ADX Level Alert Indicator: ADX, +DI And -DI At 30

Written by Dominic Walsh · Published 26 May 2026 · Last updated 26 Aug 2026

The adx level alert indicator plots the full directional movement set. ADX in yellow for strength, plus the two direction lines that produce it. One reference line sits at `TrendLevel`, the point most traders treat as the boundary between a trending market and a drifting one.

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	Separate window (levels 30)
Plots	3: ADX, +DI, -DI
Alerts	popup, push notification, email, sound
Inputs	8

What the Adx level alert Indicator draws on the chart

ADX is the yellow line reporting trend strength without direction.

+DI is the lime line and -DI is the crimson one.

A single reference line sits at 30, matching the `TrendLevel` default.

The pane has a floor of zero and no ceiling.

• ADX: line, yellow, width 3
• +DI: line, lime, width 1
• -DI: line, crimson, width 1

How the Adx level alert Indicator calculates its values

Reading all three from the terminal

iADX supplies MODE_MAIN, MODE_PLUSDI and MODE_MINUSDI at `AdxPeriod` `14`. Taking all three from one call keeps them consistent. The values match any other directional movement reading on the same chart.

What ADX actually measures

ADX smooths the gap between the two direction lines. A wide gap in either direction pushes it up. A narrow gap pulls it down. So a high reading means one side is clearly winning, without saying which side that is.

Why the pane starts blank

The loop stops short of twice `AdxPeriod` plus two bars. Directional movement smooths twice over, so the first readings need roughly double the window before they settle.

How to read the signals

Above `TrendLevel` `30` the market has a clear directional bias.

Which side owns it comes from whether +DI sits above -DI.

A falling ADX with a wide gap means a strong trend losing steam.

Below 20 the direction lines cross often and mean little.

Alert channels in this build: popup, push notification, email and sound, one message per closed bar.

`EnableAlerts` ships on and `EnablePopup` delivers the text. `EnablePushNotify`, `EnableEmail` and `EnableSound` all start false. `SoundFile` picks the clip. The check runs once per closed bar and the guard allows one message.

Every Adx level alert Indicator input

Core settings

Setting	What it does	Default
AdxPeriod	Bars in the directional movement calculation, default `14`.	14
TrendLevel	Reference level for trend strength, default `30`.	30

Alert settings

Setting	What it does	Default
EnableAlerts	Master switch over the ADX crossing alerts, default `true`.	on
EnablePopup	Terminal dialog on an ADX crossing, default `true`.	on
EnablePushNotify	Mobile push on an ADX crossing, default `false`.	off
EnableEmail	Mail delivery on an ADX crossing, default `false`.	off
EnableSound	Sound playback on an ADX crossing, default `false`.	off
SoundFile	Wav file the ADX alert plays, default `alert.wav`.	alert.wav

Settings that fit your chart

Directional movement was built for daily commodity charts and still reads best on slower ones. EURUSD H1 is the reference chart, where `AdxPeriod` at `14` covers most of a session. On M5 the reading whipsaws around the level. On H4 and daily a move above 30 tends to describe a genuine trend.

When the Adx level alert Indicator fails

ADX lags twice over, because it smooths a value that was already smoothed.

A reading above 30 says a trend exists, never how much of it is left.

The direction lines cross frequently while ADX sits low, which produces signals with nothing behind them.

Copy the compiled Adx level alert 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 level alert Indicator: Candlesticks And Support at StockCharts ChartSchool, Support at Investopedia.

Download the Adx level alert Indicator for MT4 and MT5

The zip holds the compiled Adx level alert 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.

FAQ

Why does TrendLevel default to 30?

Because 25 to 30 is the range most traders treat as the trend boundary, and 30 is the stricter half of it. Below that the direction lines cross without follow-through. The level carries no logic of its own here beyond marking the line on the pane.

What does AdxPeriod at 14 smooth?

Fourteen bars of directional movement, in both the direction lines and the ADX built from them. Wilder chose that length and it remains the default everywhere. Shortening it makes all three lines jumpier without making them earlier by much.

Does the ADX plot show direction?

No, and that is the point of it. ADX only reports how one-sided recent movement has been. Direction comes from comparing +DI against -DI, which is why all three lines share the pane rather than ADX standing alone.

Why does AdxPeriod leave the left edge blank?

Because directional movement smooths twice. The code skips roughly twice `AdxPeriod` plus two bars before writing anything, so a partial calculation never appears as a real reading. On EURUSD H1 that is about thirty hours of chart.

Are results guaranteed?

No. Trading involves risk. Results are not guaranteed; past performance is not indicative of future results. Use the Adx level alert Indicator as one input. Always backtest before trading live.