Optimization

Overview

Use this skill for MT5 strategy optimizations in this workspace.

Confirm the optimization setup, write a tester .ini under MQL5\config\, place the parameter ranges in [TesterInputs], close any running MT5 instance, launch terminal64.exe with /config:..., and summarize the actual ranking from the exported XML report.

Required workflow

1. Confirm the test configuration before launching.
2. Ask for these fields in this order unless the user has already specified them clearly:
   • Expert or strategy file
   • Symbol
   • Timeframe
   • Date range
   • Deposit
   • Deposit currency
   • Leverage
   • Tick model
   • Optimization on or off
   • Visualization on or off
3. Ask which input parameters will be optimized and the exact ranges.
4. Create or update a tester .ini under MQL5\config\.
5. Put the optimization ranges inside a [TesterInputs] section in that .ini.
6. Create MQL5\backtest\reports\ if missing.
7. If MT5 is already running, close it before launch.
8. Launch MT5 with the generated .ini.
9. Read terminal and tester logs to confirm the optimization really started and finished.
10. Read the exported optimization XML and summarize the best passes.

Critical local rule

In this workspace, command-line optimization works when the parameter ranges are defined in [TesterInputs] inside the tester .ini.

Do not rely on ExpertParameters=...set for optimization ranges here. That produced the tester error: no optimized parameter selected, please check input(s) to be optimized and set start, step and stop values

Tester ini pattern

Use this structure:

[Tester]
Expert=codex\RSICrossTrader.ex5
Symbol=GBPUSD
Period=M15
Model=4
Optimization=1
FromDate=2026.02.28
ToDate=2026.03.28
ForwardMode=0
Deposit=100000
Currency=USD
Leverage=1:100
ExecutionMode=0
OptimizationCriterion=0
Visual=0
Report=MQL5\backtest\reports\report_name
ReplaceReport=1
ShutdownTerminal=1
UseLocal=1
UseRemote=0
UseCloud=0

[TesterInputs]
InpRSIPeriod=4||4||1||4||N
InpRSIPrice=1||1||0||7||N
InpBuyLevel=30.0||30.0||3.000000||300.000000||N
InpSellLevel=70.0||70.0||7.000000||700.000000||N
InpLots=0.01||0.01||0.001000||0.100000||N
InpStopLossPoints=100||100||10||120||Y
InpTakeProfitPoints=100||100||10||120||Y
InpMagicNumber=20260328||20260328||1||202603280||N
InpOnePositionPerSymbol=true||false||0||true||N

Input range format

Use MT5 optimization format:

ParameterName=current||start||step||stop||selected

Rules:

• Use Y only for parameters being optimized.
• Use N for fixed parameters.
• Keep the current value equal to the chosen start value unless there is a reason not to.
• Preserve the parameter names exactly as declared in the EA inputs.

Example:

InpStopLossPoints=100||100||10||120||Y
InpTakeProfitPoints=100||100||10||120||Y

Path rules

• Write Expert= relative to MQL5\Experts\. Use codex\RSICrossTrader.ex5, not Experts\codex\RSICrossTrader.ex5.
• Write the tester .ini under MQL5\config\.
• Export reports to MQL5\backtest\reports\report_name.
• Optimization exports a readable XML workbook. Use that XML as the primary source.

Launch command

Use this command pattern:

Start-Process -FilePath 'C:\Program Files\MetaTrader 5\terminal64.exe' -ArgumentList '/config:C:\Users\<user-id>\AppData\Roaming\MetaQuotes\Terminal\<terminal-id>\MQL5\config\your-optimization.ini' -Wait

Before launching, close any existing MT5 process. Otherwise the tester may not run.

Validation

Read these logs after launch:

• Terminal\...\logs\YYYYMMDD.log
• Terminal\...\tester\logs\YYYYMMDD.log

Treat these tester log lines as authoritative:

• Start confirmed: complete optimization started
• Success confirmed: optimization finished, total passes N
• Broken config: no optimized parameter selected

If the optimization did not start, inspect the .ini and especially [TesterInputs] before retrying.

Reading the report

Optimization results are exported as an XML workbook under MQL5\backtest\reports\.

Read that XML and extract at least:

• Pass
• Result
• Profit
• Profit Factor
• Equity DD %
• Trades
• All optimized input columns, such as InpStopLossPoints and InpTakeProfitPoints

Summarize:

• The best combination
• The top ranking passes
• The report path used
• Whether the optimization finished successfully

Example from this workspace

This exact optimization was validated successfully:

• Expert: codex\RSICrossTrader.ex5
• Symbol: GBPUSD
• Period: M15
• Dates: 2026.02.28 to 2026.03.28
• Model: real ticks (Model=4)
• Optimization: on
• Visual: off
• Optimized params:
  • InpStopLossPoints=100||100||10||120||Y
  • InpTakeProfitPoints=100||100||10||120||Y

It completed with 9 passes and produced: MQL5\backtest\reports\codex_rsicrosstrader_gbpusd_lastmonth_opt_sltp_100_120.xml