Utilities

This section documents the utility (ta.*) functions.

ta.crossover

Detects when one series crosses above another or above a fixed level.

Syntax:

ta.crossover(seriesA, seriesB)
ta.crossover(series, level)

Examples:

// Moving average crossover
ta.crossover(ta.sma($BTC, 10), ta.sma($BTC, 50))

// Price crossover
ta.crossover($BTC.close, ta.sma($BTC, 20))

// Level crossover
ta.crossover(ta.rsi($BTC, 14), 70)

// MACD crossover
ta.crossover(ta.macd($BTC, 12, 26, 9).macd, ta.macd($BTC, 12, 26, 9).signal)

// Custom indicator crossover
ta.crossover(ta.ema($BTC, 12), ta.ema($BTC, 26))

Returns: Boolean (true when crossover occurs, false otherwise)

Use Cases:

  • Entry signals when fast MA crosses above slow MA

  • Breakout detection when price crosses above resistance

  • Momentum shifts when oscillators cross key levels

ta.crossunder

Detects when one series crosses below another or below a fixed level.

Syntax:

ta.crossunder(seriesA, seriesB)
ta.crossunder(series, level)

Examples:

// Moving average crossunder
ta.crossunder(ta.sma($BTC, 10), ta.sma($BTC, 50))

// Price breakdown
ta.crossunder($BTC.close, ta.sma($BTC, 20))

// RSI exit signal
ta.crossunder(ta.rsi($BTC, 14), 30)

// Support breakdown
ta.crossunder($BTC.close, ta.bb($BTC, 20, 2).lower)

// MACD bearish signal
ta.crossunder(ta.macd($BTC, 12, 26, 9).macd, ta.macd($BTC, 12, 26, 9).signal)

Returns: Boolean (true when crossunder occurs, false otherwise)

Use Cases:

  • Exit signals when fast MA crosses below slow MA

  • Breakdown detection when price crosses below support

  • Weakness signals when oscillators cross below key levels

ta.cross

Detects when two series cross each other in any direction (up or down).

Syntax:

ta.cross(source1, source2)

Examples:

// Any moving average cross
ta.cross(ta.sma($BTC, 10), ta.sma($BTC, 50))

// Price crossing moving average (any direction)
ta.cross($BTC.close, ta.sma($BTC, 20))

// RSI crossing midline
ta.cross(ta.rsi($BTC, 14), 50)

// MACD line crossing signal line
ta.cross(ta.macd($BTC, 12, 26, 9).macd, ta.macd($BTC, 12, 26, 9).signal)

// Price crossing VWAP
ta.cross($BTC.close, ta.vwap($BTC))

Returns: Boolean (true when any crossing occurs, false otherwise)

Use Cases:

  • General crossing detection without direction bias

  • Trend change identification

  • Mean reversion signals

  • Oscillator equilibrium breaks

ta.highest

Returns the highest value in a series over a specified lookback period.

Syntax:

ta.highest(series, length)

Examples:

// Highest high over 20 periods
ta.highest($BTC.high, 20)

// Resistance level identification
$BTC.close > ta.highest($BTC.high, 50)  // New 50-period high

// RSI extreme levels
ta.highest(ta.rsi($BTC, 14), 10) > 80

// Volume spike detection
$BTC.volume > ta.highest($BTC.volume, 20) * 0.8

// Breakout confirmation
$BTC.close > ta.highest($BTC.high, 20) and $BTC.volume > ta.sma($BTC.volume, 20) * 1.5

Returns: Highest value in the lookback period

Use Cases:

  • Resistance level identification

  • Breakout detection and confirmation

  • Extreme reading analysis for oscillators

  • Volatility and volume spike detection

ta.lowest

Returns the lowest value in a series over a specified lookback period.

Syntax:

ta.lowest(series, length)

Examples:

// Lowest low over 20 periods
ta.lowest($BTC.low, 20)

// Support level identification
$BTC.close < ta.lowest($BTC.low, 50)  // New 50-period low

// RSI oversold extremes
ta.lowest(ta.rsi($BTC, 14), 10) < 20

// Volatility compression
ta.highest($BTC.high, 20) - ta.lowest($BTC.low, 20) < ta.atr($BTC, 14) * 5

// Support test
$BTC.low > ta.lowest($BTC.low, 20) and $BTC.close < ta.sma($BTC, 20)

Returns: Lowest value in the lookback period

Use Cases:

  • Support level identification

  • Breakdown detection and confirmation

  • Oversold condition analysis

  • Range and volatility compression detection

ta.change

Compares current value to its value N bars ago and returns the difference.

Syntax:

ta.change(source, length)  // length defaults to 1

Examples:

// Price change from previous bar
ta.change($BTC.close)  // Same as ta.change($BTC.close, 1)

// Price change over 5 bars
ta.change($BTC.close, 5)

// Volume change detection
ta.change($BTC.volume) > 0  // Volume increased

// RSI momentum change
ta.change(ta.rsi($BTC, 14)) > 5  // RSI increased by more than 5

// Direction change detection (for boolean series)
ta.change($BTC.close > $BTC.open)  // Candle color changed

Returns:

  • For numerical values: difference between current and previous value

  • For boolean values: true if values are different, false if same

  • undefined if insufficient data

Use Cases:

  • Momentum analysis and rate of change

  • Detecting direction changes in trends

  • Volume surge detection

  • Oscillator momentum shifts

ta.range

Calculates the range (highest - lowest) over a specified lookback period.

Syntax:

ta.range(series, length)

Examples:

// True range over 14 periods
ta.range($BTC.high, 14) - ta.range($BTC.low, 14)

// Price range analysis
ta.range($BTC.close, 20) > ta.atr($BTC, 14) * 2  // Wide range day

// Volatility compression detection
ta.range($BTC.high, 10) < ta.sma(ta.range($BTC.high, 10), 20) * 0.5

// RSI range over lookback period
ta.range(ta.rsi($BTC, 14), 5) < 10  // RSI in tight range

// Bollinger Band width equivalent
ta.range(ta.bb($BTC, 20, 2).upper, 1) - ta.range(ta.bb($BTC, 20, 2).lower, 1)

// Volume range analysis
ta.range($BTC.volume, 10) / ta.sma($BTC.volume, 10)  // Volume range ratio

Returns: Range value (highest - lowest) over the lookback period, or 0 for constants

Use Cases:

  • Volatility measurement and analysis

  • Range compression/expansion detection

  • Breakout preparation identification

  • Market consolidation analysis

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