Unexpected result in Strategy Tester

[Alvo]

Hi,

I'm just starting to learn MQL4.

I want to make the classic example of looking for EMA crosses:

//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//|                                                  cross_alert.mq4 |
//|                      Copyright © 2007, MetaQuotes Software Corp. |
//|                                        http://www.metaquotes.net |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
#property copyright "Copyright © 2007, MetaQuotes Software Corp."
#property link      "http://www.metaquotes.net"

//---- input parameters
extern int       ShortPeriod=5;
extern int       LongPeriod=10;
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| expert initialization function                                   |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
int init()
  {
//----
   
//----
   return(0);
  }
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| expert deinitialization function                                 |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
int deinit()
  {
//----
   
//----
   return(0);
  }
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| expert start function                                            |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
int start()
  {
//----
   double MA_short_cur=iMA(Symbol(),0,ShortPeriod,0,MODE_EMA,PRICE_CLOSE,0);
   double MA_long_cur=iMA(Symbol(),0,LongPeriod,0,MODE_EMA,PRICE_CLOSE,0);
   double MA_short_prev=iMA(Symbol(),0,ShortPeriod,0,MODE_EMA,PRICE_CLOSE,1);
   double MA_long_prev=iMA(Symbol(),0,LongPeriod,0,MODE_EMA,PRICE_CLOSE,1);
   
   // check cross up
   if (MA_short_prev<MA_long_prev && MA_short_cur>MA_long_cur)
   {
      Print("Cross UP");
   }
   
   // check cross down
   if (MA_short_prev>MA_long_prev && MA_short_cur<MA_long_cur)
   {
      Print("Cross DOWN");
   }
   
//----
   return(0);
  }
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+

I run it on GBPUSD on the daily chart and it detects the crosses well but the output in the Journal tab is pretty weird. For example there is a cross on 2007.07.27 and this is what I see in the Journal (it is the same at any other cross as well):

2007.08.23 22:04:04    2007.07.27 23:59  cross_alert GBPUSD,Daily: Cross DOWN
2007.08.23 22:04:04    2007.07.27 22:40  cross_alert GBPUSD,Daily: Cross DOWN
2007.08.23 22:04:04    2007.07.27 22:00  cross_alert GBPUSD,Daily: Cross DOWN
2007.08.23 22:04:04    2007.07.27 21:20  cross_alert GBPUSD,Daily: Cross DOWN
2007.08.23 22:04:04    2007.07.27 20:40  cross_alert GBPUSD,Daily: Cross DOWN
2007.08.23 22:04:04    2007.07.27 20:00  cross_alert GBPUSD,Daily: Cross DOWN
2007.08.23 22:04:04    2007.07.27 19:59  cross_alert GBPUSD,Daily: Cross DOWN
2007.08.23 22:04:04    2007.07.27 18:40  cross_alert GBPUSD,Daily: Cross DOWN
2007.08.23 22:04:04    2007.07.27 18:00  cross_alert GBPUSD,Daily: Cross DOWN
2007.08.23 22:04:04    2007.07.27 17:20  cross_alert GBPUSD,Daily: Cross DOWN
2007.08.23 22:04:04    2007.07.27 16:40  cross_alert GBPUSD,Daily: Cross DOWN
2007.08.23 22:04:04    2007.07.27 16:00  cross_alert GBPUSD,Daily: Cross DOWN
2007.08.23 22:04:04    2007.07.27 15:59  cross_alert GBPUSD,Daily: Cross DOWN
2007.08.23 22:04:04    2007.07.27 14:40  cross_alert GBPUSD,Daily: Cross DOWN
2007.08.23 22:04:04    2007.07.27 14:00  cross_alert GBPUSD,Daily: Cross DOWN
2007.08.23 22:04:04    2007.07.27 13:20  cross_alert GBPUSD,Daily: Cross DOWN
2007.08.23 22:04:04    2007.07.27 12:00  cross_alert GBPUSD,Daily: Cross DOWN
2007.08.23 22:04:04    2007.07.27 10:00  cross_alert GBPUSD,Daily: Cross DOWN

I have no intention to use this code to execute any order but if I did would it execute 18 orders???

How can I fix this to have only one single entry for each cross?

Thanks for your help!

Alvo

[sigitsln]

Dear Alvo,
Would you please advice me, where the links is, if I want to learn MQL4, too. I thank you in advance.