Settings Overview

This page explains the main BananaEA Version 5 inputs using the friendly names users see in the MT4 Inputs tab. It is not a replacement for testing the loaded preset on demo or in Strategy Tester.

If a preset already matches your account, symbol, timeframe, and risk plan, do not change settings just because they are listed here. Use this page to understand what the visible inputs control.

Open The Inputs Tab

1. Attach BananaEA-Auto to the chart. See Install And Upgrade.
2. In the Expert - BananaEA-Auto window, open the Inputs tab.
3. Load a Version 5 .set file before changing values manually. See Presets And Set Files.
4. Scroll the Variable list — Version 5 groups many inputs in one long list.

**Inputs** tab (middle scroll) — trade-management rows from **Stop Loss Method** through **Trailing Stop**. Scroll up for lot sizing, sessions, and filters; scroll down for challenge and license fields.

Confirm Loaded Settings On The Dashboard

After you click OK, use the on-chart dashboard to confirm what the preset applied. The dashboard summarizes stop-loss method, take profit, break even, partial close, trailing stop, drawdown mode, Magic Number, scaling, sessions, and set file name without reopening Inputs.

Dashboard readout after a preset loads — cross-check **Magic**, session windows (**S1** / **S2**), risk %, and **Set** file name before live use.

License And Chart Identity

Input name	What it controls
License Key	Your BananaEA license key. Save a private .set file only if you want the key remembered for future loading.
Magic Number	The ID BananaEA uses to identify and manage its own trades on this chart. Use a different Magic Number for separate charts unless you intentionally planned otherwise.
Use Magic Number Filter	Limits trade management to matching BananaEA or Trade Manager trades. Keep this enabled unless you understand why another workflow needs it off.
Optimization Set Name (for Dashboard Display)	The set name shown on the dashboard so you can confirm which preset is loaded.

**Inputs** tab (lower scroll) — **Magic Number**, **License Key**, and **Optimization Set Name (for Dashboard Display)** after loading a Version 5 preset.

Stop Loss, Take Profit, And Break Even

These settings control where the EA places the initial stop loss, take profit, and break-even behavior.

Input name	What it controls
Stop Loss Method	How the stop loss is calculated, such as candle range, ATR, fixed pips, or another preset method.
SL Value (Candle multiplier | ATR multiplier | Pips)	The number used by the selected stop-loss method.
Take Profit Method	How the take profit is calculated, such as risk-reward, ATR, fixed pips, or another preset method.
TP Value (R:R | ATR multiplier | Pips)	The number used by the selected take-profit method.
Break Even Method	How the EA decides when to move the stop loss to break even.
Break Even Value (pips for Fixed, multiplier for ATR/Candle)	The trigger value for break even. What the number means depends on the selected break-even method.

The screenshot in Open The Inputs Tab shows these rows at the top of the trade-management block.

tip

A value can mean pips, an ATR multiplier, a candle multiplier, or a risk-reward value depending on the method selected above it.

Partial Close

Partial close lets BananaEA close part of a trade at planned levels while leaving the rest open.

Input name	What it controls
Partial Close Method	How the EA calculates partial-close trigger levels.
PC1 Percentage (0.5 = 50% of current lots)	How much of the current trade closes at the first partial-close level.
PC1 Trigger Value (pips for Fixed, multiplier for ATR/Candle)	The trigger value for the first partial close.
PC2 Percentage (0.25 = 25% of remaining lots)	How much of the remaining trade closes at the second partial-close level.
PC2 Trigger Value (pips for Fixed, multiplier for ATR/Candle)	The trigger value for the second partial close.
PC3 Percentage (0.25 = 25% of remaining lots)	How much of the remaining trade closes at the third partial-close level.
PC3 Trigger Value (pips for Fixed, multiplier for ATR/Candle)	The trigger value for the third partial close.
Remainder policy after partial close	What happens to the position that remains after a partial close, such as leaving it unchanged or moving it to break even.

Scroll the Inputs list to the Partial Close Method rows — they appear directly under the break-even settings in the same capture as stop loss and trailing.

Trailing Stop

Trailing settings control when and how the stop loss follows price after a trade moves in the planned direction.

Input name	What it controls
Trailing Stop Method	The type of trailing stop BananaEA uses.
Trail Activation Condition	Whether trailing can start immediately or only after another event, such as break even or PC1.
Activation (pips/multiplier/Rs, 0=immediate for MA)	How far price must move before trailing can begin.
Distance (pips/multiplier) OR MA Period	The trailing distance, multiplier, or moving-average period depending on the selected trailing method.
Minimum Movement to Trail (pips)	The minimum extra price movement required before BananaEA adjusts the trailing stop again.
TC Button: Candle Buffer (pips)	Buffer used by the dashboard trailing/candle control.
ST: Swing Lookback Bars	How many bars the swing-trailing logic checks when finding a swing point.
ST: Swing Buffer (pips)	Extra buffer added around the swing point.

See Trade Management And Scaling for more detail on partial close, trailing, scaling, and pending-order behavior.

Risk And Trade Count

These settings control position sizing and how many trades the EA may manage. They appear above the stop-loss block when you scroll to the top of the Inputs list.

Input name	What it controls
Lot Method	Whether BananaEA sizes trades by percent risk, money risk, or fixed lots.
Risk Per Trade (%, $, or lots based on method)	The number used by the selected lot method. For example, 1.0 can mean 1% risk when Lot Method is set to percent risk.
Scale-In Mode	Whether BananaEA is allowed to add more same-direction trades after the first entry.
Maximum Open Trades	The maximum number of open trades BananaEA can have for this setup.
Max Signals Per Session	The maximum number of signals BananaEA can use during one trading session.
Strict Margin Rejection	Whether BananaEA should reject a trade instead of reducing lot size when margin is not enough.

The dashboard Risk line and Scaling row show the active risk % and scale-in state after the preset loads.

Sessions And Trading Days

These settings control when the EA is allowed to open new trades. Find them in the upper portion of the Inputs tab, then confirm S1 and S2 on the dashboard.

Input name	What it controls
Enable Trading Hours Control	Turns session time filtering on or off.
Enable Session 1 / Session 1 Start and End	First trading window. Check the start and end time carefully against broker/server time.
Enable Session 2 / Session 2 Start and End	Optional second trading window. Use it only when your strategy needs a second session.
Enable Day-of-Week Filter	Turns weekday filtering on or off.
Trade Monday, Trade Tuesday, Trade Wednesday, Trade Thursday, Trade Friday, Trade Sunday	Which days BananaEA may trade.

warning

Session times use the broker terminal's server time, not necessarily your local clock.

Market Filters

Filters can block trades even when a Banana or Seed signal appears on the chart. Scroll near the top of Inputs, below session controls.

Input name	What it controls
Enable Fast EMA Filter / Fast EMA Period (Exponential Moving Average)	Fast EMA direction and trend checks used by the preset.
Enable Slow EMA Filter / Slow EMA Period (Exponential Moving Average)	Slow EMA direction and trend checks used by the preset.
Enable Slowest EMA Filter / Slowest EMA Period (Exponential Moving Average)	Slowest EMA direction and trend checks used by the preset.
Require Strict EMA Order (Fast < Slow < Slowest)	Requires the EMA stack to be ordered correctly before trades pass the filter.
Trend Filter Mode	The main trend-filter behavior.
Min Slow EMA Slope (ATR)	Blocks trades when EMA slope is not strong enough for the preset.
Min Price Distance From Slow EMA (ATR)	Blocks trades when price is too close to the slow EMA for the preset logic.
ADX Trend Strength Filter	Uses ADX to check whether trend strength is acceptable.
Use ATR-based SL filter / ATR period for filter	Uses volatility to decide whether market movement and stop size are acceptable.
Daily Range Filter	Blocks trades when the day's movement is already too large for the preset.
Session Movement Filter	Blocks trades when the current session has already moved too far.
10 O'Clock / Open Price Filter	Uses a chosen open-price reference as part of the trade filter.

Protection Controls

Protection settings can block new trades or close EA trades depending on the selected mode. Test these settings before live use. Challenge and drawdown rows sit at the bottom of the Inputs list, above Magic Number and License Key.

Input name	What it controls
Enable Daily DD Control	Daily drawdown protection.
Max Daily Loss %	The daily drawdown limit.
Close All Trades on DD	Whether BananaEA should close EA trades when the drawdown rule is hit.
Trailing HWM DD Mode	High-water-mark style drawdown protection.
Trailing HWM DD Threshold %	The trailing drawdown limit.
Max Consecutive Losses (0=Off)	Stops new entries after a chosen number of losing trades. Use 0 if the preset disables this rule.
Session Profit Lock %	Stops new entries after the session reaches the chosen profit level.
Weekly DD Cap Mode	Weekly drawdown protection.
Weekly DD Cap %	The weekly drawdown limit.
Challenge Mode (Progress Compounder)	Challenge-style progress tracking and risk scaling.
Challenge Target %	The target percentage for challenge progress.
Lot Multiplier at 0% Progress	Lot multiplier used at the start of challenge progress.
Lot Multiplier at 100% Progress	Lot multiplier used when the challenge target is reached.
Progressive Risk Reduction (below start balance)	Reduces risk when equity drops below the starting anchor.
Risk Floor at Full Depth	Lowest risk multiplier allowed when the progressive reduction reaches full depth.
Drawdown Depth to Floor (%)	Drawdown depth where the risk floor is reached.
Peak Giveback Protection	Reduces risk if the account gives back profit after reaching a profit cushion.

The lower-scroll capture above shows Challenge Target %, progressive risk fields, Use Magic Number Filter, Magic Number, and License Key in one view.

See Smart Risk Monitor for the customer-facing explanation of challenge and drawdown protections.

Beginner Checklist

Before live use, confirm:

• The loaded set name is the one you intended to use.
• License Key is entered or saved in your private preset.
• Magic Number is unique for this chart unless intentionally shared.
• Lot Method and Risk Per Trade match your account risk plan.
• Sessions and trading days match your broker/server time.
• Smart Risk and drawdown controls match your rules.
• AutoTrading is enabled only when you are ready.