Plot functions

plot(string Name, var Value, int Type, int Color)

plot(string Name, vars Data, int Type, int Color)

plotBar(string Name, int Pos, var Label, var Value, int Type, int Color)

plotHistogram(string Name, var Value, var Step, var Weight, int Color): int

plotGraph(string Name, var X, var Y, int Type, int Color)

plotText (string Name, var X, var Y, string Text, int Style, int Color)

plotData (string Name): DATA*

plotChart (string FileName)

Chart with candles and indicators, created with plot commands

Autocorrelation histogram created with plotBar commands

MAE scatter plot, created with plotGraph commands.

Parameters:

Remarks:

• In [Test] mode the chart viewer either appears automatically after the test, or at pressing [Result], dependent on PLOTNOW. In [Trade] mode the live chart is updated in intervals given by on PlotPeriod. In [Train] mode no charts are plotted; instead parameter histograms or countour charts are displayed in a browser. Histograms show the objective value and the number of winning and losing trades for each parameter.
• Histograms, scatter plots, and charts can not be plotted at the same time; plotBar overrides plot.
• The vertical axis of charts and histograms is automatically scaled so that all elements are visible. This can cause 'compressed lines' when elements are too far apart or at wrong positions, for instance a plot at position 0 on a chart with a 1.1 - 1.2 price range. Elements by plotGraph can affect the scale even when they are outside the visible chart section. If a plot curve appears compressed or vertically shifted, it has likely initial values outside their normal range. For avoiding this, start the plots after the lookback period ( if(!is(LOOBACK)) { plot(...); } ).
• When extra charts are opened with NEW, the order of plot calls determines in which chart the curves are plotted. The order is determined by the first plot call in or after the FIRSTRUN. Subsequent calls can then be in arbitrary order. When plot order matters and plots depend on if(...) conditions, enforce the right order in the first run f.i. with if(is(FIRSTRUN)). Candles and bands are only plotted in the main chart.
• If plot is called several times with the same Name at the same bar, only the last data value is plotted.
• If a plot command is not called during a bar, the plotted curve will have gaps at the skipped bars. This can be used for plotting dotted lines. Example for plotting only at every second bar in a chart: if(Bar%1) plot(...);.
• Every plot on a chart must have the same Type and Color. For plotting a curve in different colors, use alternating curves with the same value and different Name. In a histogram, any graph or symbol can have an individual color.
• plotGraph and plotText limit to the number of elements (lines, symbols, texts) per plot to the number of bars on the chart. Exceeding the limit causes an Error 038 message. For adding more elements to the chart, use another plotGraph with a different Name.
• Any plot command is normally linked to the current asset. When multiple assets are traded, only prices, trades, and curves linked to the asset selected with the [Asset] scrollbox are plotted; curves linked to other assets are only plotted when PlotMode got set to PL_ALL. For plotting parameters of different assets together, store them in different variables and then plot all together without calling asset() inbetween. For instance, inside an asset loop you can store them in a var array with one element per asset, then plot all elements of the array after the asset loop. The curves are then visible on the chart when you select the last asset of the loop and click [Result].
• For removing chart elements such as price candles or equity curves, set their Color to 0.
• Use the color function for setting color ranges in multicolor histograms. An example can be found in profile.c for the heatmap plotting.
• Use plotData for evaluating or modifying plots.
• Set the EXPORTED flag for exporting charts and histograms to a *_plot.csv file in the Log folder. They can then be displayed with other charting software.
• For adjusting scale, colors, symbol sizes, x axis labels etc, set up the corresponding plot variable.
• Special histograms, such as trade profiles, MAE graphs, seasonal profiles, correlograms or heatmaps can be plotted with the functions from the profile library.
• Price curves can be plotted even without a run function - f.i. for HFT simulation - when the bars are increased by priceQuote. Make sure that the plot function is then called at every bar for avoiding gaps in the curve.
• Use dataChart for plotting a contour chart of a complete dataset.

Examples (see also profile.c, indicators.c):

// Compare price distribution (red) with random distribution (blue)
function run()
{
  vars Price = series(price(0));
  int num = NumRiseFall(Price,20);
  plotBar("Price",2*num,num,1,SUM|BARS,RED);	

  vars Random = series(0);
  Random[0] = Random[1] + random();
  num = NumRiseFall(Random,20);
  plotBar("Random",2*num+1,0,1,SUM|BARS,BLUE);	
}

// plotGraph test
function run()
{
  set(PLOTNOW);
// plot green dots above the price at every 20th bar
  if(Bar%20 == 0)
    plot("Dotted",1.01*price(),DOT,GREEN);
 
  if(Bar == 500) {
// plot a single blue rectangle in the price chart 
    plotGraph("Rectangle",0,0.99*price(),LINE,BLUE);     // start point
    plotGraph("Rectangle",-500,0.99*price(),LINE,BLUE);  // 1st corner
    plotGraph("Rectangle",-500,1.01*price(),LINE,BLUE);  // 2nd corner
    plotGraph("Rectangle",0,1.01*price(),LINE,BLUE);     // 3rd corner
    plotGraph("Rectangle",0,0.99*price(),LINE|END,BLUE); // 4th corner and end point
 
// plot a single red dot
    plotGraph("Single Dot",-250,price(),DOT,RED);
  } 
}

// plot tiny triangles above / below price for buy and sell signals
PlotScale = 8; // size of triangle
if(SignalBuy) plot("Buy",0.9*priceLow(),MAIN|TRIANGLE,GREEN);
if(SignalSell) plot("Sell",1.1*priceHigh(),MAIN|TRIANGLE4,RED);

// plot a chart title
if(Init) plotText("Title",60,25,"My Chart",32+64+128+7,BLACK);

See also: