[MT4/MT5] MetaTrader Backtest Kicker [Backtesting Software]

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MetaTrader Backtest Kicker

MetaTrader Backtest Kicker is a software which supports MetaTrader backtesting (Strategy Tester).

You will be able to run Strategy Tester automatically and continuously with various setting patterns such as changing currency pairs, backtest period, setting files, etc.

For people who need to test a lot of test patterns and get reports.

MetaTrader Backtest Kicker works on both MT4 and MT5!

Use Cases

For example, if you want to backtest two types of EA on three currency pairs, USDJPY, EURUSD, and EURJPY separately, you usually do the following:

1. First, test run USDJPY with the first EA!
2. Make sure it’s done!
3. Change to EURUSD and test run!
4. Make sure it’s done!
5. Test run with EURJPY!
6. Make sure it’s done!
7. Change EA and test run with USDJPY!
8. Make sure it’s done!
9. Test run on EURUSD!
10. Make sure it’s done!
11. Test run on EURJPY!
12. Make sure it’s done!

…It was tired just writing it. LOL

MetaTrader Backtest Kicker can run backtests automatically and continuously by pre-setting all test settings. All you need is setup and press ‘Start Backtest’, and wait. Backtest Kicker will continuously kick the tests one by one, and save all reports.

Press ‘Start Backtest’ before you go to bed and find out all the results when you wake up!

We tried to develop the MetaTrader Backtest Kicker setup screen almost the same as the Strategy Tester, to make it easier to operate.

Backtest Setting Items

Items that can be set in Strategy Tester can be set.

Backtest Setting Items	MT4	MT5
Backtesting of multiple patterns
Specify backtesting report folder/file
EA
Parameter file of EA Expert properties/Optimization Set(*.set)
Symbol/Currency Pair
Period (e.g. M1, H1)
Date (testing Period from/to)
Forward test
Delays
Modelling
Spread
ProfitInPips
Deposit, Currency code of deposit
Leverage
Optimization
Optimization Criterion
Visual mode
Portable mode
Shut down the PC after all backtesting is complete
Backup Optimization Cache File

How to get MetaTrader Backtest Kicker?

There are two editions: Paid Edition(Full Edition) and a Free edition. Please try FREE Edition first. If you like it, please consider Paid Edition.

* FREE Edition has a limit of up to two consecutive tests. Only 2 test patterns will be kicked. Other than that, it is the same as Paid Edition(Full Edition).

Links to download

You can download MetaTrader Backtest Kicker from the following link (GogoJungle website):

• [MT4/MT5] MetaTrader Backtest Kicker [FREE Edition]
• [MT4/MT5] MetaTrader Backtest Kicker [Full Edition(Paid Edition)]

Excel Edition is also available (Another software introduction)

There is also the “Backtest Support Tool [Excel Version]” that allows you to set up test settings in Excel to run tests.

Test settings are made from the Excel screen, so it is recommended for those who are used to Excel. However, it does not have detailed functions such as correlation control of input items or checking of input values, so it is for more experienced users.

• [MT4/MT5] Backtest Support Tool [Excel Edition] *Japanese text only*

Basic Usage – Test Settings and Backtesting

MetaTrader version selection

• Select a MetaTrader version (MT4 or MT5) in which you want to run Strategy Tester.
  The image shows a case of testing in MT5. Select “MetaTrader 4 Strategy Tester Mode” when testing with MT4.

MetaTrader folders settings

• Installation Folder field – Select or input a MetaTrader installation folder path to use for backtesting.
  MetaTrader 4: A folder where ‘terminal.exe’ is located.
  MetaTrader 5: A folder where ‘terminal64.exe’ is located.
• Data Folder field – The Data Folder field is automatically set when the Installation Folder field is set.

What is Path in a Installation Folder?

This is a folder where a Terminal file is located. MetaTrader 4: A folder where ‘terminal.exe’ is located. MetaTrader 5: A folder where ‘terminal64.exe’ is located.

What is Path in a Data Folder?

This is a location of a folder that can be opened using MetaTrader’s ‘File’ menu -> ‘Open Data Folder’.

Backtest settings

• Input test settings
  If you want to try it out first, select an EA for the “Expert File” field. The default setting is to test for the entire period, so set an appropriate period.

Running a backtest

• Click “Start Backtest” button.
  If you are running MetaTrader, quit MetaTrader before “Start Backtest” button.

Check a report

• Check a created report file.
  If “Report Folder” checkbox is not checked, reports be output to mt-backtest-kicker\report_[YYYYMMDDHHMMSS] folder under Data Folder. [YYYYMMDDHHMMSS] will be a date and time.

Detailed Usage

Menu items

File menu

• Open Setting File
  Open a saved setting file of Backtest Kicker.
• Save Setting File As
  Save a Backtest Kicker setting file with a name. Setting file will contain values of all items set from Backtest Kicker screen.
• Initialize (Clear All Settings)
  Deletes all settings of Backtest Kicker and returns to initial startup state.
• Exit
  Quit Backtest Kicker

Mode menu

• MetaTrader 4 Strategy Tester Mode
  Switch to backtest mode for MT4.
• MetaTrader 5 Strategy Tester Mode
  Switch to backtest mode for MT5.

Mode change will clear up all settings. If you would like to save your settings before changing modes, save settings from ‘File’ menu -> ‘Save Setting File As’.

Tools menu

• Launch MetaTrader
  Start MetaTrader specified in “Installation Folder”.
• Open Data Folder
  Open a folder specified in “Data Folder”.
• MetaTrader Launch Parameters
  • Portable mode
    If checked, Strategy Tester run in portable mode with “/portable” argument when MetaTrader starts.
• Edit with Spreadsheet
  Edit test settings on spreadsheet screen. You can edit in a tabular format like Excel.

Language menu

• English
  Switch to English.
• Japanese
  Switch to Japanese.

MetaTrader folders settings

Specify items about MetaTrader to run backtests.

• Installation Folder
  Select or input a MetaTrader installation folder path to use for backtesting. Click “Select” button to open a folder selection dialog.
  MetaTrader 4: A folder where ‘terminal.exe’ is located.
  MetaTrader 5: A folder where ‘terminal64.exe’ is located.
• Data Folder
  The Data Folder field is automatically set when the Installation Folder field is set.
  If you want to set it up yourself, enable the check box , and select or input a MetaTrader’s Data Folder path. Click “Select” button to open a folder selection dialog.
  This is a location of a folder that can be opened using MetaTrader’s ‘File’ menu -> ‘Open Data Folder’.
• Report Folder
  You can specify the destination folder for report files. If you want to specify, check “Report Folder” checkbox and specify a folder under Data Folder. Click “Select” button to open a folder selection dialog.
  If “Report Folder” checkbox is not checked, reports be output to mt-backtest-kicker\report_[YYYYMMDDHHMMSS] folder under Data Folder. [YYYYMMDDHHMMSS] will be a date and time.

Select Test Pattern

You can set a order of test execution, add new tests, etc. To run tests consecutively, you need to create test settings for the number of times you want to run them.

• ↑Up
  Move a selected test up. Used to replace the order in which tests are run.
• ↓Down
  Move a selected test down. Used to replace the order in which tests are run.
• Add
  Add a new test.
• Copy(Dupe)
  Add a test by copying a selected test. This is useful when you want to test a different currency pair under same conditions.
• Del
  Delete a selected test.

Test Settings

Test conditions can be set in a similar way to MetaTrader Strategy Tester screen. If parameter files or other items are not specified, backtests will be performed using the settings in Strategy Tester.

• Test/Report File Name
  A file name of a Strategy Tester report. If a file with the same name already exists, a number in square brackets will be added to the file name. For example, tester[1].htm.
• Other items
  Same as MetaTrader Strategy Tester screen.

Start backtests

• Start Backtest
  MetaTrader will start and Strategy Tester will be running. Checks for existing folders and files before running. A dialog box will be displayed if there are any errors.

Backtesting in progress

• Abort after current test processing is completed
  Wait for currently running a test to complete before exiting backtest.
• Abort immediately (Kill MetaTrader process)
  Abort currently running a test (kill MetaTrader process) and exit backtesting immediately.
• Shut down the PC after all backtesting is complete
  If the checkbox is checked, the PC will shut down after all backtesting is completed.

Test Settings Spreadsheet screen

Edit test settings on spreadsheet screen. You can edit in a tabular format like Excel. The items that can be set are the same as the test setting items on the main screen.

Move mouse cursor over column headers to see tooltips. You can see meaning of items and available values.

File menu

• Import CSV File / Export CSV File
  Import/export CSV format files. Edit an exported file in Excel, Notepad, etc., and import the file back into Backtest Kicker to easily import the edited result into Backtest Kicker.
• Close with saving
  Spreadsheet screen is closed to reflect changes. “Validate” function will be executed before reflecting changes, and will notify you if there are any errors.
• Close without saving
  Closes Spreadsheet screen without reflecting changes.

Edit menu

• Copy Cell
  Copy the selected cells to the clipboard.
• Paste Cell
  Paste data from the clipboard into a cell. *If strings contain symbols such as commas or special characters, they may not be pasted correctly.
• Up/Down
  Move a selected row up/down. Used to replace the order in which tests are run.
• Add
  Add a new row.
• Duplicate
  Add a row by copying the selected row. This is useful when you want to test a different currency pair under same conditions.
• Del
  Delete the selected row.
• Replace All
  Bulk replace values in the selected column.
• Validate
  Validate inputted values and auto-modify.

Replace All screen

• Target column
  Select the target columns for bulk replacement (batch replacement). The default value is the column currently selected in Spreadsheet screen.
• Replace all with
  Input string to be replaced.
• Replace All button
  Performs bulk replacement (batch replacement).
• Cancel button
  Closes Replace All screen without replacing.

Parallel backtesting in multiple MetaTrader

If you want to run backtests on multiple accounts in parallel, you can do the following:

1. Copy and paste a folder of Backtest Kicker and run mt-backtest-kicker.exe in each folder to start multiple.
2. Specify different MetaTrader for each Backtest Kicker and run backtests.

* Running multiple instances of same MetaTrader (MetaTrader installed in the same folder) for parallel backtesting is not allowed due to MetaTrader limitations. If you want to use same MetaTrader, you can do something similar by copying and pasting entire MetaTrader installation folder and launch it in portable mode.

Requirements

We have verified in the following environment, but if you have any problems with other versions such as Windows 7 or 11, please let us know and we will be happy.

• Windows 10 English Edition, Japanese Edition
• MetaTrader 4
• MetaTrader 5

Disclaimer

We do not take any responsibility for any damage/loss caused by using our software. Use at your own risk.

Version History

Version 1.4.0.0 / 2023.04.02

• Added the option to shut down the PC after completing backtesting. There is a shutdown checkbox on the Backtest Processing Status screen during backtesting.
• MT5 Test Settings – Added to copy optimization results cache files (.opt files) created by Optimize and store them in the report folder. Optimization results are automatically deleted by MetaTrader if they are not accessed within 30 days, but by saving the cache files, old optimization results can be viewed again from MetaTrader. To load the cache files into MetaTrader, open the “Optimization Results” tab of the Strategy Tester, right-click on “Import Optimization Cache File” and specify the saved cache file.

Version 1.3.0.0 / 2023.01.18

• MT5 Test Settings – Added Complex Criterion max to OptimizationCriterion Item.

* Backtest Kicker Version 1.3.0.0 is not compatible with the Setting Files (settings.dat) of Version 1.2.0.0 or earlier.

Version 1.2.0.0 / 2022.10.9

• Added “Test Setting Spreadsheet screen”. Test settings can be edited in an Excel-like tabular format. CSV file input/output is supported.

Version 1.1.0.0 / 2022.8.14

• MT4 Test Settings – Added H4 (4-hourly timeframe) to Period Item.
• When Installation Folder is set, the value of Data Folder is automatically set.

* Backtest Kicker Version 1.1.0.0 is not compatible with previous versions of the Setting Files.

Version 1.0.0.1 / 2022.6.3

• MT5 Test Settings – Fixed an issue where a value of Leverage item was not reflected in some cases.