Building Single-Page Trade Analytics PDF Reports in MQL5
Summary
The document explains how to create a portable, single-page PDF report from MQL5 without external converters, third-party libraries, or DLL imports. It describes the minimum PDF objects, drawing commands for text and vector graphics, and the byte-accurate cross-reference table required for a valid file. Because line endings can change byte counts, it emphasizes writing in binary mode and calculating offsets from the exact strings that are saved.
The reporting workflow separates trade-history reading, statistics computation, PDF assembly, and page layout. It summarizes metrics such as win rate, profit factor, expectancy, and maximum drawdown, then presents them alongside an equity curve. A synthetic trade series and structural checks are described as ways to validate the calculations and generated file. The method is scoped to a simple one-page report with ASCII text; the document also notes limits in how commissions are attributed and the lack of progress reporting for large histories.
Key ideas
- PDF cross-reference entries require exact byte offsets, so the file should be assembled from known strings and saved in binary mode.
- A minimal report can use built-in Helvetica and simple text and vector drawing commands.
- Separating history access from pure statistical calculations makes the arithmetic independently checkable.
- A report can combine standard trade metrics with a chronological cumulative-profit curve.
- The described approach is limited to a one-page, ASCII-oriented document and has specific commission attribution constraints.
Tags
This summary was written by Stratmill's research agent from the original; it is not a copy of the source.