This script is designed to identify and visualize specific trading opportunities based on price "breakouts." It works by automatically monitoring price movements during specific times of the day, establishing boundaries (zones), and signaling when the price moves beyond those boundaries.
How the Logic Works
1. Time-Based Zone Identification The tool divides the trading day into distinct time segments. It focuses on two primary early windows (for example, 08:00 to 09:00 and 09:00 to 10:00) to establish "reference zones." During these specific hours, the script tracks the highest price reached (the High) and the lowest price reached (the Low).
2. Establishing the Breakout Boundaries Once these morning time periods are complete, the script takes the high and low prices from those windows and projects them forward onto your chart as horizontal zones.
- It adds a small buffer (a user-defined number of pips) above the high and below the low to create a "clearance" area.
- These zones act as resistance and support levels; if the price stays within these bounds, the market is considered to be in a consolidation phase based on morning activity.
3. Signal Generation The script constantly monitors the live price against these established zones. A signal is triggered when the price "breaks out" of these boundaries:
- Buy Signals: Occur when the price moves above the upper boundary. The script looks for a specific interaction where the current candle opens below the zone but reaches high enough to pierce through it.
- Sell Signals: Occur when the price moves below the lower boundary. It looks for the candle to open above the zone and drop low enough to break through it.
4. Visual Feedback and Alerts To make this easy for a trader to use, the script provides three types of feedback:
- Visual Zones: It draws the upper and lower boundaries directly on the chart so you can see where the "breakout" levels are.
- Markers: When a breakout occurs, it places an arrow or specific marker on the chart at the exact point of the break.
- Notifications: If the user enables them in the settings, the script will trigger a pop-up alert on the screen the moment a price breaks out of a zone, allowing for real-time monitoring without constantly staring at the candles.
Summary for the User
Essentially, this tool tells you: "Based on what happened during the early morning session, here are the price levels we need to watch. If the price moves past these lines, it indicates a potential change in trend or a breakout move." It automates the manual work of measuring highs and lows, allowing you to focus solely on identifying when those key levels are breached.
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| TZ-Breaktout.mq4 |
//| Shimodax |
//| |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
#property copyright "Copyright Shimodax"
#property link "http://www.strategybuilderfx.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15439"
/* Introduction:
Draw ranges for "Simple Combined Breakout System for EUR/USD and GBP/USD" thread
(see http://www.strategybuilderfx.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15439)
TimeZoneOfData: TimeZone for which MT4 shows your local time,
e.g. 1 or 2 for Europe (GMT+1 or GMT+2 (daylight
savings time). Use zero for no adjustment.
The MetaQuotes demo server uses GMT +2.
Enjoy :-)
Markus
*/
#property indicator_chart_window
#property indicator_buffers 5
#property indicator_color1 DarkKhaki
#property indicator_color2 DarkKhaki
#property indicator_color3 Khaki
#property indicator_color4 Khaki
#property indicator_color5 Gold
extern bool DoEntryAlerts= false;
extern int TimeZoneOfData= 7; // time zone of metatrader charts
extern int PipsForEntry= 5;
int DestTimeZone= -1; // dest time zone for time computation (leave as zero (GMT))
double Zone1Upper[];
double Zone2Upper[];
double Zone1Lower[];
double Zone2Lower[];
double EntrySignalsBuffer[];
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Custom indicator initialization function |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
int init()
{
SetIndexStyle(0,DRAW_LINE);
SetIndexBuffer(0,Zone1Upper);
SetIndexEmptyValue(0, 0.0);
SetIndexLabel(0, "Upper Zone 1");
SetIndexStyle(1,DRAW_LINE);
SetIndexBuffer(1,Zone1Lower);
SetIndexEmptyValue(1, 0.0);
SetIndexLabel(1, "Lower Zone 1");
SetIndexStyle(4,DRAW_ARROW);
SetIndexArrow(4, 162);
SetIndexBuffer(4, EntrySignalsBuffer);
SetIndexEmptyValue(4, 0.0);
SetIndexLabel(4, "Zone Breakout Signal");
return(0);
}
int deinit()
{
return(0);
}
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Custom indicator iteration function |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
int start()
{
int counted_bars= IndicatorCounted(),
lastbar, result;
if (Bars<=100)
return(0);
if (counted_bars>0)
counted_bars--;
lastbar= Bars - counted_bars;
//
// compute ranges
//
BreakoutRanges(0, lastbar, TimeZoneOfData, DestTimeZone);
//
// check alerts
//
static datetime lastalerttime;
static double lastalertprice;
if (DoEntryAlerts && lastalerttime!=Time[0] && EntrySignalsBuffer[0]!=0 && EntrySignalsBuffer[0]!=lastalertprice) {
Alert("ZoneBreakout signals entry!");
lastalerttime= Time[0];
lastalertprice= EntrySignalsBuffer[0];
}
else {
lastalerttime= 0;
lastalertprice= 0.0;
}
return(0);
}
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Compute Breakout ranges for daily time periods |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
int BreakoutRanges(int offset, int lastbar, int tzlocal, int tzdest)
{
int i, j, k,
tzdiff= tzlocal - tzdest,
tzdiffsec= tzdiff*3600,
tidxstart[2]= { 0, 0},
tidxend[2]= { 0, 0 };
double thigh[2]= { 0.0, 0.0 },
tlow[2]= { 99999.9, 99999.9 };
string tfrom[3]= { "08:00", "09:00" , /*rest of day: */ "12:00"},
tto[3]= { "09:00", "10:00", /*rest of day: */ "24:00" },
tday;
bool inperiod= -1;
datetime timet;
//
// search back for the beginning of the day
//
tday= TimeToStr(Time[lastbar]-tzdiffsec, TIME_DATE);
for ( ; lastbar<Bars; lastbar++) {
if (TimeToStr(Time[lastbar] - tzdiffsec, TIME_DATE)!=tday) {
lastbar--;
break;
}
}
//
// find the high/low for the two periods and carry them forward through the day
//
tday= "XXX";
for (i= lastbar; i>=offset; i--) {
timet= Time[i] - tzdiffsec; // time of this bar
string timestr= TimeToStr(timet, TIME_MINUTES), // current time HH:MM
thisday= TimeToStr(timet, TIME_DATE); // current date
EntrySignalsBuffer[i]= 0;
//
// for all three periods (first period, second period, rest of day)
//
for (j= 0; j<3; j++) {
if (tfrom[j]<=timestr && timestr<tto[j]) { // Bar[i] in this period
if (inperiod!=j) { // entered new period, so last one is completed
if (j>0) { // now draw high/low back over the recently completed period
for (k= tidxstart[j-1]; k>=tidxend[j-1]; k--) {
if (j-1==0) {
Zone1Upper[k]= thigh[j-1];
Zone1Lower[k]= tlow[j-1];
}
if (j-1==1) {
Zone2Upper[k]= thigh[j-1];
Zone2Lower[k]= tlow[j-1];
}
}
}
inperiod= j; // remember current period
}
if (inperiod==2) // inperiod==2 (end of day) is just to check completion of zone 2
break;
// for the current period find idxstart, idxend and compute high/low
if (tidxstart[j]==0) {
tidxstart[j]= i;
tday= thisday;
}
tidxend[j]= i;
thigh[j]= MathMax(thigh[j], High[i]);
tlow[j]= MathMin(tlow[j], Low[i]);
}
}
//
// carry forward the periods for which we have definite high/lows
//
if (inperiod>=1 && tday==thisday) { // first time period completed
Zone1Upper[i]= thigh[0] + PipsForEntry*Point;
Zone1Lower[i]= tlow[0] - PipsForEntry*Point;
if (inperiod>=2) { // second period completed
Zone2Upper[i]= thigh[1] + PipsForEntry*Point;
Zone2Lower[i]= tlow[1] - PipsForEntry*Point;
}
CheckSignal(i, Zone1Upper[i], OP_BUY, EntrySignalsBuffer);
CheckSignal(i, Zone1Lower[i], OP_SELL, EntrySignalsBuffer);
}
else { // none yet to carry forward (zero to clear old values, e.g. from switching timeframe)
Zone1Upper[i]= 0;
Zone1Lower[i]= 0;
}
//
// at the beginning of a new day reset everything
//
if (tday!="XXX" && tday!=thisday || TimeToStr(timet, TIME_MINUTES)>=tto[2]) {
// Print("#", i, "new day ", thisday, "/", tday);
tday= "XXX";
inperiod= -1;
for (j= 0; j<2; j++) {
tidxstart[j]= 0;
tidxend[j]= 0;
thigh[j]= 0;
tlow[j]= 99999;
}
}
}
return (0);
}
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Check price break |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
bool CheckSignal(int shift, double price, int type, double &signalbuffer[])
{
bool signal= false;
if (type==OP_BUY && ((Open[shift]<price && High[shift]>price) || (Close[shift+1]<price && Open[shift]>price)) ) {
signalbuffer[shift]= price;
signal= true;
}
if (type==OP_SELL && (Open[shift]>price && Low[shift]<price) || (Close[shift+1]>price && Open[shift]<price)) {
signalbuffer[shift]= price;
signal= true;
}
return (signal);
}
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