Setting Up Trade Alerts in Mql4: Send Emails and Mobile Push Notifications

To enable push notifications in your MQL4 trading robot, you need to use the SendNotification() function. This function sends a text message to the mobile terminals (iOS or Android) associated with the MetaQuotes ID specified in your desktop terminal settings.

Here is the step-by-step implementation guide and the complete code structure.

1. MQL4 Implementation

You should place the SendNotification call immediately after a successful OrderSend execution.

Here is a robust function wrapper that opens a trade and sends a notification containing the Symbol, Order Type, and Open Price.

//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//|                                       TradeWithNotification.mq4  |
//|                        Copyright 2023, MetaQuotes Software Corp. |
//|                                             https://www.mql5.com |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
#property strict

//--- Input Parameters
input double Lots = 0.1;
input int StopLoss = 50;
input int TakeProfit = 100;
input int MagicNumber = 123456;
input bool EnablePush = true; // Toggle to turn notifications on/off

//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Expert initialization function                                   |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
int OnInit()
  {
   return(INIT_SUCCEEDED);
  }

//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Expert tick function                                             |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
void OnTick()
  {
   // --- EXAMPLE TRADING LOGIC ---
   // This is a placeholder. Replace this with your actual strategy conditions.
   
   // Example: If no orders are open, open a random Buy
   if(OrdersTotal() == 0)
     {
      OpenOrder(OP_BUY);
     }
  }

//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Custom Function to Open Order and Send Notification              |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
void OpenOrder(int type)
  {
   double price, sl, tp;
   color arrowColor;
   string typeStr;

   // 1. Set price and color based on order type
   if(type == OP_BUY)
     {
      price = Ask;
      arrowColor = clrBlue;
      typeStr = "BUY";
      // Calculate SL/TP for Buy
      sl = (StopLoss > 0) ? price - StopLoss * Point : 0;
      tp = (TakeProfit > 0) ? price + TakeProfit * Point : 0;
     }
   else if(type == OP_SELL)
     {
      price = Bid;
      arrowColor = clrRed;
      typeStr = "SELL";
      // Calculate SL/TP for Sell
      sl = (StopLoss > 0) ? price + StopLoss * Point : 0;
      tp = (TakeProfit > 0) ? price - TakeProfit * Point : 0;
     }
   else return; // Exit if not Buy or Sell

   // 2. Send the Order
   int ticket = OrderSend(Symbol(), type, Lots, price, 3, sl, tp, "My EA Trade", MagicNumber, 0, arrowColor);

   // 3. Check if Order was successful
   if(ticket > 0)
     {
      // Order opened successfully
      Print("Order opened successfully. Ticket: ", ticket);

      // 4. Send Push Notification
      if(EnablePush)
        {
         // Select the order to get exact execution price and time
         if(OrderSelect(ticket, SELECT_BY_TICKET))
           {
            string message = StringFormat("New Trade: %s %s \nPrice: %s \nTime: %s", 
                                          Symbol(), 
                                          typeStr, 
                                          DoubleToString(OrderOpenPrice(), Digits),
                                          TimeToStr(TimeCurrent(), TIME_SECONDS));
            
            // Send the actual notification
            if(!SendNotification(message))
              {
               int err = GetLastError();
               Print("Failed to send notification. Error code: ", err);
              }
           }
        }
     }
   else
     {
      Print("Error opening order: ", GetLastError());
     }
  }

2. Key Code Explanation

1. input bool EnablePush = true;: It is best practice to create an input parameter. This allows you to turn off notifications from the EA settings window without modifying the code if they become annoying.
2. OrderSend(...): This attempts to open the trade. It returns a ticket number.
3. if(ticket > 0): We only attempt to send a notification if the trade was actually successfully opened.
4. OrderSelect(...): We select the order using the returned ticket. This ensures we are reporting the actual execution price (which might differ slightly from the requested price due to slippage).
5. SendNotification(message): This function sends the string to your phone.
   • Note: The message length is limited to 255 characters.
   • Limitations: You cannot send more than 2 notifications per second or 10 per minute.

3. Required Terminal Configuration

For the code above to work, you must link your desktop terminal to your mobile app:

1. On your Phone (Android/iOS):

   • Open the MetaTrader 4 app.
   • Go to Settings -> Chat and Messages.
   • At the bottom, find your MetaQuotes ID (a mix of letters and numbers, e.g., 8B4E6A12).

2. On your Desktop Terminal:

   • Go to Tools -> Options (or press Ctrl+O).
   • Click the Notifications tab.
   • Check "Enable Push Notifications".
   • Enter your ID in the MetaQuotes ID field.
   • Click Test. You should immediately receive a test message on your phone.
   • Click OK.

Q&A: Troubleshooting Notifications

Q: Why am I getting Error 4250, 4251, or 4252?
A: These are specific notification errors:

• 4250 (ERR_NOTIFICATION_SEND_FAILED): General failure. Check your internet connection.
• 4251 (ERR_NOTIFICATION_WRONG_PARAMETER): The text message might be empty or too long (max 255 chars).
• 4252 (ERR_NOTIFICATION_WRONG_SETTINGS): You have not enabled notifications in the terminal options or the MetaQuotes ID is invalid.

Q: Can I send charts or images via SendNotification?
A: No, the SendNotification function in MQL4 only supports text strings. To send images, you would need to use SendMail (Email) or SendFTP.

Q: Does this work in the Strategy Tester?
A: No. SendNotification is disabled in the Strategy Tester to prevent spamming your phone during backtesting. It only works on Demo or Live charts.

Q: Can I send notifications to multiple phones?
A: Yes. In the Desktop Terminal options (MetaQuotes ID field), you can enter multiple IDs separated by a comma (e.g., ID1,ID2,ID3). The EA will broadcast the message to all listed IDs.