DODF (Daily Open Direction Filter)

Attached Image (click to enlarge)

1. feat: Added a user-selectable 'DODF_AnchorMode' input.
2. feat: Implemented a new DST-aware "NY Close 17:00 ET" anchor.
3. feat: Default behavior is now the timezone-independent NY Close anchor.
4. fix: DODF daily open is now consistent and reproducible on all brokers.
5. refactor: Replaced server-time logic with a robust UTC-based system.
6. chore: Kept the original "Broker Midnight" logic as a selectable option.

Time Terminology

1. Daily Open “anchor”: The specific moment in time (e.g., 17:00 ET) that defines the start of the trading day for calculation purposes.
2. ET: Eastern Time, the timezone of New York, used as a global financial market benchmark.
3. DST: Daylight Saving Time. The indicator automatically handles the seasonal time shift for ET.
4. UTC: Coordinated Universal Time. The absolute, global time standard used for all internal calculations to ensure accuracy.
5. “timezone-independent”: The indicator's calculations produce the exact same result on any broker, regardless of their server location.
6. Broker Midnight: 00:00 on your specific broker's server clock. This is a relative time that varies between brokers.
7. Server Time: The local time of your broker's trading server.

Anchor Modes

1. DODF_AnchorMode: The main setting to control the daily open anchor.
   1. ANCHOR_NY_CLOSE_1700ET: (Default) Anchors the daily open to 17:00 New York time. It is fully timezone-independent and automatically adjusts for US DST. This is the recommended mode for consistent results.
   2. ANCHOR_BROKER_MIDNIGHT: The legacy mode. Anchors the daily open to a specific hour on your broker's server clock. Results will vary between brokers.

   
   

2. DODF_Session_Start: An integer representing the anchor hour. This parameter is validated (0-23) and is only used when DODF_AnchorMode is set to ANCHOR_BROKER_MIDNIGHT; it is ignored otherwise.

How It Works

The indicator determines the "daily open" price by taking the open of the H1 candle from the first bar that occurs at or after the selected anchor time. All anchor time calculations are performed in UTC to be absolute and unambiguous. This UTC time is then mapped to your broker's server time to find the correct bar. The logic correctly handles DST boundary transitions. If an H1 bar lookup fails, it uses the D1 open as a fallback.

Quick Start

1. Load the indicator onto your chart.
2. For consistent, broker-agnostic results, leave the default setting: DODF_AnchorMode = ANCHOR_NY_CLOSE_1700ET.
3. To use the old behavior, change DODF_AnchorMode to ANCHOR_BROKER_MIDNIGHT and set DODF_Session_Start to your desired server hour.
4. Confirm the daily open line aligns with the first H1 bar open at/after the 17:00 ET anchor (note: your chart shows server time).
5. When using the default mode, you can expect the exact same daily open price and bias signals across different broker platforms.

Input Reference

1. DODF_AnchorMode
   1. Values: ANCHOR_NY_CLOSE_1700ET, ANCHOR_BROKER_MIDNIGHT
   2. Default: ANCHOR_NY_CLOSE_1700ET

   
   

2. DODF_Session_Start
   1. Values: 0-23 (Used only for Broker Midnight mode)
   2. Default: 0

   
   

FAQ

Why use the NY Close anchor?
It provides a standardized, absolute daily anchor point based on the close of the main forex trading session, ensuring every user gets the same result.

Why not just use midnight?
"Midnight" is relative and ambiguous; it is different for every broker. The NY Close anchor is an absolute moment in time, which is critical for reproducibility.

How does DST affect the anchor?
The ANCHOR_NY_CLOSE_1700ET mode automatically adjusts for US Daylight Saving Time. The anchor remains fixed at 17:00 New York time year-round without any manual changes.

How do I use the old Broker Midnight setting?
Select ANCHOR_BROKER_MIDNIGHT in the DODF_AnchorMode input, then set the DODF_Session_Start parameter to the desired hour based on your broker's server clock.

Attached Image (click to enlarge)