Half-discipline EA ELDRA One-day menu to practice discretionary trading with backtesting
Hello, I am Hoso no P, the author of ELDRA.
To become proficient in discretionary trading, you need experience. But if you try to practice making decisions on averaging down or stopping losses in real markets dozens of times, it would cost time and money.
ELDRA isdesigned so that you can press the panel buttons even in the Visual Mode of MT5/MT4 Strategy Testerwhile fast-forwarding through past charts, you can press BUY/SELL/averaging down/DDR/grid/exit buttons just as in live trading. In other words“a dojo where you can practice in any amount of past markets”.
This time, I will introduce a recommended 60–90 minute daily practice menu.
Why this is training
- You can replay the same scenario any number of times: You can experience a day of failure again just by retaking the test.
- You can fast-forward or pause time: You can skip times when nothing happens and watch the decision moments slowly.
- You won’t lose money: You can feel how deep the unrealized loss could grow without pain.
- Same buttons as in live trading: The procedures you learn in practice can be used directly in a real account.
Also, in v4.45 we fixed the averaging down and grid movements inside the tester (earlier versions hardly allowed the second level of averaging down). Please update to the latest version before practicing.
Preparation (10 minutes)
- In the Strategy Tester, select ELDRA andcheck “Visual Mode”.
- Choose the instrument and period. At first,a well-known instrument with clear price movement over 1–2 weeksis recommended.
- In the Parameters screen0-1. This set’s description notewrite today’s practice theme (e.g., “Averaging down up to 3 levels; practice escaping with DDR”). It will be displayed at the top of the parameter report later.
- Once you start,lower the speed knob manually. At full speed, several days of work will end in an instant. For moments you want to judge, use pause.
Here is the role of each panel component.
| Button | When to use it in practice |
|---|---|
| BUY / SELL | Single-entry |
| LOTS “A” | Risk lot calculation (determine loss by % of account or amount and set lots) |
| STOP・LIMIT “Modify” | Set stop-loss and take-profit width |
| Averaging down / Martingale | Averaging down ON/OFF and Martingale ON/OFF |
| DDR | Partial close to reduce unrealized losses (ON/OFF for 16-1) |
| G | Open/close Grid panel |
| SELL CLOSE / BUY CLOSE / CLOSE ALL | Close by direction or all at once |
| 1/n → 1/2・1/3 | Partial close (MT5 only) |
| P / ≫ | Open/close Position Info panel and Trade Info panel |
Menu 1: Single-entry and stop-loss (15 minutes)
First, basic practice of the basics.
- Open risk lot calculation with “A,”set a single loss to 1% of the accountand set the lots.
- Decide the stop loss width with STOP “Modify,” then enter with BUY or SELL.
- Even at a stop loss,the rule is not to close manually mid-way.
Can you stick to the decided stop loss? This alone reveals a lot about your tendencies.
Menu 2: Averaging-down decision practice (15 minutes)
- Turn on the Averaging Down panel and make one entry.
- If it goes against you, observe how the averaging-down levels stack up.
- In the Position Information panel (“P”),Maximum unrealized loss (35-2) and the chart’sAverage entry price line (34-1) are watched as you decide where you would escape and pause.
- When you decide to escape, turn on “DDR” or close with CLOSE.
Averaging down is best learned by physically remembering the magnitude of unrealized loss. See several levels of unrealized loss here.Copy.
Menu 3: Turn the grid once a day (15 minutes)
- Open the grid panel with “G,” set the range limits and number of lines, then start.
- When the range is broken,decide whether to stop, close, or monitor.
- If unsure, pause and check the unrealized loss against account balance.
The grid is all about how you respond when it breaks out. Practicing in a trending period, not just a range, yields greater effect.a period when a trend emergesis especially effective for practice.
Menu 4: Extend profits with partial closes (10 minutes, MT5)
- Press “1/n” to open the partial close line.
- If there is unrealized profit, take profits on half with “1/2,” and let the rest ride.
- Compare with keeping all positions and see how your feelings and results differ.
Note: The minimum lot unit cannot be reduced, so practice with 0.02 or more (0.03 or more for 1/3).
Menu 5: Review (15 minutes)
After the test, review immediately.
- In the Tester Results tab, checkProfit and loss per trade.
- In your notebook, write one line per trade,“why entered,” “maximum unrealized loss,” “buttons pressed,” “what to do next”.
- It’s also recommended to redo the same period to see if your judgments change.
Save the settings in an HTML report
If you find a setting that fits,save it in an HTML parameter report.
- Open the trading information panel with “≫,” then click the“Δ” buttonin the top right.
- The report opens in a browser. The 0-1 notes appear at the top, and items you changed from the default values are highlighted in color. You can toggle the display with “Changes only” or “All.”
- The values in the “set” (editable) column can be changed on the spot. Edited items turn yellow, and you can reset edits with “↩ Reset edits.”
- “Save as .set (all)” lets you save as a .set file. It can be loaded directly in MT5’s parameter screen.
You can open it in tester or in real-time exactly as described. It’s useful to save with your practice notes so you can review what you changed later without confusion.
Common mistakes
- Too fast to do anything: Lower speed at the start. Pause during decision moments.
- Assuming practice results equal real skill: Manual button pressing results won’t reproduce unless you perform the same operation again. This is strictly “decision practice.” Record whether you followed the rules rather than winning or losing.
- Previous settings remain: The tester remembers previous input values. When changing the practice theme, check and reload parameters before starting.
- Practicing averaging down with an older version: In v4.44 and earlier there was a bug where averaging down wouldn’t enter. Use the latest version.
Summary
- ELDRA’s tester visual mode lets you use the panel buttons too.
- One-day menu: Preparation → Single-entry → Averaging-down → Grid → Partial close → Review.
- If you like a setting, save it as a .set from the HTML report.
Practicing on past charts does not guarantee real-world profits. However,it is the cheapest and fastest way to shape your decision style. Setups and operations are subject to verification and your own responsibility.
First try a trial version
The MT5 version hasa 14-day free trial. Start by pressing the buttons in the tester.
- Trial version (MT5, 14 days free):https://www.gogojungle.co.jp/tools/indicators/87634
- Product version (MT5):https://www.gogojungle.co.jp/tools/indicators/53197
- Product version (MT4):https://www.gogojungle.co.jp/tools/indicators/53092