Automatic Arrowhead lines on MT4

Perhaps this indicator will be of use to somebody.

It will automatically put an arrowhead on any Trendline by Angle that is generated while the indicator is running.

If you move the line or change its color, the arrowhead will be updated.

Please Note: this is a workaround for an inherent shortcoming of MetaTrader 4. Therefore, please do not expect perfection. You must have the font "Wingdings 3" installed on your computer (most Windows PCs should have this font installed).

thanks mate , let me try it

Thanks honestknave this is still working.

Thanks! This works perfectly.

Is it possible to have the mq4 file?

I'm trying to program an indicator like this, but using trendlines instead of trendbyangles, which don't change when you resize the chart. I have a problem: here is the code. Why doesn't it recognize the value of the price2 always returning 0? some advice? Thanks in advance

#property copyright "Copyright 2018, MetaQuotes Software Corp."
#property link "https://www.mql5.com"
#property version "1.00"
#property strict
#property indicator_chart_window
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Custom indicator initialization function |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
int OnInit()
{
//--- indicator buffers mapping

//---
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[])
{
//---

//--- return value of prev_calculated for next call
return(rates_total);
}
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| ChartEvent function |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
void OnChartEvent(const int id, // Event identifier
const long& lparam, // Event parameter of long type
const double& dparam, // Event parameter of double type
const string& sparam) // Event parameter of string type
{
if(id==CHARTEVENT_OBJECT_CREATE){

string objname = sparam;
int objtype = ObjectType(objname);
if (objtype == OBJ_TRENDBYANGLE){
datetime time1 = ObjectGet(objname,OBJPROP_TIME1);
double price1 = ObjectGet(objname,OBJPROP_PRICE1);
datetime time2 = ObjectGet(objname,OBJPROP_TIME2);
double price2 = ObjectGet(objname,OBJPROP_PRICE2);
double angle = MathRound(ObjectGet(objname,OBJPROP_ANGLE));

ObjectCreate ("cntr", OBJ_LABEL, 0, 0, 0);
ObjectSet ("cntr", OBJPROP_CORNER, 1);
ObjectSet ("cntr", OBJPROP_XDISTANCE, 381);
ObjectSet ("cntr", OBJPROP_YDISTANCE, 12);
ObjectSetText ("cntr", time1+"|"+price1+"|"+time2+"|"+price2+"|"+angle,10,0,Black);
}

}
}
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+

You're still using OBJ_TRENDBYANGLE (and not trend lines) in your code?!

OBJ_TRENDBYANGLE - MQL4 Documentation shows TrendByAngleCreate contains one price/time and one angle. (from here)

yes, trendbyangle is the starting object, because I need the angle to set the arrow. Then I would like to replace it with a normal trendline, but I can't do it without the value of price2. Is only the first part of the code, but I can't go on and I don't understand why I don't get the value of the second price. My request for help was for this.

Drawing a trendline and get the "angle" (better slope) from that object isn't an option? (link)

OBJ_TRENDBYANGLE doesn't have the OBJPROP_PRICE2 property. It is a ray, not a line segment. Which means an object OBJ_TRENDBYANGLE is fully defined by OBJPROP_TIME1, OBJPROP_PRICE1 and OBJPROP_ANGLE.

Thanks to both of you

In the end I opted for writing a script.
it works like this:
draw a trendline by angle, launch the script (perhaps through a hotkey is more practical), the trendline by angle will be replaced by a normal trendline with arrowhead; at this point if the trendline is moved or deleted, calling the script everything will be updated.
Note:
- the trendlines will be blue, because the arrows are only blue;
- arrows will be drawn only for the angle from 90 ° to 270 °, so to speak towards the right side of the graph;
- the images of the arrows must be saved in the images folder of the platform.
I enclose everything maybe it can be useful to someone.
Thanks for collaboration.

Doing it this way is really limited (to a white background, always the need for runnig the script again, ...) and the need for >180 bmp files is insane

I thought more about using "Wingdings 3" font (as honestknave is doing it with his indicator), using the letters p and q with the correct angle for example

unfortunately I know it, three hours of my life
How can I set these characters as a bmp file? What is the path?

No bmp.... you only add a text object with the mentioned fontname and using "p" / "q" as text. That's all!

Thank you very much for your advice, as you may have guessed I am not a programmer, even if I can untangle myself a little with the codes. English is not my language and finding information is not always easy even using a translator. However I have readjusted the code with your welcome explanations.
Now draw arrows in all directions and based on the color of the trendline by angle.
The choice of a limiting script, instead of an indicator, is given by the fact that I keep many graphics open with various ea and indicators and sometimes the platform slows down. For this reason it is preferable for me to write a script only when I need it, also because I am not continuously shooting arrows .
Many thanks again.

User @plugking asked me to fix dani3l380's script - instead of changing his script I've put together an indicator which

- listen in the background and is only active when you add a new MT4 'Trend By Angle' object to the chart
- recognize when you drag/change a 'Trend By Angle' line and rearrange the arrow again
- recognize when you delete a 'Trend By Angle' line from the chart - the arrow is deleted also
- recognize when you drag your price scale up/down - the arrow is again rearranged to the 'Trend By Angle' line

You also can set two favorite colors in the options.
When you SHIFT + click on a 'Trend By Angle' line the color switches from color1 to color2 (and vice versa).
(You can of course use any other color when you use the normal MT4 right click > edit object properties way - the arrow is rearranged to the new set color too.)

Update v1.2j:
+ added two further fav colors (so total of 4 now)
+ added arrow size option

Update v1.3j:
+ added a keyboard shortcut opportunity
when set (default to letter P) a new 'trend by angle' line incl. arrow is added to the chart
the arrow is placed exactly where your mouse cursor was on the chart when you pressed 'P'

see gif animation below (v1.1j)

Attached Image

P.S.: 'Wingdings 3' font must be installed on your system!
P.P.S.: I've just tested the above indicator from honestknave - seems like i could have saved my work - more or less 1:1 the same beside my two color fast switch option when SHIFT+click the line.

Thank you so much

Hi Jagg,

This Plot_Arrows tool is quite handy to draw speculative arrows on a chart. Up until now, I've never even bothered to display the quick Icon for Trend-by-Angle, because I consider it near worthless, but with these arrow heads added, it's quite useful. (Kudos to the OP honestknave for the first implementation).

I'm most intrigued by your use of real-time keystrokes to supplement the indicator. I assume you must be using an OnChartEvent section, and monitoring the "CHARTEVENT_KEYDOWN" for the press of a "P" (to draw the T.by.A object), or hold the "Shift" key and click over the object to change the color. Very nice!

You didn't provide MT4 source for all this, which is your choice, but might you be able to share at least a portion that recognizes the "P" keystroke? And the shift-plus-click-over-object? I admit I haven't done a lot of research yet, so I don't yet understand what would be the right values for the lparam, dparam, and sparam parameters, as in:



Besides my hope for code examples, I'd like to offer some simple suggestions to improve this Plot_Arrow indicator.

1. It would be more helpful when pressing "P" to create an arrow if the 1st X:Y coordinate (i.e. the start of the arrow) would start at the mouse location, rather than the end of it. The beginning of the arrow happens to start several bars back, so if I want to start an arrow from some point, if I use "P", I have to relocate BOTH the beginning point and the end point. If you start the object's 1st point at the cursor, one only needs to move the 2nd point to wherever desired.

Because of this, it may be easier to stick with the T.by.A Icon to draw the object, but since I like the bindkey too, improving it would make it more useful.

2. A further improvement to "P" would be if you could detect if the Left-mouse-button (LMB) is being pressed-and-held when the "P" keystroke is detected, and if so, move the 2nd point of the arrow so that will follow the cursor and be fully placed when the LMB is released. (Alternatively, a "P" could start the T.by.A object without the LMB pressed, but it would continuously follow the cursor until the LMB is clicked-and-released at the 2nd point).

(I would guess this enhancement is a lot harder to implement, but if you know how, WOW!)

Observation: In your current version, if one holds down the "P" bindkey and moves the mouse, it will drop a bunch of horizontal T.by.A objects with arrow heads!

3. I'm wondering if there is any way to "chain" a series of arrows by using a mouse-key that stops the first arrow-in-progress, and starts another at exactly the same point. This would make it even easier to draw a zig-zag-zig (Elliott waves A, B, C, or 3,4,5, etc.), for example. (Another FF user's chart is attached below). Even with enhancement #1, it will be easy enough to press another "P", but then one is again still forced to move the 2nd point to where desired. (Enh #2 would improve this a lot more too). A more fluid set of points and appropriate bindkey(s), along with holding down the LMB, could make this a profoundly easy tool to draw such multiple arrows on a chart. (e.g. "On my chart, I think the next 3 moves will be... (an arrow down, then a short up, then a final down"). Maybe *just* the "P" bindkey can do it all, but if necessary, one could use another bindkey ("C" for Chain, or Continue, or ... "B" for bend, or whatever bindkey you like best).

If you create a chain of arrows, then it will be your choice as to whether to create an arrowhead for each segment or not. I probably prefer only 1 arrowhead at the very end of the chain, but I don't think it much matters.



4. Since I don't much use T.by.A objects, perhaps it's no big deal to me that EVERY such object is controlled by your indicator by it checking ObjectType I would assume. However, for those who do want the occasional regular T.by.A objects left as the user customizes it, it could be helpful if you check the 1st character of the ObjectName, and if it's, say, "_", then ignore that object and leave it alone for the user to control and change as desired.


Thanks in advance for any programming tips you may provide. And thanks for considering these enhancements for this already useful tool.

Kent (pips4life)

Hi Jagg,

Enh idea #5: There are some situations where OBJ_TREND would in fact be a better choice to mark up a chart (when both time and price are marked). The OBJ_TRENDBYANGLE maintains a constant angle regardless of zoom in-out, and chart TF, but a TL's coordinates stay in the same two spots on a chart.

TL's do not have arrowheads, but with this indicator, they could make use of the same technique. Since one should not control all TL's with the indicator, then the control of specific TL's could either be by offering a specific bindkey (similar to "P", but a different one that creates an OBJ_TREND with the arrowheads); or one could let the user change the 1st character of the ObjectName that when seen, takes over the creating of the arrowhead, (and turns off the OBJPROP_RAY).

Offered for your consideration.

Thanks,
Kent (pips4life)