ZP Super Trend Indicator: A Trailing Band On HA Candles

Written by Dominic Walsh · Published 17 Jul 2026 · Last updated 9 Sep 2026

The zp super trend indicator does the usual trailing band calculation on smoothed candles rather than raw ones. Heikin-Ashi values come first. The band then hangs `Multiplier` times ATR off their midpoint, and every comparison afterwards uses the smoothed close instead of the real 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	Main price chart
Plots	2: HA-ST Up, HA-ST Dn
Alerts	popup, push notification, email, sound
Inputs	8

What the ZP Super Trend Indicator draws on the chart

HA-ST Up is the light coral line and HA-ST Dn is the lawn green one.

Only one shows at a time, and the swap marks a change of direction.

The band never loosens while the current direction holds.

Nothing draws before the ATR window has filled.

• HA-ST Up: plot, light coral
• HA-ST Dn: plot, lawn green

How the ZP Super Trend Indicator calculates its values

Building the smoothed candles

ha_close averages open, high, low and close. ha_open takes the midpoint of the previous smoothed pair. ha_high and ha_low then extend to cover both. Those four values replace the raw candle everywhere downstream.

Placing the band

mid takes the smoothed high plus the smoothed low over two. up takes mid minus `Multiplier` `1.8` times ATR at `AtrPeriod` `21`, and dn takes mid plus the same. Both come from smoothed values rather than raw ones.

Ratcheting on the smoothed close

While the previous smoothed close sat above the up band, up takes the higher of the new value and the old. The dn band takes the lower. Using the smoothed close is what makes this build behave differently from a standard version.

How to read the signals

Line colour is the direction reading, and the swap point is the signal.

Smoothed candles delay a turn, so the swap arrives later than on raw bars.

A `Multiplier` of `1.8` is tighter than the usual 3, which means more swaps.

The two plot colours run opposite to the usual convention, so read the labels.

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

The alert block sits behind `EnableAlerts`, which starts on, and `EnablePopup` delivers the message. `EnablePushNotify`, `EnableEmail` and `EnableSound` all begin false. `SoundFile` picks the clip. One swap message follows each closed bar.

Every ZP Super Trend Indicator input

Core settings

Setting	What it does	Default
AtrPeriod	Length of the true range average, default `21`.	21
Multiplier	Band distance in ATR units, default `1.8`.	1.8

Alert settings

Setting	What it does	Default
EnableAlerts	Master switch for the HA flip alerts, default `true`.	on
EnablePopup	Terminal dialog when the band swaps sides, default `true`.	on
EnablePushNotify	Phone push on an HA flip, default `false`.	off
EnableEmail	Mail delivery on an HA flip, default `false`.	off
EnableSound	Sound playback on an HA flip, default `false`.	off
SoundFile	Wav clip for the flip alert, default `alert.wav`.	alert.wav

Settings that fit your chart

Smoothed candles suit charts where trends run for a while. EURUSD H1 is the reference chart, where `AtrPeriod` at `21` covers about a day. On M5 the smoothing helps, but a 1.8 multiplier still swaps often. On H4 a single direction can hold for a fortnight.

When the ZP Super Trend Indicator fails

Heikin-Ashi values are averages, so the band responds to a smoothed version of price rather than to price.

A tighter multiplier than the usual 3 means more swaps and more given back at each.

The two plot colours do not follow the usual green-for-up convention.

Copy the compiled ZP Super Trend 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.

Download the ZP Super Trend Indicator for MT4 and MT5

The zip holds the compiled ZP Super Trend 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 AtrPeriod feed a Heikin-Ashi band?

Because smoothed candles remove much of the bar-to-bar noise before the band ever sees it. The trade is delay: a smoothed close lags the real one, so a direction swap arrives later than the same settings would give on raw candles.

What does Multiplier at 1.8 change?

The band sits closer to price than the usual 3. On a chart where ATR reads 20 pips, that is 36 pips rather than 60. Direction swaps therefore come more often, and each one gives back less.

Does AtrPeriod at 21 use smoothed ranges?

The ATR itself comes from the true range of the real bars. What the smoothing changes is the midpoint the band hangs from and the close the ratchet compares against. So volatility is measured honestly.

Why is HA-ST Up drawn in light coral?

The two plot colours run against the usual convention in this build, with the up line in light coral and the down line in lawn green. Read the labels rather than the colours, or change them in the properties dialog.

Are results guaranteed?

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