I have made an EA by mq4 to test historical data by tester, now I have some questions as below about it: 1. In this EA, orders are opened automately according EA's computing; about their close, two methods: one is that, for example, now this EA hold an long order, when EA gives signal which should open an short order, the long order should be closed and the short order should be opened(EA should hold one order mostly at the same time); the other one is that all opened orders should be closed by moving stop loss. when the results from the two methods are very different, how do you think? EA's signal to open orders is not good enough? 2. I have test the EA on 2009 to now 's history data, the result is ok I think as attached picture(can you give your advice about it?). but when I test it on 2008's data, only 10 orders have been traded(about 200 ordered have been traded per year from 2009 to 2013), what is more strange is that when I test it on 2008 to 2009/2010, still only these 10 orders have been traded, what is wrong? for 2001 to 2007's data, EA's result is bad. I think the data from 2001 to 2008 is wrong, yes? 3. how do you think an EA is good and can be used in live trade? it should be fit many time frame or many pairs? or other some things?
"... is more strange is that when I test it on 2008 to 2009/2010, still only these 10 orders have been traded, what is wrong?" Maybe the drawdown is big enough for trading to stop?