Two things to know before loading the adx crossing indicator. Marks land on the price chart rather than in a pane, so no second window is needed. And `TrendLevel` ships at zero, which leaves the strength filter off until you raise it.
This build ships as a compiled .ex4 for MT4 and .ex5 for MT5; the screenshots below come from EURUSD H1.
| Platforms | MT4 (.ex4) + MT5 (.ex5) |
|---|---|
| Chart window | Main price chart |
| Plots | 2: Buy, Sell |
| Alerts | popup, push notification, email, sound |
| Inputs | 9 |
What the ADX Crossing Indicator draws on the chart
Two arrow plots, over price.
`Buy` prints lime at width 4.
`Sell` prints red at the same width.
Both stand `ArrowOffsetPoints` `35` points off.
No lines and no pane appear at all.
The strength reading itself is never plotted.
- Buy: arrow, lime, width 4, arrow code 233
- Sell: arrow, red, width 4, arrow code 234
How the ADX Crossing Indicator calculates its values
One call, three values
iADX at `AdxPeriod` `14` returns all of them. Two directional readings and a strength figure, taken on the current bar and again on the one before.
Spotting a crossing
One comparison decides it. An upward reading moving from at or below the downward one to above it is a buy crossing, and a sell crossing mirrors that.
An optional gate
`TrendLevel` `0` lets everything through. Raise it to twenty-five and a crossing also needs the strength figure above that number before any mark can print.
How to read the signals
Marks appear on price, so the pane stays free.
At the default every crossing prints.
Raising `TrendLevel` is the first adjustment to make.
Twenty-five is Wilder’s own threshold for a trending market.
You cannot see the strength reading, only its effect.
Warm-up takes about twice the period.
Alert channels in this build: popup, push notification, email and sound, one message per closed bar.
Messages here follow a directional crossing. `EnableAlerts` governs whether any go out and arrives on with `EnablePopup`. Three stay dark: `EnablePushNotify` to your phone, `EnableEmail` out through the terminal, `EnableSound` playing `SoundFile`.
Every ADX Crossing Indicator input
Core settings
| Setting | What it does | Default |
|---|---|---|
AdxPeriod |
Bars in the calculation, `14`. | 14 |
TrendLevel |
Strength a crossing must clear, `0`. | 0 |
Display settings
| Setting | What it does | Default |
|---|---|---|
ArrowOffsetPoints |
Distance from mark to candle, `35`. | 35 |
Alert settings
| Setting | What it does | Default |
|---|---|---|
EnableAlerts |
Whether crossing messages go out, `true`. | on |
EnablePopup |
Shows one in a MetaTrader box, `true`. | on |
EnablePushNotify |
Sends one to your phone, `false`. | off |
EnableEmail |
Mails one out, `false`. | off |
EnableSound |
Sounds one on the desktop, `false`. | off |
SoundFile |
Clip the crossing sound uses, `”alert.wav”`. | alert.wav |
Settings that fit your chart
Wilder’s fourteen-bar window travels well across markets. EURUSD H1 is the reference chart, where crossings come once or twice a day unfiltered. Drop to M5 and they are constant. Move to H4 and each one covers a session.
When the ADX Crossing Indicator fails
At the default there is no filter at all.
The two readings cross constantly in a range.
Nothing on screen tells you how strong the move is.
Smoothing puts every crossing behind the price move.
Copy the compiled ADX Crossing Indicator file into your MQL4/Indicators folder, and the MT5 build into MQL5/Indicators, then restart the terminal and drag it onto a chart. The step-by-step guide with screenshots is at how to install MT4 and MT5 indicators.
Background reading on the method behind the ADX Crossing Indicator: Average directional movement index on Wikipedia, Average Directional Index ADX at StockCharts ChartSchool.
Download the ADX Crossing Indicator for MT4 and MT5
The zip holds the compiled ADX Crossing Indicator build for MT4 and MT5, plus a short README. Compiled files only, no source. Enter your email below and the download link arrives in your inbox.
Download this indicator free
Enter your email and the file is yours. You also get the full MT4 and MT5 library.
FAQ
What does the Buy plot show at TrendLevel 0?
Every directional crossing, unfiltered. The zero default leaves the strength gate open, so the arrows mark each cross the two readings make, which is the noisiest setting the tool offers.
What should TrendLevel be raised to?
Twenty-five is the usual answer, since Wilder treated that as the point where a market counts as trending. Higher values leave only crossings inside a strong move, at the cost of very few marks.
Why is the ADX reading not plotted?
Because this build puts its marks on the price chart rather than in a pane. The strength figure still gates the crossings when you raise the level, but you never see the line itself.
How many bars before the first Sell mark can print?
Roughly twice the period. Smoothing runs twice inside the calculation, so the build skips about twenty-eight bars before writing anything and early history stays unmarked.
Are results guaranteed?
No. Trading involves risk. Results are not guaranteed; past performance is not indicative of future results. Use the ADX Crossing Indicator as one input. Always backtest before trading live.
Category: this is part of our Signal and Forecast collection. Also, still, yet, hence, browse more Signal and Forecast for MetaTrader, or explore every MT4 indicator and MT5 indicator on the site.
External references
- For background on this concept, see Crossing network on Wikipedia.
- For broader market context, see Average Directional Index ADX at StockCharts ChartSchool.
About the author
Written by Dominic Walsh, a Forex trader and MT4/MT5 indicator, Expert Advisor and script developer. Every tool on forexmt4systems.com is tested on live charts before release and ships with ready-to-use compiled MT4 (.ex4) and MT5 (.ex5) files. Learn more about the trader and developer behind this site.
How we build, test and correct every tool: Editorial & Testing Policy. Trading carries risk; see the disclaimer.