Troubleshooting
Solutions to common issues with PineHook.
Having trouble? This guide covers the most common issues and their solutions.
EA Not Connecting?
PineHook EA shows 'Not connected' or doesn't appear in dashboard
Signals Not Arriving?
TradingView alerts fire but signals don't reach your EA
Trades Not Executing?
Signals arrive but trades fail to execute on MT5
Unexpected Trade Results?
Trades execute but not as expected (wrong size, SL, TP, etc.)
EA Not Connecting?
Try these solutions in order
Verify License Key
Check that you've entered the correct license key in EA settings. Copy it directly from your dashboard to avoid typos.
View detailed guideCheck Secret Key
If you generated a Secret Key for your license, make sure it's entered in the EA settings. Without it, authentication will fail.
View detailed guideEnable DLL Imports
Go to Tools → Options → Expert Advisors and enable 'Allow DLL imports'. This is required for WebSocket connectivity.
View detailed guideCheck Internet Connection
Ensure your MT5 terminal has internet access. Test by opening a browser on the same machine.
Still Need Help?
If you've tried all the solutions above and still experiencing issues, contact our support team at [email protected]. Include your license ID (first 8 characters), error messages, and steps you've already tried.
EA Not Connecting?
PineHook EA shows 'Not connected' or doesn't appear in dashboard. Try these solutions in order:
- Verify License Key – Check that you've entered the correct license key in EA settings. Copy it directly from your dashboard to avoid typos.
- Check Secret Key – If you generated a Secret Key for your license, make sure it's entered in the EA settings. Without it, authentication will fail.
- Enable DLL Imports – Go to Tools → Options → Expert Advisors and enable 'Allow DLL imports'. This is required for WebSocket connectivity.
- Check Internet Connection – Ensure your MT5 terminal has internet access. Test by opening a browser on the same machine.
Signals Not Arriving?
TradingView alerts fire but signals don't reach your EA. Try these solutions in order:
- Verify Webhook URL – Check your TradingView alert uses the correct webhook URL: https://relay.pinehook.io/webhook
- Check Alert Message Format – Ensure your alert message is valid JSON with required fields: {"license":"YOUR_KEY","action":"buy","symbol":"EURUSD"}
- Confirm EA is Connected – Check your dashboard – the license should show 'Connected' status. If disconnected, the EA won't receive signals.
- Review Signal Logs – Check your dashboard Signal Logs. If signals appear there but not in MT5, the issue is with the EA connection.
Trades Not Executing?
Signals arrive but trades fail to execute on MT5. Try these solutions in order:
- Enable Algorithmic Trading – Go to Tools → Options → Expert Advisors and enable 'Allow algorithmic trading'. Also click the AutoTrading button in the toolbar (should be green).
- Check Symbol Name – Ensure the symbol in your signal matches your broker's symbol naming (e.g., 'EURUSD' vs 'EURUSDm'). Check the Market Watch panel.
- Verify Sufficient Margin – Check your account balance and free margin. If margin is too low, orders will be rejected.
- Check Lot Size – Ensure the lot size is valid for your account type. Demo accounts may have different limits than live accounts.
- Review Experts Tab – Check the 'Experts' tab in MT5 for error messages. This will show the exact reason why trades are failing.
Unexpected Trade Results?
Trades execute but not as expected (wrong size, SL, TP, etc.). Try these solutions in order:
- Verify Signal Parameters – Double-check your TradingView alert message. Ensure size_lots (or size_pct), sl_pips, and tp_pips are correct.
- Check Default Lot Size – If your signal has no size_lots (or size_pct), the EA falls back to the default lot size only when InpDefaultLots is set greater than 0; otherwise the signal is rejected. Verify this value.
- Understand Pip Calculation – SL and TP are in pips. For JPY pairs, 1 pip = 0.01. For other pairs, 1 pip = 0.0001. Ensure your values make sense.
Still need help? Contact support at [email protected]. Include your license ID (first 8 characters), error messages, and steps you've already tried.
Quick Diagnostic#
Before diving into specific issues, check these basics:
1. EA Status Check#
In MT5, look at the EA:
- Blue hat icon in the top-right corner = EA enabled and allowed to trade (grey hat = disabled)
- No icon = EA not attached or failed to load
- Check the Experts tab for error messages
2. Dashboard Status#
In your PineHook dashboard:
- Green "Connected" = EA is online
- Red "Disconnected" = EA is offline
3. Quick Test#
The dashboard has two built-in testers that are faster than round-tripping through TradingView:
- Validate Format checks a signal's syntax without sending it ("Signal is valid" or "Invalid signal", with any warnings listed).
- Test EA Connection sends a round-trip probe to your EA and reports back: "Connection verified" with a "Round-trip OK" badge, plus a trading-permissions check ("All trading permissions OK" vs "Trading permissions issue detected"). If it can't reach the EA you'll see "EA not connected".
Or send a test signal from TradingView and check that it appears in your Signal Logs:
{"license": "YOUR_KEY", "action": "buy", "symbol": "EURUSD", "size_lots": 0.01}
A fired alert is not the same as an accepted signal
A blocked or rate-limited signal can still show as "sent successfully" in TradingView while being stopped on our side. Always confirm the outcome by the status of the row in Signal Logs, not by TradingView's alert log.
Common Issues by Category#
Connection Problems#
EA won't connect to PineHook:
- Connection Issues - WebSocket errors, timeouts, SSL problems
Signal Problems#
Signals not arriving or executing:
- Signals Not Received - Webhook issues, TradingView setup
Trade Problems#
Trades failing or behaving unexpectedly:
- Trade Errors - Symbol issues, margin errors, broker rejections
Diagnostic Checklist#
Run through this checklist to identify issues:
| Check | How to Verify | If Failed |
|---|---|---|
| MT5 running | Terminal open and logged in | Start MT5 |
| AutoTrading on | Check toolbar button | Enable it |
| EA attached | Blue hat icon visible (grey = disabled) | Attach EA |
| DLL imports allowed | Tools → Options → Expert Advisors | Enable Allow DLL imports |
| Internet connection | MT5 shows ping time | Check network |
| License valid | Dashboard shows active | Check subscription |
Log Files#
MT5 Experts Log#
View EA output:
- Open MT5
- View → Toolbox (Ctrl+T)
- Click Experts tab
- Look for PineHook messages
MT5 Journal#
System-level messages:
- View → Toolbox
- Click Journal tab
- Look for DLL or WebSocket errors
PineHook Dashboard#
- Login to dashboard
- View Signal Logs
- Check for error messages
Reading Signal Logs status#
Every signal in Signal Logs carries a status badge. Which one you see tells you where the problem is and which page to read next:
| Badge | Meaning | Where the problem is |
|---|---|---|
| EXEC | Executed, trade placed | Nothing to fix |
| SENT | Sent to the EA, awaiting confirmation | Transient, wait a moment |
| RECV | Received, not yet forwarded | Transient |
| DLYD | Queued (a delay signal waiting to run) | Expected |
| FAIL | Reached the EA but the trade was refused | Broker/EA error, Trade Errors (click the row for the message) |
| RJCT | Rejected, the payload failed validation | Fix the payload, Signals Not Received |
| BLCK | Blocked by a safety gate (symbol filter, active hours, signal auth, or rate limit) | Check the block reason on the row |
| BLKD | Duplicate blocked, the same signal arrived twice | Expected, one copy was dropped |
| ABDN | Abandoned, you cleared a queued signal | Expected |
The key fork: RJCT means fix your payload, BLCK means a setting stopped it, and FAIL means the broker or EA refused a signal that otherwise arrived fine.
Error Message Reference#
Common error messages, what they mean, and where to fix them:
| Error | Meaning | Solution | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Invalid license key" | Key not recognized | Check the key in your dashboard | Connection Issues |
| "Secret key required for this license" / "Invalid secret key" | Secret Key set on the license, but the EA's is missing or wrong | Paste the Secret Key into InpSecretKey | Connection Issues |
| "WebSocket error" | Connection failed | Check Allow DLL imports is enabled | Connection Issues |
| "Symbol not found" | Symbol name doesn't match the broker | Send the broker's exact Market Watch name | Trade Errors |
| "Trade disabled" | AutoTrading off | Enable AutoTrading | Trade Errors |
| "Not enough money" | Margin too low | Reduce lot size | Trade Errors |
Getting Help#
If you can't resolve an issue:
- Check the FAQ - Frequently asked questions
- Search signal logs - Look for specific error messages
- Contact support - Include your error messages and steps tried
Include Details
When contacting support, include: your license ID, error messages, MT5 account type (demo/live), and steps to reproduce.