:

  • ATR_alert_filter = true
  • ATR_alert_limit = 100 (alerts only fire when current move is below 100% of ATR)

Lower values (e.g., 80) are more conservative - you will only get alerts early in a move. This requires FX Dynamic to be enabled.

Alert Cooldown

AlertCooldownMinutes prevents the same strategy-symbol combination from firing repeatedly:

  • Set to 0: disabled (every signal triggers)
  • Set to 30-60: recommended for mobile push notifications
  • Each strategy-symbol pair has its own independent cooldown timer

Currency and Symbol Filters

  • Currency toggles (USDAlert, EURAlert, etc.) - disable currencies you do not trade
  • UseSymbolsFilter + SymbolsToAlert - restrict to a specific symbol list
  • These filters reduce noise significantly if you focus on a few pairs

Time Schedule

Limit alerts to your trading sessions:

  • EnableTimeSchedule = true
  • Configure up to two time windows (AM/PM) in broker time
  • Example for London + New York: StartAM=08:00, EndAM=12:00, StartPM=13:00, EndPM=17:00

GVT (Global Variable Trigger)

When alertsGVT = true, each alert sets a MetaTrader Global Variable. Other EAs can read this variable to react automatically to Custom Alerts signals - useful for semi-automated or fully automated workflows.

Strategy Deep Dive

Pair Breakout (Start Here)

The Pair Breakout strategy is the most versatile and produces the most informative alerts. It fires when the FX Power lines of a currency pair separate clearly.

Optional filters improve signal quality:

  • dynamic_option - require momentum confirmation (one-sided or both currencies)
  • clearseparation - require strong currency above and weak currency below a threshold
  • delta_check - filter by minimum delta on a specific analysis period
  • Volume confirmation via netlong_option and total_option (requires FX Volume)

Dog Walk

Detects a trending currency that experiences a counter-move pullback - a classic continuation setup. The main currency must show strength above DWSMain, while the counter-currency must show a move above DWSCounter.

Easy Scalping (IX Power)

The scalping strategy for non-forex instruments. Detects pullbacks within an established trend. Can be combined with FX Power clear-separation and delta filters for forex symbols when IXP_USAGE = IXP_ALL.

Rising Interest (Volume)

Combines Net Long Change (NLC) and Total Volume Change (TVC) to detect currencies where institutional positioning is shifting. The dominance filter (filter_option) can narrow alerts to only the strongest volume movements.

Alert Channels

Channel Parameter Notes
Popup alertsMessage Visible in MT5 window
Sound alertsSound Plays alert.wav
Email alertsEmail Requires MT5 email configuration
Mobile Push alertsNotification Requires MetaQuotes ID and MT5 mobile app
GVT alertsGVT For EA integration

Tips & Best Practices

  • Start with Pair Breakout. It is the most informative strategy and works well as a standalone alert system.
  • Enable ATR filter from the start. It prevents chasing moves that are already extended.
  • Set a cooldown for mobile alerts. 30-60 minutes prevents notification spam without missing important signals.
  • Use the time schedule. Restricting alerts to your active trading hours keeps your phone quiet at night.
  • The AIO version enables everything by default. If you are getting too many alerts initially, disable strategies you do not use and set AlertCooldownMinutes = 60.
  • Delta filter on Breakout improves quality. Enable delta_check with mindelta = 30 to only get alerts when momentum is significant.
  • For volume-based trading, set filter_option = BOTH_MAX to receive alerts only when a currency shows the strongest combined NLC and TVC movement.

Common Issues

No alerts despite everything being enabled - Check: (1) AlertsOn = true, (2) at least one alert channel is active, (3) time schedule covers the current time, (4) required indicators are providing data, (5) monitored symbols are in Market Watch.

Too many alerts - Solutions: increase cooldown, disable currencies you do not trade, enable time schedule, reduce the number of active strategies.

Alerts arrive late - Custom Alerts checks at each new candle of the base timeframe (TFTC). Use M5 or M1 for faster checks.

Mobile push not working - Requires: (1) alertsNotification = true, (2) MQL5 account connected in MetaTrader, (3) MT5 mobile app installed with push permissions enabled.

"N/A" for ATR in alert text - FX Dynamic is not enabled or not providing data for that symbol. Enable UseFXD = true.