MetaEditor/MQL4 ExpertAdviser: Local Variable Declaration More Than Once? - mql4

I am looking at some old MetaEditor4 / MQL4 code, where a local variable was declared twice:
......
1 int start()
2 {
3 if (1==2)
4 {
5 double myVar = 1;
6 } else
7 {
8 double myVar = 2;
9 }
10 return;
11 }
.......
The compilation process in MetaEditor, version 5.00, build 1601, fails with:
'myVar' - variable already defined in line 8.
If I remove the line 8, the compilation goes well.
My questions are:
1. Is there any option in MetaEditor that tolerates the multiple declaration of a local variable?
2. In previous versions of MetaTrader Terminal 4 / MetaEditor and .MQ4 code: was it possible to declare a local variable more than once in such a situation?
3. The MetaEditor has the version 5.00, build 1601, but the extension of the code is .mq4 and it was installed together with the MetaTrader Terminal software MetaTrader4 ( from FXCM ). Therefore I assume I can still use .MQ4 code with it. Is there any chance to get a pure MQL4 installation from somewhere?
Whenever I install mt4 ( from e.g.: mt4 download), it ends up
with the mt5 installer.

Prologue:
The worlds of MQL4 evolve. One may try to circumvent this fact, but finally, at one's own disappointment, attempts to avoid evolution will sooner or later go in vain.
Having been thrown into a need to re-engineer code-base spanning a few man*decades in size, I can tell you many stories about what worked and what did not.
An "Old code" v/s a New-MQL4.56789
If just one thing ought be taken from this, never try to "circumvent" New-MQL4, but rather review the code and refactor the "Old code" - this is a way safer way to survive ( way longer ).
Yes, there are chances ( zero warrants, just a few chances left temporarily on the table ) the new compiler version will remain able to generate an executable version of the code, but given a new set of rules have already come in the city, the game will not last long.
Ad 1 + 2 )Compiler still tolerates multiple declarations, but not in one scope
If new version of a compiler defined that any variable is declared only relative to it's scope of validity, the serious programmer ought take this as a general principle. The code above actually has other problem, right nailed to the scope-of-validity:
2 ...
3 if ( 1 == 2 ) {
4 ...
5 double myVar = 1; // myVar declared & known |since HERE >
6 ... // masking any other,|known HERE :
7 ... // |known HERE :
8 } else // |till HERE . Undef further
9 {
10 ...
11 double myVar = 2; // myVar declared & known |since HERE >
12 // masking any other,|known HERE :
13 ... // |known HERE :
14 } // |till HERE . Undef further
so, if there were any _global_ scope'd variable with the same name myVar, it will not be "visible" during an existence of locally declared variable, wearing the same name.
Finally, having the code-execution escaped from any of the lines 8 or 14 further, the locally there declared variable double myVar simply ceased to exist anymore and this behaviour is principally correct ( and the "older" compiler releases were tolerating a sort of dangerous habit of side-effects, during years of tolerating scope-of-validity spillover(s), so it was the high time to clean the rules, so as to meet a fair level of C/S standards.
Ad 3) language receives a lot from MQL5, even if not used in MQL4
Yes, MetaEditor will correctly compile a MQL4 code into .mq4 code-execution format, no problem here. Even an auto-update process started to go independently from MT4 Terminal platform (auto-)updates ( so you will quite often see new Help file coming and enforced re-compilation of all your localhost visible .MQ4 assets into updated .EX4 format, so "Do not panic."
Better never install a Broker-agnostic MT4, always go to your Broker's Support and get installation package & help from your Broker. This is business relation you have signed in a contract, so keep these strings as you are going to trade your money on a table they operate under the set Terms & Conditions. Some Brokers have means of platform customisations, so rather benefit from their custom settings that will match their Server-side automation.
It is more a question of economy of R&D efforts. ( May read a lot about language components injected from the MQL5 domain in the IDE Editor MQL4 Help ). This is a natural will of the product design strategy, not to double efforts on a dual-line. Without doubts, there are many details the Help file could be improved and better maintained, the common sense here is to live with the facts and re-learn what newly introduced features remain neutral for the MQL4 code base and what new things may actually help one a lot in aspects, where older compilers were short in powers.
If one objects that some compiler / platform re-design steps were bad, I would agree on a single-thread, platform-critical, potentially blocking, concentration of executing all the CustomIndicator-s in just one SPoF-thread.
But C'est La Vie, until system architects will not review this SPoF, the platform will remain susceptible to crashes from this feature, but the ball is on the other side of the court and a change will have to be implemented there.

the code might be run with 'strict' or non-strict mode.
strict means that variable must be declared within its scope, non-strict - all the mess that you have now.
so put #property strict at the beginning of the file
open a demo account somewhere and install mt4 there. demo can be valid for 30 days only with registration via web-site of a broker or with unlimited and demo opened from mt4 (example - Alpari)

Related

png_get_iCCP prototype change

I see
(in Version 1.2.49, Linux Foundation ):
png_uint_32 png_get_iCCP(png_structp png_ptr, png_infop info_ptr, png_charpp name, int * compression_type, png_charpp profile, png_uint_32 * proflen);
And (in version 1.6.37):
png_uint_32 png_get_iCCP(png_const_structrp png_ptr, png_inforp info_ptr, png_charpp name, int *compression_type, png_bytepp profile, png_uint_32 *proflen);
The main difference is the incompatible change of the fifth parameter, from type char ** to type png_byte **.
Now, I definitely accept that the newer form is correct.
But that doesn't help if you want to be able to build with any version of the library.
My basic question is: When did this change take place?
One annoying part of this change is that it went unnoted in the API documentation, probably in part because said documentation doesn't even mention types.
I figure the compile-time test will look something like:
#if (PNG_LIBPNG_VER>=10402)
but that I would need to know what number to put in.
I figure my alternative is to write some autoconf tests.
As an additional question: Are there any other incompatible API changes in libpng's history?

memory trace of all variables in program with DBI tool

I am using intel pin as my primary DBI tool.
I am interested to know how can I trace all variables allocated in a program .
suppose, we have the following snippet in C:
int *ptr_one, *ptr_two, g;
ptr_one = (int *)malloc(sizeof(int));
ptr_two = (int *)malloc(sizeof(int));
*ptr_one = 25;
*ptr_two = 24;
g = 130;
free(ptr_two);
g = 210;
*ptr_two = 50;
I want to know how can I trace specific variables / memory references in my program . for example on the above code, I like to trace the variable "g" in my program with Intel Pin, how it can be done?
for dynamically allocated variables, I'm monitoring malloc/free calls & follow their addresses, but for static ones I do not have any idea .
Another matter is, for dynamically allocated variables, I like to trace them across the whole program, suppose in the above code, I want to monitor (ptr_two) variable changes and modification during my program from start to finish .
If anyone have some idea about that, it can be nice to share it here, sample codes appreciated in Intel Pin .
thank you all .
Simply stated, you can't associate a name from your source code (be it variable or function name) with a memory location on the compiled binary: this information is (probably) lost on the final binary.
This is not true in two cases:
1) If your binary is exporting functions: in this case other binaries must have a means to call the function by name (minus some subtleties), in which case the information must be available somewhere; for example on Windows, binaries that export functions, variables or classes have an export table.
2) You have symbolic information: in your example, either for the global variable or other local variable, you have to use the symbolic information provided by the compiler.
On Linux you will need an external tool / library / program (e.g. libelf.so or libdwarf.so) to parse the symbolic information from the symbol tables (usually dynsym / symtab) if the binary is not stripped.
On windows you have to rely on the program database (*.pdb files); the format is mostly undocumented (although MS is trying to document it) and you have to use either the DbgHelp API or the DIA SDK.
As stated by the PIN user guide (emphasis is mine):
Pin provides access to function names using the symbol object (SYM).
Symbol objects only provide information about the function symbols in
the application. Information about other types of symbols (e.g. data
symbols), must be obtained independently by the tool.
If you have symbolic information you can then associate a variable name - obtained from an external tool - with an address (relative to the module base for global vars or a stack location for local ones). At runtime it is then just a matter of converting the relative address to a virtual one.

Ctypes mozilla unknown error

In a mozille extension I run:
SecSess.Logger.info("ctypes test");
Components.utils.import("resource://gre/modules/ctypes.jsm");
SecSess.Logger.info("1");
this.lib = ctypes.open("libcrypto.so");
SecSess.Logger.info("2");
var a = new Uint8Array(1<<10);
SecSess.Logger.info("3");
var ptr = new ctypes.uint8_t.ptr(a.buffer);
SecSess.Logger.info("4");
Why this ugly logging after each step you might ask? Well this code fails without showing me an error. (or at least I can't find the error message)
This is printed:
ctypes test
1
2
3
So the 5th log message is never printed which means the following statement never completes:
var ptr = new ctypes.uint8_t.ptr(a.buffer);
This is a simplified version of some old code I have to work with and which I also found online as being valid. However it doesn't work. This add-on wasn't developped using the new SDK with jpm. Quite frankly I don't know how and when it was developped but I need to run some tests on it. It comes with a few source files ordered in a components and a modules directory and a chrome.manifest and install.rdf in the root. I copied these files to the extension directory of Mozilla in order for it to work. The extension executes but there seems to be a problem with ctypes. Aren't ctypes fully supported anymore or are these old style add-on no longer valid for the modern Firefox?
Regards,
Roel
I think they landed a a patch to disallow making a pointer from buffers. I'll double check.
Edit:
Ah per this: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/js-ctypes/Using_js-ctypes/Working_with_ArrayBuffers, you don't have to wrap it with a ctypes.uint8_t.ptr just pass it like a.buffer to wherever you need it. :)

FAKE Fsc task is writing build products to wrong directory

I'm just learning F#, and setting up a FAKE build harness for a hello-world-like application. (Though the phrase "Hell world" does occasionally come to mind... :-) I'm using a Mac and emacs (generally trying to avoid GUI IDEs by preference).
After a bit of fiddling about with documentation, here's how I'm invoking the F# compiler via FAKE:
let buildDir = #"./build-app/" // Where application build products go
Target "CompileApp" (fun _ -> // Compile application source code
!! #"src/app/**/*.fs" // Look for F# source files
|> Seq.toList // Convert FileIncludes to string list
|> Fsc (fun p -> // which is what the Fsc task wants
{p with //
FscTarget = Exe //
Platform = AnyCpu //
Output = (buildDir + "hello-fsharp.exe") }) // *** Writing to . instead of buildDir?
) //
That uses !! to make a FileIncludes of all the sources in the usual way, then uses Seq.toList to change that to a string list of filenames, which is then handed off to the Fsc task. Simple enough, and it even seems to work:
...
Starting Target: CompileApp (==> SetVersions)
FSC with args:[|"-o"; "./build-app/hello-fsharp.exe"; "--target:exe"; "--platform:anycpu";
"/Users/sgr/Documents/laboratory/hello-fsharp/src/app/hello-fsharp.fs"|]
Finished Target: CompileApp
...
However, despite what the console output above says, the actual build products go to the top-level directory, not the build directory. The message above looks like the -o argument is being passed to the compiler with an appropriate filename, but the executable gets put in . instead of ./build-app/.
So, 2 questions:
Is this a reasonable way to be invoking the F# compiler in a FAKE build harness?
What am I misunderstanding that is causing the build products to go to the wrong place?
This, or a very similar problem, was reported in FAKE issue #521 and seems to have been fixed in FAKE pull request #601, which see.
Explanation of the Problem
As is apparently well-known to everyone but me, the F# compiler as implemented in FSharp.Compiler.Service has a practice of skipping its first argument. See FSharp.Compiler.Service/tests/service/FscTests.fs around line 127, where we see the following nicely informative comment:
// fsc parser skips the first argument by default;
// perhaps this shouldn't happen in library code.
Whether it should or should not happen, it's what does happen. Since the -o came first in the arguments generated by FscHelper, it was dutifully ignored (along with its argument, apparently). Thus the assembly went to the default place, not the place specified.
Solutions
The temporary workaround was to specify --out:destinationFile in the OtherParams field of the FscParams setter in addition to the Output field; the latter is the sacrificial lamb to be ignored while the former gets the job done.
The longer term solution is to fix the arguments generated by FscHelper to have an extra throwaway argument at the front; then these 2 problems will annihilate in a puff of greasy black smoke. (It's kind of balletic in its beauty, when you think about it.) This is exactly what was just merged into the master by #forki23:
// Always prepend "fsc.exe" since fsc compiler skips the first argument
let optsArr = Array.append [|"fsc.exe"|] optsArr
So that solution should be in the newest version of FAKE (3.11.0).
The answers to my 2 questions are thus:
Yes, this appears to be a reasonable way to invoke the F# compiler.
I didn't misunderstand anything; it was just a bug and a fix is in the pipeline.
More to the point: the actual misunderstanding was that I should have checked the FAKE issues and pull requests to see if anybody else had reported this sort of thing, and that's what I'll do next time.

Stream reasoning / Reactive programming in prolog?

I was wondering if you know of any way to use prolog for stream processing, that is, some kind of reactive programming, or at least to let a query run on a knowledge base that is continuously updated (effectively a stream), and continuously output the output of the reasoning?
Anything implemented in the popular "prologs", such as SWI-prolog?
You can use Logtalk's support for event-driven programming to define monitors that watch for knowledge base update events and react accordingly. You can run Logtalk using most Prolog systems as the backed compiler, including SWI-Prolog.
The event-driven features are described e.g. in the user manual:
http://logtalk.org/manuals/userman/events.html
The current distribution contains some examples of using events and monitors. An interesting one considering your question is the bricks example:
https://github.com/LogtalkDotOrg/logtalk3/tree/master/examples/bricks
Running this example first and then looking at its code should give you as good idea of what you can do with system wide events and monitors.
XSB has stream processing capabilities. See page 14 in the
XSB Manual
I'm working on something related, in project pqConsole already there is the basic capability: report to the user structured data, containing actionable areas (links) that call back in Prolog current state, hence the possibility to expose actions and react appropriately (hopefully).
It's strictly related to pqConsole::win_write_html, showcasing recent Qt capabilities of SWI-Prolog.
Here an example of a snippet producing only a simple formatted report, I'll try now to add the reactive part, so you can evaluate if you find expressive this basic system. Hints are welcome...
/* File: win_html_write_test.pl
Author: Carlo,,,
Created: Aug 27 2013
Purpose: example usage win_html_write/1
*/
:- module(win_html_write_test,
[dir2list/1
]).
:- [library(http/html_write)].
:- [library(dirtree)].
dir2list(Path) :-
dirtree(Path, DirTree),
% sortree(compare_by_attr(name), DirTree, Sorted), !,
DirTree = Sorted,
phrase(html([\css,
\logo,
hr([]),
ul(\dirtree2html(Sorted, [])),
br([])]), Tokens),
with_output_to(atom(X), print_html(Tokens)),
win_html_write(X),
dump_page_to_debug(X).
css --> html(style(type='text/css',
['.size{color:blue;}'
])).
logo --> html(img([src=':/swipl.png'],[])).
dirtree2html(element(dir, A, S), Parents) -->
html(li([\elem2html(A),
ul(\elements2html(S, [A|Parents]))])).
dirtree2html(element(file, A, []), _Parents) -->
html(li(\elem2html(A))).
elem2html(A) -->
{memberchk(name=N, A),
memberchk(size=S, A)
},
html([span([class=name], N), ' : ', span([class=size], S)]).
elements2html([E|Es], Parents) -->
dirtree2html(E, Parents),
elements2html(Es, Parents).
elements2html([], _Parents) --> [].
dump_page_to_debug(X) :-
open('page_to_debug.html', write, S),
format(S, '<html>~n~s~n</html>~n', [X]),
close(S).
This snippet depends on dirtree, that should be installed with
?- pack_install(dirtree).
edit With 3 modifications now the report has the ability to invoke editing of files:
call to get paths in structure
dir2list(Path) :-
dirtree(Path, DirTreeT),
assign_path(DirTreeT, DirTree),
...
request a specialized output for files only
dirtree2html(element(file, A, []), _Parents) -->
html(li(\file2html(A))).
finally, the 'handler' - here just place a request to invoke the editor
file2html(A) -->
{memberchk(name=N, A),
memberchk(path=P, A),
memberchk(size=S, A)
},
html([span([class=name],
[a([href='writeln(editing(\'~s\')), edit(\'~s\')'-[N,P]], N)]
), ' : ', span([class=size], S)]).
and now the file names are clickable, write a message and get edited if requested: a picture
You should check out RTEC: Run-Time Event Calculus:
https://github.com/aartikis/RTEC
RTEC is an open-source Event Calculus dialect optimised for stream reasoning. It is written in Prolog and has been tested under YAP 6.2.
Feature highlights:
Interval-based.
Sliding window reasoning.
Interval manipulation constructs for non-inertial fluents.
Caching for hierarchical knowledge bases.
Support for out-of-order data streams.
Indexing for handling efficiently irrelevant data.
There is also a mention of it on the SWI-Prolog website:
https://www.swi-prolog.org/pack/file_details/prologmud_I7/prolog/ec_planner/RTEC/README.md
which presumably relies on:
https://www.swi-prolog.org/pldoc/doc/_SWI_/library/dialect/yap.pl
I don't know why this hasn't been brought up so far, but in SWI-Prolog there is prolog_listen, which can, amongst other things, monitor dynamic updates to the database:

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