Syntax

Syntax refers to the set of rules that dictate the proper construction of an alert message for PineConnector. Getting these rules right ensures your trading signals are understood and executed correctly by the Expert Advisor (EA).

Core Alert Message Principles

Alert Message Guidelines

To create PineConnector-compliant alert messages, please pay close attention to the following guidelines. Failure to adhere to the syntax may result in the EA rejecting your signal.

Components of an Alert Message

Alert messages are made up of distinct components. Here’s what each part means:

Structure of an Alert Message

The components in your alert message must follow this specific order:

LicenseID,Command,Symbol,Parameters

Key Structural Rules:

1. Order: The sequence (License ID, then Command, then Symbol, then any Other parameters) is mandatory.
2. Commas: Components must be separated by commas (,).
• Spaces around the commas are optional (see "Acceptable Syntax" below).
3. Uniqueness: Each alert message can only contain one License ID, one Command, and one Symbol.

Acceptable PineConnector Syntax Examples:

• LicenseID,Command,Symbol,Parameters (no spaces around commas)
• LicenseID , Command , Symbol , Parameters (spaces around commas are acceptable)

Unacceptable PineConnector Syntax Examples:

• Command,LicenseID,Symbol (Incorrect order)
• LicenseID,Command,Command (Multiple Commands)
• LicenseID,LicenseID,Command,Symbol (Multiple License IDs)

Command & Parameter Reference

PineConnector supports two methods for defining order parameters. We strongly recommend using the new Explicit Syntax instead of the Legacy Syntax for all new strategies to ensure maximum precision and independence from EA settings.

1. Explicit Syntax Parameters

Explicit parameters allow you to define exact units (Lots, Pips, Price, $) directly in your alert message. When you use these parameters, the EA ignores its internal "Volume Type" or "Target Type" settings for that specific order.

Here are the available explicit parameters. Click a parameter to jump to its detailed usage guide.

1.1 Volume Parameters

You must select one volume parameter for every entry command.

vol_lots=

Sets the trade volume directly in lots. The EA executes exactly what is written.

• Logic: Input Value = Executed Lots.
• Broker Limits: Ensure the value is within your broker's Minimum and Maximum volume limits (check via Ctrl+U on MT5).

LicenseID,buy,EURUSD,vol_lots=0.1

vol_dollar=

Calculates the lot size based on a specific cash amount (in your account currency) you are willing to lose if the Stop-Loss is hit.

SL Required: You must include sl_pips=, sl_price=, or sl_pct= for this to work.

The EA dynamically calculates lot size using your broker's specific contract size.

LicenseID,buy,EURUSD,vol_dollar=50,sl_pips=10

vol_pct_bal_loss=

Calculates the lot size so that the potential loss (if SL is hit) equals a specific percentage of your current Account Balance.

SL Required: You must include sl_pips=, sl_price=, or sl_pct= for this to work.

• vol_pct_bal_loss=1 risks 1% of your account balance.

LicenseID,sell,EURUSD,vol_pct_bal_loss=1,sl_pips=10

vol_pct_eq_loss=

Identical to vol_pct_bal_loss, but calculates risk based on Account Equity (Balance ± Open Floating P/L).

SL Required: You must include sl_pips=, sl_price=, or sl_pct= for this to work.

• vol_pct_eq_loss=2 risks 2% of your equity.

LicenseID,buy,US30,vol_pct_eq_loss=1,sl_pips=50

vol_pct_bal_margin=

Calculates the lot size based on using a percentage of your Account Balance as margin. This ignores Stop-Loss distance.

• vol_pct_bal_margin=5 opens a trade size that requires 5% of your balance as margin.

LicenseID,buy,EURUSD,vol_pct_bal_margin=5

1.2 Stop-Loss Parameters

These parameters define the Stop-Loss (SL) level. If provided, they override the EA's internal settings.

sl_pips=

Sets the Stop-Loss a specific number of pips away from the entry price.

Important: The EA defines 1 Pip as 10 Points (Symbol Point * 10).

The table below shows the impact of using sl_pips=20 across various assets.

Note on non-FX pairs: Broker configuration may vary wildly on digits. If sl_pips=20 is too close, your broker likely uses different decimal precision. Try increasing the value (e.g., to 200 or 2000).

LicenseID,buy,EURUSD,vol_lots=0.1,sl_pips=20

sl_price=

Sets the Stop-Loss at a specific absolute price level.

Data Warning: TradingView prices often differ slightly from your broker. Ensure your sl_price= is not too close to the current market price (inside the Spread + Stops Level), or the broker will reject the order.

LicenseID,buy,EURUSD,vol_lots=0.1,sl_price=1.123
LicenseID,buy,EURUSD,vol_lots=0.1,sl_price=1.123,tp_price=1.321

sl_pct=

Sets the Stop-Loss a percentage distance away from the entry price.

• Buy Math: Entry Price × (1 - Percentage)
• Sell Math: Entry Price × (1 + Percentage)

LicenseID,buy,EURUSD,vol_lots=0.1,sl_pct=1
LicenseID,sell,BTCUSD,vol_lots=0.1,sl_pct=1

1.3 Take-Profit Parameters

These parameters define the Take-Profit (TP) level. If provided, they override the EA's internal settings.

tp_pips=

Sets the Take-Profit a specific number of pips away from the entry price.

Important: The EA defines 1 Pip as 10 Points.

The table below shows the impact of using tp_pips=20 across various assets.

LicenseID,buy,EURUSD,vol_lots=0.1,tp_pips=20

tp_price=

Sets the Take-Profit at a specific absolute price level.

Data Warning: Ensure your tp_price is not too close to the current market price (inside the Spread + Stops Level).

LicenseID,buy,EURUSD,vol_lots=0.1,tp_price=1.500
LicenseID,sell,EURUSD,vol_lots=0.1,sl_price=1.321,tp_price=1.123

tp_pct=

Sets the Take-Profit a percentage distance away from the entry price.

• Buy Math: Entry Price × (1 + Percentage)
• Sell Math: Entry Price × (1 - Percentage)

LicenseID,buy,SOLUSD,vol_lots=1,tp_pct=5

2. Authentication and Other Parameters

secret=

Include this parameter in your alert message to authenticate the signal using a pre-defined secret key. This is only required if you have enabled Signal Authentication in your PineConnector Portal.

LicenseID,buy,EURUSD,vol_lots=1,secret=SECRETKEY

💡

Self-Defined Secret Key The signal will only be relayed to your MetaTrader terminal if the secret= value in your alert matches the secret key you've set in the PineConnector Portal.

comment=

Adds a custom text comment to the order in MetaTrader. This is useful for tagging orders with a specific strategy name or ID.

Max Length: 20 characters. Comments longer than this may be truncated or result in a blank comment depending on the broker.

// Valid Comment
LicenseID,buy,EURUSD,vol_lots=0.1,comment=BreakoutStrategy

// Valid (Spaces allowed)
LicenseID,buy,EURUSD,vol_lots=0.1,comment=Trade 123 Set A

3. Market Order Commands

These commands are for placing orders that execute immediately at the current market price.

buy

Places a buy (long) order at the current market price. risk= is a required parameter.

LicenseID,buy,EURUSD,risk=0.01
LicenseID,long,US30.Cash,sl=100,tp=200,risk=1
LicenseID,bullish,GBPJPY,risk=1,comment=Stategy Alpha

sell

Places a sell (short) order at the current market price. risk= is a required parameter.

LicenseID,sell,EURUSD,risk=0.01
LicenseID,short,DAX30,risk=2
LicenseID,bear,GBPJPY,risk=1

4. Pending Order Commands

Commands for placing orders that execute when the price reaches a specified level.

pending=

Specifies the entry price or offset for a pending order.

The interpretation of the pending= value depends on the “Pending Order Entry Type” selected in your PineConnector EA settings. Common options:

• Pips: e.g., pending=10 means 10 pips away from the current market price.
• Specified Price: e.g., pending=1.12500 sets the entry at this exact price.
• Percentage: e.g., pending=0.1 means 0.1% away from the current market price.

LicenseID,buystop,EURUSD,pending=10,risk=1

buystop

Places a buy stop order, above the current market price. pending= and risk= are required parameters.

LicenseID,buystop,EURUSD,pending=10,risk=1

buylimit

Places a buy limit order, below the current market price. pending= and risk= are required parameters.

LicenseID,buylimit,EURUSD,pending=10,risk=1

sellstop

Places a sell stop order, below the current market price. pending= and risk=are required parameters.

LicenseID,sellstop,EURUSD,pending=10,risk=1

selllimit

Places a sell limit order, typically above the current market price. pending= and risk=are required parameters.

LicenseID,selllimit,EURUSD,pending=10,risk=1

5. Position and Order Management Commands

Commands for closing open positions or cancelling pending orders.

5.1 General Closing & Cancellation

closeall

Closes all open positions and deletes all pending orders that were opened by the specific instance of the PineConnector EA that receives this command. This action applies across all symbols managed by that EA instance.

LicenseID,closeall,ChartSymbol

• ChartSymbol (Mandatory): For this command to be accepted and processed, you must specify the symbol of the chart on which the target PineConnector EA is currently running.
• Example: If your EA is running on a GBPJPY.a chart, your command must be LicenseID,closeall,GBPJPY.a. Using EURUSD in the example below assumes the EA is on a EURUSD chart.
• This requirement acts as a safety measure, ensuring the closeall command is intentionally directed to the correct EA instance.

cancellong

Cancels all pending buy orders (buystop, buylimit) for the specified symbol.

LicenseID,cancellong,EURUSD

cancelshort

Cancels all pending sell orders (sellstop, selllimit) for the specified symbol.

LicenseID,cancelshort,EURUSD

5.2 Symbol-Specific Position Closing

closelong

Closes all open buy positions of the specified symbol.

LicenseID,closelong,EURUSD

closeshort

Closes all open sell positions of the specified symbol.

LicenseID,closeshort,EURUSD

closelongshort

Closes all open buy and sell positions of the specified symbol.

LicenseID,closelongshort,EURUSD

5.3 Partial Position Closing

closelongpct

Closes a percentage of total open volume for buy positions of the specified symbol. The percentage is based on your selected "Partial Close Percentage" in the EA settings (e.g., 10%, 20%, 25%, 34%, 50%). sl=0 is an optional parameter that moves the stop-loss of remaining positions to breakeven after a partial close.

LicenseID,closelongpct,EURUSD
LicenseID,closelongpct,EURUSD,sl=0 (SL moved to BE after partial close)

closeshortpct

Closes a percentage of total open volume for sell positions of the specified symbol, using the EA's "Partial Close Percentage" setting. sl=0 is an optional parameter that moves the stop-loss of remaining positions to breakeven after a partial close.

LicenseID,closeshortpct,EURUSD
LicenseID,closeshortpct,EURUSD,sl=0 (SL moved to BE after partial close)

closelongvol

Closes a specific volume of open buy positions for the specified symbol, up to the value indicated by risk=. risk= is a required parameter and represents the volume to close. sl=0 is an optional parameter that moves the stop-loss of remaining positions to breakeven after a partial close.

LicenseID,closelongvol,EURUSD,risk=3
LicenseID,closelongvol,EURUSD,risk=0.5

LicenseID,closelongvol,EURUSD,risk=1.5,sl=0 (SL moved to BE after partial close)

closeshortvol

Closes a specific volume of open sell positions for the specified symbol, up to the value indicated by risk=. risk= is a required parameter and represents the volume to close. sl=0 is an optional parameter that moves the stop-loss of remaining positions to breakeven after a partial close.

LicenseID,closeshortvol,EURUSD,risk=3
LicenseID,closeshortvol,EURUSD,risk=0.5

LicenseID,closeshortvol,EURUSD,risk=1.5,sl=0 (SL moved to BE after partial close)

6. Order Modification Commands

Commands to change parameters of existing open positions or pending orders.

6.1 Modifying Open Positions

newsltplong

Modifies the stop-loss (SL) and/or take-profit (TP) of all open buy positions for the specified symbol. New SL/TP values are computed based on your selected “Target Type” in the EA.

LicenseID,newsltplong,EURUSD,sl_pips=10
LicenseID,newsltplong,EURUSD,tp_pips=20
LicenseID,newsltplong,EURUSD,sl_pips=30,tp_pips=60

LicenseID,newsltplong,EURUSD,sl_price=1.12345 (price)
LicenseID,newsltplong,EURUSD,sl_pct=1,tp_pct=2 (percentage)

LicenseID,newsltplong,EURUSD,sl=0 (breakeven)

newsltpshort

Modifies the SL and/or TP of all open sell positions for the specified symbol. Works similarly to newsltplong.

LicenseID,newsltpshort,EURUSD,sl_pips=10
LicenseID,newsltpshort,EURUSD,tp_pips=20
LicenseID,newsltpshort,EURUSD,sl_pips=30,tp_pips=60

LicenseID,newsltpshort,EURUSD,sl_price=1.12345 (price)
LicenseID,newsltpshort,EURUSD,sl_pct=1,tp_pct=2 (percentage)

LicenseID,newsltpshort,EURUSD,sl=0 (breakeven)

(Refer to newsltplong asides for interpretation of values and breakeven conditions.)

6.2 Modifying Pending Orders

newsltpbuystop

Modifies the SL and/or TP of all pending buystop orders for the specified symbol.

LicenseID,newsltpbuystop,EURUSD,sl=10
LicenseID,newsltpbuystop,EURUSD,tp=20
LicenseID,newsltpbuystop,EURUSD,sl=30,tp=60

newsltpbuylimit

Modifies the SL and/or TP of all pending buylimit orders for the specified symbol.

LicenseID,newsltpbuylimit,EURUSD,sl=10
LicenseID,newsltpbuylimit,EURUSD,tp=20
LicenseID,newsltpbuylimit,EURUSD,sl=30,tp=60

newsltpsellstop

Modifies the SL and/or TP of all pending sellstop orders for the specified symbol. New SL and TP are computed based on your selected Target Type on the EA.

LicenseID,newsltpsellstop,EURUSD,sl=10
LicenseID,newsltpsellstop,EURUSD,tp=20
LicenseID,newsltpsellstop,EURUSD,sl=30,tp=60

newsltpselllimit

Modifies the SL and/or TP of all pending selllimit orders for the specified symbol.

LicenseID,newsltpselllimit,EURUSD,sl=10
LicenseID,newsltpselllimit,EURUSD,tp=20
LicenseID,newsltpselllimit,EURUSD,sl=30,tp=60

7. Combined Action Commands

These commands perform multiple actions in sequence, such as closing existing positions/orders and then opening new ones.

7.1 Close Position & Open New Market Order

closelongopenlong

Closes all open buy positions for the specified symbol and then immediately opens a new buy market order. Either of the volume parameter (vol_lots, vol_dollar, vol_pct_bal_loss, etc) is required. The short form (CL+OL) is also accepted.

LicenseID,closelongopenlong,EURUSD,vol_lots=1
LicenseID,CL+OL,EURUSD,vol_lots=1

closelongopenshort

Closes all open buy positions for the specified symbol and then immediately opens a new sell market order. Either of the volume parameter (vol_lots, vol_dollar, vol_pct_bal_loss, etc) is required. The short form (CL+OS) is also accepted.

LicenseID,closelongopenshort,EURUSD,vol_lots=1
LicenseID,CL+OS,EURUSD,vol_lots=1

closeshortopenlong

Closes all open sell positions for the specified symbol and then immediately opens a new buy market order. Either of the volume parameter (vol_lots, vol_dollar, vol_pct_bal_loss, etc) is required. The short form (CS+OL) is also accepted.

LicenseID,closeshortopenlong,EURUSD,vol_lots=1
LicenseID,CS+OL,EURUSD,vol_lots=1

closeshortopenshort

Closes all open sell positions for the specified symbol and then immediately opens a new sell market order. Either of the volume parameter (vol_lots, vol_dollar, vol_pct_bal_loss, etc) is required. The short form (CS+OS) is also accepted.

LicenseID,closeshortopenshort,EURUSD,risk=1
LicenseID,CS+OS,EURUSD,risk=1

closelongshortopenlong

Closes all open buy and sell positions for the specified symbol and then immediately opens a new buy market order. Either of the volume parameter (vol_lots, vol_dollar, vol_pct_bal_loss, etc) is required. The short form (CLS+OL) is also accepted.

LicenseID,closelongshortopenlong,EURUSD,risk=1
LicenseID,CLS+OL,EURUSD,risk=1

closelongshortopenshort

Closes all open buy and sell positions for the specified symbol and then immediately opens a new sell market order. Either of the volume parameter (vol_lots, vol_dollar, vol_pct_bal_loss, etc) is required. The short form (CLS+OS) is also accepted.

LicenseID,closelongshortopenshort,EURUSD,risk=1
LicenseID,CLS+OS,EURUSD,risk=1

7.2 Cancel Pending Orders & Open New Pending Order

cancellongbuystop

Cancels all pending buy orders (buystop, buylimit) for the specified symbol and then places a new buystop order. risk= and pending= are required for the new order.

LicenseID,cancellongbuystop,EURUSD,risk=1,pending=10,sl=15,tp=20

cancellongbuylimit

Cancels all pending buy orders for the specified symbol and then places a new buylimit order. risk= and pending= are required.

LicenseID,cancellongbuylimit,EURUSD,risk=1,pending=10,sl=15,tp=20

cancelshortsellstop

Cancels all pending sell orders for the specified symbol and then places a new sellstop order. risk= and pending= are required.

LicenseID,cancelshortsellstop,EURUSD,risk=1,pending=10,sl=15,tp=20

cancelshortselllimit

Cancels all pending sell orders for the specified symbol and then places a new selllimit order. risk= and pending= are required.

LicenseID,cancelshortselllimit,EURUSD,risk=1,pending=10,sl=15,tp=20

8. Advanced Stop-Loss Management Parameters

These are optional parameters that can be added to entry commands (e.g., buy, sell, buylimit) to enable dynamic stop-loss behaviors like breakeven or trailing.

Breakeven Parameters (betrigger=, beoffset=)

Automatically moves the position's stop-loss to breakeven (or a slight offset) once a certain profit is achieved.

To use automatic breakeven, include both betrigger= and beoffset= in your entry command syntax. Ensure beoffset= is less than betrigger=.

• betrigger=: The number of pips a position must gain before the breakeven function is activated. Must be greater than 0.
• beoffset=: The offset in pips from the entry price where the new stop-loss will be placed.
• beoffset=0: SL placed exactly at the entry price.
• beoffset=1: For a buy trade, SL placed 1 pip above entry; for a sell trade, 1 pip below entry (protecting 1 pip of profit).

LicenseID,buy,EURUSD,vol_lots=1,sl=20,betrigger=10,beoffset=2

Ensure that the 2 parameters “betrigger=” and “beoffset=” are present in your syntax if using this feature.

Pip Trailing Parameters (trailtrig=, traildist=, trailstep=)

Automatically moves the stop-loss in the direction of the trade as it becomes more profitable, based on pip values.

• All pip trailing parameters accept integer values; floats will be rounded.
• Trailing computation is based on pips, regardless of the "Target Type" selected in EA settings.

To use pip trailing, include trailtrig=, traildist=, and trailstep= in your entry command.

• trailtrig=: The number of pips a trade must gain before the trailing stop-loss is first activated.
• traildist=: The distance in pips from the current price at which the trailing stop-loss will be maintained. If no initial sl= is set, the first SL will be placed at traildist pips once trailtrig is met.
• trailstep=: The number of pips the price must move further in a favorable direction before the trailing stop-loss is adjusted again (maintaining the traildist).

LicenseID,buy,EURUSD,vol_lots=1,trailtrig=12,traildist=8,trailstep=3

Ensure that the 3 parameters “trailtrig=”, “traildist=” and “trailstep=” are present in your syntax if using this feature.

ATR Trailing Parameters (atrtimeframe=, atrperiod=, atrmultiplier=, atrshift=, atrtrigger=)

Automatically trails the stop-loss based on the Average True Range (ATR) indicator, using MetaTrader's price data (not TradingView's). This allows the SL to adapt to market volatility. Only atrtimeframe= and atrperiod= are mandatory if using ATR trailing; other ATR parameters have defaults.

• atrtimeframe=: The chart timeframe (in minutes) on which the ATR is calculated. The SL updates once per bar close of this timeframe. If an initial sl= is not specified, an SL will be automatically added based on ATR values.
• MT4 Allowable Values: 1 (1 min), 5, 15, 30, 60 (1 hr), 240 (4 hr), 1440 (1 day).
💡
MT5 Allowable Timeframes On MetaTrader 5, there are no limits to the allowable timeframe. You may input any timeframe value you prefer such as “atrtimeframe=10”.
• atrperiod=: The averaging period for the ATR calculation (e.g., 14 for a 14-period ATR).
• atrmultiplier=: The multiple of the ATR value used to calculate the stop-loss distance. Default: 1.
• atrshift=: The bar shift for ATR calculation. 0 uses the most recently closed candle's ATR, 1 uses the second most recent, etc. Default: 0.
• atrtrigger=: The number of pips a trade must gain before ATR trailing is activated. Default: 0 (activates immediately, subject to initial SL placement).

LicenseID,buy,EURUSD,vol_lots=1,sl=10,
atrtimeframe=60,atrperiod=14,atrmultiplier=2,atrtrigger=8

Ensure that the 2 parameters “atrtimeframe=” and “atrperiod=” are present in your syntax if using this feature. Other ATR components are optional and will use their default values if omitted.

9. Trade Entry Filters

Optional parameters that can be added to entry commands to prevent trades unless certain market or account conditions are met.

spread=

Allows an entry order only if the current market spread for the instrument is equal to or less than the specified value in pips.

LicenseID,buy,EURUSD,vol_lots=1,spread=2
LicenseID,buy,EURUSD,vol_lots=1,spread=1.22

accfilter=

Allows an entry order only if a specified account metric meets a certain value.

The metric checked depends on the Account Filter Type selected in your PineConnector EA settings. EA Options for Filter Type: Account Balance, Account Equity, Margin Percentage and Free Margin

LicenseID,buy,EURUSD,vol_lots=1,accfilter=500

10. EA Management Commands

Commands to control the operational state of the PineConnector EA.

eaoff

Halts the PineConnector EA. If the EA is halted, incoming signals will not be processed.

Note: For the eaoff command, the third parameter (where a symbol typically goes) must also be eaoff. This acts as a specific instruction identifier for the EA.

LicenseID,eaoff,eaoff

eaon

Reactivates a halted PineConnector EA.

• Note: Similar to eaoff, the third parameter must also be eaon.

LicenseID,eaon,eaon

closealleaoff

Closes all open positions and pending orders managed by the specific EA instance (similar to closeall) and then halts that PineConnector EA (similar to eaoff).

This command will only affect positions/orders opened by this PineConnector EA unless Magic Restriction is turned off in the EA.

LicenseID,closealleaoff,ChartSymbol

• ChartSymbol (Mandatory): As with closeall, you must specify the symbol of the chart on which the target EA is running for the command to be accepted.
• Example: LicenseID,closealleaoff,GBPJPY.a if the EA is on a GBPJPY.a chart.

11. Sample Combined Syntax

This section provides examples of how different parameters can be combined in an alert message.

Market Orders (buy/sell)

With Pips or ATR Trailing, or Breakeven

Pending Orders (buylimit, selllimit, buystop, sellstop)

12. Legacy Syntax Parameters

risk=

Specifies the order volume or risk exposure.

The function of the risk= value depends on the “Volume Type” selected in your PineConnector EA settings on MetaTrader.

• Lots: e.g., risk=0.1 means 0.1 lots.
• Dollar Amount: e.g., risk=100 means the EA will calculate lots so the risk is ~$100.
• Percentage of Balance: e.g., risk=1 means the EA will calculate lots to risk 1% of balance.

// Example if EA Volume Type is 'Lots'
LicenseID,buy,EURUSD,risk=0.01

// Example if EA Volume Type is 'Percentage of Balance'
LicenseID,sell,EURCAD,risk=2

sl=

Sets the stop-loss for an order.

The interpretation of the sl= value (pips, price level, or percentage) depends on the “Target Type” selected in your PineConnector EA settings.

• Pips: e.g., sl=50 sets the Stop-Loss 50 pips away from entry.
• Price: e.g., sl=1.12300 sets the Stop-Loss at the price 1.12300.
• Percentage: e.g., sl=0.5 sets the Stop-Loss 0.5% away from entry.

LicenseID,buy,EURUSD,risk=1,sl=50

tp=

Sets the take-profit for an order.

Similar to sl=, the value for tp= is interpreted based on the “Target Type” selected in your PineConnector EA settings.

• Pips: e.g., tp=100 sets the Take-Profit 100 pips away from entry.
• Price: e.g., tp=1.13500 sets the Take-Profit at the price 1.13500.
• Percentage: e.g., tp=1.0 sets the Take-Profit 1.0% away from entry.

LicenseID,buy,EURUSD,risk=1,tp=100

13. Changes to Syntax

This section outlines the latest updates and improvements we have made to the PineConnector syntax.

18 December 2025: Explicit Syntax for Market Orders

Introduction of Explicit Syntax

We are introducing a new way to construct alerts called Explicit Syntax. This update adds specific parameters—such as vol_lots=, sl_pips=, and tp_price=—that allow you to define the exact unit of measurement for your trades directly within the alert message. The goal is to give you total control over every signal without needing to rely on or constantly change your global EA settings.

Breaking Free from EA Settings

Previously, your alerts were heavily tied to the settings you configured in the PineConnector EA. For example, if your EA "Volume Type" was set to Lots, every single signal you sent had to be interpreted as a fixed lot size. If you wanted to send a specific trade risking a dollar amount instead, you had to manually change the EA setting, which wasn't practical for automated trading. With Explicit Syntax, that limitation is gone. You can now tell the EA exactly what to do for each individual trade, ignoring the global defaults.

Unmatched Flexibility

This update provides a level of flexibility that wasn't possible before. You can now mix and match different logic within the same strategy or even the same alert. For instance, you can set your Stop-Loss in pips (sl_pips=) while setting your Take-Profit as a percentage (tp_pct=). Furthermore, one incoming signal can calculate volume based on a fixed lot size (vol_lots=), while the very next signal can calculate volume based on a percentage of your balance (vol_pct_bal_loss=). This gives you precise control over your risk management on a trade-by-trade basis.

Compatibility and Rules

We designed this update to be seamless for all users. If you prefer using the standard Legacy Syntax (risk=, sl=, tp=), you can continue to do so; it remains 100% supported and will continue to respect your EA settings.

However, if you choose to use the new Explicit Syntax in an alert, it will take priority. The EA will detect the explicit parameter (e.g., vol_lots=) and ignore any corresponding Legacy parameter or EA setting for that specific instruction. Just be careful not to send conflicting instructions—such as trying to define both vol_lots= and vol_dollar= in the same message—as the EA will reject the signal to prevent unintended behavior.

Current Scope

For this initial release, Explicit Syntax supports Market Orders only (e.g., buy, sell). We plan to expand this functionality to Pending Orders in a future update.

New Explicit Parameters

On this page

• Syntax
• Core Alert Message Principles
• Alert Message Guidelines
• Components of an Alert Message
• Structure of an Alert Message
• Command & Parameter Reference
• 1. Explicit Syntax Parameters
• 1.1 Volume Parameters
• vol_lots=
• vol_dollar=
• vol_pct_bal_loss=
• vol_pct_eq_loss=
• vol_pct_bal_margin=
• 1.2 Stop-Loss Parameters
• sl_pips=
• sl_price=
• sl_pct=
• 1.3 Take-Profit Parameters
• tp_pips=
• tp_price=
• tp_pct=
• 2. Authentication and Other Parameters
• secret=
• comment=
• 3. Market Order Commands
• buy
• sell
• 4. Pending Order Commands
• pending=
• buystop
• buylimit
• sellstop
• selllimit
• 5. Position and Order Management Commands
• 5.1 General Closing & Cancellation
• closeall
• cancellong
• cancelshort
• 5.2 Symbol-Specific Position Closing
• closelong
• closeshort
• closelongshort
• 5.3 Partial Position Closing
• closelongpct
• closeshortpct
• closelongvol
• closeshortvol
• 6. Order Modification Commands
• 6.1 Modifying Open Positions
• newsltplong
• newsltpshort
• 6.2 Modifying Pending Orders
• newsltpbuystop
• newsltpbuylimit
• newsltpsellstop
• newsltpselllimit
• 7. Combined Action Commands
• 7.1 Close Position & Open New Market Order
• closelongopenlong
• closelongopenshort
• closeshortopenlong
• closeshortopenshort
• closelongshortopenlong
• closelongshortopenshort
• 7.2 Cancel Pending Orders & Open New Pending Order
• cancellongbuystop
• cancellongbuylimit
• cancelshortsellstop
• cancelshortselllimit
• 8. Advanced Stop-Loss Management Parameters
• Breakeven Parameters (betrigger=, beoffset=)
• Pip Trailing Parameters (trailtrig=, traildist=, trailstep=)
• ATR Trailing Parameters (atrtimeframe=, atrperiod=, atrmultiplier=, atrshift=, atrtrigger=)
• 9. Trade Entry Filters
• spread=
• accfilter=
• 10. EA Management Commands
• eaoff
• eaon
• closealleaoff
• 11. Sample Combined Syntax
• Market Orders (buy/sell)
• With Pips or ATR Trailing, or Breakeven
• Pending Orders (buylimit, selllimit, buystop, sellstop)
• 12. Legacy Syntax Parameters
• risk=
• sl=
• tp=
• 13. Changes to Syntax
• 18 December 2025: Explicit Syntax for Market Orders