MQL5 ReferenceConstants, Enumerations and StructuresIndicator ConstantsCustom Indicator Properties

Custom Indicators Properties

The number of indicator buffers that can be used in a custom indicator is unlimited. But for each array, which is designated as the indicator buffer using the SetIndexBuffer() function, it's necessary to specify the data type that it will store. This may be one of the values of the ENUM_INDEXBUFFER_TYPE enumeration.

ENUM_INDEXBUFFER_TYPE

ID	Description
INDICATOR_DATA	Data to draw
INDICATOR_COLOR_INDEX	Color
INDICATOR_CALCULATIONS	Auxiliary buffers for intermediate calculations

A custom indicator has a lot of settings to provide convenient displaying. These settings are made through the assignment of corresponding indicator properties using functions IndicatorSetDouble(), IndicatorSetInteger() and IndicatorSetString(). Identifiers of indicator properties are listed in the ENUM_CUSTOMIND_PROPERTY enumeration.

ENUM_CUSTOMIND_PROPERTY_INTEGER

ID	Description	Property type
INDICATOR_DIGITS	Accuracy of drawing of indicator values	int
INDICATOR_HEIGHT	Fixed height of the indicator's window (the preprocessor command #property indicator_height)	int
INDICATOR_LEVELS	Number of levels in the indicator window	int
INDICATOR_LEVELCOLOR	Color of the level line	color modifier = level number
INDICATOR_LEVELSTYLE	Style of the level line	ENUM_LINE_STYLE modifier = level number
INDICATOR_LEVELWIDTH	Thickness of the level line	int modifier = level number
INDICATOR_FIXED_MINIMUM	Fixed minimum for the indicator window. The property can only be written by the IndicatorSetInteger() function	bool
INDICATOR_FIXED_MAXIMUM	Fixed maximum for the indicator window. The property can only be written by the IndicatorSetInteger() function	bool

ENUM_CUSTOMIND_PROPERTY_DOUBLE

ID	Description	Property type
INDICATOR_MINIMUM	Minimum of the indicator window	double
INDICATOR_MAXIMUM	Maximum of the indicator window	double
INDICATOR_LEVELVALUE	Level value	double modifier = level number

ENUM_CUSTOMIND_PROPERTY_STRING

ID	Description	Property type
INDICATOR_SHORTNAME	Short indicator name	string
INDICATOR_LEVELTEXT	Level description	string modifier = level number

Examples:

//--- indicator settings
#property indicator_separate_window
#property indicator_buffers 4
#property indicator_plots   2
#property indicator_type1   DRAW_LINE
#property indicator_type2   DRAW_LINE
#property indicator_color1  clrLightSeaGreen
#property indicator_color2  clrRed
//--- input parameters
extern int KPeriod=5;
extern int DPeriod=3;
extern int Slowing=3;
//--- indicator buffers
double MainBuffer[];
double SignalBuffer[];
double HighesBuffer[];
double LowesBuffer[];
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Custom indicator initialization function                         |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
void OnInit()
  {
//--- indicator buffers mapping
   SetIndexBuffer(0,MainBuffer,INDICATOR_DATA);
   SetIndexBuffer(1,SignalBuffer,INDICATOR_DATA);
   SetIndexBuffer(2,HighesBuffer,INDICATOR_CALCULATIONS);
   SetIndexBuffer(3,LowesBuffer,INDICATOR_CALCULATIONS);
//--- set accuracy
   IndicatorSetInteger(INDICATOR_DIGITS,2);
//--- set levels
   IndicatorSetInteger(INDICATOR_LEVELS,2);
   IndicatorSetDouble(INDICATOR_LEVELVALUE,0,20);
   IndicatorSetDouble(INDICATOR_LEVELVALUE,1,80);
//--- set maximum and minimum for subwindow
   IndicatorSetDouble(INDICATOR_MINIMUM,0);
   IndicatorSetDouble(INDICATOR_MAXIMUM,100);
//--- sets first bar from which index will be drawn
   PlotIndexSetInteger(0,PLOT_DRAW_BEGIN,KPeriod+Slowing-2);
   PlotIndexSetInteger(1,PLOT_DRAW_BEGIN,KPeriod+Slowing+DPeriod);
//--- set style STYLE_DOT for second line
   PlotIndexSetInteger(1,PLOT_LINE_STYLE,STYLE_DOT);
//--- name for DataWindow and indicator subwindow label
   IndicatorSetString(INDICATOR_SHORTNAME,"Stoch("+KPeriod+","+DPeriod+","+Slowing+")");
   PlotIndexSetString(0,PLOT_LABEL,"Main");
   PlotIndexSetString(1,PLOT_LABEL,"Signal");
//--- sets drawing line to empty value
   PlotIndexSetDouble(0,PLOT_EMPTY_VALUE,0.0);
   PlotIndexSetDouble(1,PLOT_EMPTY_VALUE,0.0);
//--- initialization done
  }

Drawing Styles

Indicator Types