Buraq MQL5 & MQL4

Version

Buraq MQL5 & MQL4 is a Visual Studio Code extension that brings comprehensive language support, compilation, and productivity tooling for MetaQuotes Language (MQL4/MQL5) used in MetaTrader platforms.

Features

Syntax highlighting and language grammars for .mq4, .mq5, and .mqh
Compile, check, and script actions integrated into VS Code
Configurable MetaEditor paths and include directories for MT4/MT5
Help access with English language support for MQL4/MQL5
Context menu actions for inserting includes, resources, imports, and commentary
Keybindings for quick compile/check/help actions
Chart view with customizable MQL-Media branding (position: top-right, top-left, bottom-right, bottom-left)

Installation

From Marketplace

Search for Buraq MQL5 & MQL4 in VS Code Extensions, or install via CLI:

code --install-extension sarfrazfrompk.buraq-mql5-mql4

Marketplace link: https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=sarfrazfrompk.buraq-mql5-mql4

From VSIX (Local Package)

# Install packaging tool if needed
npm install -g vsce

# From project root, create a VSIX package
vsce package

# Install the generated VSIX
code --install-extension ./buraq-mql5-mql4-0.1.0.vsix

Usage

Open any .mq4, .mq5, or .mqh file. The extension activates automatically.
Use the title bar buttons or Command Palette actions:
- MQL: Compile File
- MQL: Check File
- MQL: Compile Script
- MQL: Help
- MQL: Configurations
Context menu actions for MQL files:
- Insert includes/resources/imports/time/icon
- Create commentary blocks
- Open file directly in MetaEditor

Keybindings

Ctrl+Shift+C — Compile Script
Ctrl+Shift+X — Compile File
Ctrl+Shift+Z — Check File
F1 — Open MQL Help (when enabled)

Configuration

The extension contributes settings under Buraq MQL5 & MQL4.

Environment Requirements

Windows with MetaEditor installed for MT4 and/or MT5
VS Code ^1.106.0
Extension dependency: ms-vscode.cpptools

Settings Table

| Setting Key | Type | Default | Description | |---|---|---|---| | buraq_mql5_mql4.LogFile.DeleteLog | boolean | true | Automatically delete previous log file on run | | buraq_mql5_mql4.Metaeditor.Metaeditor4Dir | string | C:\\MT4_Install\\MetaTrader\\metaeditor.exe | Path to MetaEditor (MT4) executable | | buraq_mql5_mql4.Metaeditor.Metaeditor5Dir | string | C:\\MT5_Install\\MetaTrader\\metaeditor.exe | Path to MetaEditor (MT5) executable | | buraq_mql5_mql4.Metaeditor.Include4Dir | string | | Additional include directory for MT4 | | `buraq_mql5_mql4.Metaeditor.Include5Dir` | string | | Additional include directory for MT5 | | buraq_mql5_mql4.LogFile.NameLog | string | `` | Custom log file name/location | | buraq_mql5_mql4.ShowButton.Compile | boolean | true | Show compile button in editor title bar | | buraq_mql5_mql4.ShowButton.Check | boolean | true | Show check button in editor title bar | | buraq_mql5_mql4.ShowButton.Script | boolean | true | Show script button in editor title bar | | buraq_mql5_mql4.Script.MiniME | boolean | true | Use mini MetaEditor window mode for script | | buraq_mql5_mql4.Script.Timetomini | number | 500 (min 100) | Delay before switching to mini mode (ms) | | buraq_mql5_mql4.Script.CloseME | boolean | true | Close MetaEditor after script runs | | buraq_mql5_mql4.Help.HelpON | boolean | true | Enable F1 help integration | | buraq_mql5_mql4.Help.MQL4HelpLanguage | string | English | Help language for MQL4 | | buraq_mql5_mql4.Help.MQL5HelpLanguage | string | English | Help language for MQL5 | | buraq_mql5_mql4.Help.HelpVal | number | 500 (min 150) | Help operation timeout/interval (ms) | | buraq_mql5_mql4.context | boolean | false | Enable extra explorer context menu commands | | buraq_mql5_mql4.ShowChart.BrandingEnabled | boolean | true | Enable MQL-Media branding on charts | | buraq_mql5_mql4.ShowChart.BrandingPosition | string | top-right | Position of MQL-Media branding on charts (top-right, top-left, bottom-right, bottom-left) |

Customizing Syntax Highlighting

You can customize the colors of syntax highlighting for MQL files using VS Code's built-in editor.tokenColorCustomizations setting. This allows you to change colors for comments, keywords, functions, and any other code elements.

How to Customize Colors

Identify the TextMate Scope:
- Open a .mq4, .mq5, or .mqh file
- Press Ctrl+Shift+P (or Cmd+Shift+P on Mac)
- Search for and select "Developer: Inspect Editor Tokens and Scopes"
- Click on the code element you want to customize (e.g., a comment, function name, keyword)
- Note the TextMate scope shown in the popup (e.g., comment.line.double-slash.mql)
Add Custom Colors to settings.json:
- Press Ctrl+Shift+P and select "Preferences: Open Settings (JSON)"
- Add or modify the editor.tokenColorCustomizations section:

{
    "editor.tokenColorCustomizations": {
    "textMateRules": [
      {
        "scope": "comment.line.double-slash.mql",
        "settings": {
          "foreground": "#51ff00",
          "fontStyle": "italic"
        }
      },
      {
        "scope": "comment.block.mql",
        "settings": {
          "foreground": "#51ff00",
          "fontStyle": "italic"
        }
      }
    ]
  }
}

Common MQL TextMate Scopes

Here are some commonly used scopes for MQL files that you can customize:

comment.line.double-slash.mql — Single-line comments (//)
comment.block.mql — Multi-line comments (/* */)
keyword.control.mql — Control keywords (if, else, for, while, return, etc.)
keyword.control.preprocessor.mql — Preprocessor directives (#include, #property, etc.)
storage.type.mql — Data types (int, double, string, bool, etc.)
storage.modifier.mql — Modifiers (extern, input, static)
entity.name.function.mql — Function names
string.quoted.double.mql — String literals
constant.numeric.integer.mql — Integer numbers
constant.numeric.double.mql — Floating-point numbers

Example: Custom Color Scheme for MQL

{
  "editor.tokenColorCustomizations": {
    "textMateRules": [
      {
        "scope": "comment.line.double-slash.mql",
        "settings": {
          "foreground": "#00FF00",
          "fontStyle": "italic"
        }
      },
      {
        "scope": "keyword.control.mql",
        "settings": {
          "foreground": "#569CD6",
          "fontStyle": "bold"
        }
      },
      {
        "scope": "entity.name.function.mql",
        "settings": {
          "foreground": "#DCDCAA"
        }
      },
      {
        "scope": "storage.type.mql",
        "settings": {
          "foreground": "#4EC9B0"
        }
      }
    ]
  }
}

For more information on customizing syntax highlighting, see the VS Code Theme Color Reference.

Commands

buraq_mql5_mql4.compileScript
buraq_mql5_mql4.checkFile
buraq_mql5_mql4.compileFile
buraq_mql5_mql4.help
buraq_mql5_mql4.configurations
buraq_mql5_mql4.Addicon, Showfiles, InsNameMQH, InsMQH, InsMQL, InsNameMQL, InsResource, InsImport, InsTime, InsIcon, openInME, commentary
buraq_mql5_mql4.showChartView - Display chart with MQL-Media branding

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

MetaEditor Not Found

Solution: Verify Metaeditor4Dir/Metaeditor5Dir paths in settings and ensure MetaEditor is installed.
Check that the path points to the actual metaeditor.exe file (e.g., C:\Program Files\MetaTrader 5\MetaEditor64.exe)

Buttons Missing in Editor Title Bar

Solution: Ensure ShowButton.* settings are enabled and file extension is .mq4, .mq5, or .mqh.
Reload VS Code window after changing settings (Ctrl+Shift+P → "Developer: Reload Window")

F1 Help Not Working / 404 Errors

Symptoms: Pressing F1 shows "Failed to load help file. Server response code - 404"
Solutions:
1. Ensure Help.HelpON is set to true in settings
2. Check your internet connection (help files are downloaded on first use)
3. Try deleting the help cache folder and triggering F1 again:
  - Navigate to: [Extension Install Dir]/mql-files/help/
  - Delete all .chm files
  - Press F1 on a keyword to re-download
4. If the issue persists, check the Developer Console (Ctrl+Shift+I) for detailed error messages
5. Verify firewall/antivirus isn't blocking the download

Syntax Highlighting Colors

Question: "Can I customize the syntax highlighting colors?"
Answer: Yes! See the Customizing Syntax Highlighting section above for detailed instructions.
Use Ctrl+Shift+P → "Developer: Inspect Editor Tokens and Scopes" to identify scopes, then customize in settings.json

Solution: Set buraq_mql5_mql4.context to true in settings

Chart Branding Not Visible

Solution: Ensure ShowChart.BrandingEnabled is true and icon files exist in the extension directory

FAQ

Q: The help file downloads are very slow. Can I download them manually?

A: Yes. Download the help files from the GitHub repository and place them in [Extension Install Dir]/mql-files/help/:

For MQL4: mql4.chm
For MQL5: mql5.chm (or localized versions like mql5-russian.chm)

Q: Why does the extension use the C++ language mode?

A: MQL syntax is similar to C++, so the extension maps .mq4, .mq5, and .mqh files to the cpp language ID for better IDE integration. This allows features like IntelliSense from the C++ tools extension.

Q: How do I disable F1 help if it conflicts with VS Code's default help?

A: Set "buraq_mql5_mql4.Help.HelpON": false in your settings.json.

Contributing

Fork the repository and create a feature branch
Install dependencies:

npm install

Lint and test locally:

npm run lint
npm test

Follow conventional commits for messages
Open a Pull Request with a clear description and screenshots where relevant

Code of Conduct

This project adheres to the Contributor Covenant, version 2.1. See https://www.contributor-covenant.org/version/2/1/code_of_conduct/ for details.

Known Issues

Primarily tested on Windows due to MetaEditor integration paths
VS Code language id maps to cpp for grammar scope; other C++ tooling may interact

Acknowledgments

MetaQuotes Language (MQL4/MQL5) and documentation by MetaQuotes
VS Code Extension API and samples

MQL4 Reference: https://docs.mql4.com/
MQL5 Reference: https://www.mql5.com/en/docs
VS Code Extension API: https://code.visualstudio.com/api
Publisher site: http://sarfrazfrompk.com

License

Released under the MIT License. See LICENSE.md.

Buraq MQL5 & MQL4

Sarfraz Ahmad

Buraq MQL5 & MQL4

Features

Installation

From Marketplace

From VSIX (Local Package)

Usage

Keybindings

Configuration

Environment Requirements

Settings Table

Customizing Syntax Highlighting

How to Customize Colors

Common MQL TextMate Scopes

Example: Custom Color Scheme for MQL

Commands

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

MetaEditor Not Found

Buttons Missing in Editor Title Bar

F1 Help Not Working / 404 Errors

Syntax Highlighting Colors

Context Menu Items Absent

Chart Branding Not Visible

FAQ

Contributing

Code of Conduct

Known Issues

Acknowledgments

License

Buraq MQL5 & MQL4

Sarfraz Ahmad

Buraq MQL5 & MQL4

Features

Installation

From Marketplace

From VSIX (Local Package)

Usage

Keybindings

Configuration

Environment Requirements

Settings Table

Customizing Syntax Highlighting

How to Customize Colors

Common MQL TextMate Scopes

Example: Custom Color Scheme for MQL

Commands

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

MetaEditor Not Found

Buttons Missing in Editor Title Bar

F1 Help Not Working / 404 Errors

Syntax Highlighting Colors

Context Menu Items Absent

Chart Branding Not Visible

FAQ

Contributing

Code of Conduct

Known Issues

Acknowledgments

Related Links

License