It is thus useful to create a order counting function that can count the current number of open orders based on the order type.

It will return an integer value of how many orders are currently opened on the specified chart symbol matching the magic number that we have passed as a function argument.

We start by declaring the OrderCount variable, the intial value of which is 0.

We use the for operator to loop through the block of code, and the OrderSelect() function to examine the pool of currently open positions, checking for ones that match our order symbol and magic number.

If OrderMagicNumber() matches our MagicNumber, we can be confident that this order was placed by our EA.

Note: uncertainty about EA identification would only arise if the user is running two EAs on the same currency symbol with the same magic number.

If OrderMagicNumber() does not match, we use the sign, which means not equals, the program can continue, that is, it discards unaffiliated trades and moves on to trades that match up.

We next see if the order matches the order types OPBUY or () OPSELL.

If the order matches both our magic number and chart symbol and order type, the value of the OrderCount will be incremented by one.

After we have looped through all the orders in the order pool, we return the value of OrderCount to the calling function.

Counting only Buy or Sell Orders Sometimes it is necessary to just count the open buy orders or open sell orders, in which case we would have to split out the above function into two.

It is pretty easy to create a order counting function for every order type, replacing the constant OPBUY for OPBUYLIMIT or OPBUYSTOP, for instance, and renaming the functions to differentiate the order types.

Mt4 Magic Numbers