Trendline Alert Indicator: A 12-Bar Pivot Draws It

Written by Dominic Walsh · Published 14 Jul 2026 · Last updated 9 Sep 2026

The trendline alert indicator draws the diagonal you would draw by hand. Two deep pivots anchor each line. A twelve-bar fractal is a demanding test, so the lines it finds are the obvious ones rather than every wiggle.

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: Trendline Break Buy, Trendline Break Sell
Alerts	popup, push notification, email, sound
Inputs	13

What the Trendline alert Indicator draws on the chart

`Trendline Break Buy` uses arrow 233 in aqua.

`Trendline Break Sell` uses arrow 234 in tomato.

`ShowLines` adds the projected trend objects in tomato and dodger blue.

Mark distance scales with range at `ArrowMult` `1.0`.

• Trendline Break Buy: arrow, aqua, width 2, arrow code 233
• Trendline Break Sell: arrow, tomato, width 2, arrow code 234

How the Trendline alert Indicator calculates its values

Deep pivots only

`Depth` `12` asks a bar to beat twelve neighbours on each side. That is far stricter than a three-bar test, so the pivot list stays short and the lines stay meaningful.

Two points make a slope

Given two pivot highs the code works out the slope between them, then evaluates that line at the current bar. Falling lines come from highs and rising ones from lows.

A close cuts it

The current close must sit beyond the projected level while the previous close sat on the other side. Comparing both bars is what makes it a break rather than a state.

How to read the signals

A twelve-bar pivot confirms twelve bars late, so each line arrives well after its anchor.

The level a break needs changes every bar, because the line slopes.

Arrow distance follows range, so it suits any instrument without tuning.

`LineWidth` `2` keeps the projections visible under price.

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

`EnableAlerts` is the umbrella and starts true with `EnablePopup`. `EnablePushNotify` raises a phone alert, `EnableEmail` posts mail and `EnableSound` sounds `SoundFile`. Those three arrive off. Nothing fires until the cutting bar has closed.

Every Trendline alert Indicator input

Core settings

Setting	What it does	Default
Depth	fractal half-width for swing pivots. Half-width of the fractal that confirms a pivot, default `12`.	12
ATRPeriod	ATR length for arrow offset. Window behind the arrow spacing, default `14`.	14

Display settings

Setting	What it does	Default
ArrowMult	arrow distance = ATR * this. Arrow distance as a multiple of range, default `1.0`.	1.0
ResColor	resistance trend line. Line colour above price, default `clrTomato`.	tomato
SupColor	support trend line. Line colour below price, default `clrDodgerBlue`.	dodger blue
LineWidth	trend-line width. Thickness of both projections, default `2`.	2
ShowLines	draw the projected trend lines. Draw the projected lines at all, default `true`.	on

Alert settings

Setting	What it does	Default
EnableAlerts	Umbrella above the four delivery routes, default `true`.	on
EnablePopup	Terminal box when a projection gets cut, default `true`.	on
EnablePushNotify	Phone alert when a projection gets cut, default `false`.	off
EnableEmail	(see inputs panel)	off
EnableSound	(see inputs panel)	off
SoundFile	(see inputs panel)	alert.wav

Settings that fit your chart

Deep pivots need history. EURUSD H1 is the reference chart. A twelve-bar fractal there covers half a day either side. On M5 the lines still form but redraw often. H4 holds one line for weeks.

When the Trendline alert Indicator fails

Twelve bars of confirmation each side is a long wait for a fresh line.

Only the newest pair of pivots anchors each line, so older structure gets dropped.

A sloping level makes a break partly a matter of timing.

Copy the compiled Trendline 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 Trendline alert Indicator: Foreign exchange option on Wikipedia, Stockcharts Pseudo Symbols at StockCharts ChartSchool.

Download the Trendline alert Indicator for MT4 and MT5

The zip holds the compiled Trendline 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 Depth 12 give better lines?

It rejects small turns. A bar must beat twelve neighbours on each side, so only significant swings become anchors. Fewer, larger pivots mean the lines match what an experienced eye would draw.

How does ArrowMult 1.0 space the marks?

It sets the gap as one full range reading rather than a fixed point count. A busy session pushes the arrow further out and a quiet one keeps it close, with no per-instrument tuning needed.

What does ShowLines change?

Only whether the projections appear. The break test runs either way, so switching it off gives you arrows on a clean chart while the underlying calculation carries on unchanged.

Does a Trendline Break Buy need a close?

Yes, and the previous close must sit on the other side of the line. A wick that pierces the projection and pulls back within the same bar leaves nothing behind.

Are results guaranteed?

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