Robots and AI
Updated 7 October 2026, 4 min readIf you have a robot written for another trading platform, you do not have to rewrite it by hand to run it in eTrader. The robot converter in eTrader Code hands the code to an AI model on your own key, has it rewritten in Tide, checks every attempt with the Tide compiler, and gives you a report of what came across and what did not. The result is a strong first draft. You test it before it trades.
The product page is at etraderweb.com/converter.
What you need
- An eTrader ID, which is free. It is how you sign in to eTrader Code.
- A key for an AI model, saved in eTrader AI on its Integrations page. The converter uses the same keys as eTrader AI. The key is tested with the provider when you save it and is never shown again, to anyone, you included.
- The robot's source code, as a file or pasted text.
Your provider bills the model calls to your key. A conversion takes one to four calls.
Convert a robot
- In eTrader Code, press + beside Project and choose the converter at the bottom of the menu. The Convert a Robot to Tide window opens.
- Paste the source code into the box, or use Choose a File.
- Under Written For, leave Detect It for Me, or pick the platform yourself if detection gets it wrong.
- Choose the Model and its Version. If you have not saved a key yet, the window sends you to eTrader AI to add one.
- Press Convert. It usually takes one to three minutes.
Behind that button, the model writes Tide and the compiler checks it. Every compile error goes back to the model with its line and message, and it tries again, up to four attempts in all.
The three results
The converter never tells you it is finished when it is not. Every conversion ends in one of three ways:
| Result | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Compiles, nothing reported as changed | The Tide version builds and the report found nothing that behaves differently | Backtest it and compare with the original |
| Compiles, needs review | It builds, but something may trade differently from the original | Read every flagged line before you test |
| Did not compile in four attempts | The draft still has errors | Open it in the editor. The Problems tab lists each error |
Read the report
The report sorts the robot into what converted, what converted with a different meaning, and what did not convert. Each item carries the line number in your original file, so you can put the two side by side. Anything that could change how the robot trades is flagged for review.
Take the middle group seriously. A line that converted with a different meaning compiles and runs, which makes it easier to miss than an error.
Press Open in eTrader Code to open the Tide file in the editor, or Convert Another to start again.
What converts, and what needs a person
| Usually converts well | Needs a person |
|---|---|
| Inputs, with their defaults | Calls into native libraries. Tide runs no native code |
| Tick, bar and timer handlers | Reading and writing files. Tide has no file access |
| Built-in indicators such as moving averages, RSI, MACD, ATR and Bollinger Bands | Custom indicators whose source you did not include |
| Market and pending orders, stop loss, take profit, trailing stops | Deep class hierarchies and pointer tricks |
| Position and history loops, lot sizing, time and session filters | Bridges to graphics cards, machine learning models or other programs |
One more difference to expect: in Tide a position has one take profit. A robot that set several targets on one position needs rethinking, for example as a partial close.
Your code stays yours
The robot's code goes to the AI model you pick, on your key, only for this conversion. eTrader does not store the original or keep it after the conversion ends. Only the Tide file you choose to save is kept, in your eTrader ID, where only you can open it.
Before it trades
Run the Tide version in the strategy tester on your Broker's own prices, and compare its trades with the original's on the same period. Differences in entries, exits or sizes point straight at the lines the report flagged. When the two agree, run it on a demo account or in Signals only mode first, then build it and run it in the cloud. A converted robot runs on eTrader's servers like any other, with your computer off.