Code Review

Hey y'all,

 I recently started working with MQL4 and I need some help with my code.  Although it runs and I can execute my EA, it doesn't work like it's supposed to.  Any help or tips wold be greatly appreciated.  The code is attached below:

It runs in that it compiles successfully and I can attach it to charts, but it doesn't send out alerts.  Basically, I want this to run at the end of every session, and analyze the last 3 candlesticks for the Japanese Candlestick patterns below for the D1 and the H4 charts.   

//+------------------------------------------------------------------+

//| candlesticks.mq4 |

//| Copyright © 2014, MetaQuotes Software Corp. |

//| MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, TeamWox / MetaQuotes Software Corp. |

//+------------------------------------------------------------------+

#property copyright "Copyright © 2014, MetaQuotes Software Corp."

#property link "http://www.metaquotes.net"





string symbol = "EURUSD";



double this_high = iHigh(symbol,PERIOD_H4,1);

double this_low = iLow(symbol,PERIOD_H4,1);

double this_open = iOpen(symbol,PERIOD_H4,1);

double this_close = iClose(symbol,PERIOD_H4,1);



double last_high = iHigh(symbol,PERIOD_H4,2);

double last_low = iLow(symbol,PERIOD_H4,2);

double last_open = iOpen(symbol,PERIOD_H4,2);

double last_close = iClose(symbol,PERIOD_H4,2);


double this_body = MathAbs(this_close - this_open);

double last_body = MathAbs(last_close - last_open);

double this_candle = this_high - this_low;

double last_candle = last_high - last_low;



double this_body = MathAbs(this_close - this_open);

double last_body = MathAbs(last_close - last_open);

double three_body = MathAbs(three_close - three_open);

double this_candle = this_high - this_low;

double last_candle = last_high - last_low;

double three_candle = three_high - three_low;



//+------------------------------------------------------------------+

//| expert initialization function |

//+------------------------------------------------------------------+

int init()

{

//----



//----

return(0);

}

//+------------------------------------------------------------------+

//| expert deinitialization function |

//+------------------------------------------------------------------+

int deinit()

{

//----



//----

return(0);

}

//+------------------------------------------------------------------+

//| expert start function |

//+------------------------------------------------------------------+

int start()

{

patterns();

patterns_2();



return(0);

}

//+------------------------------------------------------------------+



//custom function 

int patterns()

{



//-------------------------

//white and black marubozus

//-------------------------

if(((this_high > 0.95*this_close) && (this_high < 1.05*this_close)) && ((this_low < 0.95*this_open) && (this_low > 1.05*this_open)))

{

Alert("This is a white marubozu - bullish!");


}


if(((this_high > 0.95*this_open) && (this_high < 1.05*this_open)) && ((this_low < 0.95*this_close) && (this_low > 1.05*this_close)))

{

Alert("This is a black marubozu - bearish!");


}





//-------------------------

//hammer

//-------------------------

if((this_open < this_close) && ((this_high > 0.9*this_open) && (this_high < 1.1*this_open)) && this_candle >= 2*this_body)

{

Alert("This is a hammer - bullish!");


}


//-------------------------

//hanging man

//-------------------------

if((this_open > this_close) && ((this_high > 0.9*this_open) && (this_high < 1.1*this_open)) && this_candle >= 2*this_body)

{

Alert("This is a hanging man - bearish!");


             

}


//-------------------------

//inverted hammer

//-------------------------

if((this_open < this_close) && ((this_low > 0.9*this_open) && (this_low < 1.1*this_open)) && this_candle >= 2*this_body)

{

Alert("This is an inverted hammer - bullish!");

            

}


//-------------------------

//shooting star

//-------------------------

if((this_open > this_close) && ((this_low > 0.9*this_close) && (this_low < 1.1*this_close)) && this_candle >= 2*this_body)

{

Alert("This is a shooting star - bearish!");

            

}






//-------------------------

//bullish engulfing

//bearish engulfing

//-------------------------

if((this_close > this_open) && (last_close < last_open)  && (this_open < last_close) && (this_close > last_open))

{

Alert("This is bullish engulfing!");

            

}



if((this_close < this_open) && (last_close > last_open)  && (this_open > last_close) && (this_close < last_open))

{

Alert("This is bearish engulfing!");

           

}





//-------------------------

//tweezer tops

//tweezer bottoms

//-------------------------

if((last_close > last_open) && (this_close < this_open) && ((last_open < last_close) && ((last_low > 0.9*last_open) && (last_low < 1.1*last_open)) && last_candle >= 1.75*last_body) && ((this_open > this_close) && ((this_low > 0.9*this_close) && (this_low < 1.1*this_close)) && this_candle >= 1.75*this_body))

{

Alert("This is tweezer tops - bearish!");

           

}


if((last_close < last_open) && (this_close < this_open) && ((last_open > last_close) && ((last_high > 0.9*last_open) && (last_high < 1.1*last_open)) && last_candle >= 1.75*last_body) && ((this_open < this_close) && ((this_high > 0.9*this_open) && (this_high < 1.1*this_open)) && this_candle >= 1.75*this_body))

{

Alert("This is tweezer bottoms - bullish!");

            

}






//-------------------------

//morning star

//evening star

//-------------------------

if((three_close < three_open) && (last_open < three_close) && (last_close < three_close) && (this_close > this_open) && (this_close > (three_close + .5*three_body)))

{

Alert("This is a morning star - bullish!");

           

}


if((three_close > three_open) && (last_open > three_close) && (last_close > three_close) && (this_close < this_open) && (this_close < (three_close + .5*three_body)))

{

Alert("This is an evening star - bearish!");

            

}





//-------------------------

//three black crows

//three white soldiers

//-------------------------

if((three_close < three_open) && (last_close < last_open) && (this_close < this_open) && (last_body > three_body) && (this_body > last_body) && (last_close < 1.1*last_low || last_close > 0.9*last_low) && (this_close < 1.1*this_low && this_close > 0.9*this_low))

{

Alert("This is three black crows - bearish!");

            

}


if((three_close > three_open) && (last_close > last_open) && (this_close > this_open) && (last_body > three_body) && (this_body > last_body) && (last_close < 1.1*last_high || last_close > 0.9*last_high) && (this_close < 1.1*this_high && this_close > 0.9*this_high))

{

Alert("This is three white soldiers - bullish!");



}





//-------------------------

//three inside up

//three inside down

//-------------------------

if((three_close < three_open) && (three_body > .75*three_candle) && (last_close > three_close + 0.5*three_body) && (this_close > this_open) && (this_close > three_high))

{

Alert("This is three inside up - bullish!");

            

}


if((three_close > three_open) && (three_body > .75*three_candle) && (last_close < three_close - 0.5*three_body) && (this_close < this_open) && (this_close < three_low))

{

Alert("This is three inside down - bearish!");

            

}



return(0);

}







//custom function number 2

int patterns_2()

{


//-------------------------

//piercing line

//dark cloud cover

//-------------------------

if((last_close < last_open) && (last_body >= 0.65*last_candle) && (this_open < 0.95*last_close) && (this_close > this_open) && (this_close > last_close + 0.5*last_body))

{

Alert("This is a piercing line - bullish!");

            

}


if((last_close > last_open) && (last_body >= 0.65*last_candle) && (this_open > 1.05*last_close) && (this_close < this_open) && (this_close < last_close - 0.5*last_body))

{

Alert("This is dark cloud cover - bearish!");

           

}



//-------------------------

//bullish harami

//bearish harami

//-------------------------

if((this_close > this_open) && (last_close < last_open)  && (this_open > last_close) && (this_close < last_open))

{

Alert("This is bullish harami!");

           

}



if((this_close < this_open) && (last_close > last_open)  && (this_open < last_close) && (this_close > last_open))

{

Alert("This is bearish harami!");

       

}


return(0);

}