This tool is designed to help traders identify price trends and establish dynamic "stop-loss" levels based on market volatility. It utilizes the Bollinger Bands—a common technical analysis indicator—as its foundational logic, but it adds a sophisticated layer of filtering to ensure that the lines only move in your favor.
Core Logic Overview
The script works by constantly monitoring two primary price boundaries: an upper band and a lower band. These bands represent the expected range of price movement. The script distinguishes between "Up Trends" and "Down Trends" based on whether the current price breaks out above or below these boundaries.
Key Features and Behaviors
1. Dynamic Trend Detection The logic identifies a trend when the market price closes outside of the previous band's range. Once a trend is established, the script attempts to "lock" the support or resistance levels. For example, in an upward trend, it looks for the lowest point of the lower boundary; if the next price movement doesn't drop lower than that point, the line stays flat. This prevents the "stop-loss" line from moving backward during a volatile market, ensuring it only moves forward as the trend strengthens.
2. Adjusted Risk Offsets The script includes a specific "Money Risk" factor. This allows the indicator to mathematically stretch or compress the distance between the trend lines and the price action. By adjusting this offset, traders can customize how much "breathing room" they want to give the market before a trend is considered broken.
3. Visual Signals and Alerts The tool provides three distinct visual modes:
- Signals and Stops: Shows both the current trend line and specific alert markers where the trend first initiated.
- Stops Only: Focuses solely on the trailing support/resistance lines.
- Signals Only: Highlights only the specific points where the trend flipped.
4. Real-Time Notifications To ensure traders don't miss a shift in market momentum, the script includes an automated alert system. When the logic detects a significant reversal—shifting from an upward movement to a downward one (or vice versa)—it triggers a visual and audible notification on the trading platform.
How it helps the trader
Instead of using a static number for a stop-loss, this script provides a "trailing" line that follows the market's organic movement. It effectively filters out minor market noise by ensuring that the support or resistance levels only move in the direction of the trend, providing a more reactive and professional way to manage risk during live trading.
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| BBands_Stop_v1.mq4 |
//| Copyright © 2006, TrendLaboratory Ltd. |
//| http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/TrendLaboratory |
//| E-mail: igorad2004@list.ru |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
#property copyright "Copyright © 2006, TrendLaboratory Ltd."
#property link "http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/TrendLaboratory"
#property indicator_chart_window
#property indicator_buffers 6
#property indicator_color1 RoyalBlue
#property indicator_color2 Red
#property indicator_color3 RoyalBlue
#property indicator_color4 Red
#property indicator_color5 RoyalBlue
#property indicator_color6 Red
//---- input parameters
extern int Length=20; // Bollinger Bands Period
extern int Deviation=1; // Deviation was 2
extern double MoneyRisk=1.00; // Offset Factor
extern int Signal=1; // Display signals mode: 1-Signals & Stops; 0-only Stops; 2-only Signals;
extern int Line=1; // Display line mode: 0-no,1-yes
extern int Nbars=2000;
//---- indicator buffers
double UpTrendBuffer[];
double DownTrendBuffer[];
double UpTrendSignal[];
double DownTrendSignal[];
double UpTrendLine[];
double DownTrendLine[];
extern bool SoundON=true;
bool TurnedUp = false;
bool TurnedDown = false;
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Custom indicator initialization function |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
int init()
{
string short_name;
//---- indicator line
SetIndexBuffer(0,UpTrendBuffer);
SetIndexBuffer(1,DownTrendBuffer);
SetIndexBuffer(2,UpTrendSignal);
SetIndexBuffer(3,DownTrendSignal);
SetIndexBuffer(4,UpTrendLine);
SetIndexBuffer(5,DownTrendLine);
SetIndexStyle(0,DRAW_ARROW,0,1);
SetIndexStyle(1,DRAW_ARROW,0,1);
SetIndexStyle(2,DRAW_ARROW,0,1);
SetIndexStyle(3,DRAW_ARROW,0,1);
SetIndexStyle(4,DRAW_LINE);
SetIndexStyle(5,DRAW_LINE);
SetIndexArrow(0,159);
SetIndexArrow(1,159);
SetIndexArrow(2,233);
SetIndexArrow(3,234);
IndicatorDigits(MarketInfo(Symbol(),MODE_DIGITS));
//---- name for DataWindow and indicator subwindow label
short_name="BBands Stop("+Length+","+Deviation+")";
IndicatorShortName(short_name);
SetIndexLabel(0,"UpTrend Stop");
SetIndexLabel(1,"DownTrend Stop");
SetIndexLabel(2,"UpTrend Signal");
SetIndexLabel(3,"DownTrend Signal");
SetIndexLabel(4,"UpTrend Line");
SetIndexLabel(5,"DownTrend Line");
//----
SetIndexDrawBegin(0,Length);
SetIndexDrawBegin(1,Length);
SetIndexDrawBegin(2,Length);
SetIndexDrawBegin(3,Length);
SetIndexDrawBegin(4,Length);
SetIndexDrawBegin(5,Length);
//----
return(0);
}
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Bollinger Bands_Stop_v1 |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
int start()
{
int i,shift,trend;
double smax[25000],smin[25000],bsmax[25000],bsmin[25000];
for (shift=Nbars;shift>=0;shift--)
{
UpTrendBuffer[shift]=0;
DownTrendBuffer[shift]=0;
UpTrendSignal[shift]=0;
DownTrendSignal[shift]=0;
UpTrendLine[shift]=EMPTY_VALUE;
DownTrendLine[shift]=EMPTY_VALUE;
}
for (shift=Nbars-Length-1;shift>=0;shift--)
{
smax[shift]=iBands(NULL,0,Length,Deviation,0,PRICE_CLOSE,MODE_UPPER,shift);
smin[shift]=iBands(NULL,0,Length,Deviation,0,PRICE_CLOSE,MODE_LOWER,shift);
if (Close[shift]>smax[shift+1]) trend=1;
if (Close[shift]<smin[shift+1]) trend=-1;
if(trend>0 && smin[shift]<smin[shift+1]) smin[shift]=smin[shift+1];
if(trend<0 && smax[shift]>smax[shift+1]) smax[shift]=smax[shift+1];
bsmax[shift]=smax[shift]+0.5*(MoneyRisk-1)*(smax[shift]-smin[shift]);
bsmin[shift]=smin[shift]-0.5*(MoneyRisk-1)*(smax[shift]-smin[shift]);
if(trend>0 && bsmin[shift]<bsmin[shift+1]) bsmin[shift]=bsmin[shift+1];
if(trend<0 && bsmax[shift]>bsmax[shift+1]) bsmax[shift]=bsmax[shift+1];
if (trend>0)
{
if (Signal>0 && UpTrendBuffer[shift+1]==-1.0)
{
UpTrendSignal[shift]=bsmin[shift];
UpTrendBuffer[shift]=bsmin[shift];
if(Line>0) UpTrendLine[shift]=bsmin[shift];
if (SoundON==true && shift==0 && !TurnedUp)
{
Alert("BBands going Up on ",Symbol(),"-",Period());
TurnedUp = true;
TurnedDown = false;
}
}
else
{
UpTrendBuffer[shift]=bsmin[shift];
if(Line>0) UpTrendLine[shift]=bsmin[shift];
UpTrendSignal[shift]=-1;
}
if (Signal==2) UpTrendBuffer[shift]=0;
DownTrendSignal[shift]=-1;
DownTrendBuffer[shift]=-1.0;
DownTrendLine[shift]=EMPTY_VALUE;
}
if (trend<0)
{
if (Signal>0 && DownTrendBuffer[shift+1]==-1.0)
{
DownTrendSignal[shift]=bsmax[shift];
DownTrendBuffer[shift]=bsmax[shift];
if(Line>0) DownTrendLine[shift]=bsmax[shift];
if (SoundON==true && shift==0 && !TurnedDown)
{
Alert("BBands going Down on ",Symbol(),"-",Period());
TurnedDown = true;
TurnedUp = false;
}
}
else
{
DownTrendBuffer[shift]=bsmax[shift];
if(Line>0)DownTrendLine[shift]=bsmax[shift];
DownTrendSignal[shift]=-1;
}
if (Signal==2) DownTrendBuffer[shift]=0;
UpTrendSignal[shift]=-1;
UpTrendBuffer[shift]=-1.0;
UpTrendLine[shift]=EMPTY_VALUE;
}
}
return(0);
}
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