Reporting Memory Leaks in Strategy Tester
This software component for MetaTrader 5 is built to enhance the capabilities of your trading environment. This library provides a collection of modular, reusable code. It is utilized by developers to organize common functions, allowing for the integration of complex logic across multiple Expert Advisors, indicators, or scripts without the need for code duplication.
How to Setup and Use Reporting Memory Leaks in Strategy Tester
1. Storage: Place library files in the MQL/Libraries directory to ensure they are accessible to your projects.
2. Implementation: Include the library in your code using the #import directive, ensuring you match the exact function names and parameters.
3. Compilation: Ensure the library is present in the directory before you compile your main EA or script, as the compiler links them during this phase.
4. Management: Keep libraries organized in sub-folders if you manage many custom functions to maintain a clean project structure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is a library file used for? A: Libraries store reusable code modules, allowing you to centralize common logic used by multiple EAs or indicators.
Q: Is a library executable? A: No, libraries are non-executable files containing functions; they must be imported into an EA, indicator, or script to function.
Q: Can I update a library while the platform is running? A: You should compile your EA or script after updating a library to ensure the latest code changes are integrated.
Description & Settings
The strategy tester does not report any memory leaks of MQL5 applications like expert advisors, scripts or indicators. And such memory leaks can occur by using the new operator in your MQL5 code and forgetting to free the occupied memory later in your code by calling the delete operator. For example in complex programs with many classes and data collections the obligatory usage of the delete operator can be overseen very easily, and it can be difficult to trace such problems.
In my opinion the strategy tester should not only be used to develop a coherent trading logic, but also to detect software-related problems. Especially for finding memory leaks. The earlier such problems can be found and fixed the better.
Therefore here is presented an include file with name "checker_for_memory_leaks".
Dominik Egert
made a significant contribution to this file; please look at
This header file can be used for Expert Advisors, Scripts and Custom Indicators and should be included at the very beginning of the code. The purpose is to monitor eventually occurring memory leaks during the testing of your application in the strategy tester. Otherwise there is no need to change the actual code. In the header file the operators new and delete are 'bent' to allow an indication of the leaks that occur eventually. After having thoroughly tested your application and fixed all memory leaks you simply can uncomment/remove the #include <checker_for_memory_leaks.mqh> statement in your program.
As an example here a very simple script named "MemoryLeak.mq5" using this header is presented:
The output:
You can see in which file and which line the memory has been allocated. This information should make it easier for debugging to find the right place in the program where the memory deallocation should occur
