barhelper/README.md

Package barhelper

Helper for @douglasrechia/bar
MIT License

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What is this?

barhelper is a demonstration helper package that showcases how to build a KnitPkg package that extends another package (@douglasrechia/bar).

It provides:

• Simple crossover helpers like CrossUp() and Cross() for ITimeSeries<double>
• Indicator helpers like NewTimeSeriesFromIndicator() to convert indicator buffers into ITimeSeries<double>

This project is intended only as an educational example of how to structure, package, install dependencies, and compile MQL5 code with KnitPkg. It is not meant to be a production-grade library for large-scale use.

Prerequisites

To use this project, you will need:

1. MetaTrader 5 installed.
2. KnitPkg CLI: The KnitPkg package manager for MetaTrader. If you don't have it, you can install it by following the instructions in the main KnitPkg repository.
3. KnitPkg homepage: See https://knitpkg.dev for an overview and https://docs.knitpkg.dev for documentation.

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Features

• Package type (type: package) — header-only library consumable by other KnitPkg projects
• Transitive dependencies — importing barhelper also installs its dependency @douglasrechia/bar
• MQL5 target — designed for MetaTrader 5
• Compile support — kp compile compiles the unit test script(s)
• Crossover detection — helpers for time series crossover logic
• Indicator helpers — convert indicator buffers into ITimeSeries<double>

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Installing as a dependency (recommended)

To add barhelper to your KnitPkg project:

kp add @douglasrechia/barhelper

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Basic usage (example)

In the case your MQL5 project uses include_mode: include, include headers from the KnitPkg include directory:

#include "../knitpkg/include/douglasrechia/barhelper/<Header>.mqh"

Then use the helper functions to work with ITimeSeries<double> instances (for example, crossover detection).

Note: The exact header names and function signatures depend on the package headers. Use MetaEditor IntelliSense (after kp autocomplete) to browse the available APIs.

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Exploring the project locally (optional)

If you want to explore how a KnitPkg package with dependencies is structured, clone the repository and run the standard workflow.

1) Clone into MetaTrader Scripts folder (example)

# Go to your MetaTrader 'Scripts' directory.
# Tip: in MetaEditor, right-click the `Scripts` folder and choose "Open Folder".
cd "C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\MetaQuotes\Terminal\<TERMINAL_ID>\MQL5\Scripts"

git clone https://forge.mql5.io/DouglasRechia/barhelper.git
cd barhelper

2) Generate autocomplete

# Generates autocomplete / IntelliSense support for MetaEditor
kp autocomplete

3) Compile

kp compile

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Running unit tests

Unit tests are implemented as a MetaTrader Script.

1. Compile the project.
2. Restart MetaTrader (so the Navigator refreshes).
3. Run the generated unit test script from the Navigator on any chart.
4. Check results in the MetaTrader console (Experts/Scripts tab, depending on your setup).

The compiled binary is placed under the project bin/ directory (and appears in the Navigator under the corresponding compiled location after refresh).

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One-command download/build via the registry (optional)

You can also use kp get to query the registry for metadata and automatically download/build the latest stable version.

Example (run from your MetaTrader Data Folder root):

cd "C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\MetaQuotes\Terminal\<TERMINAL_ID>"

kp get mql5 @douglasrechia/barhelper

Restart MetaTrader afterward to refresh the Navigator, then run the unit test script as described above.

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License

This project is released under the MIT License. See LICENSE for details.

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Disclaimer

This code is provided as-is, for educational purposes only.
No warranty (express or implied) is provided. Use at your own risk.