Program Properties (#property)

icon

string

Path to the file of an image that will be used as an icon of the EX5 program. Path specification rules are the same as for resources. The property must be specified in the main module with the MQL5 source code. The icon file must be in the ICO format.

link

string

Link to the company website

copyright

string

The company name

version

string

Program version, maximum 31 characters

description

string

Brief text description of a mql5-program. Several description can be present, each of them describes one line of the text. The total length of all description can not exceed 511 characters including line feed.

stacksize

int

MQL5 program stack size. The stack of sufficient size is necessary when executing function recursive calls.

When launching a script or an Expert Advisor on the chart, the stack of at least 8 MB is allocated. In case of indicators, the stack size is always fixed and equal to 1 MB.

When a program is launched in the strategy tester, the stack of 16 MB is always allocated for it.

library

A library; no start function is assigned, functions with the export modifier can be imported in other mql5-programs

indicator_applied_price

int

Specifies the default value for the "Apply to" field. You can specify one of the values of ENUM_APPLIED_PRICE. If the property is not specified, the default value is PRICE_CLOSE

indicator_chart_window

Show the indicator in the chart window

indicator_separate_window

Show the indicator in a separate window

indicator_height

int

Fixed height of the indicator subwindow in pixels (property INDICATOR_HEIGHT)

indicator_buffers

int

Number of buffers for indicator calculation

indicator_plots

int

Number of graphic series in the indicator

indicator_minimum

double

The bottom scaling limit for a separate indicator window

indicator_maximum

double

The top scaling limit for a separate indicator window

indicator_labelN

string

Sets a label for the N-th graphic series displayed in DataWindow. For graphic series requiring multiple indicator buffers (DRAW_CANDLES, DRAW_FILLING and others), the label names are defined using the separator ';'.

indicator_colorN

color

The color for displaying line N, where N is the number of graphic series; numbering starts from 1

indicator_widthN

int

Line thickness in graphic series, where N is the number of graphic series; numbering starts from 1

indicator_styleN

int

Line style in graphic series, specified by the values of ENUM_LINE_STYLE. N is the number of graphic series; numbering starts from 1

indicator_typeN

int

Type of graphical plotting, specified by the values of ENUM_DRAW_TYPE. N is the number of graphic series; numbering starts from 1

indicator_levelN

double

Horizontal level of N in a separate indicator window

indicator_levelcolor

color

Color of horizontal levels of the indicator

indicator_levelwidth

int

Thickness of horizontal levels of the indicator

indicator_levelstyle

int

Style of horizontal levels of the indicator

script_show_confirm

Display a confirmation window before running the script

script_show_inputs

Display a window with the properties before running the script and disable this confirmation window

tester_indicator

string

Name of a custom indicator in the format of "indicator_name.ex5". Indicators that require testing are defined automatically from the call of the iCustom() function, if the corresponding parameter is set through a constant string. For all other cases (use of the IndicatorCreate() function or use of a non-constant string in the parameter that sets the indicator name) this property is required

tester_file

string

File name for a tester with the indication of extension, in double quotes (as a constant string). The specified file will be passed to tester. Input files to be tested, if there are necessary ones, must always be specified.

tester_library

string

Library name with the extension, in double quotes. A library can have 'dll' or 'ex5' as file extension. Libraries that require testing are defined automatically. However, if any of libraries is used by a custom indicator, this property is required

tester_set

string

Name of the set file with the values ​​and the step of the input parameters. The file is passed to tester before testing and optimization. The file name is specified with an extension and double quotes as a constant string.

If you specify the EA name and the version number as "<expert_name>_<number>.set" in a set file name, then it is automatically added to the parameter versions download menu under the <number> version number. For example, the name "MACD Sample_4.set" means that this is a set file for the "MACD Sample.mq5" EA with the version number equal to 4.

To study the format, we recommend that you manually save the test/optimization settings in the strategy tester and then open the set file created in this way.

tester_no_cache

string

When performing optimization, the strategy tester saves all results of executed passes to the optimization cache, in which the test result is saved for each set of the input parameters. This allows using the ready-made results during re-optimization on the same parameters without wasting time on re-calculation.

But in some tasks (for example, in math calculations), it may be necessary to carry out calculations regardless of the availability of ready-made results in the optimization cache. In this case, the file should include the tester_no_cache property. The test results are still stored in the cache, so that you can see all the data on performed passes in the strategy tester.

tester_everytick_calculate

string

In the Strategy Tester, indicators are only calculated when their data are accessed, i.e. when the values of indicator buffers are requested. This provides a significantly faster testing and optimization speed, if you do not need to obtain indicator values on each tick.

By specifying the tester_everytick_calculate property, you can enable the forced calculation of the indicator on every tick.

Indicators in the Strategy Tester are also forcibly calculated on every tick in the following cases:

• when testing in the visual mode;
• if the indicator has any of the following functions: EventChartCustom, OnChartEvent, OnTimer;
• if the indicator was created using the compiler with build number below 1916.

This feature only applies in the Strategy Tester, while in the terminal indicators are always calculated on each received tick.

optimization_chart_mode

string

Specifies the chart type and the names of two input parameters which will be used for the visualization of optimization results. For example, "3d, InpX, InpY" means that the results will be shown in a 3D chart with the coordinate axes based on the tested InpX and InpY parameter values. Thus, the property enables the specification of parameters that will be used to display the optimization chart and the chart type, directly in the program code.

Possible options:

• "3d, input_parameter_name1, input_parameter_name2" means a 3D visualization chart, which can be rotated, zoomed in and out. The chart is built using two parameters.
• "2d, input_parameter_name1, input_parameter_name2" means a 2D grid chart, in which each cell is painted in a certain color depending on the result. The chart is built using two parameters.
• "1d, input_parameter_name1, input_parameter_name2" means a linear chart, in which the results are sorted by the specified parameter. Each pass is displayed as a point. The chart is built based on one parameter.
• "0d, input_parameter_name1, input_parameter_name2" means a regular chart with results sorted by the pass result arrival time. Each pass is displayed as a point in the chart. Parameter indication is not required, but the specified parameters can be used for the manual switch to other chart types.

Optionally, you can indicate only the chart type, without specifying one or two input parameters. In this case, the terminal will select the required parameters to show the optimization chart.