MQL5 ReferenceCustom IndicatorsIndicator Styles in ExamplesDRAW_SECTION

DRAW_SECTION

DRAW_SECTION draws sections of the specified color by the values of the indicator buffer. The width, color and style of the line can be specified like for the DRAW_LINE style - using compiler directives or dynamically using the PlotIndexSetInteger() function. Dynamic changes of the plotting properties allows "to enliven" indicators, so that their appearance changes depending on the current situation.

Sections are drawn from one non-empty value to another non-empty value of the indicator buffer, empty values are ignored. To specify what value should be considered as "empty", set this value in the PLOT_EMPTY_VALUE property: For example, if the indicator should be drawn as a sequence of sections on non-zero values, then you need to set the zero value as an empty one:

//--- The 0 (empty) value will mot participate in drawing
PlotIndexSetDouble(index_of_plot_DRAW_SECTION,PLOT_EMPTY_VALUE,0);

Always explicitly fill in the values of the indicator buffers, set an empty value in a buffer to the elements that should not be plotted.

The number of buffers required for plotting DRAW_SECTION is 1.

An example of the indicator that draws sections between the High and Low prices. The color, width and style of all sections change randomly every N ticks.

An example of DRAW_SECTION

Note that initially for plot1 with DRAW_SECTION the properties are set using the compiler directive #property, and then in the OnCalculate() function these three properties are set randomly. The N parameter is set in external parameters of the indicator for the possibility of manual configuration (the Parameters tab in the indicator's Properties window).

//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//|                                                 DRAW_SECTION.mq5 |
//|                        Copyright 2011, MetaQuotes Software Corp. |
//|                                              https://www.mql5.com |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
#property copyright "Copyright 2000-2024, MetaQuotes Ltd."
#property link      "https://www.mql5.com"
#property version   "1.00"

#property description "An indicator to demonstrate DRAW_SECTION"
#property description "Draws straight sections every bars bars"
#property description "The color, width and style of sections are changed randomly"
#property description "after every N ticks"

#property indicator_chart_window
#property indicator_buffers 1
#property indicator_plots   1
//--- plot Section
#property indicator_label1  "Section"
#property indicator_type1   DRAW_SECTION
#property indicator_color1  clrRed
#property indicator_style1  STYLE_SOLID
#property indicator_width1  1
//--- input parameter
input int      bars=5;           // The length of sections in bars
input int      N=5;              // The number of ticks to change the style of sections
//--- An indicator buffer for the plot
double         SectionBuffer[];
//--- An auxiliary variable to calculate ends of sections
int            divider;
//--- An array to store colors
color colors[]={clrRed,clrBlue,clrGreen};
//--- An array to store the line styles
ENUM_LINE_STYLE styles[]={STYLE_SOLID,STYLE_DASH,STYLE_DOT,STYLE_DASHDOT,STYLE_DASHDOTDOT};
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Custom indicator initialization function                         |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
int OnInit()
  {
//--- Binding an array and an indicator buffer
   SetIndexBuffer(0,SectionBuffer,INDICATOR_DATA);
//--- The 0 (empty) value will mot participate in drawing
   PlotIndexSetDouble(0,PLOT_EMPTY_VALUE,0);
//--- Check the indicator parameter
   if(bars<=0)
     {
      PrintFormat("Invalid value of parameter bar=%d",bars);
      return(INIT_PARAMETERS_INCORRECT);
     }
   else divider=2*bars;
//---+
   return(INIT_SUCCEEDED);
  }
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Custom indicator iteration function                              |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
int OnCalculate(const int rates_total,
                const int prev_calculated,
                const datetime &time[],
                const double &open[],
                const double &high[],
                const double &low[],
                const double &close[],
                const long &tick_volume[],
                const long &volume[],
                const int &spread[])
  {
   static int ticks=0;
//--- Calculate ticks to change the style, color and width of the line
   ticks++;
//--- If a critical number of ticks has been accumulated
   if(ticks>=N)
     {
      //--- Change the line properties
      ChangeLineAppearance();
      //--- Reset the counter of ticks to zero
      ticks=0;
     }

//--- The number of the bar from which the calculation of indicator values starts
   int start=0;
//--- If the indicator has been calculated before, then set start on the previous bar
   if(prev_calculated>0) start=prev_calculated-1;
//--- Here are all the calculations of the indicator values
   for(int i=start;i<rates_total;i++)
     {
      //--- Get a remainder of the division of the bar number by 2*bars
      int rest=i%divider;
      //--- If the bar number is divisible by 2*bars
      if(rest==0)
        {
         //--- Set the end of the section at the High price of this bar
         SectionBuffer[i]=high[i];
        }
      //---If the remainder of the division is equal to bars,
      else
        {
         //--- Set the end of the section at the High price of this bar
         if(rest==bars) SectionBuffer[i]=low[i];
         //--- If nothing happened, ignore the bar - set 0
         else SectionBuffer[i]=0;
        }
     }
//--- Return the prev_calculated value for the next call of the function
   return(rates_total);
  }
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Changes the appearance of sections in the indicator              |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
void ChangeLineAppearance()
  {
//--- A string for the formation of information about the line properties
   string comm="";
//--- A block of line color change
   int number=MathRand(); // Get a random number
//--- The divisor is equal to the size of the colors[] array
   int size=ArraySize(colors);
//--- Get the index to select a new color as the remainder of integer division
   int color_index=number%size;
//--- Set the color as the PLOT_LINE_COLOR property
   PlotIndexSetInteger(0,PLOT_LINE_COLOR,colors[color_index]);
//--- Write the line color
   comm=comm+"\r\n"+(string)colors[color_index];

//--- A block for changing the width of the line
   number=MathRand();
//--- Get the width of the remainder of integer division
   int width=number%5;   // The width is set from 0 to 4
//--- Set the width
   PlotIndexSetInteger(0,PLOT_LINE_WIDTH,width);
//--- Write the line width
   comm=comm+"\r\nWidth="+IntegerToString(width);

//--- A block for changing the style of the line
   number=MathRand();
//--- The divisor is equal to the size of the styles array
   size=ArraySize(styles);
//--- Get the index to select a new style as the remainder of integer division
   int style_index=number%size;
//--- Set the line style
   PlotIndexSetInteger(0,PLOT_LINE_STYLE,styles[style_index]);
//--- Write the line style
   comm="\r\n"+EnumToString(styles[style_index])+""+comm;
//--- Show the information on the chart using a comment
   Comment(comm);
  }

DRAW_LINE

DRAW_HISTOGRAM