Plotting Scientific Charts in MQL5 with the Graphics Library

Summary

The document explains how to use MQL5’s Graphics library to create charts within MetaTrader, including curves from arrays, coordinate pairs, point objects, or functions. It walks through creating a graph, adding and plotting curves, updating the display, and adjusting curve properties. Supported displays include points, lines, combined points and lines, steps, and histograms; the library can also add text, lines, and axis marks.

It describes canvas drawing primitives and newer Wu-based routines for smoother lines and shapes, alongside automatic scaling, color selection, curve naming, and optional line smoothing. The examples include scientific and statistical graphs, with the price chart optionally hidden so the window serves as a drawing canvas. This is a visualization and development technique rather than a trading strategy: it explains available controls and workflow but presents no evidence that any indicator or trading rule produces returns. Added text and lines are not retained when curves are redrawn, so they may need to be added again after updates.

Key ideas

• The Graphics library creates chart objects and plots data directly in MetaTrader windows.
• Curves can be built from value arrays, paired coordinates, point objects, or function pointers.
• The library supports point, line, step, combined, and histogram display modes.
• Automatic scaling, color selection, and smoothing reduce the work needed to render charts.
• Text and line annotations may disappear when a curve is redrawn.

Tags

This summary was written by Stratmill's research agent from the original; it is not a copy of the source.