MQLMySQL.

mqh

Interface Library Reference

Rev.2014-04-14
Introduction
The interface library MQLMySQL.mqh consists of functions set can be used for MySQL database
connectivity. Any MQL program can include interface library to make possible of using MySQL database.
Simple schema of interface listed below:

Metatrader 4 libmysql.dll
MySQL
MQL 4
Library
MQLMySQL.dll
database
MQLMySQL.mqh

The MQL4 program make calls to interface library, then interface library calls special functions
from standard libmysql.dll through the wrapper MQLMySQL.dll. The libmysql.dll dynamic link library
can be found in any MySQL related software or in MySQL distribution package. It is prepare connection
to the MySQL database and send queries to.
To make possible executing SELECT statements and fetching data from database, the
MQLMySQL.dll library was developed. It has number of functions to handle database cursors and
retrieve data using string type (char*/wchar_t* type). Maximal number of currently opened cursors is
set to 256. This value can be changed by recompiling MQLMySQL.DLL library. Highly recommended to
do not use so complicated SELECT statements. This can make data retrieving easy. If you need to use
complex SELECT statement, you may create database view based on your query and make selection
from view.

The functionality of MQLMySQL can be extended easily for other needs; in this case you may
study API functions of libmysql.dll (http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.0/en/c-api-functions.html) and
implement the functions you need.
Project consists of:
Filename Description
MQL4\Libraries\libmysql.dll MySQL standard library with C++ API.
MQL4\Libraries\MQLMySql.dll Developed library to extend libmysql.dll functionality for
MQL programs.
MQL4\Libraries\MQLMySql.def Definition file of MQLMySql.dll library, should be located in
the same directory with DLL.
MQL4\Include\MQLMySql.mqh Interface library which provides access to MySQL database for
MQL programs.
MQL4\Scripts\MySQL-XXX.mq4 Examples of using MQLMySQL.mqh interface library
MQLMySQL Technical Reference.docx This document you are reading.

Important: To enable interface between expert advisor and MySQL database you need to allow DLL
imports (Expert Advisors properties Common tab Allow DLL imports).

Important: The Metatrader 4 has been developed for x86 platforms (32-bit) and all dynamic libraries it
is used should be also built for x86 platforms. Please make sure that you are uses libmysql.dll was
compiled for 32-bit environment.

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Interface variables
There are some interfaces variables can be used for error handling.

Type Name Description

int MySqlErrorNumber The number of last MySQL error
string MySqlErrorDescription The description of last MySQL error

Interface functions
You may create connections (up to 32) to the MySQL database server by using interface
functions. The MySqlExecute function can be used to send SQL queries or special commands of MySQL
database (such as USE, SET and so on) and can be called after connection was created by MySqlConnect.
To close any created connection you may use MySqlDisconnect function.

Return Name Parameters Description

type
int MySqlConnect This function can be used to establish connection to MySQL
database server. The return value is database connection
identifier. If MySqlConnect returns -1, this means that an
error was raised, you need to check MySQLErrorNumber of
MySqlErrorDescription to see the problem details.
This function can be called from OnInit() function of MQL
program.
string pHost DNS name or IP-address of MySQL server
string pUser Database user (f.e. root)
string pPassword Password of user (f.e. Zok1LmVdx)
string pDatabase Database name (f.e. metatrader)
int pPort TCP/IP port of database listener (f.e. 3306)
string pSocket unix socket (for sockets or named pipes)
int pClientFlag combination of the flags for features
(usual 0)
void MySqlDisconnect This function can be called to close database connection. It has
only one parameter database connection identifier (which
can be obtained from MySqlConnect function).
This function can be called from OnDeinit() function of MQL
program.
int pConnection Database connection identifier
bool MySqlExecute This function can be used for sending non-SELECT SQL queries
to the MySQL database server when connection was
established by MySqlConnect. When execution of SQL
command succeded this function will return true, otherwise
false. To see error details please check MySQLErrorNumber
or MySqlErrorDescription variables.
int pConnection Database connection identifier
string pQuery An SQL query
string MySqlVersion Function can be used to get information about version of
MQLMySql.dll
string MySqlGetRowField This function retrieves one string value from fetched row. After
cursor opening, you should fetch row from database, and after
that it would be possible to get value of any rows field.

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Return Name Parameters Description
type
int pCursorID Cursor identifier, returned by function
MySqlCursorOpen
int pField Field number in SELECT clause (started
from 0)
int MySqlCursorOpen This function opens cursor for SELECT statement and returns
cursor identifier. You may open up to 256 concurrent cursors
(this restriction was made just in MQLMySql.dll, but this value
can be changed). In case when any error raised during SELECT
execution, this function returns -1.
int pConnection Database connection identifier
string pQuery SQL query (SELECT command)
void MySqlCursorClose This function used to close any opened cursor and free
memory.
Important: Do not forget to close cursor after using.
int pCursorID Cursor identifier, returned by function
MySqlCursorOpen
int MySqlCursorRows This function counts the number of rows was selected by
cursor. It can be used for fetching all rows in cycle.
int pCursorID Cursor identifier, returned by function
MySqlCursorOpen
bool MySqlCursorFetchRow This function should be used to fetch one row from cursors
record set into temporary buffer. After this operation it would
be possible to get values from rows fields.
int pCursorID Cursor identifier, returned by function
MySqlCursorOpen
int MySqlGetFieldAsInt You may use this function after row fetching to get field value,
represented as INTEGER. All fetched values are stored using
STRING data type, conversion of type based on MQL functions.
int pCursorID Cursor identifier, returned by function
MySqlCursorOpen
int pField Field number in SELECT clause (started
from 0)
double MySqlGetFieldAsDouble This function returns representation of fields value using
DOUBLE data type.
int pCursorID Cursor identifier, returned by function
MySqlCursorOpen
int pField Field number in SELECT clause (started
from 0)
datetime MySqlGetFieldAsDatetime This function returns representation of fields value using
DATETIME data type.
int pCursorID Cursor identifier, returned by function
MySqlCursorOpen
int pField Field number in SELECT clause (started
from 0)
string MySqlGetFieldAsString This function returns representation of fields value using
STRING data type. Synonym to MySqlGetRowField function
int pCursorID Cursor identifier, returned by function
MySqlCursorOpen
int pField Field number in SELECT clause (started
from 0)

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Additions
1. Reading .ini files
Sometimes it is better to keep database credentials outside the MQL program. For this reason the
function ReadIni was integrated into MQLMySQL.dll:

Return Name Parameters Description

type
String ReadIni Read the data from .ini file and return the value of key.
string pFileName The name of .ini file
string pSection The name of section
string pKey The name of key

Example: Your database credentials stored in file C:\Metatrader4\MQL4\Experts\MyConnection.ini

[MYSQL]
Server = 127.0.0.1
User = root
Password = Adm1n1str@t0r
Database = mysql
Port = 3306

The reading data from this .ini file into MQL variable can be done like:
string vServer = ReadIni("C:\\Metatrader4\\MQL4\\Experts\\MyConnection.ini", "MYSQL", "Server");

2. Using multi-statements query

For transferring big arrays of data from Metatrader to database and reduce the number of calls and
network traffic, you may use multi-statements queries. It looks like usual queries separated by
semicolon ;:

string Query = "INSERT INTO my_table(field1) VALUES (1); UPDATE my_table SET field1 = 2;";

To execute such query you can use MySqlExecute function. But you have to open the database
connection with pClientFlag = CLIENT_MULTI_STATEMENTS (decimal value 65536). For example:

int DB = MySqlConnect(vHost, vUser, vPass, vDatabase, 3306, "", CLIENT_MULTI_STATEMENTS);

Here is a list of possible pClientFlag constants:

#define CLIENT_LONG_PASSWORD 1 /* new more secure passwords */
#define CLIENT_FOUND_ROWS 2 /* Found instead of affected rows */
#define CLIENT_LONG_FLAG 4 /* Get all column flags */
#define CLIENT_CONNECT_WITH_DB 8 /* One can specify db on connect */
#define CLIENT_NO_SCHEMA 16 /* Don't allow database.table.column */
#define CLIENT_COMPRESS 32 /* Can use compression protocol */
#define CLIENT_ODBC 64 /* Odbc client */
#define CLIENT_LOCAL_FILES 128 /* Can use LOAD DATA LOCAL */
#define CLIENT_IGNORE_SPACE 256 /* Ignore spaces before '(' */
#define CLIENT_PROTOCOL_41 512 /* New 4.1 protocol */
#define CLIENT_INTERACTIVE 1024 /* This is an interactive client */
#define CLIENT_SSL 2048 /* Switch to SSL after handshake */
#define CLIENT_IGNORE_SIGPIPE 4096 /* IGNORE sigpipes */
#define CLIENT_TRANSACTIONS 8192 /* Client knows about transactions */
#define CLIENT_RESERVED 16384 /* Old flag for 4.1 protocol */
#define CLIENT_SECURE_CONNECTION 32768 /* New 4.1 authentication */
#define CLIENT_MULTI_STATEMENTS 65536 /* Enable/disable multi-stmt support */
#define CLIENT_MULTI_RESULTS 131072 /* Enable/disable multi-results */
#define CLIENT_PS_MULTI_RESULTS 262144 /* Multi-results in PS-protocol */

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Examples
Include MQLMySQL into your MQL project:
#include "..\Include\MqlMySql.mqh"

Connection to MySQL:
int DBConnection = MySqlConnect("localhost", "root", "ioctrl", "metatrader", 3306, "", 0);
if (DBConnection==-1)
{
Print("Error #", MySqlErrorNumber, ": ", MySqlErrorDescription);
return (1);
}
else Print ("Connected!");

Execution of non-SELECT statements:

string query;
query = "INSERT INTO Metatrader.Ticks_" + Symbol() + " (price_ask, price_bid, spread) " +
"VALUES (" + DoubleToStr(Ask, Digits) + ", " + DoubleToStr(Bid, Digits) + ", " +
DoubleToStr(((Ask - Bid) / Point), 0) + ")";
if (!MySqlExecute(DBConnection, query))
{
Comment("Error #", MySqlErrorNumber, ": ", MySqlErrorDescription,
"\nProblem with query: ",query);
}

Disconnection from MySQL:

MySqlDisconnect(DBConnection);

Selecting data from MySQL table:

int Cursor,Rows;
string Query, sub_symbol;
string time;

time = "\'" + TimeToStr(TimeCurrent(), TIME_DATE|TIME_MINUTES) + "\'";

Query = "SELECT sub_symbol FROM stored_symbols " +
"WHERE broker_id = " + IntegerToString(gBrokerID) +
" AND symbol = \'TGH4\'" +
" AND start_date <= " + time +
" AND end_date > " + time + " LIMIT 1";

Cursor = MySqlCursorOpen(DBConnection, Query);

if (Cursor >= 0) // cursor opened
{
Rows = MySqlCursorRows(Cursor);
if (Rows > 0) // record exists
{
if (MySqlCursorFetchRow(Cursor))
{
// retrieve sub-symbol
sub_symbol = MySqlGetFieldAsString(Cursor, 0);
}
}
MySqlCursorClose(Cursor);
}