MQLPDF/README.md

# MQLPDF — a PDF creation library in pure MQL5

Source code for the mql5.com article series **"Building a PDF Creation Library in MQL5"**.

Part 1: [https://www.mql5.com/en/articles/24094](https://www.mql5.com/en/articles/24094)

Part 2: [https://www.mql5.com/en/articles/24314](https://www.mql5.com/en/articles/24314)

Part 3: [https://www.mql5.com/en/articles/24568](https://www.mql5.com/en/articles/24568)

MQLPDF is developed step by step throughout the series, starting with the
fundamentals of the PDF file format and gradually building the components needed
to create complete PDF documents directly from MQL5.

The goal is not to wrap an external PDF library or rely on third-party tools.
Instead, the series explores how a PDF document is structured internally and
implements the required pieces in pure MQL5, eventually forming a reusable
library for generating PDF files.

---

## Which version do I want?

**Use the release that matches the article you are reading.** Each part of the
series has its own release, frozen at the state explained in that article. This
means you can follow the implementation step by step without finding code that
depends on concepts introduced only in later parts.

| Release | Article | What it adds |
|---|---|---|
| [`part-01`](https://forge.mql5.io/SandroBegashvil/MQLPDF/releases/tag/part-01) | [Part 1 — Writing a PDF by Hand](https://www.mql5.com/en/articles/24094) | Review the PDF structure and write the first PDFs |
| [`part-02`](https://forge.mql5.io/SandroBegashvil/MQLPDF/releases/tag/part-02) | [Part 2 — Why PDFs Break](https://www.mql5.com/en/articles/24314) | Learn how a viewer opens a PDF backwards |
| [`part-03`](https://forge.mql5.io/SandroBegashvil/MQLPDF/releases/tag/part-03) | [Part 3 — The Byte-Exact Writer](https://www.mql5.com/en/articles/24568) | Define basic libraries for PDF creation |

Later parts are added to this table as they are published. The `main` branch is
always the newest state of the library and may therefore be ahead of the latest
published article.

---

## Installing

Download the release archive that matches the article you are reading and
extract it over your terminal's data folder (**File → Open Data Folder** in
MetaTrader 5). The archive already has the correct directory structure, so the
files land where they belong:

```text
MQL5/
├── Scripts/
│    └── MQLPDF/
│        ├── Part 01/
│        │   └── Demo01_HelloPdf.mq5    // Write a simple PDF file by Hand
│        ├── Part 02/
│        │   ├── Demo02_BreakIt.mq5     // Create multiple PDF files (valid and invalid files)
│        │   └── Demo02_Validate.mq5    // Check the validation of the files
│        └── Part 03/
│            ├── Demo03_HelloWriter.mq5  // rebuilds Part 1's file, then validates it
│            └── Demo03_TextToPdf.mq5    // prints any text file to a paginated PDF
└── Include/
     └── MQLPDF/
             ├── PdfDefines.mqh          // shared constants
             ├── PdfBuffer.mqh           // bytes, and the current offset
             ├── PdfWriter.mqh           // objects, the xref table, the trailer
             └── PdfValidate.mqh         // carried over unchanged
```

Then open the demo for the article in MetaEditor, compile it with **F7**, and
run it as described in the corresponding article.

Library headers are included in the usual way:

```mql5
#include <MQLPDF/...>
```

Each release contains only the library components and demonstration files needed
for that stage of the series, allowing the codebase to evolve alongside the
articles.

---

## What is this series building?

A PDF file may look like a single document from the user's perspective, but
internally it is a structured collection of objects, streams, references and
other components. MQLPDF is built by exploring and implementing these concepts
step by step.

As the series progresses, the library will gradually grow from low-level PDF
file construction into a higher-level interface for creating documents.

The implementation may eventually cover concepts such as:

- PDF file and document structure
- Objects and indirect references
- Cross-reference information
- Pages and page trees
- Content streams
- Text and fonts
- Drawing operations and graphics
- Images
- Tables and higher-level document elements
- Document layout and reusable components

The exact scope of each release follows the progression of the article series.

---

## Scope

MQLPDF is a **native MQL5 PDF generation library**. Its purpose is to allow MQL5
programs to create PDF documents directly from code while keeping the underlying
PDF structure accessible and understandable.

The project is developed as both a practical library and an educational journey.
Rather than treating PDF generation as a black box, the series explains the
format and the implementation decisions behind the code.

The final library is intended to provide progressively higher-level tools for
creating documents, while the lower-level components remain available for users
who need more control over the generated PDF.

---

## Removing it

All library files and demonstration programs are installed inside the terminal's
data folder. Removing the `MQLPDF` folders from `MQL5/Include/` and
`MQL5/Scripts/` removes the installed source code and demos.

Generated PDF files are handled by the corresponding demonstration or user
program and may need to be removed separately if they are no longer required.

---

## Copyright and use

Copyright 2026, **Sandro Begashvili**

- mql5.com profile: [Sandro Begashvili on mql5.com](https://www.mql5.com/en/users/sandrobegashvil?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
- Telegram: [MrMQL5Developer on Telegram](https://t.me/MrMQL5Developer?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

You are free to **use this code in your own projects and to extend it**,
commercially or otherwise. The only thing asked in return is attribution: keep a
mention of the author's mql5.com profile in the source you derive from it.

If you build something with it, I would genuinely like to see it — the Telegram
link above is the fastest way to reach me.