AgentSkillsCN

log-reader

阅读 MetaTrader 5 日志文件。触发器——MT5 日志、专家栏、指标错误、编译错误。

SKILL.md
--- frontmatter
name: log-reader
description: Read MetaTrader 5 log files. TRIGGERS - MT5 logs, Experts pane, indicator errors, compilation errors.
allowed-tools: Read, Bash, Grep

MT5 Log Reader

Read MetaTrader 5 log files directly to access Print() output from indicators, scripts, and expert advisors without requiring manual Experts pane inspection.

Purpose

Implement "Option 3" dual logging pattern:

  • •Print() - MT5 log files (human-readable via Experts pane)
  • •CSV files - Structured data (programmatic analysis)

Claude Code CLI can autonomously read both outputs without user intervention.

When to Use

Use this skill when:

  • •Validating MT5 indicator/script execution
  • •Checking compilation or runtime errors
  • •Analyzing Print() debug output
  • •Verifying unit test results (Test_PatternDetector, Test_ArrowManager)
  • •User mentions checking "Experts pane" manually

Log File Location

MT5 logs are stored at:

code
$MQL5_ROOT/Program Files/MetaTrader 5/MQL5/Logs/YYYYMMDD.log

File Format:

  • •Encoding: UTF-16LE (Little Endian)
  • •Structure: Tab-separated fields (timestamp, source, message)
  • •Size: Grows throughout day (typically 10-100KB)

Instructions

1. Construct today's log path

bash
/usr/bin/env bash << 'SKILL_SCRIPT_EOF'
# Determine current date
TODAY=$(date +"%Y%m%d")

# Build absolute path
LOG_FILE="$MQL5_ROOT/Program Files/MetaTrader 5/MQL5/Logs/${TODAY}.log"
SKILL_SCRIPT_EOF

2. Read the entire log file

Use Read tool:

  • •File path: Absolute path from step 1
  • •The file contains all Print() statements from MT5 indicators/scripts
  • •UTF-16LE encoding is automatically handled by Read tool

3. Search for specific content (optional)

Use Grep to filter entries:

code
Pattern: indicator name, "error", "test.*passed", etc.
Path: Log file path from step 1
Output mode: "content" with -n (line numbers)
Context: -A 5 for 5 lines after matches

4. Analyze recent entries (optional)

Use Bash with tail for latest output:

bash
tail -n 50 "$LOG_FILE"

Common Validation Patterns

Check unit test results

Search for test pass/fail indicators:

code
Pattern: test.*passed|test.*failed|Tests Passed|Tests Failed|ALL TESTS PASSED
Output mode: content
Context: -B 2 -A 2

Find compilation errors

code
Pattern: error|ERROR|warning|WARNING|failed to create
Output mode: content
Context: -A 3

Monitor specific indicator

code
Pattern: CCI Rising Test|PatternDetector|ArrowManager
Output mode: content
Context: -A 2

View initialization messages

code
Pattern: OnInit|initialization|Initialization complete|Phase \d+
Output mode: content

Examples

Example 1: Validate unit test completion

code
Input: User compiled Test_PatternDetector.mq5
Action:
  1. Read today's log file
  2. Grep for "Test.*PatternDetector|Tests Passed|Tests Failed"
  3. Report results (e.g., "17 tests passed, 0 failed")
Output: Test status without user checking Experts pane

Example 2: Check for runtime errors

code
Input: User reports indicator not working
Action:
  1. Read today's log file
  2. Grep for "ERROR|error|failed" with -A 3 context
  3. Analyze error messages
Output: Specific error details and line numbers

Example 3: Verify Phase 2 arrow creation

code
Input: User asks "did the test arrow get created?"
Action:
  1. Read today's log file
  2. Grep for "Phase 2|Test arrow created|Failed to create"
  3. Check for success/failure messages
Output: Arrow creation status with timestamp

Security Considerations

  • •Log files may contain sensitive trading data (symbol names, account info)
  • •Restricted to Read, Bash, Grep tools only (no network access via WebFetch)
  • •Do not expose absolute paths unnecessarily in user-facing output
  • •Filter sensitive information when reporting results
  • •No file modification operations allowed

Integration with Dual Logging

This skill enables programmatic access to one half of the dual logging pattern:

  1. •MT5 Log Files (this skill) - Human-readable Print() output
  2. •CSV Files (CSVLogger.mqh) - Structured audit trails for validation

Both are accessible without user intervention:

  • •MT5 logs: Read via this skill
  • •CSV files: Read directly via Read tool or validate_export.py

Validation Checklist

When using this skill:

  • • Log file exists for today's date
  • • File size > 0 (not empty)
  • • Contains expected indicator/script output
  • • Timestamps match execution time
  • • Error messages (if any) are actionable
  • • Test results (if applicable) show pass/fail counts

References

  • •MT5 file locations: docs/guides/MT5_FILE_LOCATIONS.md
  • •Dual logging implementation: docs/plans/cci-rising-pattern-marker.yaml Phase 3-4
  • •CSVLogger library: Program Files/MetaTrader 5/MQL5/Indicators/Custom/Development/CCINeutrality/lib/CSVLogger.mqh