How to compile an MQL4 file with a command-line tool?

Question

Now I am compiling my MetaTrader .mq4 files to .ex4 files with MetaEditor.

But my .mq4 files are generated by a Java-process, and I would like to automate the compilation process.

Is there a command-line compiler tool I could call programmatically?

Answer 1

To compile a source code file from a command line, you can use MetaEditor for that. For example:

metaeditor.exe /compile:"C:\Program Files\Platform\MQL5\Scripts\myscript.mq5"

^{For 64-bit use metaeditor64.exe instead.}

In Linux/macOS, this can be achieved using Wine, e.g.:

wine metaeditor.exe /compile:"MQL4/Experts/MACD Sample.mq4"

For mass compilation, you can specify folder, like:

metaeditor.exe" /compile:"MQL5\Scripts"

To specify custom MQL5/MQL4 folder with include files, you can use /inc parameter, for example:

metaeditor.exe /compile:"./Scripts" /inc:"C:\Program Files\TradingPlatform 2\MQL5"

For additional information about the compilation process, you can use /log:

metaeditor.exe /compile:"C:\Program Files\Platform\MQL5\Scripts\myscript.mq5" /log 

^{To check for the syntax only, add extra /s.}

If the compilation fails, the MQL4.log file would be created in the platform folder with the relevant details. It's going to be in UTF-16 format, so you may need a special tool for it (such as Vim, Ruby, findstr or rg).

To specify the custom compilation log file, use /log:file.log parameter, e.g.

metaeditor.exe /log:errors.log /compile:.

Note: Display to the standard output is not supported (although on Linux you can use: /log:CON).

For more information, check: Compilation from the Command Line

---

Some time ago you could download the compiler of MQL4/MQL5 programs that runs separately from MetaEditor — MQL.exe. It was distributed separately from the terminal and you could download it at the following addresses:

https://download.mql5.com/cdn/web/metaquotes.software.corp/mt5/mql.exe

https://download.mql5.com/cdn/web/metaquotes.software.corp/mt5/mql64.exe

Usage (as per MQL4/MQL5 Compiler build 1162 from 02 Jul 2015):

mql.exe [<flags>] filename.mq5
        /mql5     - compile mql5 source
        /mql4     - compile mql4 source
        /s        - syntax check only
        /i:<path> - set working directory
        /o        - use code optimizer

However the standalone compiler was intentionally removed, so now links point to the installer in favor of MetaEditor.

---

Much older version of MetaTrader prior to build 600 had metalang.exe included with the platform.

However in build 616, MetaQuotes intentionally has removed the compiler (mql.exe/mql64.exe) from the standard MetaTrader installation.

This means if you upgrade your MT platform (>616), the compiler executable will be removed.

Answer 2

This is a little late, but since I wrote a little script for UltraEdit/UEStudio and have received heaps of help from stackoverflow, here is my script. It compiles then copies the ex4 to a number of test MT4 installations:

The "Compile" button on UE does:

"MT4Compile.bat" "%FilePath" "%FileName"
Start in path eg: D:\Development\MQ4 (Location of MT4Compile.bat)

Normally my source code is in a library tree under D:\Development\MQ4[Group][ExpertName][FileName].mq4

Contents of D:\Development\MQ4\MT4Compile.bat:

@echo off
rem Version: 1.1
rem Date:   24 Sep 2013
rem Author: Shawky
rem Refer to HELP: for info

SET XC=xcopy /D /Y /V /F /I
SET PROGDIR=D:\Development\Go Pro Demo (MQ4 Testing)
SET DSTPATH=%PROGDIR%\experts

SET SIMPATH1=G:\Apps\MT4\BackTest IC (Recent)\experts
SET SIMPATH2=G:\Apps\MT4\BackTest IC (All)\experts
SET SIMPATH3=G:\Apps\MT4\BackTest Go (All)\experts
SET DEPLOYPATH=D:\Development\Deployment\experts

SET SRCPATH=%1
SET SRCPATH=%SRCPATH:"=%
IF "%SRCPATH%"=="" (
    SET SRCPATH=[Arg1]
)

SET APPNAME=%2
SET APPNAME=%APPNAME:"=%
IF "%APPNAME%"=="" (
    SET APPNAME=[Arg2]
)

SET SRCFILE=%APPNAME%.mq4
SET DSTFILE=%APPNAME%.ex4


SET CMD="%PROGDIR%\metalang.exe" "%SRCFILE%" "%DSTFILE%"

IF "%SRCPATH%"=="[Arg1]"  GOTO HELP
IF "%APPNAME%"=="[Arg2]"  GOTO HELP

cd %SRCPATH%

IF NOT EXIST "%SRCFILE%"  (
    SET ERROR=Error: File "%SRCFILE%" does not exist in %SRCPATH%
    GOTO HELP
)

echo .
echo Compiling %SRCFILE% to %DSTPATH%\%DSTFILE%
echo .
DEL *.log
%CMD%
IF EXIST "%DSTFILE%" (
    echo .
    echo Distributing executable to SIM and Deployment paths
    %XC% "%DSTFILE%" "%DSTPATH%\"
    IF EXIST "%SIMPATH1%"   %XC% "%DSTFILE%" "%SIMPATH1%\"
    IF EXIST "%SIMPATH2%"   %XC% "%DSTFILE%" "%SIMPATH2%\"
    IF EXIST "%SIMPATH3%"   %XC% "%DSTFILE%" "%SIMPATH3%\"
    IF EXIST "%DEPLOYPATH%" copy /B /Y "%DSTFILE%" "%DEPLOYPATH%\%APPNAME% (Dev).ex4"
)

goto END

:HELP
echo .  Metatrader 4 Command Line utility for compiling MT4 programmes.
echo .
echo .  This batch files allows MT4 applications to be compiled from a directory other than .\experts.
echo .  The output will be copied to experts after compilation.
echo .
echo .  [Arg1] = Path to MT4 application directory
echo .  [Arg2] = Name (without extension) of the main MQ4 source code to compile.
echo .
echo .  Example:
echo .      MT4Compile.bat "D:\Development\MQ4\MyExpert\" "PrimaryMQ4FileName"
echo .
echo .  Programme Directory: %PROGDIR%
echo .  Source Path:         %SRCPATH%
echo .  Source File:         %SRCFILE%
echo .  Destination File:    %DSTFILE%
echo .  Target Path:         %DSTPATH%
echo .
echo .  Argument 1:          %SRCPATH%
echo .  Argument 2:          %APPNAME%
echo .
echo .  Commands to execute would be:
echo .
echo .      %CMD%
echo .      %XC% "%DSTFILE%" "%DSTPATH%\"
echo .
echo .  %ERROR%
echo .

pause

:END

All the best.

Shawky

Answer 3

Yes, there is an executable in the install directory of the terminal. It is called metalang.exe.